READ STUDY GUIDE: (V.i); (V.ii) | (V.iii);(V.iv);(V.v) |
|
Act V
 Enter FERNEZE, KNIGHTS, MARTIN DEL BOSCO, and OFFICERS. |
| FERNEZE. Now, gentlemen, betake you to your arms, |
| And see that Malta be well fortified; |
| And it behoves you to be resolute; |
| For Calymath, having hover'd here so long, |
| Will win the town, or die before the walls. |
| FIRST KNIGHT. And die he shall; for we will never yield. |
| Enter BELLAMIRA and PILIA-BORZA. |
| BELLAMIRA. O, bring us to the governor! |
| FERNEZE. Away with her! she is a courtezan. |
| BELLAMIRA. Whate'er I am, yet, governor, hear me speak: |
| I bring thee news by whom thy son was slain: |
| Mathias did it not; it was the Jew. |
| PILIA-BORZA. Who, besides the slaughter of these gentlemen, |
| Poison'd his own daughter and the nuns, |
| Strangled a friar, and I know not what |
| Mischief beside. |
| FERNEZE. Had we but proof of this—— |
| BELLAMIRA. Strong proof, my lord: his man's now at my lodging, |
| That was his agent; he'll confess it all. |
| FERNEZE. Go fetch him straight [Exeunt OFFICERS]. |
| I always fear'd that Jew. |
| Re-enter OFFICERS with BARABAS and ITHAMORE. |
| BARABAS. I'll go alone; dogs, do not hale me thus. |
| ITHAMORE. |
| Nor me neither; I cannot out-run you, constable.—O, my belly! |
| BARABAS. One dram of powder more had made all sure: |
| What a damn'd slave was I! |
| [Aside.] |
| FERNEZE. Make fires, heat irons, let the rack be fetch'd. |
| FIRST KNIGHT. Nay, stay, my lord; 't may be he will confess. |
| BARABAS. Confess! what mean you, lords? who should confess? |
| FERNEZE. Thou and thy Turk; 'twas that slew my son. |
| ITHAMORE. Guilty, my lord, I confess. Your son and Mathias |
| were both contracted unto Abigail: [he] forged a counterfeit |
| challenge. |
| BARABAS. Who carried that challenge? |
| ITHAMORE. |
| I carried it, I confess; but who writ it? marry, even he that |
| strangled Barnardine, poisoned the nuns and his own daughter. |
| FERNEZE. Away with him! his sight is death to me. |
| BARABAS. For what, you men of Malta? hear me speak. |
| She is a courtezan, and he a thief, |
| And he my bondman: let me have law; |
| For none of this can prejudice my life. |
| FERNEZE. Once more, away with him!—You shall have law. |
| BARABAS. Devils, do your worst!—I['ll] live in spite of you.— |
| [Aside.] |
| As these have spoke, so be it to their souls!— |
| I hope the poison'd flowers will work anon. |
| [Aside.] |
| [Exeunt OFFICERS with BARABAS and ITHAMORE; BELLAMIRA, |
| and PILIA-BORZA.] |
| Enter KATHARINE. |
| KATHARINE. Was my Mathias murder'd by the Jew? |
| Ferneze, 'twas thy son that murder'd him. |
| FERNEZE. Be patient, gentle madam: it was he; |
| He forg'd the daring challenge made them fight. |
| KATHARINE. Where is the Jew? where is that murderer? |
| FERNEZE. In prison, till the law has pass'd on him. |
| Re-enter FIRST OFFICER. |
| FIRST OFFICER. My lord, the courtezan and her man are dead; |
| So is the Turk and Barabas the Jew. |
| FERNEZE. Dead! |
| FIRST OFFICER. Dead, my lord, and here they bring his body. |
| MARTIN DEL BOSCO. This sudden death of his is very strange. |
| Re-enter OFFICERS, carrying BARABAS as dead. |
| FERNEZE. Wonder not at it, sir; the heavens are just; |
| Their deaths were like their lives; then think not of 'em.— |
| Since they are dead, let them be buried: |
| For the Jew's body, throw that o'er the walls, |
| To be a prey for vultures and wild beasts.— |
| So, now away and fortify the town. |
| [Exeunt all, leaving BARABAS on the floor.] |
| BARABAS. [rising] What, all alone! well fare, sleepy drink! |
| I'll be reveng'd on this accursed town; |
| For by my means Calymath shall enter in: |
| I'll help to slay their children and their wives, |
| To fire the churches, pull their houses down, |
| Take my goods too, and seize upon my lands. |
| I hope to see the governor a slave, |
| And, rowing in a galley, whipt to death. |
| Enter CALYMATH, BASSOES, and TURKS. |
| CALYMATH. Whom have we there? a spy? |
| BARABAS. Yes, my good lord, one that can spy a place |
| Where you may enter, and surprize the town: |
| My name is Barabas; I am a Jew. |
