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Fleming

your care shall be rewarded. come, fellow Nimble,

we must to court about other employments. there are

already thirteen thousand blanks signed and returned to the

Shrieves, and seven hundred sent up to the court for

whisperers, out of all which my lord will fetch a

round sum, I doubt it not. come, let us away.

Nimble

ay, ay. we will follow. come, ye sheepbiter. here is

a traitor of all traitors that not only speaks, but

has whistled treason. come, come, sir, I will spoil

your whistle, I warrant ye!

Exeunt

Act IV, Scene 1

[Scene 1: London]

Enter Tresilian with writings, and a man with bags of money.

Tresilian

sirrah, are the bags sealed?

Servant yes, my lord.

Tresilian

then take my keys; and lock the money in my study

safe. bar and make sure, I charge ye, so, be gone.

Servant

I will, my lord.

Tresilian

so, seven thousand pounds from Bedford, Buckingham and

Oxford shires, these blanks already have returned the

King. so then there is four for me and three for him; our

pains in this must needs be satisfied. good husbands

will make hay while the sun shines and so must we, for

thus conclude these times. so men be rich enough,

they are good enough. let fools make conscience how

they get their coin. I will please the King and keep me

in his grace, for princes' favours purchase land apace.

these blanks that I have scattered in the realm

shall double his revenues to the crown.

Enter Bushy and Scroope Scroope

now, lord Tresilian, is this coin come yet?

Bushy

King Richard wants money, you are too slack,

Tresilian.

Tresilian

some shires have sent; and more, my lords, will

follow. these sealed blanks I now have turned to

bonds and these shall down to norfolk presently.

the choughs with much ado have signed and sealed,

and here is a secret note my men have sent

of all their yearly estates amounts unto,

and by this note I justly tax their bonds.

here is a fat whoreson in his russet slops

and yet may spend three hundred pounds by the year:

the third of which the hogs-face owes the King.

here is his bond for it, with his hand and seal

and so by this I will sort each several sum:

the thirds of all shall to King Richard come.

how like you this, my lords?

Scroope

most rare, Tresilian. hang them, cods-heads,

shall they spend money and King Richard lack it?

Bushy

are not their lives and lands and livings his?

then rack them thoroughly.

Tresilian

oh, my lords, I have set a trick afoot for ye; and

ye follow it hard and get the King to sign it, you will

be all Kings by it.

Bushy

the farming out the Kingdom? tush, Tresilian, it is

half granted already, and had been fully concluded,

had not the messenger returned so unluckily from the

Duke of Gloucester, which a little moved the King at his

uncle's stubborness. but to make all whole, we have

left that smooth-faced flattering Greene to follow

him close and he will never leave till he has done it,

I warrant ye.

Scroope

there is no question on it; King Richard will betake

himself to a yearly stipend, and we four by lease must

rent the Kingdom.

Enter Bagot Bushy

rent it, ay rack it too, ere we forfeit our

leases, and we had them once. how now, Bagot, what

news?

Bagot

all rich and rare: the realm must be divided presently

and we four must farm it. the leases are a-making

and for seven thoudand pounds a month the Kingdom is our own,

boys.

Bushy

sfoot, let us differ for no price and it were

seventy thousand pounds a month we will make somebody pay for it.

Scroope

where is his highness?

Bagot

he will be here presently to seal the writings.

he is a little angry that the Duke comes not, but that

will vanish quickly. on with your soothest faces, ye

wenching rascals. humour him finely, and you are all

made by it.

Enter King Richard, Greene, and others Bushy

see, see! he comes; and that flattering hound

Greene close at his elbow.

Scroope

come, come, we must all flatter if we mean

to live by it.

King

our uncle will not come, then?

Green