Alarms.Enter[144]Turks,Barabas,&c.; GovernorandKnightsprisoners.Caly.Now vail[145]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 betterT'have[146]kept thy promise than be thus surprised?Gov.What should I say? We are captives and must yield.Caly.I, villains, you must yield, and under Turkish yokesShall groaning bear the burden of our ire;And, Barabas, as erst we promised thee,For thy desert we make thee governor;10Use them at thy discretion.Bar.Thanks, my lord.Gov.O fatal day, to fall into the handOf such a traitor and unhallowed Jew!What greater misery could Heaven inflict?Caly.'Tis our command: and, Barabas, we giveTo guard thy person these our Janizaries:Intreat them well, as we have usèd thee.And now, brave bassoes, come, we'll walk aboutThe ruined town, and see the wreck we made:20Farewell, brave Jew; farewell, great Barabas! [ExeuntCalymathandBassoes.Bar.May all good fortune follow Calymath.And now, as entrance to our safety,To prison with the Governor and theseCaptains, his consorts and confederates.Gov.O villain, Heaven will be revenged on thee. [Exeunt.Bar.Away, no more, let him not trouble me.Thus[147]hast thou gotten, by thy policy,No simple place, no small authority,I now am governor of Malta; true,30But Malta hates me, and in hating meMy 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,40Lives 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 lateThou seek'st for much, but canst not compass it.Within here!EnterGovernor,with aGuard.Gov.My lord?Bar.I,lord; thus slaves will learn.50Now, Governor, stand by there:—wait within. [ExitGuard.This is the reason that I sent for thee;Thou seest thy life and Malta's happinessAre at my arbitrement; and BarabasAt 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;60Nor 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 BarabasTo dispossess 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,70And 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 procureA dissolution of the slavish bandsWherein the Turk hath yoked your lands and you?What will you give me if I render you80The life of Calymath, surprise his menAnd in an outhouse of the city shutHis 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,[148]Deal truly with us as thou intimatest,And I will send amongst the citizens;And by my letters privately procureGreat sums of money for thy recompense:Nay more, do this, and live thou governor still.90Bar.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 feastI will invite young Selim Calymath,Where be thou present only to performOne stratagem that I'll impart to thee,100Wherein no danger shall betide thy life,And I will warrant Malta free for ever.Gov.Here is my hand, believe me, Barabas,I will be there, and do as thou desirest;When is the time?Bar.Governor, presently.For Calymath, when he hath viewed the town,Will take his leave and sail towards Ottoman.Gov.Then will I, Barabas, about this coin,And bring it with me to thee in the evening.110Bar.Do so, but fail not; now farewell, Ferneze: [ExitGovernor.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 comesShall 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:First to surprise great Selim's soldiers,120And 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.
Alarms.Enter[144]Turks,Barabas,&c.; GovernorandKnightsprisoners.
Caly.Now vail[145]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 betterT'have[146]kept thy promise than be thus surprised?
Gov.What should I say? We are captives and must yield.
Caly.I, villains, you must yield, and under Turkish yokesShall groaning bear the burden of our ire;And, Barabas, as erst we promised thee,For thy desert we make thee governor;10Use them at thy discretion.
Bar.Thanks, my lord.
Gov.O fatal day, to fall into the handOf such a traitor and unhallowed Jew!What greater misery could Heaven inflict?
Caly.'Tis our command: and, Barabas, we giveTo guard thy person these our Janizaries:Intreat them well, as we have usèd thee.And now, brave bassoes, come, we'll walk aboutThe ruined town, and see the wreck we made:20Farewell, brave Jew; farewell, great Barabas! [ExeuntCalymathandBassoes.
Bar.May all good fortune follow Calymath.And now, as entrance to our safety,To prison with the Governor and theseCaptains, his consorts and confederates.
Gov.O villain, Heaven will be revenged on thee. [Exeunt.
Bar.Away, no more, let him not trouble me.Thus[147]hast thou gotten, by thy policy,No simple place, no small authority,I now am governor of Malta; true,30But Malta hates me, and in hating meMy 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,40Lives 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 lateThou seek'st for much, but canst not compass it.Within here!
EnterGovernor,with aGuard.
Gov.My lord?
