The Works of Christopher Marlowe Including His Translations

Bar. Fear not, my lord, for here against the sluice,

The rock is hollow, and of purpose digged,
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.
Caly. If this be true, I'll make thee
governor.

Bar. And if it be not true, then let me
die.
Caly. Thou'st doomed thyself. Assault
it presently.
[Exeunt.

Ferneze, speak, had it not been much better To ['ve] kept thy promise than be thus surprised?

Gov. What should I say? We are captives and must yield.

Caly. Aye, villains, you must yield, and under Turkish yokes

Shall groaning bear the burden of our ire; And Barabas, as erst we promised thee, For thy desert we make thee governor; Use them at thy discretion.

Bar. Thanks, my lord.

Gov. Oh fatal day, to fall into the hands Of such a traitor and unhallowed Jew! What greater misery could heaven inflict? Caly. 'Tis our command: and Barabas, we give

To guard thy person, these our janizaries : Intreat them well, as we have used thee. And now, brave bassoes, come, we'll walk about

The ruined town, and see the wreck we made:

Farewell, brave Jew, farewell great Barabas! [Exeunt. Bar. May all good fortune follow Calymath.

And now, as entrance to our safety,
To prison with the Governor and these
Captains, his consorts and confederates.

Gov. Oh villain, heaven will be revenged on thee. [Exeunt.

Bar. Away, no more, let him not trouble

me.

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 looked into ;
And since by wrong thou got'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 Æsop 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 com-
pass it.
Within here!

Enter Governor, with a Guard.
Gov. My lord?

within,

Bar. Aye, lord, thus slaves will learn. Now, Governor, stand by there :-wait [Exit 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?

Gov. 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.
Bar. 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 disposses himself of such a place?
For sith, as once you said, 'tis in 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.

Gov. Will Barabas recover Malta's loss?
Will Barabas be good to Christians?
Bar. What wilt thou give me, Governor,
to procure

A dissolution of the slavish bands
Wherein the Turk hath yoked 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 consumed 'em all
with fire?

What will you give him that procureth this?

Gov. Do but bring this to pass which thou
pretend'st,

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.

Bar. 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.
Gov. Here is my hand, believe me, Ba-
rabas,

I will be there, and do as thou desirest;
When is the time?

Bar. Governor, presently.

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.
[Exit.

SCENE III.

Enter Calymath and Bassoes. Caly. Thus have we viewed the city, seen the sack,

And caused the ruins to be new repaired,
Which with our bombard's shot and basi-
lisks,

We rent in sunder at our entry:
And now I see the situation,
And how secure this conquered island stands
Environed with the Mediterranean sea,
Strong countermined with other petty isles;
And, toward Calabria, backed by Sicily,
(Where Syracusian Dionysius reigned,)
Two lofty turrets that command the town;
I wonder how it could be conquered thus?
Enter a Messenger.

Mess. 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.

Caly. To banquet with him in his citadel ?
I fear me, messenger, to feast my train
Within a town of war so lately pillaged,
Will be too costly and too troublesome:
Yet would I gladly visit Barabas,

For Calymath, when he hath viewed the For well has Barabas deserved of us,

town,

Will take his leave and sail toward Otto

man.

Gov. Then will I, Barabas, about this
coin,

And bring it with me to thee in the evening.
Bar. Do so, but fail not; now farewell
Ferneze :
[Exit Governor.
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 used to lead;
And reason too, for Christians do the like.
Well, now about effecting this device:

Mess. Selim, for that, thus saith the
Governor,

That he hath in store a pearl so big,
So precious, and withal so orient,
As, be it valued 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,

Caly. I cannot feast my men in Malta walls,

Except he place his tables in the streets.

Mess. 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.
Caly. Well, tell the Governor we grant
his suit,

We'll in this summer evening feast with him.
Mess. I shall, my lord,
[Exit.
Caly. 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.

SCENE IV.