| CALYMATH. Art thou that Jew whose goods we heard were sold |
| For tribute-money? |
| BARABAS. The very same, my lord: |
| And since that time they have hir'd a slave, my man, |
| To accuse me of a thousand villanies: |
| I was imprisoned, but scap'd their hands. |
| CALYMATH. Didst break prison? |
| BARABAS. No, no: |
| I drank of poppy and cold mandrake juice; |
| And being asleep, belike they thought me dead, |
| And threw me o'er the walls: so, or how else, |
| The Jew is here, and rests at your command. |
| CALYMATH. 'Twas bravely done: but tell me, Barabas, |
| Canst thou, as thou report'st, make Malta ours? |
| BARABAS. Fear not, my lord; for here, against the trench, |
| The rock is hollow, and of purpose digg'd, |
| To make a passage for the running streams |
| And common channels of the city. |
| Now, whilst you give assault unto the walls, |
| I'll lead five hundred soldiers through the vault, |
| And rise with them i' the middle of the town, |
| Open the gates for you to enter in; |
| And by this means the city is your own. |
| CALYMATH. If this be true, I'll make thee governor. |
| BARABAS. And, if it be not true, then let me die. |
| CALYMATH. Thou'st doom'd thyself.—Assault it presently. |
| [Exeunt.] |
| Alarums within. Enter CALYMATH, BASSOES, TURKS, and |
| BARABAS; with FERNEZE and KNIGHTS prisoners. |
| CALYMATH. Now vail your pride, you captive Christians, |
| And kneel for mercy to your conquering foe: |
| Now where's the hope you had of haughty Spain? |
| Ferneze, speak; had it not been much better |
| To kept thy promise than be thus surpris'd? |
| FERNEZE. What should I say? we are captives, and must yield. |
| CALYMATH. Ay, villains, you must yield, and under Turkish yokes |
| Shall groaning bear the burden of our ire:— |
| And, Barabas, as erst we promis'd thee, |
| For thy desert we make thee governor; |
| Use them at thy discretion. |
| BARABAS. Thanks, my lord. |
| FERNEZE. O fatal day, to fall into the hands |
| Of such a traitor and unhallow'd Jew! |
| What greater misery could heaven inflict? |
| CALYMATH. 'Tis our command:—and, Barabas, we give, |
| To guard thy person, these our Janizaries: |
| Entreat them well, as we have used thee.— |
| And now, brave bassoes, come; we'll walk about |
| The ruin'd town, and see the wreck we made.— |
| Farewell, brave Jew, farewell, great Barabas! |
| BARABAS. May all good fortune follow Calymath! |
| [Exeunt CALYMATH and BASSOES.] |
| And now, as entrance to our safety, |
| To prison with the governor and these |
| Captains, his consorts and confederates. |
| FERNEZE. O villain! heaven will be reveng'd on thee. |
| BARABAS. Away! no more; let him not trouble me. |
| [Exeunt TURKS with FERNEZE and KNIGHTS.] |
| Thus hast thou gotten, by thy policy, |
| No simple place, no small authority: |
| I now am governor of Malta; true,— |
| But Malta hates me, and, in hating me, |
| My life's in danger; and what boots it thee, |
| Poor Barabas, to be the governor, |
| Whenas thy life shall be at their command? |
| No, Barabas, this must be look'd into; |
| And, since by wrong thou gott'st authority, |
| Maintain it bravely by firm policy; |
| At least, unprofitably lose it not; |
| For he that liveth in authority, |
| And neither gets him friends nor fills his bags, |
| Lives like the ass that Aesop speaketh of, |
| That labours with a load of bread and wine, |
| And leaves it off to snap on thistle-tops: |
| But Barabas will be more circumspect. |
| Begin betimes; Occasion's bald behind: |
| Slip not thine opportunity, for fear too late |
| Thou seek'st for much, but canst not compass it.— |
| Within here! |
| Enter FERNEZE, with a GUARD. |
| FERNEZE. My lord? |
| BARABAS. Ay, LORD; thus slaves will learn. |
| Now, governor,—stand by there, wait within,— |
| [Exeunt GUARD.] |
| This is the reason that I sent for thee: |
| Thou seest thy life and Malta's happiness |
| Are at my arbitrement; and Barabas |
| At his discretion may dispose of both: |
| Now tell me, governor, and plainly too, |
| What think'st thou shall become of it and thee? |
| FERNEZE. This, Barabas; since things are in thy power, |
