vngratefull mindes Archbishop Lord Treasorer it seemeth strange to mee That being wonne with reason and regard Of true succeeding Prince the common sort Should be so slacke to giue or grudge the gift That is to be employd for their behoofe Hard and vnnaturall be the thoughts of theirs That sucke the milke and will not helpe the VVell The King himselfe being now but young of age If things should fall out otherwise than well The blame doth fall vpon the Counsellor And if I take my aime not all awrie The Multitude a Beast of many heads Of misconceiuing and misconstruing minds Reputes this last beneuolence to the King Giuen at high Court of Parliament A matter more requirde for priuate good Than helpe or benefite of common weale VVherein how much they wrong the better sort My conscience beareth witnes in the cause Secretarie My Lords because your words not worthles are Because they stand on reasons surest ground And tend vnto the profit of the King VVhose profit is the profit of the Land Yet giue me leaue in reuerence of the cause To speake my minde touching this question VVhen such as wee doo see the peoples harts Exprest as farre as time will giue them leaue VVith hartines of their beneuolence My thinks it were for others happines That harts and purses should together goe Misdeeme not good my Lords of this my speach Sith well I wote the Noble and the slaue And all doo liue but for a Common weale VVhich Common weale in other tearmes is the Kings Messenger The Iustices and Sheriffes of Kent sends greetings to your Honours here by mee Archbishop My Lords this briefe doth openly vnfold A dangerous taske to vs and all our traines VVith speede let vs impart the newes vnto my Lord the King The fearefull newes that whilst the flame doth but begin Sad pollicie may serue to quench the fire The Commons nowe are vp in Kent let vs not suffer this first attempt too farre Treasorer My friend what powre haue they assembled in the field Messenger My Lord a twentie thousand men or there about Secretarie See here the perill that was late foreseene Ready to fall on this vnhappie Land VVhat barbarous mindes for grieuance more than needs Vnnaturallie seeks wreake vpon their Lord Their true annointed Prince their lawfull king So dare this blind vnshamefast multitude Lay violent hands they wot not why nor where But be thou still as best becommeth thee To stand in quarrell with thy naturall Liege The Sunne may sometime be eclipst with Clowds But hardlie may the twinckling starres obscure Or put him out of whom they borrow light Exeunt Enter Iacke Straw Wat Tyler Hob Carter Tom Miller and Nobs Iacke Straw I marrie Wat this is another matter me thinks the worlde is changed of late Who would liue like a beggar and may be in this estate Wat Tyler VVee are here fowre Captaines iust Iacke Strawe Wat Tyler Hob Carter and Tom Miller Search me all England and find fower such Captaines and by gogs bloud I le be hangd Nobs So you will be neuerthelesse I stand in great doubt Hob Carter Captaine Strawe and Captaine Tyler I thinke I haue brought a companie of Essex men for my traine That will neuer yeeld but kill or else be slaine Tom Miller And for a little Captaine I haue the vantage of you all For while you are a fighting I can creepe into a quart pot I am so small Nobs But Maisters what aunswere made Syr Iohn Morton at Rochester I heard say hee would keepe the Castle still for the Kings vse Iacke Straw So he did til I fetcht him out by force and I haue his wife and children pledges for his speedie returne from the King to whom he is gone with our message Tom Miller Let him take heede hee bring a wise answere to our worships or els his pledges goes to the pot Hob Carter Captaine Straw how many men haue we in the field Iacke Straw Marrie Captaine Carter about fiftie thousand men Hob Carter VVhere shall we pitch our tents to lie in safetie Iacke Straw Marrie Hob vpon Blacke-heath beside Greenwich there we le lie And if the King will come thither to know our pleasures so it is if not I know what we le doo Wat Tyler Gogs bloud Iacke haue we the cards in our hands Le ts take it vpon vs while we haue it Exeunt Nobs I marrie for you know not how long you shall hold it Fiftie thousand men they haue alreadie in Armes that will draw together If wee hang together as fast some of vs shall repent it Exeunt Enter the Queene Mother the County of Salsburie and a Gentleman Usher Queene Mother This strange vnwelcome and vnhappie newes Of these vnnaturall Rebels and vniust That threaten wracke vnto this wretched Land Aye me affrights my womans mazed minde Burdens my heart and interrupts my sleepe That now vnlesse some better tidings come Vnto my sonne their true annointed King My heauy hart I feare will breake in twaine Surcharged with a heauie loade of thoughts County Salsburie Madam your Graces care in this I much commend For though your sonne my Lord the King be young Yet he will see so well vnto him selfe That he will make the prowdest Rebell know VVhat t is to mooue or to displease a King And though his looks bewray such lenitie Yet at aduantage hee can vse extremitie Your Grace may call to minde that being a king He will not put vp any