Jacinths, hard topaz, grass-green emeralds,
Beauteous rubies, sparkling diamonds,

And seld-seen1 costly stones of so great price,
As one of them indifferently rated,

And of a carat of this quantity,

May serve in peril of calamity

To ransom great kings from captivity.

This is the ware wherein consists my wealth;
And thus methinks should men of judgment frame
Their means of traffic from the vulgar trade,

And as their wealth increaseth, so inclose
Infinite riches in a little room.

But now how stands the wind?

Into what corner peers my halcyon's bill?2

Ha! to the east? yes: see, how stand the vanes?

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East and by south: why then I hope my ships

I sent for Egypt and the bordering isles

Are gotten up by Nilus' winding banks :
Mine argosies from Alexandria,

Loaden with spice and silks, now under sail,
Are smoothly gliding down by Candy shore
To Malta, through our Mediterranean sea.
But who comes here?

Enter a Merchant.

How now?

Merch. Barabas, thy ships are safe,

Riding in Malta-road: and all the merchants

1 Seldom seen.

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2 A stuffed kingfisher (the halcyon), suspended by a string, was supposed to show the direction of the wind. Halcyon days were calm days, the belief being that the weather was always calm when kingfishers were breeding. Cf. King Lear, ii, 2; Sir T. Browne, Vulgar Errors, lii, 10.

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With other merchandise are safe arrived,

And have sent me to know whether yourself

Will come and custom1 them.

Bar. The ships are safe thou say'st, and richly fraught.
Merch. They are.

Bar. Why then go bid them come ashore,
And bring with them their bills of entry:
I hope our credit in the custom-house
Will serve as well as I were present there.
Go send 'em threescore camels, thirty mules,

And twenty waggons to bring up the ware.
But art thou master in a ship of mine,

And is thy credit not enough for that?

Merch. The very custom barely comes to more Than many merchants of the town are worth,

And therefore far exceeds my credit, sir.

Bar. Go tell 'em the Jew of Malta sent thee, man: Tush! who amongst 'em knows not Barabas?

Merch. I go.

Bar. So then, there's somewhat come.

Sirrah, which of my ships art thou master of?
Merch. Of the Speranza, sir.

Bar. And saw'st thou not

Mine argosy at Alexandria?

Thou could'st not come from Egypt, or by Caire,

But at the entry there into the sea,

Where Nilus pays his tribute to the main,

Thou needs must sail by Alexandria.

Merch. I neither saw them, nor inquired of them:

But this we heard some of our seamen say,

They wondered how you durst with so much wealth

1 Pay the duty on them.

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Trust such a crazèd vessel, and so far.

Bar. Tush, they are wise! I know her and her strength. 80

But go, go thou thy ways, discharge thy ship,

And bid my factor bring his loading in.

And yet I wonder at this argosy.

Enter a second Merchant.

2d Merch. Thine argosy from Alexandria, Know, Barabas, doth ride in Malta-road, Laden with riches, and exceeding store

Of Persian silks, of gold, and orient pearl.

[Exit Merch.

Bar. How chance you came not with those other ships That sailed by Egypt?

2d Merch. Sir, we saw 'em not.

Bar. Belike they coasted round by Candy shore About their oils, or other businesses.

But 'twas ill done of you to come so far

Without the aid or conduct of their ships.

2d Merch. Sir, we were wafted by a Spanish fleet,

That never left us till within a league,

That had the galleys of the Turk in chase.

Bar. O!-they were going up to Sicily:

And bid the merchants and my men despatch

Well, go,

And come ashore, and see the fraught discharged.

2d Merch. I go.

Bar. Thus trowls 2 our fortune in by land and sea,

And thus are we on every side enriched :
These are the blessings promised to the Jews,
And herein was old Abram's happiness:

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[Exit.

What more may heaven do for earthly man
Than thus to pour out plenty in their laps,
Ripping the bowels of the earth for them,
Making the seas their servants, and the winds
To drive their substance with successful blasts?
Who hateth me but for my happiness?

Or who is honoured now but for his wealth?
Rather had I a Jew be hated thus,
Than pitied in a Christian poverty:
For I can see no fruits in all their faith,
But malice, falsehood, and excessive pride,
Which methinks fits not their profession.
Haply some hapless man hath conscience,
And for his conscience lives in beggary.
They say we are a scattered nation :

I cannot tell, but we have scambled1 up

More wealth by far than those that brag of faith.
There's Kirriah Jairim, the great Jew of Greece,
Obed in Bairseth,2 Nones in Portugal,

Myself in Malta, some in Italy,

Many in France, and wealthy every one;
Ay, wealthier far than any Christian.

I must confess we come not to be kings;

That's not our fault: alas, our number's few,
And crowns come either by succession,

Or urged by force; and nothing violent

Oft have I heard tell, can be permanent.

Give us a peaceful rule, make Christians kings,
That thirst so much for principality.

I have no charge, nor many children,

1 Collected, used for scrambled, as in Henry V, i, 1.

2 Beyrout?

ΠΙΟ

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But one sole daughter, whom I hold as dear

As Agamemnon did his Iphigen :

And all I have is hers. But who comes here?

Enter three Jews.1

1st Jew. Tush, tell not me; 'twas done of policy. 2d Jew. Come, therefore, let us go to Barabas,

For he can counsel best in these affairs;

And here he comes.

Bar. Why, how now, countrymen ! Why flock you thus to me in multitudes? What accident's betided to the Jews?

Ist Jew. A fleet of warlike galleys, Barabas, Are come from Turkey, and lie in our road: And they this day sit in the council-house

To entertain them and their embassy.

Bar. Why, let 'em come, so they come not to war; Or let 'em war, so we be conquerors —

Nay, let 'em combat, conquer, and kill all !

(Aside) So they spare me, my daughter, and my wealth. 1st Jew. Were it for confirmation of a league,

They would not come in warlike manner thus. 2d Jew. I fear their coming will afflict us all.

Bar. Fond 2 men! what dream you of their multitudes? What need they treat of peace that are in league? The Turks and those of Malta are in league.

Tut, tut, there is some other matter in’t.

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Ist Jew. Why, Barabas, they come for peace or war. 160 Bar. Haply for neither, but to pass along

Towards Venice by the Adriatic Sea;

1 Here the scene is shifted to a street, or to the Exchange.

2 Foolish.