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
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
giuen it and your lawfull King VVat Tyler Ere we le be pincht with pouertie To dig our meate and vittels from the ground That are as worthie of good maintenance As any Gentleman your Grace doth keepe VVe will be Kings and Lords within our selues And not abide the pride of tyrranie King I pray thee fellow what countryman art thou Wat Tyler It skils not much I am an Englishman Ball Marrie Sir he is a Kentishman and hath bin my scholler ere now Maior Little good manner hath the villaine learnd To vse his Lord and King so barberously King VVell people aske you any more Than to be free and haue your libertie Cry all VVealth and libertie King Then take my word I promise it to you all And eke my generall pardon now forth with Vnder seale and Letters pattents to performe the same Let euerie man betake him to his home And with what speed our Clarks can make dispatch Your pardons and your Letters pattents Shall be forth with sent downe in euerie shiere Hob Carter Marrie I thanke your Grace Hob Carter and the Essex men will home againe and we take your word King VVe beleeue you all and thanke you all And presently we will commandement giue That all this busines may be quickly readie Exeunt King and his Traine Iacke Strawe I tell thee Wat this is not that that I would haue I come for more than to be answered thus And if the Essex men will needes be gone Content let them goe sucke their Mams at home I came for spoile and spoile I le haue VVat Tyler Doe what thou wilt Iacke I will follow thee Nobs How and if it be to the Gallowes Wat Tyler Why that is the worst Nobs And I faith that is sure but if you will be ruld by me Trust not to his pardon for you die euerie Mothers sonne But Captaines goe forward as we haue be gone Ball My Masters the boy speakes wisely I haue red this in Cato ad cum silium antiquam voceris Take good counsell while it is giuen Iacke Straw Content boy we will be ruld by thee Exeunt Omnes Enter Tom Miller to burne Papers Nobs VVhy how now Captaine Miller I perceaue you take no care which way the world goes Tom Miller I faith Nobs I haue made a bonfire here of a great many of Bonds and Indentures and Obligations faith I haue bin amongst the ends of the Court among the Records al that I saw either in the Guild-Hall or in any other place I haue set fire on them but where hast thou bin Nobs I haue bin with our Captaines Straw and Tiler at Saint Iones in smithfield but Sirra I can tell you newes Captaine Carter is gone home and all our Essex men and I feare we shall all be hanged therefore looke you to your selfe for I will looke to my selfe Exeunt Nobs Tom Miller Well if wee shall be hangd it is but a follie to be sorrie But goe to it with a good stomacke Rydle me a ridle what 's this I shall be hangd I shall not be hangd Here he tries it with a staffe Enter Ladie Mother and Gentleman Usher Queene VVhat doth that fellow Usher It seemeth Madam he disputeth with himselfe VVhether he shall be hangd or no Queene Alas poore soule simple inough God wot And yet not so simple as a great many of his companie Usher If it be as we are let to vnderstand My Lord the King hath giuen them generall pardon Queene So he hath they like honest men are gone homwards or at least the most part of them but worse in mine opinion is their haps that tarrie longest Tom Miller But peace here is the Kings Mother she can do much with the King I le treat her to beg my pardon of the King wiselie I le goe to her humblie vnto your worships a pore Captaine Thomas Miller requesting your fauorable bequest touching the permission of destray towards the said Captaine Miller which in blunt and flat tearmes is nominated Sursum cordum alis dictus hangum meum from which place of torment God vs all deliuer and graunt vs to be mercifull while wee liue here together Now Sir vnderstanding your worship is the Kings Mother lamentably in the behalfe before spoken to stand betweene mee and the Gallowes or to beg my pardon in which you shall not onely saue a proper hansome tall fellow and a stout Captaine but also you shall purchase the prayers of all the ale wiues in the towne for sauing a mault-worme and a customer to helpe away their strong ale Queene VVhat meanes the fellow by all this eloquence Usher It seemes he feares he shall be hangd And therefore craues your Graces fauour in his behalfe Queene Alas poore fellow he seemeth to be a starke nidiot Good fellow if thou wilt goe beg thy pardon of the King I will speake for thee Tom Miller VVill you in faith and I will giue you a tawdrie lace Usher Madam here comes an vnrulie crew le ts be gone Exeunt Queene Mother Usher Enter Iacke Strawe Wat Tyler Parson Ball Nobs Tom Miller being there Iacke Straw The King his Nobles thinke they may sleepe in quiet Now they haue giuen vs a little holy water at the Court But ther 's no such matter we be no such fooles To be bobd out with words and after come to hanging Wat doe the thing thou comst for If thou wilt be ruld by me we le not leaue it so Wat Tyler Ran tara haue at all my boyes Tom Miller Saiest thou so my hart then farewell my pardon For I le doe as yee doe hang together for companie Ball Neighbours and friends neuer yeeld But fight it lustilie in the field For God will giue you strength and might And put your enemies to flight To stand against them day and night For of mine honestie your quarrels right Tom Miller O Parson Ball before you all If all fall out not well by following thy counsell And that by listning to thy talke To the Gallowes we doe walke Parson Ball I will tell thee And sweare it of mine honestie Thou shalt be hangd as well as we Iacke Straw Peace here comes the King I trow Enter the King Maior and Newton bearing a sword King VVhat companie be those Newton we doe see Be them of those that promised vs to part Newton Euen part of those my good and Gratious Lord That promised your highnes to depart King VVhy then I see they stand not to their words And sure they should not breake it so with me That haue so carefully remembred them This is a part of great ingratitude Maior And it like your Maiestie the Essex men With far more better mindes haue parted companie And euerie man be tane him to his home The chiefest of these Rebels be of Kent Of base degree and worse conditions all And vowd as I am giuen to vnderstand To nothing but to hauocke and to spoile King Lord Maior if it