Page:The Jew of Malta - Marlowe (1633).pdf/37



Gov. Now Captaine tell us whither thou art bound? Whence is thy ship that anchors in our Rhoad? And why thou cam'st ashore without our leave?

Bosc. Governor of Malta, hither am I bound; My ship, the flying Dragon, is of Spaine, And so am I: Delbosco is my name; Vizadmirall unto the Catholic King.

1 Kni. 'Tis true, my lord, therefore intreat him well.

Bosc. Our fraught is Grecians, Turks, and Africk Moores. For late upon the coast of Corsica, Because we vail'd not to the Spanish Fleet, Their creeping Gallyes had us in the chase: But suddenly the wind began to rise, And then we left, and tooke, and fought at ease: Some have we fir'd, and many have we sunke; But one amongst the rest became our prize: The Captain's slaine, the rest remaine our slaves, Of whom we would make sale in Malta here.

Gov. Martin del Bosco, I have heard of thee; Welcome to Malta, and to all of us; But to admit a sale of these thy Turkes We may not, nay, we dare not give consent By reason of a Tributary league.

1 Kni. Delbosco, as thou lovest and honour'st us, Perswade our Governor against the Turke; This truce we have is but in hope of gold, And with that summe he craves might we wage warre.

Bosc. Will Knights of Malta be in league with Turkes, And buy it basely too for sums of gold? My lord, remember that, to Europe's shame, The Christian Isle of Rhodes, from whence you came, Was lately lost, and you were stated4 here To be at deadly enmity with Turkes.

Gov. Captaine we know it, but our force is small.

Bosc. What is the summe that Calymath requires?

Gov. A hundred thousand Crownes.