 
T. M. It is good to make provision; for peradventure We shall lack victuals, and we lie in camp On Blackheath long. And, in faith, as long as this goose lasts we'll not starve: And as many good fellows as will come To the eating of her, come, and welcome. For, in faith, I came lightly by her, And lightly come, lightly gone. We captains are Lords within ourselves, and if The world hold out, we shall be kings shortly. [Enter Nobs, and cut away the goose while he talketh, leave the head behind him, T. M. The rest of my fellow-captains are gone Before to Greenwich to meet the king: That comes to know our minds, And while they be about it: I'll make good cheer with my goose here— What! is the goose flown away without her head? [Exit.
J. S. Here's a stir more than needs; What means the king thus to abuse us? He promised us to meet us on the water, And by [our] Lady, as soon as we came at the waterside, He fair and flat turns his barge, and away he goes to London. I tell thee, Wat, we will not put up this abuse. W. T. By Gog's blood, Captain Straw, we will Remove our camp, and away to London roundly, And there we'll speak with him, or we'll Know why we shall not. J. S. God a-mercy, Wat; and ere we have done. We will be lords every one. Hob. Gentle Jack Straw, In one line let us draw, And we'll not leave a man of law, Nor a paper worth a haw, And make him worse than a daw, That shall stand against Jack Straw. Mor. Methinks you might do well to answer the king, in the name of the whole company: some dozen or twenty men for the nonce, that may deliver the minds of you all in few words. J. S. Sir John Morton, you are an ass to tell us what we have to do; Hold your prating, you were best. W. T. I tell thee, Sir John, thou abusest us; But let's to London as fast as we can. [Exeunt.
King. My lords, If all our men are come unto the shore, Let us return again into the town. These people are not to be talk'd withal, Much less with reason to be ordered, That so unorderly, with shrieks Make show as though they would invade us all. I have not heard, nor read of any king, So ungently of his people entertained. [Exeunt King and his train, save Newton and Spencer. Spen. Sir John, what was the cause the king returned so soon, And with such haste so quickly took the shore? New. Bargeman, the king had reason for the same, I warrant thee he was not ill-advised. Spen. I think he meant to have commenced some talk With that unruly crew. New. He meant so, indeed, Spencer; but you heard how it fell out? Spen. Not well; I held my stern so hard. New. 'Twas thus; the king and all his company, Being rowed with oars so far as Greenwich town, It was a world to see what troops of men, Like bees that swarm about the honeyhive, 'Gan strew the gravel ground and sandy plain, That filled the air with cries and fearful noise; And from the water did an echo rise, That pierced the ears of our renowned king: Affrighting so his heart with strong conceit Of some unhappy, grievous stratagem, That (trust me) with my ears I heard him say, He thought they would have all, like spaniels, Ta'en water desp'rately, and boarded him. So did they all i-fare like frantic men, That time he thought to speed away apace, And take the best advantage of the place. Spen. Indeed I could not greatly blame his majesty, Myself was not so scared this seven years: Methought there was sufficient months enough, At highest tide t' have drawen the Thames dry. New. Spencer, ere it flow thrice at London bridge, London, I fear, will hear of worser news. [Exeunt Ambo.
South. Neighbours, you that keep the gates, let the king's liege people in, or we must be fain to aid them with balls of wildfire, or some other device; for they have spoiled all Southwark, let out all the prisoners, broke up the Marshalsea and the King's Bench, and made great havoc in the borough here. Therefore, I pray you, let them in. W. T. Porter, open the gate; if thou lovest thyself, or thine own life, open the gate. T. M. You have a certain spare goose came in to be roasted: She is enough by this. [Exeunt all but Morton. Mor. What means these wretched miscreants, To make a spoil of their own countrymen? Unnatural rebels: whatsoe'er By foreign foes may seem no whit so strange, As Englishmen to trouble England thus. Well may I term it incest to the land, Like that foul lawless force and violence, O happy time, from all such troubles free, What now, alas, is like to be the end Of this attempt, but that so long as they Are glutted all with blood, they bathe therein. [Exit.
Sirrah, here it is set down by our captains That as many of you as cannot say bread and cheese In good and perfect English, ye die for it: And that was the cause so many strangers Did die in Smithfield. Let us hear You say bread and cheese. Flem. Broed |
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