The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 2 (of 3)Marlowe, Christopher
General
The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 2 (of 3)
Marlowe, Christopher
English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Bar._ And, if you like them, drink your fill and die: 10
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.
_Mess._ He will; and has commanded all his men
To 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
_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, 30
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,
Here have I made a dainty gallery,
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, 40
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._ 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 [Governor _retires_].
Why, is not this
A kingly kind of trade to purchase towns
By treachery and sell 'em by deceit? 50
Now tell me, worldlings, underneath the sun[156]
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? 60
_Caly._ I, Barabas;
Come, bassoes, attend.[157]
_Gov._ Stay, Calymath!
For I will show thee greater courtesy
Than Barabas would have afforded thee.
_Knight [within_]. Sound a charge there!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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