A PLEASANT CONCEYTED COmedie of George a Greene the Pinner of VVakefield As it was sundry times acted by the seruants of the right Honourable the Earle of Sussex Imprinted at London by Simon Stafford for Cuthbert Burby And are to be sold at his shop neere the Royall Exchange 1599 A pleasant conceyted Comedie of George a Greene the Pinner of Wakefield Enter the Earle of Kendall with him the Lord Bonfild Sir Gilbert Armestrong and Iohn Earle of Kendall WElcome to Bradford martiall gentlemen L. Bonfild sir Gilbert Armstrong both And all my troups euē to my basest groome Courage and welcome for the day is ours Our cause is good it is for the lands auayle Then let vs fight and dye for Englands good Omnes We will my Lord Kendall As I am Henrie Momford Kendals Earle You honour me with this assent of yours And here vpon my sword I make protest For to relieue the poore or dye myselfe And know my Lords that Iames the King of Scots Warres hard vpon the borders of this land Here is his Post say Iohn Taylour What newes with King Iames Iohn Warre my Lord tell and good newes I trow For king Iame vowes to meete you the 26. of this month God willing marie doth he sir Kendall My friends you see what we haue to winne Well Iohn commend me to king Iames And tell him I will meete him the 26. of this month And all the rest and so farewell Exit Iohn Bonfild why standst thou as a man in dumps Courage for if I winne I le make thee Duke I Henry Momford will be King my selfe And I will make thee Duke of Lancaster And Gilbert Armestrong Lord of Doncaster Bonfild. Nothing my Lord makes me amazde at all But that our souldiers findes our victuals scant We must make hauocke of those countrey Swaynes For so will the rest tremble and be afraid And humbly send prouision to your campe Gilb. My Lord Bonfild giues good aduice They make a scorne and stand vpon the King So what is brought is sent from them perforce Aske Mannering else Kend. What sayest thou Mannering Man When as I shew'd your high commission They made this answere Onely to send prouision for your horses Kend. Well hye thee to Wakefield bid the Towne To send me all prouision that I want Least I like martiall Tamberlaine lay waste Their bordering Countries And leauing none aliue that contradicts my Commission Man Let me alone my Lord I le make them Vayle their plumes for whatsoere he be The proudest Knight Iustice or other that gaynsayeth Your word He clap him fast to make the rest to feare Kend. Doe so Nick hye thee thither presently And let vs heare of thee againe to morrowe Man Will you not remooue my Lord Kend. No I will lye at Bradford all this night And all the next come Bonfield let vs goe And listen out some bonny lasses here Exeunt omnes Enter the Iustice a Townesman George a Greene and Sir Nicholas Mannering with his Commission Iustice. M. Mannering stand aside whilest we conferre What is best to doe Townesmen of Wakefield the Earle of Kendall Here hath sent for victuals And in ayding him we shewe our selues No lesse than traytours to the King Therefore let me heare Townesmen What is your consents Townes Euen as you please we are all content Iustice. Then M. Mannering we are resolu'd Man As howe Iustice. Marrie sir thus We will send the Earle of Kendall no victuals Because he is a traytour to the King And in ayding him we shewe our selues no lesse Man Why men of Wakefield are you waxen madde That present danger cannot whet your wits Wisely to make prouision of your selues The Earle is thirtie thousand men strong in power And what towne so euer him resist He layes it flat and leuell with the ground Ye silly men you seeke your owne decay Therefore send my Lord such prouision as he wants So he will spare your towne and come no neerer Wakefield then he is Iustice. Master Mannering you haue your answere You may be gone Man Well Woodroffe for so I gesse is thy name I le make thee curse thy ouerthwart deniall And all that sit vpon the bench this day Shall rue the houre they haue withstood my Lords Commission Iustice. Doe thy worst we feare thee not Man See you these seales before you passe the towne I will haue all things my Lord doth want Inspite of you George a Greene Proud dapper Iacke vayle bonnet to The bench That represents the person of the King Or sirra