Sir Thomas More [5]
SURREY.
And reason good, Sir Roger Cholmley, too.
If these hot Frenchmen needsly will have sport,
They should in kindness yet defray the charge:
Tis hard when men possess our wives in quiet,
And yet leave us in, to discharge their diet.
SHREWSBURY.
My lord, our catours shall not use the market
For our provision, but some stranger now
Will take the vittailes from him he hath bought:
A carpenter, as I was late informed,
Who having bought a pair of doves in Cheap,
Immediately a Frenchman took them from him,
And beat the poor man for resisting him;
And when the fellow did complain his wrongs,
He was severely punished for his labor.
SURREY.
But if the English blood be once but up,
As I perceive their hearts already full,
I fear me much, before their spleens be cold,
Some of these saucy aliens for their pride
Will pay for 't soundly, wheresoere it lights:
This tide of rage that with the eddy strives,
I fear me much, will drown too many lives.
CHOLMLEY.
Now, afore God, your honors, pardon me:
Men of your place and greatness are to blame.
I tell ye true, my lords, in that his majesty
Is not informed of this base abuse
And daily wrongs are offered to his subjects;
For, if he were, I know his gracious wisdom
Would soon redress it.
[Enter a Messenger.]
SHREWSBURY.
Sirrah, what news?
CHOLMLEY.
None good, I fear.
MESSENGER.
My lord, ill news; and worse, I fear, will follow,
If speedily it be not looked unto:
The city is in an uproar, and the Mayor
Is threatened, if he come out of his house.
A number poor artificers are up
In arms and threaten to avenge their wrongs.
CHOLMLEY.
We feared what this would come unto:
This follows on the doctors publishing
The bill of wrongs in public at the Spittle.
SHREWSBURY.
That Doctor Beale may chance beshrew himself
For reading of the bill.
PALMER.
Let us go gather forces to the Mayor,
For quick suppressing this rebellious route.
SURREY.
Now I bethink myself of Master More,
One of the sheriffs, a wise and learned gentleman,
And in especial favour with the people:
He, backed with other grave and sober men,
May by his gentle and persuasive speech
Perhaps prevail more than we can with power.
SHREWSBURY.
Believe me, but your honor well advises:
Let us make haste; for I do greatly fear
Some of their graves this morning's work will bear.
[Exeunt.]
ACT II.
SCENE I. Cheapside.
[Enter three or four Apprentices of trades, with a pair of cudgels.]
HARRY.
Come, lay down the cudgels. Ho, Robin, you met us well at
Bunhill, to have you with us a Maying this morning.
ROBIN.
Faith, Harry, the head drawer at the Miter by the great Conduit
called me up, and we went to breakfast into St. Anne lane. But
come, who begins? in good faith, I am clean out of practise. When
wast at Garrets school, Harry?
HARRY.
Not this great while, never since I brake his ushers head, when he
played his scholars prize at the Star in Bread-street. I use all to
George Philpots at Dowgate; he's the best backswordman in
England.
KIT.
Bate me an ace of that, quoth Bolton.
HARRY.
I'll not bate ye a pin on 't, sir; for, by this cudgel, tis true.
KIT.
I will cudgel that opinion out of ye: did you break an ushers head,
sir?
HARRY.
Aye, marry, did I, sir.
KIT.
I am very glad on 't: you shall break mine too, and ye can.
HARRY.
Sirrah, I prithee, what art thou?
KIT.
Why, I am a prentice as thou art; seest thou now? I'll play with
thee at blunt here in Cheapside, and when thou hast done, if thou
beest angry, I'll fight with thee at sharp in Moore fields. I have a
sword to serve my turn in a favor. . . . come Julie, to serve . . . .
SCENE II. Saint Martins-le-Grand.
[Enter Lincoln, two Bettses, Williamson, Sherwin, and other,
armed; Doll in a shirt of mail, a headpiece, sword, and buckler; a
crew attending.]
CLOWN.
Come, come; we'll tickle their turnips, we'll butter their boxes.
Shall strangers rule the roost? yes; but we'll baste the roost. Come,
come; a flaunt, a flaunt!