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 in arms, And that Shreeve More an hour ago rised Some of the Privy Counsel in at Ludgate: Force now must make our peace, or else we fall; 'Twill soon be known we are the principal.
DOLL. And what of that? if thou beest afraid, husband, go home again, and hide they head; for, by the Lord, I'll have a little sport, now we are at it.
GEORGE. Let's stand upon our swords, and, if they come, Receive them as they were our enemies.
[Enter Sherwin and the rest.]
CLOWN. A purchase, a purchase! we have found, we ha found--
DOLL. What?
CLOWN. Nothing; not a French Fleming nor a Fleming French to be found; but all fled, in plain English.
LINCOLN. How now! have you found any?
SHERWIN. No, not one; they're all fled.
LINCOLN. Then fire the houses, that, the Mayor being busy About the quenching of them, we may escape; Burn down their kennels: let us straight away, Least this day prove to us an ill May day.
CLOWN. Fire, fire! I'll be the first: If hanging come, tis welcome; that's the worst.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE III. The Guildhall.
[Enter at one door Sir Thomas More and Lord Mayor; at another door Sir John Munday hurt.]
LORD MAYOR. What, Sir John Munday, are you hurt?
SIR JOHN. A little knock, my lord. There was even now A sort of prentices playing at cudgels; I did command them to their masters' houses; But now, I fear me, they are gone to join With Lincoln, Sherwin, and their dangerous train.
MORE. The captains of this insurrection Have taken themselves to arms, and came but now To both the Counters, where they have released Sundry indebted prisoners, and from thence I hear that they are gone into St. Martins, Where they intend to offer violence To the amazed Lombards: therefore, my lord, If we expect the safety of the city, Tis time that force or parley do encounter With these displeased men.
[Enter a Messenger.]
LORD MAYOR. How now! what news?
MESSENGER. My lord, the rebels have broke open Newgate, From whence they have delivered many prisoners, Both felons and notorious murderers, That desperately cleave to their lawless train.
LORD MAYOR. Up with the drawbridge, gather some forces To Cornhill and Cheapside:--and, gentlemen, If diligence be weighed on every side, A quiet ebb will follow this rough tide.