I le lay thy head before thy feete Man Why who art thou George Why I am George a Greene True liegeman to my King Who scornes that men of such esteeme as these Should brooke the braues of any trayterous squire You of the bench and you my fellowe friends Neighbours we subiects all vnto the King We are English borne and therefore Edwards friends Voude vnto him euen in our mothers wombe Our mindes to God our hearts vnto our King Our wealth our homage and our carcases Be all King Edwards then sirra we haue Nothing left for traytours but our swordes Whetted to bathe them in your bloods And dye against you before we send you any victuals Iustice. Well spoken George a Greene Townes Pray let George a Greene speake for vs George Sirra you get no victuals here Not if a hoofe of beefe would saue your liues Man Fellowe I stand amazde at thy presumption Why what art thou that darest gaynsay my Lord Knowing his mighty puissance and his stroke Why my friend I come not barely of my selfe For see I haue a large Commission George Let me see it sirra Whose seales be these Man This is the Earle of Kendals seale at armes This Lord Charnel Bonfields And this sir Gilbert Armestrongs George I tell thee sirra did good King Edwards sonne Seale a commission against the King his father Thus would I teare it in despite of him He teares the Commission Being traytour to my Soueraigne Man What hast thou torne my Lord Commission Thou shalt rue it and so shall all Wakefield George What are you in choler I will giue you pilles To coole your stomacke Seest thou these seales Now by my fathers soule which was a yeoman When he was aliue eate them Or eate my daggers poynt proud squire Man But thou doest but iest I hope George Sure that shall you see before we two part Man Well and there be no remedie so George One is gone I pray thee no more nowe George O sir if one be good the others cannot hurt So sir nowe you may goe tell the Earle of Kendall Although I haue rent his large Commission Yet of curtesie I haue sent all his seales Backe againe by you Man Well sir I will doe your arrant Exit George Nowe let him tell his Lord that he hath Spoke with George a Greene Right pinner of merrie Wakefield towne That hath phisicke for a foole Pilles for a traytour
that doeth wrong his Soueraigne Are you content with this that I haue done Iustice. I content George For highly hast thou honourd Wakefield towne In cutting of proud Mannering so short Come thou shalt be my welcome ghest to day For well thou hast deseru'd reward and fauour Exeunt omnes Enter olde Musgroue and yong Cuddie his sonne Cuddie Nowe gentle father list vnto thy sonne And for my mothers loue That earst was blythe and bonny in thine eye Graunt one petition that I shall demaund Olde Musgroue What is that my Cuddie Cuddie Father you knowe the ancient enmitie of late Betweene the Musgroues and the wily Scottes Whereof they haue othe Not to leaue one aliue that strides a launce O Father you are olde and wayning age vnto the graue Olde William Musgroue which whilome was thought The brauest horseman in all Westmerland Is weake and forst to stay his arme vpon a staffe That earst could wield a launce Then gentle Father resigne the hold to me Giue armes to youth and honour vnto age Mus. Auaunt false hearted boy my ioynts doe quake Euen with anguish of thy verie words Hath William Musgroue seene an hundred yeres Haue I bene feard and dreaded of the Scottes That when they heard my name in any roade They fled away and posted thence amaine And shall I dye with shame nowe in mine age No Cuddie no thus resolue I Here haue I liu'd and here will Musgroue dye Exeunt omnes Enter Lord Bonfild Sir Gilbert Armestrong M. Grime and Bettris his daughter Bon. Now gētle Grime God a mercy for our good chere Our fare was royall and our welcome great And sith so kindly thou hast entertained vs If we returne with happie victorie We will deale as friendly with thee in recompence Grime Your welcome was but dutie gentle Lord For wherefore haue we giuen vs our wealth But to make our betters welcome when they come O this goes hard when traytours must be flattered But life is sweete and I cannot withstand it God I hope will reuenge the quarrell of my King Gilb. What said you Grime Grime I say sir Gilbert looking