The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 2 (of 3)

Title: The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 2 (of 3)

Author: Christopher Marlowe

Editor: A. H. Bullen

Release date: May 16, 2013 [eBook #42724] Most recently updated: October 23, 2024

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42724

Credits: Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Paul Marshall and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)

CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE

VOLUME THE SECOND

THE WORKS

OF

CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE

EDITED BY

A. H. BULLEN, B.A.

IN THREE VOLUMES

VOLUME THE SECOND

LONDON

JOHN C. NIMMO

14, KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND, W.C.

MDCCCLXXXV

One hundred and twenty copies of this Edition on Laid paper, medium 8vo, have been printed, and are numbered consecutively as issued.

No. 47

CONTENTS OF VOL. II

[Pg 1]

THE JEW OF MALTA.

[Pg 2] [Pg 3]

Of the Jew of Malta there is no earlier edition than the 4to. of 1633, which was published under the auspices of the well-known dramatist Thomas Heywood. The title is:—The Famous Tragedy of The Rich Iew of Malta. As it was playd before the King and Queene, in His Majesties Theatre at White-Hall, by her Majesties Servants at the Cock-pit. Written by Christopher Marlo. London: Printed by I. B. for Nicholas Vavasour, and are to be sold at his Shop in the Inner-Temple, neere the Church. 1633. No later 4to. appeared.

[Pg 4]

TO MY WORTHY FRIEND,

MASTER THOMAS HAMMON,

OF GRAY'S INN, &c.

This play, composed by so worthy an author as Mr. Marlowe, and the part of the Jew presented by so unimitable an actor as Mr. Alleyn, being in this later age commended to the stage; as I ushered it unto the Court, and presented it to the Cock-pit, with these prologues and epilogues here inserted, so now being newly brought to the press, I was loth it should be published without the ornament of an Epistle; making choice of you unto whom to devote it; than whom (of all those gentlemen and acquaintance, within the compass of my long knowledge) there is none more able to tax ignorance, or attribute right to merit. Sir, you have been pleased to grace some of mine own works with your courteous patronage; [1] I hope this will not be the worse accepted, because commended by me; over whom, none can claim more power or privilege than yourself. I had no better a new-year's gift to present you with; receive it therefore as a continuance of that inviolable obligement, by which, he rests still engaged; who as he ever hath, shall always remain,

[Pg 5]

EPILOGUE.

[Pg 6]

THE PROLOGUE TO THE STAGE.

AT THE COCK-PIT.

[Pg 7]

EPILOGUE.

[Pg 8]

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Ferneze, Governor of Malta. Selim Calymath, Son of the Grand Seignior. Don Lodowick, the Governor's Son, in love with Abigail. Don Mathias, also in love with her. Martin del Bosco, Vice-Admiral of Spain. Barabas, the Jew of Malta. Ithamore, Barabas' slave. Barnardine, a Friar Jacomo, a Friar Pilia-Borsa, a Bully. Two Merchants. Three Jews. Bassoes, Knights, Officers, Reader, Messengers, Slaves, and Carpenters. Katharine, mother of Don Matthias . Abigail, the Jew's Daughter. Abbess. Two Nuns. Bellamira, a Courtesan. Machiavel, the Prologue.

Scene—Malta.

[Pg 9]

THE JEW OF MALTA.

[Pg 11]

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

[Pg 19]

SCENE II.

[Pg 35]

ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

SCENE II.

SCENE III.

Bar. Some wicked trick or other. It may be, under colour of shaving, thou'lt cut my throat for my goods. Tell me, hast thou thy health well?

Bar. So much the worse; I must have one that's sickly, and be but for sparing victuals: 'tis not a stone of beef a day will maintain you in these chops; let me see one that's somewhat leaner.

Itha. Faith, sir, my birth is but mean: my name's Ithamore, my profession what you please.

[Pg 57]

ACT THE THIRD.

SCENE I.

Pilia. 'Faith, walking the back lanes, through the gardens, I chanced to cast mine eye up to the Jew's counting-house, where I saw some bags of money, and in the night I clambered up with my hooks, and, as I was taking my choice, I heard a rumbling in the house; so I took only this, and run my way: but here's the Jew's man.

Pilia. Look not towards him, let's away: zoon's, what a looking thou keep'st; thou'lt betray 's anon. [Exeunt Courtesan and Pilia-Borza.

Itha. O the sweetest face that ever I beheld! I know she is a courtesan by her attire: now would I give a hundred of the Jew's crowns that I had such a concubine. Well,31 I have delivered the challenge in such sort, As meet they will, and fighting die; brave sport.

SCENE II.

SCENE III.

Itha. O mistress! I have the bravest, gravest, secret, subtle, bottle-nosed knave to my master, that ever gentleman had.