Enter Governor, Knights, Del Bosco.
Gov. In this, my countrymen, be ruled
by me,

Have special care that no man sally forth
Till you shall hear a culverin discharged
By him that bears the linstock, kindled
thus;

Then issue out and come to rescue me,
For haply I shall be in distress,

Or you released of this servitude.

That thou mayest feast them in thy citadel.
Bar. 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 Governor.

Now, Governor, the sum.

Gov. With free consent, a hundred thousand pounds.

Bar. 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 take my policy:
First, for his army, they are sent before,
Entered the monastery, and underneath
In several places are field pieces pitched,
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,

Knight. Rather than thus to live as Here have I made a dainty gallery,

Turkish thralls

What will we not adventure?

Gov. On then, begone. Knight. Farewell, grave Governor ! [Exeunt. Enter Barabas, with a hammer, above, very busy; and Carpenters.

Bar. How stand the cords? How hang
these hinges? fast?

Are all the cranes and pulleys sure?
First Carp. All fast.

Bar. Leave nothing loose, all levelled to
my mind.

Why now I see that you have art indeed. There, carpenters, divide that gold amongst you:

Go swill in bowls of sack and muscadine!
Down to the cellar, taste of all my wines.
Carp. We shall, my lord, and thank you:
[Exeunt.
Bar. 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.
Now sirrah, what, will he come?

Enter Messenger.

Mes. He will; and has commanded all his men

To come ashore, and march through Malta streets,

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,

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?

Gov. Oh excellent! here, hold thee, Ba-
rabas,

I trust thy word, take what I promised thee.
Bar. No, Governor, I'll satisfy thee first,
Thou shalt not live in doubt of any thing.
Stand close, for here they come [Governor
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.
Caly. 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!
Bar. Welcome, great Calymath!
Gov. How the slave jeers at him. [Aside.

Bar. Will 't please thee, mighty Selim Calymath,

To ascend our homely stairs?

Caly. Aye, Barabas; come, bassoes, attend.

Gov. Stay, Calymath!

For I will show thee greater courtesy
Than Barabas would have afforded thee.
Knight [within]. Sound a charge there!
[A charge, the cable cut, a caldron dis-
covered into which Barabas falls.
Enter Calymath and Bassoes.
Caly. How now, what means this!
Bar. Help, help me, Christians, help.
Gov. See, Calymath, this was devised for
thee.

Caly. Treason! treason! bassoes, fly!
Gov. No, Selim, do not fly;

See his end first, and fly then if thou canst. Bar. Oh help me, Selim, help me, Christians!

Governor, why stand you all so pitiless?

Gov. 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 behaved thee other-
wise.

Bar. You will not help me, then?
Gov. No, villain, no.

Bar. And villains, know you cannot help

me now

Then Barabas breathe forth thy latest hate,
And in the fury of thy torments strive
To end thy life with resolution:

Know, Governor, 'twas I that slew thy son; I framed the challenge that did make them meet:

Know, Calymath, I aimed thy overthrow, And had I but escaped this stratagem,

I would have brought confusion on you all, Damned 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. Caly. Tell me, you Christians, what doth this portend?

Gov. This train he laid to have entrapped thy life;

Now, Selim, note the unhallowed deeds of Jews:

Thus he determined to have handled thee, But I have rather chose to save thy life. Caly. Was this the banquet he prepared for us?

Let's hence, lest further mischief be pretended.

Gov. 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 could'st thou not get hence,

Without fresh men to rig and furnish them. Caly. Tush, Governor, take thou no care for that,

My men are all aboard.

And do attend my coming there by this. Gov. Why, heard'st thou not the trumpet sound a charge?

Caly. Yes, what of that?

Gov. Why then the house was fired, Blown up, and all thy soldiers massacred. Caly. Oh monstrous treason!

Gov. A Jew's courtesy:

For he that did by treason work our fall,
By treason hath delivered 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.

Caly. Nay rather, Christians, let me go to Turkey,

In person there to mediate your peace;
To keep me here will naught advantage you.
Gov. 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.

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