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
THE LIFE AND Death of Iacke Straw A notable Rebell in England VVho was kild in Smithfield by the Lord Maior of London Printed at London by Iohn Danter and are to be solde by VVilliam Barley at his shop in Gratious-street ouer against Leaden-Hall 1593 THE LIFE AND Death of Iacke Strawe Actus primus Collector NOw such a murmuring to rise vpon so trifling a thing In all my life neuer saw I before And yet I haue beene Officer this seauen yeare and more The Tyler and his wife are in a great rage Affirming their Daughter to be vnder age Iacke Strawe Art thou the Collector of the Kings taske Collector I am Tyler why dost thou aske Iacke Strawe Because thou goest beyond the Commission of the King We graunt to his Highnes pleasure in euery thing Thou hast thy taske money for all that be heere My Daughter is not fourteene yeares olde therefore shee goes cleare Collector And because thou sayest so I should beleeue thee Iacke Strawe Choose whether thou wilt or no thou gettest no more of me For I am sure thy Office doth not arme thee with such authoritie Thus to abuse the poore people of the Countrie But chiefest of all vilde villaine as thou art To play so vnmanly and beastly a part As to search my daughter thus in my presence Collector Why base villaine wilt thou teach me what to do VVilt thou prescribe me mine office and what belonges thereto Iacke Strawe VVhat villaine dost strike me I sweare by the rood As I am Iacke Strawe thou shalt buy it with thy blood There lie and be well paid for thy paine Collector O helpe helpe the kings officer is slaine Enter Parson Ball Wat Tyler Nobs Tom Miller the Clowne Wat Tyler How now Iacke Strawe doth any body abuse thee Iacke Strawe Alas Wat I haue kild the kings officer in striking rashly Tom Miller A small matter to recouer a man that is slaine Blow wind in his tayle and fetch him againe Parson Ball Content thee t is no matter and Iacke Strawe god a mercie Herein thou hast done good seruice to thy country VVere all inhumaine slaues so serued as he England would be ciuill and from all such dealings free Nobs By gogs bloud my maisters we will not put vp this so quietly VVe owe God a death and we can but die And though the fairest end of a Rebell is the gallowes Yet if you will be rulde by mee VVe le so deale of ourselues as we le reuenge this villainy Iacke Strawe The king God wot knowes not what 's done by such poore men as we But we le make him know it if you will be rulde by me Her 's Parson Ball an honest Priest and telles vs that in charitie VVe may sticke together in such quarrels honestly Tom Miller VVhat is he an honest man the deuill he is he is the Parson of the Towne You thinke ther 's no knauerie hid vnder a black gowne Find him in a pulpit but twise in the yeare And I le find him fortie times in the ale-house tasting strong beare Parson Ball Neighbors neighbors the weakest now a dayes goes to the wall But marke my words and follow the counsell of Iohn Ball England is growne to such a passe of late That rich men triumph to see the poore beg at their gate But I am able by good scripture before you to proue That God doth not this dealing allow nor loue But when Adam delued and Eue span VVho was then a Gentleman Brethren brethren it were better to haue this communitie Then to haue this difference in degrees The landlord his rent the lawyer his fees So quickly the poore mans substance is spent But merrily with the world it went VVhen men eat berries of the hauthorne tree And thou helpe me I le helpe thee There was no place for surgerie And old men knew not vsurie Now t is come to a wofull passe The Widdow that hath but a pan of brasse And scarse a house to hide her head Sometimes no penny to buy her bread Must pay her Landlord many a groat Or t wil be puld out of her throat Brethren mine so might I thriue As I wish not to be aliue To see such dealings with extremitie The Rich haue all the poore liue in miserie But follow the counsell of Iohn Ball I promise you I loue yee all And make diuision equally Of each mans goods indifferently And rightly may you follow Armes To rid you from these ciuill harmes Iacke Straw Well said Parson so may it bee As wee purpose to preferre thee Wee will haue all the Rich men displaste And all the brauerie of them defaste And as rightly as I am Iacke Straw In spight of all the men of Law Make thee Archbishop of Caunterberie And Chauncellor of England or I le die How saist thou Wat shall it bee so Wat Tyler I Iacke Straw or else I le bide many a fowle blow It shall bee no other but hee That thus fauours the Communaltie Stay wee no longer prating here But let vs roundly to this geare T is more than time that we were gone VVele be Lords my Maisters euery one Tom Miller And I my Maisters will make one To fight when all our foes be gone VVell shall they see before we le lacke VVele stuffe the Gallowes till it cracke Iacke Straw I hope we shall haue men inow To aide vs herein Wat how thinkest thou Parson Ball Tag and rag thou needst not doubt VVat Tyler But who shall be Captaine of the Rowt Parson Ball That shall you two for all our Kentish men Iacke Straw Fellow Captaine welcome le ts about it VVat Tyler Agreed fellow Captaines to London Exeunt all but Nobs Nobs Here 's euen worke towards for the Hangman did you euer see such a crue After so bad a beginning what 's like to insue Faith euen the common reward for Rebels Swingledome swangledome you know as well as I But what care they yee heare them say they owe God a death and they can but die T is dishonor for such as they to dye in their bed And credit to cape vnder the Gallowes all saue the head And yet by my fay the beginning of this Riot May chaunce cost many a mans life before all be at quiet And I faith I le be amongst them as forward as the best And if ought fall out but wel I shall shift amongst the rest And being but a boy may hide me in the throng Tyborn stand fast I feare you will be loden ere it be long Exeunt Enter Lord Treasorer Lord Archbishop and Secretarie with others Lord Treasorer And yet Lord Archbishop your Grace doth know That since the latest time of Parliament Wherein this taske was graunted to the King By generall consent of either house To helpe his warres which hee intends to Fraunce For wreake and iust recouerie of his right How slow their payment is in euery place That better a King not to commaund at all Than be beholding to