iniurie Especiallie of base and common men VVhich are not worthie but with reuerence To looke into the Princelie state of Kings A King sometimes will make a show of curtesie Onely to fit a following pollicie And it may be the King determines so That hee will trie before he trust a foe Usher True Madam for your Graces sonne the King Is so well ruled by diuers of his Pieres As that I thinke the prowdest foe hee hath Shall find more worke than hee will take in hand That seeks the downefall of his Maiestie I hope the Councell are too wise for that To suffer Rebels in aspiring pride That purpose treason to the Prince and state In good time see where my Lord the King Doth come accompanied with the Bishoppe and Lord Treasorer King I maruaile much my Lords what rage it is That moues my people whom I loue so deare Vnder a show of quarrell good and iust To rise against vs thus in mutinies VVith threatning force against our state and vs But if it bee as we are giuen to know By Letters and by credible report A litle sparke hath kindled all this fire VVhich must be quencht with circumspect regard Before we feele the violence of the flame Mean while sweete Ladie Mother be content And thinke their mallice shall not iniure you For wee haue tooles to crop and cut them off Ere they presume to touch our Royall selfe And thus resolue that you secure shall bee VVhat hard mishap soeuer fall to mee Enter
Messenger Health and good hap befall your Maiestie Usher My Lord here is a messenger from Kent That craues accesse vnto your Maiestie King Admit him neere for wee will heare him speake T is hard when twixt the people and the King Such termes of threats and parlies must be had VVould any Gentleman or man of worth Be seene in such a cause without offence Both to his God his Countrie and his Prince Except he were inforced thereunto Queene I cannot thinke so good a Gentleman As is that Knight Syr Iohn Morton I meane VVould entertaine so base and vild a thought Nor can it sinke into my womans head That were it not for feare or pollicie So true a bird would file so faire a nest But here hee comes O so my longing minde Desires to know the tidings hee doth bring Morton The Commons of Kent salute your Maiestie And I am made their vnhappie messenger My Lord a crue of Rebels are in field And they haue made commotions late in Kent And drawne your people to a mutinie And if your Grace see not to it in time Your Land will come to ruine by their meanes Yet may your Grace finde remedie in time To quallifie their pride that thus presume Bishop VVho are the Captaines of this Rebel rowt That thus doo rise gainst their annointed King VVhat bee they men of any worth or no If men of worth I cannot choose but pittie them Morton No my good Lord they bee men of no great account For they bee none but Tylers Thatchers Millers and such like That in their liues did neuer come in field Before this mutanie did call them forth And for securitie of my backe returne Vpon this message which I showd the King They keepe my wife and children for a pledge And hald mee out from forth my Castell at Rochester And swore me there to come vnto your Maiestie And hauing told you their mindes I hope your Grace will pardon mee for all In that I am enforced therevnto King How many men haue they assembled in the field Morton I thinke my Lord about twentie thousand men But if your Grace would follow my aduice Thus would I deale with these Rebellious men I would finde time to parly with some of them And know what in their mindes they doo intend For being armed with such treacherous thoughts They may performe more than your Grace expects King VVith speede returne to those vnnaturall men And see Syr Iohn you greete them thus from vs Tell them that wee our selfe will come to them To vnderstand their meaning and their mindes And tell them if they haue any euill sustaind Our selfe will see sufficient recompence Goe good Syr Iohn and tell them vpon the Thames Our selfe will meete with them There to conferre concerning their auaile Doe so Sir Iohn and kindely recommend vs to them all Morton We shall fulfill your graces minde in this And thus I take my Conge of your Maiestie VVishing your Grace thrice Nestors yeares to raigne To keepe your Land and gard your Royall Traine Queene Farewell good Knight and as thou darest remember them though they forget themselues Bishop Exeunt Morton Your grace heerein is very well aduisd VVith resolution fitting your degree Your Grace must shew your selfe to be a King And rule like Gods visgerent here on earth The lookes of Kinges doe lend both life and death And when a King doth set downe his decree His sentence should be irreuocable Your grace herein hath showne your Princely minde In that you hate to pray on carren flesh Such praies befits not Kings to pray vpon That may command and countermand their owne I hope my Lord this message so will proue That publike hate will turne to priuate loue And therefore I say my Lord you haue answered well The taske was giuen your Grace by Act of Parliament And you haue reason to demand your dew King My Lords I hope we shall not neede to feare To meete those men that thus doe threaten vs VVe will