Bar.I,lord; thus slaves will learn.50Now, Governor, stand by there:—wait within. [ExitGuard.This is the reason that I sent for thee;Thou seest thy life and Malta's happinessAre at my arbitrement; and BarabasAt 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;60Nor 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 BarabasTo dispossess 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,70And 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 procureA dissolution of the slavish bandsWherein the Turk hath yoked your lands and you?What will you give me if I render you80The life of Calymath, surprise his menAnd in an outhouse of the city shutHis 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,[148]Deal truly with us as thou intimatest,And I will send amongst the citizens;And by my letters privately procureGreat sums of money for thy recompense:Nay more, do this, and live thou governor still.90
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 feastI will invite young Selim Calymath,Where be thou present only to performOne stratagem that I'll impart to thee,100Wherein no danger shall betide thy life,And I will warrant Malta free for ever.
Gov.Here is my hand, believe me, Barabas,I will be there, and do as thou desirest;When is the time?
Bar.Governor, presently.For Calymath, when he hath viewed the town,Will take his leave and sail towards Ottoman.
Gov.Then will I, Barabas, about this coin,And bring it with me to thee in the evening.110
Bar.Do so, but fail not; now farewell, Ferneze: [ExitGovernor.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 comesShall 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:First to surprise great Selim's soldiers,120And 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.
EnterCalymathandBassoes.Caly.Thus have we viewed the city, seen the sack,And caused the ruins to be new repaired,Which with our bombards'[149]shot and basilisk[s][150]We rent in sunder at our entry:And now I see the situation,And how secure this conquered island standsEnvironed with the Mediterranean sea,Strong countermined with other petty isles;And,[151]toward Calabria, backed by Sicily,(Where Syracusian Dionysius reigned,)10Two lofty turrets that command the town;I wonder how it could be conquered thus?Enter aMessenger.Mess.From Barabas, Malta's governor. I bringA message unto mighty Calymath;Hearing his sovereign was bound for sea,To sail to Turkey, to great Ottoman,He humbly would entreat your majestyTo come and see his homely citadel,And banquet with him ere thou leav'st the isle.Caly.To banquet with him in his citadel?20I fear me, messenger, to feast my trainWithin a town of war so lately pillaged,Will be too costly and too troublesome:Yet would I gladly visit Barabas,For well has Barabas deserved of us.Mess.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 valued but indifferently,The price thereof will serve to entertain30Selim and all his soldiers for a month;Therefore he humbly would entreat your highnessNot 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 monasteryWhich standeth as an outhouse 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,40We'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 bestTo solemise our Governor's great feast.[Exeunt.
EnterCalymathandBassoes.
Caly.Thus have we viewed the city, seen the sack,And caused the ruins to be new repaired,Which with our bombards'[149]shot and basilisk[s][150]We rent in sunder at our entry:And now I see the situation,And how secure this conquered island standsEnvironed with the Mediterranean sea,Strong countermined with other petty isles;And,[151]toward Calabria, backed by Sicily,(Where Syracusian Dionysius reigned,)10Two lofty turrets that command the town;I wonder how it could be conquered thus?
Enter aMessenger.
Mess.From Barabas, Malta's governor. I bringA message unto mighty Calymath;Hearing his sovereign was bound for sea,To sail to Turkey, to great Ottoman,He humbly would entreat your majestyTo come and see his homely citadel,And banquet with him ere thou leav'st the isle.
Caly.To banquet with him in his citadel?20I fear me, messenger, to feast my trainWithin a town of war so lately pillaged,Will be too costly and too troublesome:Yet would I gladly visit Barabas,For well has Barabas deserved of us.
Mess.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 valued but indifferently,The price thereof will serve to entertain30Selim and all his soldiers for a month;Therefore he humbly would entreat your highnessNot 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 monasteryWhich standeth as an outhouse 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,40We'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 bestTo solemise our Governor's great feast.[Exeunt.
Enter[152]Governor, Knights,andDel Bosco.Gov.In this, my countrymen, be ruled by me,Have special care that no man sally forthTill you shall hear a culverin dischargedBy him that bears the linstock,[153]kindled thus;Then issue out and come to rescue me,For happily I shall be in distress,Or you released of this servitude.Knight.Rather than thus to live as Turkish thrallsWhat will we not adventure?Gov.On then, begone.Knight. Farewell, grave Governor!11[Exeunt.
Enter[152]Governor, Knights,andDel Bosco.
Gov.In this, my countrymen, be ruled by me,Have special care that no man sally forthTill you shall hear a culverin dischargedBy him that bears the linstock,[153]kindled thus;Then issue out and come to rescue me,For happily I shall be in distress,Or you released of this servitude.
Knight.Rather than thus to live as Turkish thrallsWhat will we not adventure?
Gov.On then, begone.
Knight. Farewell, grave Governor!11[Exeunt.
