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Can still the rout? who will obey a traitor?

Or how can well that proclamation sound,

When there is no addition but a rebel

To qualify a rebel? You'll put down strangers,

Kill them, cut their throats, possess their houses,

And lead the majesty of law in line,

To slip him like a hound. Say now the king

(As he is clement, if th' offender mourn)

Should so much come to short of your great trespass

As but to banish you, whether would you go?

What country, by the nature of your error,

Should give you harbor? go you to France or Flanders,

To any German province, to Spain or Portugal,

Nay, any where that not adheres to England,—

Why, you must needs be strangers: would you be pleased

To find a nation of such barbarous temper,

That, breaking out in hideous violence,

Would not afford you an abode on earth,

Whet their detested knives against your throats,

Spurn you like dogs, and like as if that God

Owed not nor made not you, nor that the claimants

Were not all appropriate to your comforts,

But chartered unto them, what would you think

To be thus used? this is the strangers case;

And this your mountanish inhumanity.

ALL.

Faith, a says true: let's do as we may be done to.

LINCOLN.

We'll be ruled by you, Master More, if you'll stand our friend to procure our pardon.

MORE.

Submit you to these noble gentlemen,

Entreat their mediation to the king,

Give up yourself to form, obey the magistrate,

And there's no doubt but mercy may be found,

If you so seek.

To persist in it is present death: but, if you

Yield yourselves, no doubt what punishment

You in simplicity have incurred, his highness

In mercy will most graciously pardon.

ALL.

We yield, and desire his highness' mercy.

[They lay by their weapons.]

MORE.

No doubt his majesty will grant it you:

But you must yield to go to several prisons,

Till that his highness' will be further known.

ALL.

Most willingly; whether you will have us.

SHREWSBURY.

Lord Mayor, let them be sent to several prisons,

And there, in any case, be well intreated.—

My lord of Surrey, please you to take horse,

And ride to Cheapside, where the aldermen

Are with their several companies in arms;

Will them to go unto their several wards,

Both for the stay of furth mutiny,

And for the apprehending of such persons

As shall contend.

SURREY.

I go, my noble lord.

[Exit Surrey.]

SHREWSBURY.

We'll straight go tell his highness these good news;

Withal, Shrieve More, I'll tell him how your breath

Hath ransomed many a subject from sad death.

[Exit Shrewsbury and Cholmley.]

LORD MAYOR.

Lincoln and Sherwin, you shall both to Newgate;

The rest unto the Counters.

PALMER.

Go guard them hence: a little breath well spent

Cheats expectation in his fairest event.

DOLL.

Well, Sheriff More, thou hast done more with thy good words than all they could with their weapons: give me thy hand, keep thy promise now for the king's pardon, or, by the Lord, I'll call thee a plain coney-catcher.

LINCOLN.

Farewell, Shrieve More; and as we yield by thee,

So make our peace; then thou dealst honestly.

CLOWN.

Aye, and save us from the gallows, else a devil's double honestly!

[They are led away.]

LORD MAYOR.

Master Shrieve More, you have preserved the city

From a most dangerous fierce commotion;

For, if this limb of riot here in St. Martins

Had joined with other branches of the city

That did begin to kindle, twould have bred

Great rage; that rage much murder would have fed.

Not steel, but eloquence hath wrought this good:

You have redeemed us from much threatened blood.

MORE.

My lord and brethren, what I here have spoke,

My country's love, and next the city's care,

Enjoined me to; which since it thus prevails,

Think, God hath made weak More his instrument

To thwart sedition's violent intent.

I think twere best, my lord, some two hours hence

We meet at the Guildhall, and there determine

That thorough every ward the watch be clad

In armor, but especially proud

That at the city gates selected men,

Substantial citizens, do ward tonight,

For fear of further