FRIAR JACOMO. O good Barabas, come to our house!
FRIAR BARNARDINE. O, no, good Barabas, come to our house! And, Barabas, you know--
BARABAS. I know that I have highly sinn'd: You shall convert me, you shall have all my wealth.
FRIAR JACOMO. O Barabas, their laws are strict!
BARABAS. I know they are; and I will be with you.
FRIAR BARNARDINE. They wear no shirts, and they go bare-foot too.
BARABAS. Then 'tis not for me; and I am resolv'd You shall confess me, and have all my goods.
FRIAR JACOMO. Good Barabas, come to me.
BARABAS. You see I answer him, and yet he stays; Rid him away, and go you home with me.
FRIAR JACOMO. I'll be with you to-night.
BARABAS. Come to my house at one o'clock this night.
FRIAR JACOMO. You hear your answer, and you may be gone.
FRIAR BARNARDINE. Why, go, get you away.
FRIAR JACOMO. I will not go for thee.
FRIAR BARNARDINE. Not! then I'll make thee go.
FRIAR JACOMO. How! dost call me rogue?
[They fight.]
ITHAMORE. Part 'em, master, part 'em.
BARABAS. This is mere frailty: brethren, be content.-- Friar Barnardine, go you with Ithamore: You know my mind; let me alone with him.
FRIAR JACOMO. Why does he go to thy house? let him be gone.(133)
BARABAS. I'll give him something, and so stop his mouth. [Exit ITHAMORE with Friar BARNARDINE.] I never heard of any man but he Malign'd the order of the Jacobins: But do you think that I believe his words? Why, brother, you converted Abigail; And I am bound in charity to requite it, And so I will. O Jacomo, fail not, but come.
FRIAR JACOMO. But, Barabas, who shall be your godfathers? For presently you shall be shriv'd.
BARABAS. Marry, the Turk(134) shall be one of my godfathers, But not a word to any of your covent.(135)
FRIAR JACOMO. I warrant thee, Barabas. [Exit.]
BARABAS. So, now the fear is past, and I am safe; For he that shriv'd her is within my house: What, if I murder'd him ere Jacomo comes? Now I have such a plot for both their lives, As never Jew nor Christian knew the like: One turn'd my daughter, therefore he shall die; The other knows enough to have my life, Therefore 'tis not requisite he should live.(136) 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(137) words, And, after that, I and my trusty Turk-- No more, but so: it must and shall be done.(138)
Enter ITHAMORE.
Ithamore, tell me, is the friar asleep?
ITHAMORE. 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.
BARABAS. No; 'tis an order which the friars use: Yet, if he knew our meanings, could he scape?
ITHAMORE. No, none can hear him, cry he ne'er so loud.
BARABAS. Why, true; therefore did I place him there: The other chambers open towards the street.
ITHAMORE. You loiter, master; wherefore stay we thus? O, how I long to see him shake his heels!
BARABAS. Come on, sirrah: Off with your girdle; make a handsome noose.-- [ITHAMORE takes off his girdle, and ties a noose on it.] Friar, awake!(139) [They put the noose round the FRIAR'S neck.]
FRIAR BARNARDINE. What, do you mean to strangle me?
ITHAMORE. Yes, 'cause you use to confess.
BARABAS. Blame not us, but the proverb,--Confess and be hanged.--Pull hard.
FRIAR BARNARDINE. What, will you have(140) my life?
BARABAS. Pull hard, I say.--You would have had my goods.
ITHAMORE. Ay, and our lives too:--therefore pull amain. [They strangle the FRIAR.] 'Tis neatly done, sir; here's no print at all.
BARABAS. Then is it as it should be. Take him up.
ITHAMORE. Nay, master, be ruled by me a little. [Takes the body, sets it upright against the wall, and puts a staff in its hand.] So, let him lean upon his staff; excellent! he stands as if he were begging of bacon.
BARABAS.