Enter,[154]above,Barabas,with a hammer, very busy; andCarpenters.Bar.How stand the cords? How hang these hinges? fast?Are all the cranes and pulleys sure?First Carp.[155]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:10For so I live, perish may all the world.Now Selim Calymath return me wordThat thou wilt come, and I am satisfied.Now, sirrah, what, will he come?EnterMessenger.Mess.He will; and has commanded all his menTo come ashore, and march through Malta streets,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.20EnterGovernor.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 underneathIn several places are field-pieces pitched,Bombards, whole barrels full of gunpowder,30That 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 sinkInto a deep pit past recovery.Here, hold that knife, and when thou seest he comes,And with his bassoes shall be blithely set,40A warning-piece shall be shot off from the tower,To give thee knowledge when to cut the cordAnd fire the house; say, will not this be brave?Gov.O excellent! here, hold thee, Barabas,I trust thy word, take what I promised thee.Bar.No, Governor, I'll satisfy thee first,Thou shalt not live in doubt of anything.Stand close, for here they come [Governorretires]. Why, is not thisA kingly kind of trade to purchase townsBy treachery and sell 'em by deceit?50Now tell me, worldlings, underneath the sun[156]If greater falsehood ever has been done?EnterCalymathandBassoes.Caly.Come, my companion bassoes; see, I pray,How busy Barabas is there aboveTo 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?60Caly.I, Barabas;Come, bassoes, attend.[157]Gov.Stay, Calymath!For I will show thee greater courtesyThan Barabas would have afforded thee.Knight[within]. Sound a charge there![A charge; the cable cut.Barabasfalls into a caldron.EnterMartin Del BoscoandKnights.[158]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!70Gov.No, Selim, do not fly;See his end first, and fly then if thou canst.Bar.O help me, Selim, help me, Christians!Governor, why stand you all so pitiless?Gov.Should I in pity of thy plaints or thee,Accursèd Barabas, base Jew, relent?No, thus I'll see thy treachery repaid,But wish thou hadst behaved thee otherwise.Bar.You will not help me, then?Gov.No, villain, no.80Bar.And, villains, know you cannot help me now—Then, Barabas, breathe forth thy latest hate,[159]And in the fury of thy torments striveTo 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 Christians! dogs! and Turkish infidels!90But now begins the extremity of heatTo 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.[160]100Gov.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?110Gov.Why then the house was fired,Blown up, and all thy soldiers massacred.Caly.O 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 goodThe ruins done to Malta and to us,Thou canst not part: for Malta shall be freed,Or Selim ne'er return to Ottoman.120Caly.Nay, rather, Christians, let me go to Turkey,In person there to mediate[161]your peace;To keep me here will not advantage you.Gov.Content thee, Calymath, here thou must stay,And live in Malta prisoner; for come all[162]the worldTo rescue thee, so will we guard us now,As sooner shall they drink the ocean dryThan conquer Malta, or endanger us.So march away, and let due praise be givenNeither to fate nor fortune, but to Heaven.[Exeunt.
Enter,[154]above,Barabas,with a hammer, very busy; andCarpenters.
Bar.How stand the cords? How hang these hinges? fast?Are all the cranes and pulleys sure?
First Carp.[155]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:10For so I live, perish may all the world.Now Selim Calymath return me wordThat thou wilt come, and I am satisfied.Now, sirrah, what, will he come?
EnterMessenger.
Mess.He will; and has commanded all his menTo come ashore, and march through Malta streets,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.20
EnterGovernor.
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 underneathIn several places are field-pieces pitched,Bombards, whole barrels full of gunpowder,30That 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 sinkInto a deep pit past recovery.Here, hold that knife, and when thou seest he comes,And with his bassoes shall be blithely set,40A warning-piece shall be shot off from the tower,To give thee knowledge when to cut the cordAnd fire the house; say, will not this be brave?
Gov.O excellent! here, hold thee, Barabas,I trust thy word, take what I promised thee.
Bar.No, Governor, I'll satisfy thee first,Thou shalt not live in doubt of anything.Stand close, for here they come [Governorretires]. Why, is not thisA kingly kind of trade to purchase townsBy treachery and sell 'em by deceit?50Now tell me, worldlings, underneath the sun[156]If greater falsehood ever has been done?
EnterCalymathandBassoes.
Caly.Come, my companion bassoes; see, I pray,How busy Barabas is there aboveTo 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?60
Caly.I, Barabas;Come, bassoes, attend.[157]
Gov.Stay, Calymath!For I will show thee greater courtesyThan Barabas would have afforded thee.
Knight[within]. Sound a charge there![A charge; the cable cut.Barabasfalls into a caldron.