| I see no reason but of Malta's wreck, |
| Nor hope of thee but extreme cruelty: |
| Nor fear I death, nor will I flatter thee. |
| BARABAS. Governor, good words; be not so furious |
| 'Tis not thy life which can avail me aught; |
| Yet you do live, and live for me you shall: |
| And as for Malta's ruin, think you not |
| 'Twere slender policy for Barabas |
| To dispossess himself of such a place? |
| For sith, as once you said, within this isle, |
| In Malta here, that I have got my goods, |
| And in this city still have had success, |
| And now at length am grown your governor, |
| Yourselves shall see it shall not be forgot; |
| For, as a friend not known but in distress, |
| I'll rear up Malta, now remediless. |
| FERNEZE. Will Barabas recover Malta's loss? |
| Will Barabas be good to Christians? |
| BARABAS. What wilt thou give me, governor, to procure |
| A dissolution of the slavish bands |
| Wherein the Turk hath yok'd your land and you? |
| What will you give me if I render you |
| The life of Calymath, surprise his men, |
| And in an out-house of the city shut |
| His soldiers, till I have consum'd 'em all with fire? |
| What will you give him that procureth this? |
| FERNEZE. Do but bring this to pass which thou pretendest, |
| Deal truly with us as thou intimatest, |
| And I will send amongst the citizens, |
| And by my letters privately procure |
| Great sums of money for thy recompense: |
| Nay, more, do this, and live thou governor still. |
| BARABAS. Nay, do thou this, Ferneze, and be free: |
| Governor, I enlarge thee; live with me; |
| Go walk about the city, see thy friends: |
| Tush, send not letters to 'em; go thyself, |
| And let me see what money thou canst make: |
| Here is my hand that I'll set Malta free; |
| And thus we cast it: to a solemn feast |
| I will invite young Selim Calymath, |
| Where be thou present, only to perform |
| One stratagem that I'll impart to thee, |
| Wherein no danger shall betide thy life, |
| And I will warrant Malta free for ever. |
| FERNEZE. Here is my hand; believe me, Barabas, |
| I will be there, and do as thou desirest. |
| When is the time? |
| BARABAS. Governor, presently; |
| For Calymath, when he hath view'd the town, |
| Will take his leave, and sail toward Ottoman. |
| FERNEZE. Then will I, Barabas, about this coin, |
| And bring it with me to thee in the evening. |
| BARABAS. Do so; but fail not: now farewell, Ferneze:— |
| [Exit FERNEZE.] |
| And thus far roundly goes the business: |
| Thus, loving neither, will I live with both, |
| Making a profit of my policy; |
| And he from whom my most advantage comes, |
| Shall be my friend. |
| This is the life we Jews are us'd to lead; |
| And reason too, for Christians do the like. |
| Well, now about effecting this device; |
| First, to surprise great Selim's soldiers, |
| And then to make provision for the feast, |
| That at one instant all things may be done: |
| My policy detests prevention. |
| To what event my secret purpose drives, |
| I know; and they shall witness with their lives. |
| [Exeunt.] |
| Enter CALYMATH and BASSOES. |
| CALYMATH. Thus have we view'd the city, seen the sack, |
| And caus'd the ruins to be new-repair'd, |
| Which with our bombards' shot and basilisk[s] |
| We rent in sunder at our entry: |
| And, now I see the situation, |
| And how secure this conquer'd island stands, |
| Environ'd with the Mediterranean sea, |
| Strong-countermin'd with other petty isles, |
| And, toward Calabria, back'd by Sicily |
| (Where Syracusian Dionysius reign'd), |
| Two lofty turrets that command the town, |
| I wonder how it could be conquer'd thus. |
| Enter a MESSENGER. |
| MESSENGER. From Barabas, Malta's governor, I bring |
| A message unto mighty Calymath: |
| Hearing his sovereign was bound for sea, |
| To sail to Turkey, to great Ottoman, |
| He humbly would entreat your majesty |
| To come and see his homely citadel, |
| And banquet with him ere thou leav'st the isle. |
| CALYMATH. To banquet with him in his citadel! |
| I fear me, messenger, to feast my train |
| Within a town of war so lately pillag'd, |
| Will be too costly and too troublesome: |
