_F. Barn._ Thou hast committed----
_Bar._ Fornication--but that Was in another country: and besides, The wench is dead.
_F. Barn._ I, but, Barabas, Remember Mathias and Don Lodowick.
_Bar._ Why, what of them?
_F. Barn._ I will not say that by a forged challenge they met.
_Bar._ She has confest, and we are both undone, 50 My bosom inmate![107] but I must dissemble.-- [_Aside._ O holy friars, the burthen of my sins Lie heavy on my soul; then pray you tell me.
Is"t not too late now to turn Christian?
I have been zealous in the Jewish faith, Hard-hearted to the poor, a covetous wretch, That would for lucre"s sake have sold my soul.
A hundred for a hundred I have ta"en; And now for store of wealth may I compare With all the Jews in Malta; but what is wealth? 60 I am a Jew, and therefore am I lost.
Would penance serve for this my sin, I could afford to whip myself to death--
_Itha._ And so could I; but penance will not serve.
_Bar._ To fast, to pray, and wear a shirt of hair, And on my knees creep to Jerusalem.
Cellars of wine, and sollers[108] full of wheat, Warehouses stuft with spices and with drugs, Whole chests of gold, in bullion, and in coin, Besides I know not how much weight in pearl, 70 Orient and round, have I within my house; At Alexandria, merchandise unsold:[109]
But yesterday two ships went from this town, Their voyage will be worth ten thousand crowns.
In Florence, Venice, Antwerp, London, Seville, Frankfort, Lubeck, Moscow, and where not, Have I debts owing; and in most of these, Great sums of money lying in the banco; All this I"ll give to some religious house So I may be baptized, and live therein. 80
_F. Jac._ O good Barabas, come to our house.
_F. Barn._ O no, good Barabas, come to our house; And, Barabas, you know----
_Bar._ I know that I have highly sinned.
You shall convert me, you shall have all my wealth.
_F. Jac._ O Barabas, their laws are strict.
_Bar._ I know they are, and I will be with you.
[_To_ F. JAC.
_F. Barn._ They wear no shirts, and they go barefoot too.
_Bar._ Then "tis not for me; and I am resolved [_To_ F. BARN.
You shall confess me, and have all my goods. 90
_F. Jac._ Good Barabas, come to me.
_Bar._ You see I answer him, and yet he stays; [_To_ F. BARN.
Rid him away, and go you home with me.
_F. Jac._ I"ll be with you to-night.
_Bar._ Come to my house at one o"clock this night.
[_To_ F. JAC.
_F. Jac._ You hear your answer, and you may be gone.
_F. Barn._ Why, go get you away.
_F. Jac._ I will not go for thee.
_F. Barn._ Not! then I"ll make thee go.
_F. Jac._ How, dost call me rogue? [_They fight._ 100
_Itha._ Part "em, master, part "em.
_Bar._ This is mere frailty, brethren, be content.
Friar Barnardine, go you with Ithamore: You[110] know my mind, let me alone with him.
[_Aside to_ F. BARN.
_F. Jac._ Why does he go to thy house; let him begone.
_Bar._ I"ll give him something and so stop his mouth.
[_Exit_ ITHAMORE with F. BARN.
I never heard of any man but he Maligned the order of the Jacobins: But do you think that I believe his words?
Why, brother, you converted Abigail; 110 And I am bound in charity to requite it, And so I will. O Jacomo, fail not, but come.
_F. Jac._ But, Barabas, who shall be your G.o.dfathers, For presently you shall be shrived.
_Bar._ Marry, the Turk[111] shall be one of my G.o.dfathers, But not a word to any of your covent.[112]
_F. Jac._ I warrant thee, Barabas. [_Exit._
_Bar._ So, now the fear is past, and I am safe: For he that shrived her is within my house, What if I murdered him ere Jacomo comes? 120 Now I have such a plot for both their lives As never Jew nor Christian knew the like; One turned my daughter, therefore he shall die; The other knows enough to have my life, Therefore "tis not requisite he should live.
But are not both these wise men to suppose That I will leave my house, my goods, and all To fast and be well whipt? I"ll none of that.
Now Friar Barnardine I come to you, I"ll feast you, lodge you, give you fair words, 130 And after that, I and my trusty Turk-- No more but so: it must and shall be done. [_Exit._
SCENE II.
_Enter_[113] BARABAS _and_ ITHAMORE.
_Bar._ Ithamore, tell me, is the friar asleep?
_Itha._ Yes; and I know not what the reason is, Do what I can he will not strip himself, Nor go to bed, but sleeps in his own clothes; I fear me he mistrusts what we intend.
_Bar._ No, "tis an order which the friars use: Yet, if he knew our meanings, could he "scape?
_Itha._ No, none can hear him, cry he ne"er so loud.
_Bar._ Why true, therefore did I place him there: The other chambers open towards the street. 10
_Itha._ You loiter, master, wherefore stay we thus?
O how I long to see him shake his heels.
_Bar._ Come on, sirrah.