Itha. Why, the devil invented a challenge, my master writ it, and I carried it, first to Lodowick, and imprimis to Mathia[s]. And then they met, [and,] as the story says, In doleful wise they ended both their days.

SCENE IV.

Itha. Yes, sir, the proverb says he that eats with the devil had need of a long spoon. [96] I have brought you a ladle.

Itha. Why, master, will you poison her with a mess of rice porridge? that will preserve life, make her round and plump, and batten more than you are aware.

Itha. What a blessing has he given 't! was ever pot of rice porridge so sauced! What shall I do with it?

Itha. Here's a drench to poison a whole stable of Flanders mares: I'll carry 't to the nuns with a powder.

SCENE V.

[Pg 71]

SCENE VI.

[Pg 74]

ACT THE FOURTH.

SCENE I.

SCENE II.

Itha. Nay, master, be ruled by me a little [Stands up the body]; so, let him lean upon his staff; excellent! he stands as if he were begging of bacon.

[Pg 81]

SCENE III.

Itha. Fie upon 'em, master; will you turn Christian when holy friars turn devils and murder one another?

[Pg 83]

SCENE IV.

Itha. I never knew a man take his death so patiently as this friar; he was ready to leap off ere the halter was about his neck; and when the hangman had put on his hempen tippet, he made such haste to his prayers, as if he had had another cure to serve; well, go whither he will, I'll be none of his followers in haste: And, now I think on't, going to the execution, a fellow met me with a muschatoes [120] like a raven's wing, and a dagger with a hilt like a warming-pan, and he gave me a letter from one Madam Bellamira, saluting me in such sort as if he had meant to make clean my boots with his lips; the effect was, that I should come to her house. I wonder what the reason is; it may be she sees more in me than I can find in myself: for she writes further, that she loves me ever since she saw me, and who would not requite such love? Here's her house, and here she comes, and now would I were gone; I am not worthy to look upon her.

Itha. Gentleman! he flouts me; what gentry can be in a poor Turk of tenpence? [121] I'll be gone. [Aside.

Itha. Again, "sweet youth;" [Aside]—did not you, sir, bring the sweet youth a letter? Pilia. I did, sir, and from this gentlewoman, who, as myself, and the rest of the family, stand or fall at your service.

Itha. I'll go steal some money from my master to make me handsome [Aside]: Pray pardon me, I must go and see a ship discharged.

Itha. Nay, I care not how much she loves me. Sweet Bellamira, would I had my master's wealth for thy sake.

Itha. If 'twere above ground I could and would haveit; but he hides and buries it up, as partridges do their eggs, under the earth.

Itha. I, and such as—Go to, no more. I'll make him send me half he has, and glad he scapes so too. [Pen and ink. [122] I'll write unto him; we'll have money straight.

Itha. I charge thee send me three hundred by this bearer, and this shall be your warrant; if you do not, no more, but so.

Itha. But came it freely? did the cow give down her milk freely? Pilia. At reading of the letter, he stared and stamped and turned aside. I took him by the beard, [124] and looked upon him thus; told him he were best to send it; then he hugged and embraced me. Itha. Rather for fear than love. Pilia. Then, like a Jew, he laughed and jeered, and told me he loved me for your sake, and said what a faithful servant you had been.

Itha. But ten? I'll not leave him worth a grey groat. Give me a ream [125] of paper; we'll have a kingdom of gold for 't.

Itha. [Writing.] Sirrah, Jew, as you love your life send me five hundred crowns, and give the bearer one hundred. Tell him I must have 't.

Itha. That kiss again; she runs division [126] of my lips. What an eye she casts on me? It twinkles like a star.

Itha. O, that ten thousand nights were put in one, that we might sleep seven years together afore we wake.

SCENE V.

SCENE VI.

Itha. You knew Mathias and the Governor's son; he and I killed 'em both, and yet never touched 'em. Pilia. O, bravely done. Itha. I carried the broth that poisoned the nuns; and he and I, snickle hand too fast, [135] strangled a friar.

Itha. 'Tis a strange thing of that Jew, he lives upon pickled grasshoppers and sauced mushrooms.

Itha. No, I'll send by word of mouth now; bid him deliver thee a thousand crowns, by the same token, that the nuns loved rice,— that Friar Barnardine slept in his own clothes; any of 'em will do it.

Itha. The meaning has a meaning; come let's in: To undo a Jew is charity, and not sin.

[Pg 96]

ACT THE FIFTH.

SCENE I.

Itha. Guilty, my lord, I confess: your son and Mathias were both contracted unto Abigail; [he] forged a counterfeit challenge.

Itha. I carried it, I confess; but who writ it? Marry, even he that strangled Barnardine, poisoned the nuns, and his own daughter.

SCENE II.

SCENE III.

SCENE IV.

SCENE V.

[Pg 114]

[Pg 115]