EnterMartin Del BoscoandKnights.[158]
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!70
Gov.No, Selim, do not fly;See his end first, and fly then if thou canst.
Bar.O help me, Selim, help me, Christians!Governor, why stand you all so pitiless?
Gov.Should I in pity of thy plaints or thee,Accursèd Barabas, base Jew, relent?No, thus I'll see thy treachery repaid,But wish thou hadst behaved thee otherwise.
Bar.You will not help me, then?
Gov.No, villain, no.80
Bar.And, villains, know you cannot help me now—Then, Barabas, breathe forth thy latest hate,[159]And in the fury of thy torments striveTo 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 Christians! dogs! and Turkish infidels!90But now begins the extremity of heatTo 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.[160]100
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?110
Gov.Why then the house was fired,Blown up, and all thy soldiers massacred.
Caly.O 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 goodThe ruins done to Malta and to us,Thou canst not part: for Malta shall be freed,Or Selim ne'er return to Ottoman.120
Caly.Nay, rather, Christians, let me go to Turkey,In person there to mediate[161]your peace;To keep me here will not advantage you.
Gov.Content thee, Calymath, here thou must stay,And live in Malta prisoner; for come all[162]the worldTo rescue thee, so will we guard us now,As sooner shall they drink the ocean dryThan conquer Malta, or endanger us.So march away, and let due praise be givenNeither to fate nor fortune, but to Heaven.[Exeunt.
Edward II. was entered in the Stationers' Books 6th July 1593. In the Dyce Library at South Kensington there is a 4to. with a MS. title-page (in a hand of the late seventeenth century) dated 1593. Without doubt the date 1593 is a copyist's mistake for 1598. In the first leaf, which is in MS., there are a few textual differences, due to the copyist's carelessness; but the printed matter throughout (A. 3—K. 2) exhibits the text of ed. 1598.
In 1876 an edition ofEdward II.in 8vo., dated 1594, was discovered in the library at Cassel. The title is:—The troublesome raigne and lamentable death of Edward the second, King of England: with the tragicall fall of proud Mortimer. As it was sundrie times publiquely acted in the honourable citie of London, by the right honourable the Earl of Pembroke his servants. Written by Chri. Marlow Gent. Imprinted at London for William Jones, dwelling neare Holborne conduit at the Signe of the Gunne, 1594.
The title of the 4to. of 1598 runs as follows:—The troublesome raigne and lamentable death of Edward the second, King of England: with the tragicall fall of proud Mortimer: And also the life and death of Peirs Gaueston, the great Earle of Cornewall, and mighty favorite of king Edward the second, as it was publiquely acted by the right honorable the Earle of Pembrooke his seruauntes. Written by Chri. Marlow Gent. Imprinted at London by Richard Bradocke, for William Jones, dwelling neere Holbourne conduit, at the signe of the Gunne, 1598.
Another edition (in 4to.) appeared in 1612, with the following title:—The troublesome raigne and lamentable death of Edward the second, King of England: with the tragicall fall of proud Mortimer. And also the life and death of Peirs Gaueston, the great Earle of Cornewall, and mighty fauorite of King Edward the second, as it was publiquely acted by the right honorable the Earle of Pembrooke his seruants. Written by Christopher Marlow Gent. Printed at London for Roger Barnes, and are to be sould at his shop in Chauncerie Lane ouer against the Rolles, 1612.
The last of the old editions is dated 1622:—The troublesome raigne and lamentable death of Edward the second, King of England: with the tragicall fall of proud Mortimer. And also the life and death of Peirs Gauestone, the great Earle of Cornewall, and mighty Fauorite of King Edward the second. As it was publikely Acted by the late Queenes Maiesties Seruants at the Red Bull in S. Johns streete. Written by Christopher Marlow Gent. London, Printed for Henry Bell, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Lame-hospitall Gate, neere Smithfield, 1622.
The text of the 1598 4to., which is fairly free from corruptions, differs but slightly from the texts of the two later 4tos. I have not had an opportunity of inspecting the 8vo. of 1594; but I suspect that it agrees very closely with the later copies.
PERSONS REPRESENTED.
Edward II.Prince Edward,his son, afterwardsEdward III.Gaveston.Old Spencer.Young Spencer.Earl Mortimer.Young Mortimer.Berkeley.Lancaster.Leicester.Edmund,Earl of Kent.Arundel.Warwick.Pembroke.Archbishop of Canterbury.Bishop of Winchester.Bishop of Coventry.Beaumont.Trussel.SirJohn Hainault.Levune.Baldock.Matrevis.Gurney.Rice ap Howel.Lightborn.Abbot.Lords, Messengers, Monks, James, &c., &c.Queen Isabella.NiecetoEdward II.Ladies.
