The Jew of Malta

know the meaning. Ithamore

The meaning has a meaning. Come let’s in
To undo a Jew is charity, and not sin.

Exeunt.

Act V

Scene I

	Enter Ferneze, Knights, Martin del Bosco, and Officers.92
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 hovered 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 courtesan.
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, Poisoned 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 feared that Jew.
	Enter Officers with Barabas and Ithamore.
Barabas	I’ll go alone; dogs! do not hale me thus.
Ithamore	Nor me neither, I cannot outrun you, constable:⁠—O, my belly!
Barabas	One dram of powder more had made all sure; What a damned slave was I! Aside.
Ferneze	Make fires, heat irons, let the rack be fetched.
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 you 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 poisoned flowers will work anon. Aside.
	Exeunt Officers with Barabas and Ithamore, Bellamira, and Pilia-Borza.
	Enter Katharine.
Katharine	Was my Mathias murdered by the Jew? Ferneze, ’twas thy son that murdered him.
Ferneze	Be patient, gentle madam, it was he; He forged the daring challenge made them fight.
Katharine	Where is the Jew? where is that murderer?
Ferneze	In prison till the law has passed on him.
	Re-enter First Officer.
First Officer	My lord, the courtesan 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.

Scene II

	Barabas discovered rising.93
Barabas	What, all alone? well fare, sleepy drink. I’ll be revenged 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 surprise 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 hired a slave, my man, To accuse me of a thousand villanies: I was imprisoned, but ’scaped their hands.
Calymath	Did’st 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 sluice,94 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.
Calymath	If this be true, I’ll make thee governor.
Barabas	And, if it be not true, then let me die.
Calymath	Thou’st doomed thyself. Assault it presently.
	Exeunt.

Scene III

	Alarums within. Enter Calymath, Bassoes, Turks, and Barabas; with Ferneze and Knights prisoners.95
Calymath	Now vail96 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 T’have kept thy promise than be thus surprised?
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 promised thee, For thy desert we make thee governor; Use them at thy discretion.
Barabas	Thanks, my lord.
Ferneze