on my daughter I curse the houre that ere I got the girle For sir she may haue many wealthy suters And yet she disdaines them all to haue Poore George a Greene vnto her husband Bonfild. On that good Grime I am talking with thy Daughter But she in quirkes and quiddities of loue Sets me to schoole she is so ouerwise But gentle girle if thou wilt forsake The pinner and be my loue I will aduaunce thee high To dignifie those haires of amber hiew I le grace them with a chaplet made of pearle Set with choice rubies sparkes and diamonds Planted vpon a veluet hood to hide that head Wherein two saphires burne like sparkling fire This will I doe faire Bettris and farre more If thou wilt loue the Lord of Doncaster Bettris. Heigh ho my heart is in a higher place Perhaps on the Earle if that be he See where he comes or angrie or in loue For why his colour looketh discontent Kendall Come Nick followe me Enter the Earle of Kendall and Nicholas Mannering Bonfild. Howe nowe my Lord what newes Kendall Such newes Bonfild as will make thee laugh And fret thy fill to heare how Nick was vsde Why the Iustices stand on their termes Nick as you knowe is hawtie in his words He layd the lawe vnto the Iustices With threatning braues that one lookt on another Ready to stoope but that a churle came in One George a Greene the pinner of the towne And with his dagger drawne layd hands on Nick And by no beggers swore that we were traytours Rent our Commission and vpon a braue Made Nick to eate the seales or brooke the stabbe Poore Mannering afraid came posting hither straight Bettris. Oh louely George fortune be still thy friend And as thy thoughts be high so be thy minde In all accords euen to thy hearts desire Bonfild. What sayes faire Bettris Grimes My Lord she is praying for George a Greene He is the man and she will none but him Bonfild. But him why looke on me my girle Thou knowest that yesternight I courted thee And swore at my returne to wedde with thee Then tell me loue shall I haue all thy faire Bettris. I care not for Earle nor yet for Knight Nor Baron that is so bold For George a Greene the merrie pinner He hath my heart in hold Bonfild. Bootlesse my Lord are many vaine replies Let vs hye vs to Wakefield and send her the pinners head Kend. It shall be so Grime gramercie Shut vp the daughter bridle her affects Let me not misse her when I make returne Therefore looke to her as to thy life good Grime Grime I warrant you my Lord Ex. Grime Bettris. Ken. And Bettris leaue a base pinner for to loue an Earle Faine would I see this pinner George a Greene It shall be thus Nick Mannering shall leade on the battell And we three will goe to Wakefield in some disguise But howsoeuer I le haue his head to day Ex. omnes Enter the King of Scots Lord Humes with souldiers and Iohnie King Why Iohnie then the Earle of Kendall is blithe And hath braue men that troupe along with him Iohnie I marie my liege and hath good men That come along with him And vowes to meete you at Scrasblesea God willing King If good S. Andrewe lend King Iame leaue I will be with him at the pointed day But soft whose pretie boy art thou Enter Iane a Barleys sonne Ned. Sir I am sonne vnto Sir Iohn a Barley Eldest and all that ere my mother had Edward my name Iame. And whither art thou going pretie Ned Ned. To seeke some birdes and kill them if I can And now my scholemaster is also gone So haue I libertie to ply my bowe For when he comes I stirre not from my booke Iames. Lord Humes but marke the visage of this child By him I gesse the beautie of his mother None but Laeda could breede Helena Tell me Ned who is within with thy mother Ned. Not but her selfe and houshold seruants sir If you would speake with her knocke at this gate Iames. Iohnie knocke at that gate Enter Iane a Barley vpon the walles Iane O I am betraide what multitudes be these Iames. Feare not faire Iane for all these men are mine And all thy friends if thou be friend to me I am thy louer Iames the King of Scottes That oft haue sued and wooed with many letters Painting my outward passions with my pen When as my inward soule did bleede for woe Little regard was giuen to my sute But haply thy husbands presence wrought it Therefore sweete Iane I fitted me to time And hearing that thy husband was from home Am come to craue what long I haue desirde Ned. Nay soft you sir you get no entrance here That seeke to wrong sir Iohn a Barley so And offer such dishonour to my mother Iames. Why