Enter[163]Gaveston,reading a letter from theKing.Gav. My father is deceased! Come, Gaveston,And share the kingdom with thy dearest friend.Ah! words that make me surfeit with delight!What greater bliss can hap to GavestonThan live and be the favourite of a king!Sweet prince, I come; these, these thy amorous linesMight have enforced me to have swum from France,And, like Leander, gasped upon the sand,So thou would'st smile, and take me in thine arms.The sight of London to my exiled eyes10Is as Elysium to a new-come soul;Not that I love the city, or the men,But that it harbours him I hold so dear—The king, upon whose bosom let me die,[164]And with the world be still at enmity.What need the arctic people love starlight,To whom the sun shines both by day and night?Farewell base stooping to the lordly peers!My knee shall bow to none but to the king.As for the multitude, that are but sparks,20Raked up in embers of their poverty;—Tanti;[165]I'll fawn[166]first on the windThat glanceth at my lips, and flieth away.But how now, what are these?Enter three poorMen.Men.Such as desire your worship's service.Gav.What canst thou do?1 Man.I can ride.Gav.But I have no horse. What art thou?2 Man.A traveller.Gav.Let me see—thou would'st do wellTo wait at my trencher and tell me lies at dinner-time;30And as I like your discoursing, I'll have you.And what art thou?3 Man.A soldier, that hath served against the Scot.
Enter[163]Gaveston,reading a letter from theKing.
Gav. My father is deceased! Come, Gaveston,And share the kingdom with thy dearest friend.Ah! words that make me surfeit with delight!What greater bliss can hap to GavestonThan live and be the favourite of a king!Sweet prince, I come; these, these thy amorous linesMight have enforced me to have swum from France,And, like Leander, gasped upon the sand,So thou would'st smile, and take me in thine arms.The sight of London to my exiled eyes10Is as Elysium to a new-come soul;Not that I love the city, or the men,But that it harbours him I hold so dear—The king, upon whose bosom let me die,[164]And with the world be still at enmity.What need the arctic people love starlight,To whom the sun shines both by day and night?Farewell base stooping to the lordly peers!My knee shall bow to none but to the king.As for the multitude, that are but sparks,20Raked up in embers of their poverty;—Tanti;[165]I'll fawn[166]first on the windThat glanceth at my lips, and flieth away.But how now, what are these?
Enter three poorMen.
Men.Such as desire your worship's service.
Gav.What canst thou do?
1 Man.I can ride.
Gav.But I have no horse. What art thou?
2 Man.A traveller.
Gav.Let me see—thou would'st do wellTo wait at my trencher and tell me lies at dinner-time;30And as I like your discoursing, I'll have you.And what art thou?
3 Man.A soldier, that hath served against the Scot.
Gav.Why, there are hospitals for such as you;I have no war, and therefore, sir, begone.3 Man.Farewell, and perish by a soldier's hand,That would'st reward them with an hospital.Gav.I, I, these words of his move me as muchAs if a goose would play the porcupine,And dart her plumes,[167]thinking to pierce my breast.40But yet it is no pain to speak men fair;I'll flatter these, and make them live in hope. [Aside.You know that I came lately out of France,And yet I have not viewed my lord the king;If I speed well, I'll entertain you all.Omnes.We thank your worship.Gav.I have some business. Leave me to myself.Omnes.We will wait here about the court. [Exeunt.Gav.Do; these are not men for me;I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits,50Musicians, that with touching of a stringMay draw the pliant king which way I please.Music and poetry is his delight;Therefore I'll have Italian masks by night,Sweet speeches, comedies, and pleasing shows;And in the day, when he shall walk abroad,Like silvian[168]nymphs my pages shall be clad;My men, like satyrs grazing on the lawns,Shall with their goat-feet dance the antic hay.