Oliver Cromwell | Page 4

any man, let him speak.
May we be as brothers always, one to another. And may we serve Him
to serve whom alone is wisdom. In Jesus Christ's name, Amen. "All
people that on earth do dwell."
(They sing:)
All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord, with cheerful voice;
Him serve with fear, his praise forth tell, Come ye before Him and
rejoice.
The Lord, we know, is God indeed. Without our aid He did us make;

We are his folk, He doth us feed, And for his sheep He doth us take.
O enter then his gate with praise, Approach with joy his courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless his name always, For it is seemly so to do.
(As the men move away, one of them, SETH TANNER, comes
forward.)
Seth: As I came up from Long Close I stopped at the ale-house. Two
fellows were there from the Earl of Bedford. Talking they were.
Cromwell: What had they to say?
Seth: It seems they know you are going to stand out for the people
to-morrow.
Cromwell: Well?
Seth: Treason, they call it.
Cromwell: Treason.
Seth: Seeing that my Lord of Bedford has the King's authority, as it
were.
Cromwell: Thank you, Seth.
Seth: They were coming here, they said. To warn you, and persuade
you against it if it might be.
Cromwell: Thank you, Seth.
Seth (to HAMPDEN): If I might be so bold, sir?
Hampden: What, my friend?
Seth: That was a brave thing to do, sir, that about the ship money. We
common folk know what it means. I'm sure we thank you with all our
hearts.

Hampden: I don't know about brave, but I know it is good to be
thanked like that.
Seth: Yes, sir. That's all. Good-even, sir; good-even, mistress.
(He is moving away as two of BEDFORD'S agents appear at the
window, followed by the other labourers, who have returned with
them.)
First Agent: Is this Mr. Oliver Cromwell's?
Cromwell: It is.
Mrs. Cromwell: The door is along there, to the right.
Cromwell: It's no matter, mother. What do you want?
First Agent: To see Mr. Cromwell.
Cromwell: You are speaking to him.
Second Agent: May we come in?
Cromwell: Why, yes.
(They do so. The labourers gather round the window again. They
follow the coming argument with close personal concern.)
Second Agent: May we speak with you alone?
Cromwell: These are all my friends. I have nothing to say that I would
not have them hear.
First Agent: It is discretion for your sake.
Cromwell: I do not desire your interest. What have you to say?
Second Agent: It is said that you will oppose the proclamation
to-morrow.

Cromwell: Assuredly.
Second Agent: The Earl of Bedford and those with him have not
drained these commons for nothing.
Cromwell: Well?
Second Agent: They have earned the rights to be proclaimed
to-morrow.
Cromwell: By whose will?
First Agent: By the King's.
Cromwell: These rights of pasture belong to the people. It is within no
man's powers to take them away.
Second Agent: The King decrees it.
Cromwell: I know not how that may be. I know that these rights are the
people's, above any earl or king whatsoever. The King is to defend our
rights, not to destroy them.
First Agent: This is plain treason.
Cromwell: It is plain sense.
Second Agent: What will you do?
Cromwell: To-morrow you will proclaim these rights from the people
to my lord of Bedford. To-morrow I shall tell the people that I alone, if
needs be, will oppose it. I will fight it from court to court. I will make
these rights my rights--as they are. These people of Ely shall speak
through me. They shall pay me a groat a year for each head of cattle
they graze, and they shall enjoy every foot of the land as long as I have
a word or a pound left for resistance.
Second Agent: You are very arrogant, Mr. Cromwell. There are lessons
to be learnt.

Cromwell: Aye, there are lessons. I do not speak to you, but to your
master--to the King himself if it comes to that. You may tell him all
that I have said. We folk of Ely will use our own commons, and let the
Earl of Bedford keep within his own palings. There are lessons, say you.
This is Mr. John Hampden. Will you speak to him of lessons? Mr.
Hampden's ship money will be a King's lesson, I tell you.
Hampden: You should tell your masters all that you see and hear. Do
not flatter them. Let it be the truth. Say that men talk everywhere, more
and more openly. Tell them that you heard John Hampden say that the
King's Star Chamber was an abomination, that the King