what dishonour Ned Ned. Though young yet often haue I heard My father say No greater wrong than to be made cuckold Were I of age or were my bodie strong Were he ten Kings I would shoote him to the heart That should attempt to giue sir Iohn the horne Mother let him not come in I will goe lie at lockie Millers house Iames. Stay him Iane I well said Ned thou hast giuen the King His answere For were the ghost of Cesar on the earth Wrapped in the wonted glorie of his honour He should not make me wrong my husband so But good King Iames is pleasant as I gesse And meanes to trie what humour I am in Else would he neuer haue brought an hoste of men To haue them witnes of his Scottish lust Iames. Iane in faith Iane Iane Neuer reply for I protest by the highest Holy God That doometh iust reuenge for things amisse King Iames of all men shall not haue my loue Iames. Then list to me Saint Andrewe be my boote But I le rase thy castle to the verie ground Vnlesse thou open the gate and let me in Iane I feare thee not King Iamie doe thy worst This castle is too strong for thee to scale Besides to morrowe will sir Iohn come home Iames. Well Iane since thou disdainst King Iames loue I le drawe thee on with sharpe and deepe extremes For by my fathers soule this brat of thine Shall perish here before thine eyes Vnlesse thou open the gate and let me in Iane O deepe extremes my heart begins to breake My little Ned lookes pale for feare Cheare thee my boy I will doe much for thee Ned. But not so much as to dishonour me Iane And if thou dyest I cannot liue sweete Ned Ned. Then dye with honour mother dying chaste Iane I am armed My husbands loue his honour and his fame Ioynes victorie by vertue Nowe King Iames if mothers teares cannot alay thine ire Then butcher him for I will neuer yeeld The sonne shall dye before I wrong the father Iames. Why then he dyes Allarum within Enter a Messenger Messenger My Lord Musgroue is at hand Iames. Who Musgroue The deuill he is Come My horse Exeunt omnes Enter olde Musgroue with King Iames prisoner Mus. Nowe King Iames thou art my prisoner Iames. Not thine but fortunes prisoner Enter Cuddie Cuddie Father the field is ours their colours we Haue seyzed And Humes is stayne I slewe him hand to hand Mus. God and Saint George Cuddie O father I am sore athirst Iane Come in young Cuddie come and drinke thy fill Bring in King Iame with you as a ghest For all this broile was cause he could not enter Exeunt omnes Enter George a Greene alone George The sweete content of men that liue in loue Breedes fretting humours in a restlesse minde And fansie being checkt by fortunes spite Growes too impatient in her sweete desires Sweete to those men whome loue leades on to blisse But sowre to me whose happe is still amisse Enter the Clowne Ienkin. Marie amen sir George Sir what doe you crye Amen at Ienkin. Why did not you talke of loue George Howe doe you knowe that Ienkin. Well though I say it that should not say it There are fewe fellowes in our parish So netled with loue as I haue bene of late Geor. Sirra I thought no lesse when the other morning You rose so earely to goe to your wenches Sir I had thought you had gone about my honest busines Ienkin. Trow you haue hit it for master be it knowne To you There is some good will betwixt Madge the Sousewife And I Marie she hath another louer George Canst thou brooke any riuals in thy loue Ien. A rider no he is a sow-gelder and goes a foote But Madge pointed to meete me in your wheate close Georg. Well did she meete you there Ien. Neuer make question of that And first I saluted her with a greene gowne And after fell as hard a wooing As if the Priest had bin at our backs to haue married vs Georg. What did she grant Ien. Did she graunt Neuer make question of that And she gaue me a shirt coler Wrought ouer with no counterfet stuffe Georg. What was it gold Ien. Nay t was better than gold Georg. What was it Ien. Right Couentrie blew Who had no sooner come there but wot you who came by Georg. No who Ien. Clim the sow-gelder Georg. Came he by Ien. He spide Madge and I sit together He