| Yet would I gladly visit Barabas, |
| For well has Barabas deserv'd of us. |
| MESSENGER. Selim, for that, thus saith the governor,— |
| That he hath in [his] store a pearl so big, |
| So precious, and withal so orient, |
| As, be it valu'd but indifferently, |
| The price thereof will serve to entertain |
| Selim and all his soldiers for a month; |
| Therefore he humbly would entreat your highness |
| Not to depart till he has feasted you. |
| CALYMATH. I cannot feast my men in Malta-walls, |
| Except he place his tables in the streets. |
| MESSENGER. Know, Selim, that there is a monastery |
| Which standeth as an out-house to the town; |
| There will he banquet them; but thee at home, |
| With all thy bassoes and brave followers. |
| CALYMATH. Well, tell the governor we grant his suit; |
| We'll in this summer-evening feast with him. |
| MESSENGER. I shall, my lord. |
| [Exit.] |
| CALYMATH. And now, bold bassoes, let us to our tents, |
| And meditate how we may grace us best, |
| To solemnize our governor's great feast. |
| [Exeunt.] |
| Enter FERNEZE, KNIGHTS, and MARTIN DEL BOSCO. |
| FERNEZE. In this, my countrymen, be rul'd by me: |
| Have special care that no man sally forth |
| Till you shall hear a culverin discharg'd |
| By him that bears the linstock, kindled thus; |
| Then issue out and come to rescue me, |
| For happily I shall be in distress, |
| Or you released of this servitude. |
| FIRST KNIGHT. Rather than thus to live as Turkish thralls, |
| What will we not adventure? |
| FERNEZE. On, then; be gone. |
| KNIGHTS. Farewell, grave governor. |
| [Exeunt, on one side, KNIGHTS and MARTIN DEL BOSCO; |
| on the other, FERNEZE.] |
| Enter, above, BARABAS, with a hammer, very busy; |
| and CARPENTERS. |
| BARABAS. How stand the cords? how hang these hinges? fast? |
| Are all the cranes and pulleys sure? |
| FIRST CARPENTER. All fast. |
| BARABAS. Leave nothing loose, all levell'd to my mind. |
| Why, now I see that you have art, indeed: |
| There, carpenters, divide that gold amongst you; |
| [Giving money.] |
| Go, swill in bowls of sack and muscadine; |
| Down to the cellar, taste of all my wines. |
| FIRST CARPENTER. We shall, my lord, and thank you. |
| [Exeunt CARPENTERS.] |
| BARABAS. And, if you like them, drink your fill and die; |
| For, so I live, perish may all the world! |
| Now, Selim Calymath, return me word |
| That thou wilt come, and I am satisfied. |
| Enter MESSENGER. |
| Now, sirrah; what, will he come? |
| MESSENGER. He will; and has commanded all his men |
| To come ashore, and march through Malta-streets, |
| That thou mayst feast them in thy citadel. |
| BARABAS. Then now are all things as my wish would have 'em; |
| There wanteth nothing but the governor's pelf; |
| And see, he brings it. |
| Enter FERNEZE. |
| Now, governor, the sum? |
| FERNEZE. With free consent, a hundred thousand pounds. |
| BARABAS. Pounds say'st thou, governor? well, since it is no more, |
| I'll satisfy myself with that; nay, keep it still, |
| For, if I keep not promise, trust not me: |
| And, governor, now partake my policy. |
| First, for his army, they are sent before, |
| Enter'd the monastery, and underneath |
| In several places are field-pieces pitch'd, |
| Bombards, whole barrels full of gunpowder, |
| That on the sudden shall dissever it, |
| And batter all the stones about their ears, |
| Whence none can possibly escape alive: |
| Now, as for Calymath and his consorts, |
| Here have I made a dainty gallery, |
| The floor whereof, this cable being cut, |
| Doth fall asunder, so that it doth sink |
| Into a deep pit past recovery. |
| Here, hold that knife; and, when thou seest he comes, |
| [Throws down a knife.] |
| And with his bassoes shall be blithely set, |
| A warning-piece shall be shot off from the tower, |
| To give thee knowledge when to cut the cord, |
| And fire the house. Say, will not this be brave? |
| FERNEZE. O, excellent! here, hold thee, Barabas; |
| I trust thy word; take what I promis'd thee. |
| BARABAS. No, governor; I'll satisfy thee first; |
| Thou shalt not live in doubt of any thing. |