[169]Sometime a lovely boy in Dian's shape,60With hair that gilds the water as it glides,Crownets of pearl about his naked arms,And in his sportful hands an olive-tree,To hide those parts which men delight to see,Shall bathe him in a spring; and there hard by,One like Actæon peeping through the grove,Shall by the angry goddess be transformed,And running in the likeness of an hartBy yelping hounds pulled down, and[170]seem to die;—Such things as these best please his majesty.70Here comes my lord[171]the king, and [here] the noblesFrom the parliament. I'll stand aside.Enter theKing,Lancaster,Old Mortimer,Young Mortimer,Edmund,Earl of Kent,Guy,Earl of Warwick, &c.Edw.Lancaster!Lan.My lord.Gav.That Earl of Lancaster do I abhor. [Aside.Edw.Will you not grant me this? In spite of themI'll have my will; and these two Mortimers,That cross me thus, shall know I am displeased.E. Mor.If you love us, my lord, hate Gaveston.Gav.That villain Mortimer, I'll be his death! [Aside.Y. Mor.Mine uncle here, this earl, and I myself,81Were sworn[172]to your father at his death,That he should ne'er return into the realm:And know, my lord, ere I will break my oath,This sword of mine, that should offend your foes,Shall sleep within the scabbard at thy need,And underneath thy banners march who will,For Mortimer will hang his armour up.Gav.Mort dieu![Aside.Edw.Well, Mortimer, I'll make thee rue these words.Beseems it thee to contradict thy king?91Frown'st thou thereat, aspiring Lancaster?[173]The sword shall plane the furrows of thy brows,And hew these knees that now are grown so stiff.I will have Gaveston; and you shall knowWhat danger 'tis to stand against your king.Gav.Well done, Ned! [Aside.Lan.My lord, why do you thus incense your peers,That naturally would love and honour youBut for that base and obscure Gaveston?100Four earldoms have I, besides Lancaster—Derby, Salisbury, Lincoln, Leicester,These will I sell, to give my soldiers pay,Ere Gaveston shall stay within the realm;Therefore, if he be come, expel him straight.Edw.Barons and earls, your pride hath made me mute;But now I'll speak, and to the proof, I hope.I do remember, in my father's days,Lord Percy of the north, being highly moved,Braved Moubery[174]in presence of the king;110For which, had not his highness loved him well,He should have lost his head; but with his lookThe undaunted spirit of Percy was appeased,And Moubery and he were reconciled.Yet dare you brave the king unto his face;Brother, revenge it, and let these their headsPreach upon poles, for trespass of their tongues.War.O, our heads!Edw.I, yours; and therefore I would wish you grant—War.Bridle thy anger, gentle Mortimer.120Y. Mor.I cannot, nor I will not; I must speak.Cousin, our hands I hope shall fence our heads,And strike off his that makes you threaten us.Come, uncle, let us leave the brainsick king,And henceforth parley with our naked swords.E. Mor.Wiltshire hath men enough to save our heads.War.All Warwickshire will love[175]him for my sake.Lan.And northward Gaveston[176]hath many friends.Adieu, my lord; and either change your mind,Or look to see the throne, where you should sit,130To float in blood; and at thy wanton head,The glozing head of thy base minion thrown. [ExeuntNobles.Edw.I cannot brook these haughty menaces;Am I a king, and must be overruled?Brother, display my ensigns in the field;I'll bandy[177]with the barons and the earls,And either die or live with Gaveston.Gav.I can no longer keep me from my lord. [Comes forward.Edw.What, Gaveston! welcome.—Kiss not my hand—Embrace me, Gaveston, as I do thee.140Why should'st thou kneel? know'st thou not who I am?Thy friend, thyself, another Gaveston!Not Hylas was more mourned of[178]Hercules,Than thou hast been of me since thy exile.Gav.And since I went from hence, no soul in hellHath felt more torment than poor Gaveston.Edw.I know it.—Brother, welcome home my friend.Now let the treacherous Mortimers conspire,And that high-minded Earl of Lancaster:I have my wish, in that I joy thy sight;150And sooner shall the sea o'erwhelm my land,Than bear the ship that shall transport thee hence.I here create thee Lord High Chamberlain,Chief Secretary to the state and me,Earl of Cornwall, King and Lord of Man.Gav.My lord, these titles far exceed my worth.Kent.Brother, the least of these may well sufficeFor one of greater birth than Gaveston.Edw.Cease, brother: for I cannot brook these words.Thy worth, sweet friend, is far above my gifts,160Therefore, to equal it, receive my heart;If for these dignities thou be envied,I'll give thee more; for, but to honour thee,Is Edward pleased with kingly regiment.