annointed Prince I am sent vnto you from the Kinges most excellent Maiestie to giue you to vnderstand that notwithstanding this violence which you haue offered to your selues in running furiously into the daunger of the law as mad and franticke men vpon an edged sword yet notwithstanding I say that you haue gathered rods to scourge your own selues following desperatlie your lewd and misgouerned heads which haue haled you on to this wretched and shamefull end which is now imminent ouer you all that must in strangling cords die like dogs and finish your liues in this miserable reprochful sort because you would not liue like men But far vnlike your selues vnlike Englishmen degenerate from your naturall obedience nature of your country that by kinde bringeth forth none such or at least brooketh none such but spits thē out for bastards and recreants notwithstanding I say this torment wherein you nowe liue looking euerie houre to suffer such a shamefull and most detestable death as doth commonly belonge to such horrible offenders yet it hath pleased the King of his accustomed goodnes to giue you your liues and freelie to forgiue you your faults sending by mee generall Pardon to you all excepting one onely accursed and seditious Priest that so far swarued from the truth and his alleageance to his Prince and one Wat Tiler whose outrage hath bin noted so outragious in al his actions as for ensample to all Englishmen hereafter his Maiestie hath thought good to account him this Parson first sturrers in this tumult and vnnaturall rebelling the greatest offenders that now liue to grieue his Maiestie and thus I haue deliuered the message of the King which is in effect generall pardon to you all and a sentence of death vnto the two Archrebels Iohn Ball and Wat Tyler For which great Grace if you thinke your selues any thinge bound to his highnes as infinitely you are let it appeare as farre forth hereafter as you may either by outward signes of dutie or inward loyaltie of harts expressed and to begin the same in signe of your thankefulnes say all God saue the King Cry all God saue the King Wat Tyler VVell then we know the worst He can but hang vs and that is all VVere Iacke Strawe a liue againe And I in as good possibility as euer I was I would lay a surer trumpe Ere I would lose so faire a tricke Ball And what I said in time of our busines I repent not And if it were to speake againe Euerie word should be a whole sermon So much I repent me Morton Awaie with the Rebels suffer them not to speake His words are poyson in the eares of the people Away villaine staine to thy country and thy calling Wat Tyler VVhy Morton are you so lustie with a pox I puld you out of Rochester Castell by the powle Morton And in recompence I will help to set your head on a pole Wat Tiler Pray you le ts be powlde first Morton Away with the Rebels Exeunt Rebels As gaue your Grace in charge I haue deliuered Your highnes pleasure amongst the prisoners And haue proclaimed your Graces pardon amongst thē all Saue onely those two vnnaturall Englishmen O might I say no English nor men That Ball and Tyler cursed Rebels both VVhom I commaunded to be executed And in your highnes name haue freed all the rest VVhose thankefull harts I finde as full repleat VVith signes of ioy and dutie to your Grace As those vnnaturall Rebels hatefull mouthes Are full of foule speaches and vnhonourable King It is no matter Morton let them barke I trow they cannot bite when they be dead And Lord Maior for your valiant act And daungerous attempt in our behalfe To free your country and your King from ill In our behalfe and in our common weale VVe will accept it as the deed deserues And thanke you for this honourable attempt Maior VVhat subiects harts could brooke the rage of theirs To vaunt in presence of their Soueraigne Lord To braue him to his face before his Pieres But would by pollicie or force attempt To quell the raging of such furious foes My Soueraigne Lord t was but my dutie done First vnto God next to my lawfull King Proceeding from a true and loyall hart And so I hope your Grace esteemes thereof King To the end this deede shall rest in memorie VVhich shall continue for euer to the end Lord Maior I le adioyne to thy degree Another Title of a lasting fame Kneele downe William Walworth and receaue By mine owne hand the order of Knighthood Stand vp Sir William first Knight of thy degree But hence forth all which shall succeed thy place Shall haue like honour for thy Noble deede Besides that Time shall nere abridge thy fame The Cittie armes shall beare for memorie The bloody dagger the more for Walworths honour Call forth your Harrold and receaue your due Maior My Gratious Lord this honourable Grace So far aboue desert sith what I did My dutie and alleagaunce bad me doe Binds me and my successors euermore VVith sweet incouragement to the like attempt 〈◊〉 Maiestie and all our Royall Pieres Shall finde your London such a store 〈◊〉 still As not 〈…〉 commaund our wealth But loyal harts the treasure of a Prince Shall growe like graines sowne in 〈…〉 soyle And God I praise that with his holy 〈◊〉 Hath giuen me hart to free my Prince and land King Then sith these daungerous broiles are ouer past VVith shedding of so little English blood T is for the fame and honour of a Prince VVell to reward the Actors of the same So many of thy bretheren as accompanied thee In Smithfield heere about this bold attempt VVhen time shall serue I le Knight them as thou art And so Lord Maior Newton Morton and the rest Accompany vs to gard vs to the Tower VVhere we le repose and rest our selues all night FINIS ⧠Printed at London by Iohn Danter and are to be sold by VVilliam Barley at his shop in Gratious street ouer against Leaden-Hall 1594