my Lords to morrowe meete with them And heare my Lords what t is that they demand Mother your Grace shall need to take no care For you shall in our Towre of London stay Till we returne from Kent to you againe My Lord see euery thing prepard for vs And Mother thus I leaue your Maiestie You to the Towre and I must hence to Kent Treasorer My Lord if so you please take my aduise herein That speakes in loue and duty to your grace I shall in euerie matter priueledge your Maiestie and all your Lordly traine I meane against your Mannor of Greenewich towne And so amidst the streame may houer safe Meane while they send some few and chosen men To giue your Grace to vnderstand their mindes And thus my Lord I haue aduentured To shew your Maiestie my minde herein Finis Actus Primus Actus Secundus Enter Tom Miller with a Goose IT is good to make prouision for peraduenture wee shall lacke victuals and wee lie in campe on Blacke Heath long And in faith as long as this Goose lasts we le not starue And as many good fellowes 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 Captaines are Lords within our selues And if the world hold out we shal be Kings shortly Enter Nobs and cut away the Goose while he talketh and leue the head behinde him with them Morton Tom Miller The rest of my fellowe Captaines are gone before to Grenewich to meete the King That comes to knowe our mindes And while they be about it I le make good cheare with my Goose here What 's the Goose flowne away without her head Exeunt Enter with the crew Tom Miller Iacke Straw Wat Tyler and Hob Carter Iacke Strawe Here 's a sturre more than needs What meanes the King thus to abuse vs And makes vs runne about his pleasure and to no end He promised vs to meete vs on the water And by Ladie as soone as we came at the water side Hee faire and flat turnes his Barge and away hee goes to London I tell thee Wat we will not put vp this abuse VVat Tyler By gogs blood Captaine Strawe wee will remoue our campe and awaie to London roundlie And there we le speake with him or were know whie wee shall not Iacke Straw God amarcie Wat and ere we haue done VVe will be Lords euerie one Hob Carter Gentle Iacke Strawe in one line let vs drawe And we le not leaue a man of lawe Nor a paper worth a hawe And make him worse than a dawe That shall stand against Iacke Strawe Morton Me thinkes you might doe well to answere the King In the name of the whole companie Some dossen or twenty men for the nonce that may deliuer the minds of you all in few words Iacke Straw Sir Iohn Morton you are an Asse to tell vs what wee haue to doe Hold your prating you
were best VVat Tyler I tell thee Sir Iohn thou abusest vs But le ts to London as fast as we can Enter King ArchBishop Treasorer Secretarie Sir Iohn Newton and Spencer My Lords if all our men are come vnto the shore Let vs returne againe into the Towne These people are not to be talkt withall Much lesse with reason to be ordered That so vnorderly with shrikes and cries Make shew as though they would invade vs all I haue not heard nor read of any King So vngently of his people entertaind Exeunt King and his traine saue Newton Spencer Spencer Sir Iohn what was the cause the King returnd so soone And with such 〈◊〉 so quickly tooke the shore Sir Newton Bargeman the King had reason for the same warrant thee he was not ill aduisde Spencer I thinke he meant to haue commenst some talke with that 〈…〉 Newton He ment so indeede Spencer but you heard how it fel out Spencer Not well I held my stearne so hard Newton T was thus the King and all his companie Being rowd with Ores so far as Greenewich Towne It was a world to see what Troupes of men Like Bees that swarme about the hony hiue Gan strew the grauill ground and sandy plaine That fild the Aire with cries and fearefull noise And from the water did an eccho rise That pearst the yeares of our renowmed King Affrighting so his heart with strong conceit Of some vnhappy grieuous stratigene That trust me with my eares I heard him say He thought they would haue all like Spaniels Tane water despretly and 〈◊〉 him So did they all yfare like 〈◊〉 men That time he thought to speed away apace And take the best aduantage of the place Spencer Indeed I could not greatly blame his Maiestie My selfe was not so scarde this seauen yeare My thought there was sufficient mouthes inough At highest tide to haue drawen the Thames drie Newton Spencer ere it flow thrice at London bridge London I feare will heare of worser newes Exeunt Ambo Enter Iacke Straw Wat Tyler Hob Carter Tom Miller Nobs Morton and Southwarkemen Southwarkemen Neighbours you that keepe the gates let the Kings liege people in or we must bee faine to aide them with bals of wild fire or some other deuise for they haue spoilde all Southwarke let out all the prisoners broke vp the Marshalsea and the Kings bench and made great hauocke in the Burrowe here Therefore I pray you let them in Wat Tyler Porter open the gate if thou louest thy selfe or thine own life open the gate Tom Miller You haue a certaine spare Goose came in to bee rosted Shee is inough by this Exeunt all but Morton Morton VVhat meanes these wretched miscreants To make a spoile of