[179]Fear'st thou thy person? thou shalt have a guard.Wantest thou gold? go to my treasury.Wouldst thou be loved and feared? receive my seal;Save or condemn, and in our name commandWhatso thy mind affects, or fancy likes.Gav.It shall suffice me to enjoy your love,170Which whiles I have, I think myself as greatAs Cæsar riding in the Roman street,With captive kings at his triumphant car.Enter theBishop of Coventry.Edw.Whither goes my lord of Coventry so fast?Bish.To celebrate your father's exequies.But is that wicked Gaveston returned?Edw.I, priest, and lives to be revenged on thee,That wert the only cause of his exile.Gav.'Tis true; and but for reverence of these robes,Thou should'st not plod one foot beyond this place.180Bish.I did no more than I was bound to do;And, Gaveston, unless thou be reclaimed,As then I did incense the parliament,So will I now, and thou shalt back to France.Gav.Saving your reverence, you must pardon me.Edw.Throw off his golden mitre, rend his stole,And in the channel[180]christen him anew.Kent.Ah, brother, lay not violent hands on him,For he'll complain unto the see of Rome.Gav.Let him complain unto the see of hell,190I'll be revenged on him for my exile.Edw.No, spare his life, but seize upon his goods:Be thou lord bishop and receive his rents,And make him serve thee as thy chaplain:I give him thee—here, use him as thou wilt.Gav.He shall to prison, and there die in bolts.Edw.I, to the Tower, the Fleet, or where thou wilt.Bish.For this offence, be thou accurst of God!Edw.Who's there? Convey this priest to the Tower.Bish.True, true.[181]200Edw.But in the meantime, Gaveston, away,And take possession of his house and goods.Come, follow me, and thou shalt have my guardTo see it done, and bring thee safe again.Gav.What should a priest do with so fair a house?A prison may best[182]beseem his holiness.[Exeunt.
Gav.Why, there are hospitals for such as you;I have no war, and therefore, sir, begone.
3 Man.Farewell, and perish by a soldier's hand,That would'st reward them with an hospital.
Gav.I, I, these words of his move me as muchAs if a goose would play the porcupine,And dart her plumes,[167]thinking to pierce my breast.40But yet it is no pain to speak men fair;I'll flatter these, and make them live in hope. [Aside.You know that I came lately out of France,And yet I have not viewed my lord the king;If I speed well, I'll entertain you all.
Omnes.We thank your worship.
Gav.I have some business. Leave me to myself.
Omnes.We will wait here about the court. [Exeunt.
Gav.Do; these are not men for me;I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits,50Musicians, that with touching of a stringMay draw the pliant king which way I please.Music and poetry is his delight;Therefore I'll have Italian masks by night,Sweet speeches, comedies, and pleasing shows;And in the day, when he shall walk abroad,Like silvian[168]nymphs my pages shall be clad;My men, like satyrs grazing on the lawns,Shall with their goat-feet dance the antic hay.[169]Sometime a lovely boy in Dian's shape,60With hair that gilds the water as it glides,Crownets of pearl about his naked arms,And in his sportful hands an olive-tree,To hide those parts which men delight to see,Shall bathe him in a spring; and there hard by,One like Actæon peeping through the grove,Shall by the angry goddess be transformed,And running in the likeness of an hartBy yelping hounds pulled down, and[170]seem to die;—Such things as these best please his majesty.70Here comes my lord[171]the king, and [here] the noblesFrom the parliament. I'll stand aside.
Enter theKing,Lancaster,Old Mortimer,Young Mortimer,Edmund,Earl of Kent,Guy,Earl of Warwick, &c.
Edw.Lancaster!
Lan.My lord.
Gav.That Earl of Lancaster do I abhor. [Aside.
Edw.Will you not grant me this? In spite of themI'll have my will; and these two Mortimers,That cross me thus, shall know I am displeased.
E. Mor.If you love us, my lord, hate Gaveston.
Gav.That villain Mortimer, I'll be his death! [Aside.
Y. Mor.Mine uncle here, this earl, and I myself,81Were sworn[172]to your father at his death,That he should ne'er return into the realm:And know, my lord, ere I will break my oath,This sword of mine, that should offend your foes,Shall sleep within the scabbard at thy need,And underneath thy banners march who will,For Mortimer will hang his armour up.
Gav.Mort dieu![Aside.
Edw.Well, Mortimer, I'll make thee rue these words.Beseems it thee to contradict thy king?91Frown'st thou thereat, aspiring Lancaster?[173]The sword shall plane the furrows of thy brows,And hew these knees that now are grown so stiff.I will have Gaveston; and you shall knowWhat danger 'tis to stand against your king.
Gav.Well done, Ned! [Aside.
Lan.My lord, why do you thus incense your peers,That naturally would love and honour youBut for that base and obscure Gaveston?100Four earldoms have I, besides Lancaster—Derby, Salisbury, Lincoln, Leicester,These will I sell, to give my soldiers pay,Ere Gaveston shall stay within the realm;Therefore, if he be come, expel him straight.