leapt from his horse laid his hand on his dagger and Began to sweare Now I seeing he had a dagger And I nothing but this twig in my hand I gaue him faire words and said nothing He comes to me and takes me by the bosome You hoorsen shue said he hold my horse And looke he take no colde in his feete No marie shall he sir quoth I I le lay my cloake vnderneath him I tooke my cloake spread it all along And his horse on the midst of it Georg. Thou clowne didst thou set his horse vpon Thy cloake Ien. I but marke how I serued him Madge and he was no sooner gone downe into the ditch But I plucked out my knife Cut foure hoales in my cloake and made his horse stand On the bare ground Geor. T was well done now sir go and suruay my fields If you finde any cattell in the corne to pound with them Ien. And if I finde any in the pound I shall turne them out Exit Ienkin Enter the Earle of Kendal Lord Bonfield sir Gilbert all disguised with a traine of men Kend. Now we haue put the horses in the corne Let vs stand in some corner for to heare What brauing tearmes the pinner will breathe When he spies our horses in the corne Enter Iacke blowing of his horne Ien. O master where are you we haue a prise Georg. A prise what is it Ienkin. Three goodly horses in our wheate close George Three horses in our wheat close whose be they Ienkin. Marie that 's a riddle to me but they are there Veluet horses and I neuer sawe such horses before As my dutie was I put off my cappe and said as followeth My masters what doe you make in our close One of them hearing me aske what he made there held vp his head and neighed and after his maner laught as heartily as if a mare had bene tyed to his girdle My masters said I it is no laughing matter for if my master take you here you goe as round as a top to the pound Another vntoward iade hearing me threaten him to the pound and to tell you of them cast vp both his heeles and let such a monstrous great fart that was as much as in his language to say A fart for the pound and a fart for George a Greene Nowe I hearing this put on my cap blewe my horne called them all iades and came to tell you George Nowe sir goe and driue me those three horses To the pound Ienkin. Doe
you heare I were best take a constable With me George Why so Why they being gentlemens horses may stand on their Reputation and will not obey me George Goe doe as I bid you sir Ienkin. Well I may goe The Earle of Kendall the Lord Bonfild and sir Gilbert Armestrong meete them Kend. Whither away sir Ienkin. Whither away I am going to put the horses In the pound Kend. Sirra those three horses belong to vs and we put Them in and they must tarrie there and eate their fill Ienkin. Stay I will goe tell my master Heare you master we haue another prise Those three horses be in your wheate close still And here be three geldings more George What be these Ienkin. These are the masters of the horses George Nowe gentlemen I knowe not your degrees But more you cannot be vnlesse you be Kings Why wrong you vs of Wakefield with your horses I am the pinner and before you passe You shall make good the trespasse they haue done Kend. Peace saucie mate prate not to vs I tell thee pinner we are gentlemen George Why sir so may I sir although I giue no armes Kend. Thou howe art thou a gentleman Ienkin. And such is my master and he may giue as good Armes as euer your great grandfather could giue Kend. Pray thee let me heare howe Ienkin. Marie my master may giue for his armes The picture of Aprill in a greene ierkin With a rooke on one fist and an horne on the other But my master giues his armes the wrong way For he giues the horne on his fist And your grandfather because he would not lose his Armes Weares the horne on his owne head Kend: Well pinner sith our horses be in In spite of thee they now shall feede their fill And eate vntill our leasures serue to goe George Now by my fathers soule Were good king Edwards horses in the corne They shall amend the seath or kisse the pound Much more yours sir whatsoere you be Kend. Why man thou knowest not vs We do belong to Henry Momford Earle of Kendal Men that before a month be full expirde Will be king Edwards betters in the land Georg. King Edwards better rebell thou liest George strikes him Bonfild. Villaine