Sir Thomas More | Page 8

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!
GEORGE. Brother, give place, and hear John Lincoln speak.
CLOWN. Aye, Lincoln my leader, And Doll my true breeder, With the rest of our crew, Shall ran tan tarra ran; Do all they what they can. Shall we be bobbed, braved? no: Shall we be held under? no; We are freeborne, And do take scorn To be used so.
DOLL. Peace there, I say! hear Captain Lincoln speak; keep silence, till we know his mind at large.
CLOWN. Then largely deliver; speak, bully: and he that presumes to interrupt thee in thy oration, this for him.
LINCOLN. Then, gallant bloods, you whose free souls do scorn To bear the inforced wrongs of aliens, Add rage to resolution, fire the houses Of these audacious strangers. This is St. Martins, And yonder dwells Mutas, a wealthy Piccardy, At the Green Gate, De Barde, Peter Van Hollocke, Adrian Martine, With many more outlandish fugitives. Shall these enjoy more privilege than we In our own country? let's, then, become their slaves. Since justice keeps not them in greater awe, We be ourselves rough ministers at law.
CLOWN. Use no more swords, nor no more words, but fire the houses; brave captain courageous, fire me their houses.
DOLL. Aye, for we may as well make bonfires on May day as at midsummer: we'll alter the day in the calendar, and set it down in flaming letters.
SHERWIN. Stay! No, that would much endanger the whole city, Whereto I would not the least prejudice.
DOLL. No, nor I neither; so may mine own house be burned for company. I'll tell ye what: we'll drag the strangers into More fields, and there bombast them till they stink again.
CLOWN. And that's soon done; for they smell for fear already.
GEORGE. Let some of us enter the strangers' houses, And, if we find them there, then bring them forth.
DOLL. But if ye bring them forth ere ye find them, I'll ne'er allow of that.
CLOWN. Now, Mars, for thy honor, Dutch or French, So it be a wench, I'll upon her.
[Exeunt some and Sherwin.]
WILLIAMSON. Now, lads, sure shall we labor in our safety. I hear the Mayor hath gathered men