Edw.Barons and earls, your pride hath made me mute;But now I'll speak, and to the proof, I hope.I do remember, in my father's days,Lord Percy of the north, being highly moved,Braved Moubery[174]in presence of the king;110For which, had not his highness loved him well,He should have lost his head; but with his lookThe undaunted spirit of Percy was appeased,And Moubery and he were reconciled.Yet dare you brave the king unto his face;Brother, revenge it, and let these their headsPreach upon poles, for trespass of their tongues.
War.O, our heads!
Edw.I, yours; and therefore I would wish you grant—
War.Bridle thy anger, gentle Mortimer.120
Y. Mor.I cannot, nor I will not; I must speak.Cousin, our hands I hope shall fence our heads,And strike off his that makes you threaten us.Come, uncle, let us leave the brainsick king,And henceforth parley with our naked swords.
E. Mor.Wiltshire hath men enough to save our heads.
War.All Warwickshire will love[175]him for my sake.
Lan.And northward Gaveston[176]hath many friends.Adieu, my lord; and either change your mind,Or look to see the throne, where you should sit,130To float in blood; and at thy wanton head,The glozing head of thy base minion thrown. [ExeuntNobles.
Edw.I cannot brook these haughty menaces;Am I a king, and must be overruled?Brother, display my ensigns in the field;I'll bandy[177]with the barons and the earls,And either die or live with Gaveston.
Gav.I can no longer keep me from my lord. [Comes forward.
Edw.What, Gaveston! welcome.—Kiss not my hand—Embrace me, Gaveston, as I do thee.140Why should'st thou kneel? know'st thou not who I am?Thy friend, thyself, another Gaveston!Not Hylas was more mourned of[178]Hercules,Than thou hast been of me since thy exile.
Gav.And since I went from hence, no soul in hellHath felt more torment than poor Gaveston.
Edw.I know it.—Brother, welcome home my friend.Now let the treacherous Mortimers conspire,And that high-minded Earl of Lancaster:I have my wish, in that I joy thy sight;150And sooner shall the sea o'erwhelm my land,Than bear the ship that shall transport thee hence.I here create thee Lord High Chamberlain,Chief Secretary to the state and me,Earl of Cornwall, King and Lord of Man.
Gav.My lord, these titles far exceed my worth.
Kent.Brother, the least of these may well sufficeFor one of greater birth than Gaveston.
Edw.Cease, brother: for I cannot brook these words.Thy worth, sweet friend, is far above my gifts,160Therefore, to equal it, receive my heart;If for these dignities thou be envied,I'll give thee more; for, but to honour thee,Is Edward pleased with kingly regiment.[179]Fear'st thou thy person? thou shalt have a guard.Wantest thou gold? go to my treasury.Wouldst thou be loved and feared? receive my seal;Save or condemn, and in our name commandWhatso thy mind affects, or fancy likes.
Gav.It shall suffice me to enjoy your love,170Which whiles I have, I think myself as greatAs Cæsar riding in the Roman street,With captive kings at his triumphant car.
Enter theBishop of Coventry.
Edw.Whither goes my lord of Coventry so fast?
Bish.To celebrate your father's exequies.But is that wicked Gaveston returned?
Edw.I, priest, and lives to be revenged on thee,That wert the only cause of his exile.
Gav.'Tis true; and but for reverence of these robes,Thou should'st not plod one foot beyond this place.180
Bish.I did no more than I was bound to do;And, Gaveston, unless thou be reclaimed,As then I did incense the parliament,So will I now, and thou shalt back to France.
Gav.Saving your reverence, you must pardon me.
Edw.Throw off his golden mitre, rend his stole,And in the channel[180]christen him anew.
Kent.Ah, brother, lay not violent hands on him,For he'll complain unto the see of Rome.
Gav.Let him complain unto the see of hell,190I'll be revenged on him for my exile.
Edw.No, spare his life, but seize upon his goods:Be thou lord bishop and receive his rents,And make him serve thee as thy chaplain:I give him thee—here, use him as thou wilt.
Gav.He shall to prison, and there die in bolts.
Edw.I, to the Tower, the Fleet, or where thou wilt.
Bish.For this offence, be thou accurst of God!
Edw.Who's there? Convey this priest to the Tower.
Bish.True, true.[181]200
Edw.But in the meantime, Gaveston, away,And take possession of his house and goods.Come, follow me, and thou shalt have my guardTo see it done, and bring thee safe again.
Gav.What should a priest do with so fair a house?A prison may best[182]beseem his holiness.[Exeunt.