what hast thou done thou hast stroke An Earle Geor. Why what care I A poore man that is true Is better then an Earle if he be false Traitors reape no better fauours at my hands Kend. I so me thinks but thou shalt deare aby this blow Now or neuer lay hold on the pinner Enter all the ambush Georg. Stay my Lords let vs parlie on these broiles Not Hercules against two the prouerbe is Nor I against so great a multitude Had not your troupes come marching as they did I would haue stopt your passage vnto London But now I le flie to secret policie Kend. What doest thou murmure George George Marie this my Lord I muse If thou be Henrie Momford Kendals Earle That thou wilt doe poore G. a Greene this wrong Euer to match me with a troupe of men Kend. Why doest thou strike me then Geor. Why my Lord measure me but by your selfe Had you a man had seru'd you long And heard your foe misuse you behinde your backe And would not draw his sword in your defence You would cashere him Much more king Edward is my king And before I le heare him so wrong'd I le die within this place And maintaine good whatsoeuer I haue said And if I speake not reason in this case What I haue said I le maintaine in this place Bon. A pardon my Lord for this pinner For trust me he speaketh like a man of worth Kend. Well George wilt thou leaue Wakefielde and Wend with me I le freely put vp all and pardon thee Georg. I my Lord considering me one thing You will leaue these armes and follow your good king Ken. Why George I rise not against king Edward But for the poore that is opprest by wrong From whence came you where doe you dwell VVily I am forsooth a semsters maide hard-by That hath brought worke home to your daughter Grime Nay are you not some craftie queane That comes from George a Greene that rascall With some letters to my daughter I will haue you searcht VVily Alas sir it is Hebrue vnto me To tell me of George a Greene or any other Search me good sir And if you finde a letter about me Let me haue the punishment that is due Grime Why are you mufled I like you the worse For that VVily I am not sir asham'd to shew my face Yet loth I am my cheekes should take the aire Not that I am charie of my beauties hue But that I am troubled with the tooth-ach sore Grime A pretie wench of smiling countenance Olde men can like although they cannot loue I and loue though not so briefe as yong men can Well goe in my wench and speake with my daughter Exit I wonder much at the Earle of Kendall Being a mightie man as still he is Yet for to be a traitor to his king Is more then God or man will well allow But what a foole am I to talke of him My minde is more heere of the pretie lasse Had she brought some fortie pounds to towne I could be content to make her my wife Yet I haue heard it in a prouerbe said He that is olde and marries with a lasse Lies but at home and prooues himselfe an asse Enter Bettris in VVilies apparell to Grime How now my wench how i st what not a word Alas poore soule the tooth-ach plagues her sore Well my wench here is an Angel for to buy thee And I pray thee vse mine house The oftner the more welcome farewell Bettris. O blessed loue and blessed fortune both But Bettris stand not here to talke of loue But hye thee straight vnto thy George a Greene Neuer went Roe-bucke swifter on the downes Then I will trip it till I see my George Enter the Earle of Kendall L. Bonfield sir Gilbert and Ienkin the clowne Kend. Come away Ienkin Ien. Come here is his house Where be you ho Georg. Who knocks there Kend. Heere are two or three poore men father Would speake with you Georg. Pray giue your man leaue to leade me for t Kend. Goe Ienkin fetch him forth Ien. Come olde man Enter George a Greene disguised Kend. Father heere is three poore men come to question Thee a word in secrete that concernes their liues George Say on my sonnes Kend. Father I am sure you heare the newes How that the Earle of Kendal wars against the king Now father we three are Gentlemen by birth But yonger brethren that want reuenues And for the hope we haue to be preferd If that we knew that we shall winne We will march with him If not we will not march a foote to London more Therefore good father tell vs what shall happen Whether the King or the Earle of Kendal shall win George