hear such fooleries. Many will talk of title to a crown: What right had Cæsar to the empery? [8] Might first made kings, and laws were then most sure20 When like the Draco's [9] they were writ in blood. Hence comes it that a strong-built citadel Commands much more than letters can import; Which maxim had [but [10]] Phalaris observed, He had never bellowed, in a brazen bull, Of great one's envy. Of the poor petty wights Let me be envied and not pitièd! But whither am I bound? I come not, I, To read a lecture hear in Britainy, [11] But to present the tragedy of a Jew,30 Who smiles to see how full his bags are crammed, Which money was not got without my means. I crave but this—grace him as he deserves, And let him not be entertained the worse Because he favours me. [Exit.
ACT THE FIRST.
SCENE I.
Enter Barabas in his counting-house, with heaps of gold before him.
Bar. So that of thus much that return was made: And of the third part of the Persian ships, There was the venture summed and satisfied. As for those Sabans, [12] and the men of Uz, That bought my Spanish oils and wines of Greece, Here have I purst their paltry silverlings. [13] Fie; what a trouble 'tis to count this trash. Well fare the Arabians, who so richly pay The things they traffic for with wedge of gold, Whereof a man may easily in a day10 Tell that which may maintain him all his life. The needy groom that never fingered groat, Would make a miracle of thus much coin: But he whose steel-barred coffers are crammed full, And [he who] all his lifetime hath been tired, Wearying his fingers' ends with telling it, Would in his age be loth to labour so, And for a pound to sweat himself to death. Give me the merchants of the Indian mines, That trade in metal of the purest mould;20 The wealthy Moor, that in the eastern rocks Without control can pick his riches up, And in his house heap pearls like pebble stones, Receive them free, and sell them by the weight; Bags of fiery opals, sapphires, amethysts, Jacinths, hard topaz, grass-green emeralds, Beauteous rubies, sparkling diamonds, And seld-seen costly stones of so great price, As one of them indifferently rated, And of a carat of this quantity,30 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 [14] bill? Ha! to the east? yes: see how stands the vanes? 40 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 argosy 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? How now.
Enter a Merchant.
Merch. Barabas, thy ships are safe, Riding in Malta Road: and all the merchants50 With other merchandise are safe arrived, And have sent me to know whether yourself Will come and custom [15] 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,60 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
