ABIGAIL

Not for my self, but aged Barabas: Father, for thee lamenteth Abigail: But I will learn to leave these fruitless tears. And urged thereto with my afflictions, With fierce exlaimes run to the Senate-house, And in the Senate reprehend them all, And rend their hearts with tearing of my hair, Till they reduce the wrongs done to my father. Where father? Then shall they never be seen of Barrabas : For they have seized upon thy house and wares. That may they not: For there I left the Governor placing Nuns, Displacing me; and of thy house they mean To make a Nunnery, where none but their own sect Must enter in; men generally barred. Father, what ever it be to injure them That have so manifestly wronged us, What will not Abigall attempt? I did. How, as a Nun? I, but father they will suspect me there. Thus father shall I much dissemble. Well father, say I be entertained, What then shall follow? Then father go with me. Grave Abbasse, and you happy Virgins guide, Pity the state of a distressed Maid. The hopeless daughter of a hapless Jew, The Jew of Malta, wretched Barabas ; Sometime the owner of a goodly house, Which they have now turned to a Nunnery. Fearing the afflictions which my father feels, Proceed from sin, or want of faith in us, I'de pass away my life in penitence, And be a Novice in your Nunnery, To make atonement for my labouring soul. First let me as a Novice learn to frame My solitary life to your straight laws, And let me lodge where I was wont to lie, I do not doubt by your divine precepts And mine own industry, but to profit much. Father give me— Now have I happily espied a time To search the plank my father did appoint; And here behold (unseen) where I have found The gold, the pearls, and Jewels which he hid. Now that my father's fortune were so good As but to be about this happy place; It's not so happy: yet when we parted last, He said he would attend me in the morn. Then, gentle sleep, where ever his body rests, Give charge to Morpheus that he may dream A golden dream, and of the sudden walk, Come and receive the Treasure I have found. Who's that? Then father here receive thy happiness. Here, Hast thou'lt? There's more, and more, and more. Father, it draws towards midnight now, And about this time the Nuns begin to wake; To An suspicion, therefore, let us partly. In good time, father, here are letters come From Ormus, and the Post stays here within. For your sake and his own he's welcome hither. O father, Done Mathias is my love. He has my heart, I smile against my will. What shall I be betrothed to Lodowick ? I cannot choose, seeing my father bids: Nothing but death shall partly my love and me. O wretched Abigail, what hast thee done? I know not, but farewell, I must be gone. I cannot take my leave of him for tears: Father, why have you thus incensed them both? I'll make they friends again. I will have Done Mathias, he is my love. Why how now Ithimore, why laughest thou so? Why what ailest thou? Would. Say, knave, why railest upon my father thus? Wherein? Why no. No, what was it? And was my father furtherer of their death's? Yes. Well, Ithimore, let me request thee this, Go to the new made Nunnery, and inquire For any of the Friars of St. Iaynes, And say, I pray them come and speak with me. Well, sirrah, what is't? Go to, sirrah sauce, is this your question? get you gone Hardhearted Father, unkind Barabas, Was this the pursuit of thy policy? To make me show them favour severally, That by my favour they should both be slain? Admit thou lou'dst not Lodowick for his sin, Yet Done Mathias never offended thee: But thou Wertenberg set upon extreme revenge, Because the Prior dispossessed thee once, And couldst not venge it, but upon his son, Nor on his son, but by Mathias means; Nor on Mathias, but by murdering me. But I perceive there is no love on earth, Pity in Jews, nor piety in Turks. But here Comes cursed Ithimore with the Friar. Welcome graven Friar Ithamore begun, Exit Know, holy Sir, I am bold to solicit thee. To get me be admitted for a Nun. Then were my thoughts so frail & unconfirmed, And I was chained to follies of the world: But now experience, purchased with grief, Has made me see the difference of things. My sinful soul, alas, hath paced too long The fatal Labyrinth of misbelief, Far from the Son that gives eternal life. The Abbasse of the house, Whose zealous admonition I embrace: O therefore, Jacomi, let me be one, Although unworthy of that Sisterhood. That was my father's fault. Nay, you shall pardon me: o Barabas, Though thou deservest hardly at my hands, Yet never shall these lips bewray thy life. My duty waits on you. Exeunt. And I shall die too, for I feel death coming. Where is the Friar that conversed with me? I sent for him, but seeing you are come Be you my ghostly father; and first know, That in this house I lived religiously, Chaste, and devout, much sorrowing for my sins, But ever I came — I did offend high heaven so grievously, As I am almost desperate for my sins: And one offence torments me more then all. You knew Mathias and Done Lodowick ? My father did contract me to they both: First to Done Lodowick, him I never loved; Mathias was the man that I held deer, And for his sake did I become a Nun. Both jealous of my love, envied each other: And by my father's practice, which is there Set down at large, the Gallants were both slain. To work my peace, this I confess to thee: Reveal it not, for then my father die. So I have herd; pray therefore keep it close, Death seizes on my heart, ah gentle Friar Convert my father that he may be saved, And witness that I die a Christian.