their owne country men Vnnaturall Rebels what so ere By forraine foes may seeme no whit so strange As Englishmen to trouble England thus VVell may I tearme it infest to the Land Like that fowle lawles force and violence VVhich Cyneris did offer to his child O happie time from all such troubles free VVhat now alas is like to be the end of this attempt But that so long as they are glutted all with blood they bath therein Exeunt Morton Enter Nobs with a Flemming Sirra here it is set downe by our Captaines that as many of you as cannot say bread and cheese in good and perfect English ye die for it that was the cause so many strangers did die in Smithfield Let me heare you say bread and cheese Brocke and Keyse Exeunt both Finis Actus Secundus Actus Tertius Enter King Lord Maior Sir Iohn Newton two Sargants with Gard and Gentlemen King SIr Newton Lord Maior this wrong that I am offered This open and vnnaturall iniury A King to be thus hardly handled Of his owne people and no other foes But such as haue bin brought vp and bred in his own bosome Nourished with his tender care To be thus robbed of Honour and of friends Thus daunted with continuall frights and feares Haled on to what mishap I cannot tell More heard mishap than had of like bin mine Had I not marked bin to be a King Lord Maior It shall become your Grace most Gratious Lord To beare the minde in this aflicted time As other Kings and Lords hath done before Armed with sufferance and magnanimitie The one to make you resolute for chaunce The other forward in your resolution The greatest wrong this rowt hath done your Grace Amongst a many other wicked parts Is in frighting your worthie Lady Mother Making fowle slaughter of your Noble men Burning vp Bookes and 〈◊〉 of records Dauncing houses of hostilitie Saint Iames in Smithfield the Sauoy and such like And beating downe like wolues the better sort The greatest wrong in my opinion is That in Honour doth your person touch I meane they call your Maiestie to Parle And ouer beare you with a multitude As if you were a vassall not a King O wretched mindes of vild and barbarous men For whom the heauens haue secret wreake in store But my Lord with reuerence and with pardon too VVhy comes your Grace into Smithfield neare the crew Vnarmd and garded with so small a traine King If clemencie may win their raging minds To ciuill order I le approue it first They shall perceaue I come in quiet wise Accompanied with the Lord Maior here alone Besides our Gard that doth attend on vs Maior May it please your Grace that I shall raise the streets To Gard your Maiestie through Smithfield as you walke King No Lord Maior t will make them more outragious And be a meane to shed a world of blood I more account the blood of Englishmen than so But this is the place I haue appointed them To heare them speake and haue aduentured To come among this fowle varulie crew And loe my Lords see where the people comes Enter Iacke Straw Wat Tyler Tom Miller Pars on Ball and Hob Carter Iacke Straw My Masters this is the King come away T is hee that we would speake with all King Newton desire that one may speake for all To tell the summe of their demaund at full Newton My Masters you that are the especiall men His Maiestie requires you all by me That one may speake and tell him your demaund And gentlie here he lets you know by me He is resolu'd to heare him all at large King I good my friends I pray you hartely Tell vs your mindes as mildly as you can And we will answere you so well to all As you shall not mislike in anything Iacke Straw VVe come to reuenge your Officers ill demeanor And though we haue kild him for his knauerie Now we be gotten together we will haue wealth and libertie Cry all VVealth and libertie King It is inough beleeue me if you will For as I am your true succeeding Prince I sweare by all the Honour of my Crowne You shall haue liberty and pardon all As God hath
be so I wot It is a dangerous and vnnaturall resolution I pray thee Newton goe and speake with them Aske them what more it is that they require Newton My Masters you that be the chiefest of the rout The King intreats you kindly here by me To come and speake with him a word or two Iacke Straw Sirra if the King would any thinge with vs Tell him the way is indifferent to meete vs Newton You are too many to be talkt with all Besides you owe a dutie to your Prince Iacke Straw Sirra giue me the sword thou wearest there Becomes it thee to be armd in my presence Newton Sir I weare my weapon for mine owne defence And by your leaue will weare it yet a while Iacke Strawe VVhat wilt thou villaine giue me it I say King Newton giue it him if that be all the matter Here take it and much good doe it thee The King giues him the sword Iacke Strawe Villaine I say giue me the sword thou bearest vp For that 's the thing I tell thee I affect Newton This sword belongs vnto my Lord the King T is none of mine nor shalt thou haue the same Proud Rebel wert but thou and I alone Thou durst not aske it thus boldly at my hands For all the wealth this Smithfield doth containe Iacke Strawe By him that dide for me I wil not dine Till I haue seene thee hangd or made away King Alas Lord