| Stand close, for here they come. |
| [FERNEZE retires.] |
| Why, is not this |
| A kingly kind of trade, to purchase towns |
| By treachery, and sell 'em by deceit? |
| Now tell me, worldlings, underneath the sun |
| If greater falsehood ever has been done? |
| Enter CALYMATH and BASSOES. |
| CALYMATH. Come, my companion-bassoes: see, I pray, |
| How busy Barabas is there above |
| To entertain us in his gallery: |
| Let us salute him.—Save thee, Barabas! |
| BARABAS. Welcome, great Calymath! |
| FERNEZE. How the slave jeers at him! |
| [Aside.] |
| BARABAS. Will't please thee, mighty Selim Calymath, |
| To ascend our homely stairs? |
| CALYMATH. Ay, Barabas.— |
| Come, bassoes, ascend. |
| FERNEZE. [coming forward] Stay, Calymath; |
| For I will shew thee greater courtesy |
| Than Barabas would have afforded thee. |
| KNIGHT. [within] Sound a charge there! |
| [A charge sounded within: FERNEZE cuts the cord; the floor |
| of the gallery gives way, and BARABAS falls into a caldron |
| placed in a pit. |
| Enter KNIGHTS and MARTIN DEL BOSCO. |
| CALYMATH. How now! what means this? |
| BARABAS. Help, help me, Christians, help! |
| FERNEZE. See, Calymath! this was devis'd for thee. |
| CALYMATH. Treason, treason! bassoes, fly! |
| FERNEZE. No, Selim, do not fly: |
| See his end first, and fly then if thou canst. |
| BARABAS. O, help me, Selim! help me, Christians! |
| Governor, why stand you all so pitiless? |
| FERNEZE. Should I in pity of thy plaints or thee, |
| Accursed Barabas, base Jew, relent? |
| No, thus I'll see thy treachery repaid, |
| But wish thou hadst behav'd thee otherwise. |
| BARABAS. You will not help me, then? |
| FERNEZE. No, villain, no. |
| BARABAS. And, villains, know you cannot help me now.— |
| Then, Barabas, breathe forth thy latest fate, |
| And in the fury of thy torments strive |
| To end thy life with resolution.— |
| Know, governor, 'twas I that slew thy son,— |
| I fram'd the challenge that did make them meet: |
| Know, Calymath, I aim'd thy overthrow: |
| And, had I but escap'd this stratagem, |
| I would have brought confusion on you all, |
| Damn'd Christian dogs, and Turkish infidels! |
| But now begins the extremity of heat |
| To pinch me with intolerable pangs: |
| Die, life! fly, soul! tongue, curse thy fill, and die! |
| [Dies.] |
| CALYMATH. Tell me, you Christians, what doth this portend? |
| FERNEZE. This train he laid to have entrapp'd thy life; |
| Now, Selim, note the unhallow'd deeds of Jews; |
| Thus he determin'd to have handled thee, |
| But I have rather chose to save thy life. |
| CALYMATH. Was this the banquet he prepar'd for us? |
| Let's hence, lest further mischief be pretended. |
| FERNEZE. Nay, Selim, stay; for, since we have thee here, |
| We will not let thee part so suddenly: |
| Besides, if we should let thee go, all's one, |
| For with thy galleys couldst thou not get hence, |
| Without fresh men to rig and furnish them. |
| CALYMATH. Tush, governor, take thou no care for that; |
| My men are all aboard, |
| And do attend my coming there by this. |
| FERNEZE. Why, heard'st thou not the trumpet sound a charge? |
| CALYMATH. Yes, what of that? |
| FERNEZE. Why, then the house was fir'd, |
| Blown up, and all thy soldiers massacred. |
| CALYMATH. O, monstrous treason! |
| FERNEZE. A Jew's courtesy; |
| For he that did by treason work our fall, |
| By treason hath deliver'd thee to us: |
| Know, therefore, till thy father hath made good |
| The ruins done to Malta and to us, |
| Thou canst not part; for Malta shall be freed, |
| Or Selim ne'er return to Ottoman. |
| CALYMATH. Nay, rather, Christians, let me go to Turkey, |
| In person there to mediate your peace: |
| To keep me here will naught advantage you. |
| FERNEZE. Content thee, Calymath, here thou must stay, |
| And live in Malta prisoner; for come all the world |
| To rescue thee, so will we guard us now, |
| As sooner shall they drink the ocean dry, |
| Than conquer Malta, or endanger us. |
| So, march away; and let due praise be given |
| Neither to Fate nor Fortune, but to Heaven. |
| [Exeunt.] [Exeunt.] |
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