Maior Newton is in great danger And force cannot preuaile amongst the rowt Maior Old Rome I can remember I haue read VVhen thou didst flourish for vertue and for armes VVhat magnanimitie did abide in thee Then Walworth as it may become thee well Deserue some honour at thy Princes hand And beautifie this dignitie of thine VVith some or other Act of consequence Villaine I say whence comes this rage of thine How darest thou a dungell bastard borne To braue thy Soueraigne and his Nobles thus Villaine I doe arrest thee in my Princes name Proud Rebel as thou art take that withall Here he stabs him Learne thou and all posteritie after thee VVhat t is a seruile slaue to braue a King Pardon my Gratious Lord for this my fact Is seruice done to God and to your selfe King Lord Maior for thy valiant Act in this And Noble courage in the Kings behalfe Thou shalt perceaue vs not to be vngratefull Cry all Our Captaine is slaine our Captaine is slaine King Feare you not people for I am your King And I will be your Captaine and your friend Newton Pleaseth your Grace for to with drawe your selfe These Rebls then will soone be put to foile Exeunt all but the Maior and two Sargants Maior Souldiers take hart to you and follow me It is our God that giues the victorie Drag this accursed villain through the streets To strike a terrour to the Rebels hearts London wil giue you power and armes And God will strengthen you and daunt your foes Fill Smithfield full of noise and ioyfull cries And say alowd God saue our Noble Prince Finis Actus Tertius Actus Quartus Enter King Lord Maior Morton Newton and Noble men King LOrd Maior and well beloued friends VVhose readines in aide of vs and ours Hath giuen iust tryall of your loyaltie And loue you beare to vs and to our land Sith by the helpe and mighty hand of God These fowle vnnaturall broyles are quieted And this vnhappie tumult well appeasd Hauing as law and dutie binds vs too Giuen both dew praise and sacrifice of thankes Vnto our God from whome this goodnes comes Let me now to your counsell recommend And to your sad opinions generally The end of all these great and high affaires This mighty busines that we haue in hand And that I may in briefe vnfold my minde My Lords I would not yet but mercy should Against the law in this hard case preuaile And as I gaue my word vnto you all That if they then had left their mutiny Or rather had let fall their wrongfull Armes Their pardon then should haue bin generall So will I not yet God forbid I should Though law I know exact it at my hands Behold so many of my country men All done to death and strangled in one day The end is this that of that carelesse rout That hath so far vnnaturallie rebeld The chiefe offenders may be punished And thus you know my minde and so my Lords proceed I pray you and no otherwise Newton Sith mercie in a Prince resembleth right The gladsome sunne-shine in a winters day Pleaseth your Grace to pardon me to speake When all the hope of life and breathing heere Be tane from all this rowt in generall If then at instant of the dying howre Your Graces Honorable pardon come To men halfe dead kild wholie in conceit Then thinke I it will be more Gratious Than if it offered were so hastely VVhen thrid of life is almost fret in twaine To giue it strength breeds thankes and wonders too Maior So many as are tane within the Cittie Are fast in hold to know your Graces will King There is but one or two in al the rowt VVhom we would haue to die for this offence Especially that by name are noted men One is a naughtie and seditious Priest They call him Ball as we are let to know A person more notorious than the rest But this I doe referre to your dispose Newton Pleaseth your Grace they haue bin rid apace Such speciall men as we could possibly finde And many of the common rowt among And yet suruiues this Ball that cursed Priest And one Wat Tiler leader of the rest VVhose villanies and outragious cruelties Haue bin so barbourously executed The one with mallice of his traiterous taunts The other with the violence of his hands That gentle ruth nor mercie hath no eares To heare them speake much lesse to pardon them King It is inough I vnderstand your mindes And well I wot in causes such as these Kings may be found too full of clemencie But who are those that enter in this place Newton Pleaseth it your Grace these be the men VVhom Law hath worthily condemnd to die Going to the place of execution The formost is that Ball and next to him VVat Tyler obstinate Rebls both For all the rest are of a better mould VVhose minds are softer than the formost twaine For being common souldiers in the campe VVere rather led with counsell of the rest Deseruing better to be pittied King Morton to those condemned men wee see 〈◊〉 this a Pardon to them all Excepting namelie those two formost men I meane the Priest and him they call VVat Tyler To all the rest free Pardon we doe send And giue the same to vnderstand from vs The Kings Pardon deliuered by Sir Iohn Morton to the Rebels MY friends and vnhappie Countrymen whom the lawes of England haue worthilie condemned vnto death for your open and vnnaturall Rebellion against your lawfull Soueraigne and