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
Vnlesse they meane to haue about with me Edward But heare you sir hath the king Granted you this custome Shoomaker King or Kaisar none shall passe this way Except King Edward No not the stoutest groome that haunts his court Therefore downe with your staues Edward What were we best to do Iames. Faith my Lord they are stoute fellowes And because we will see some sport We will traile our staues Edward Heer'st thou my friend Because we are men of peace and trauellers We are content to traile our staues Shoomaker The way lyes before you go along Enter Robin Hood and George a Greene disguised Robin Hood See George two men are passing Through the towne Two lustie men and yet they traile their staues George Robin they are some pesants Trickt in yeomans weedes Hollo you two trauellers Edward Call you vs sir George I you Are ye not big inough to beare Your bats vpon your neckes But you must traile them along the streetes Edwar. Yes sir we are big inough but here is a custome Kept that none may passe his staffe vpon his necke Vnlesse he traile it at the weapons point Sir we are men of peace and loue to sleepe In our whole skins and therefore quietnes is best George Base minded pesants worthlesse to be men What haue you bones and limmes to strike a blow And be your hearts so faint you cannot fight Wert not for shame I would shrub your shoulders well And teach you manhood against another time Shoom. Well preacht sir Iacke downe with your staffe Edwar. Do you heare my friends and you be wise Keepe downe your staues For all the towne will rise vpon you George Thou speakest like an honest quiet fellow But heare you me In spite of all the swaines Of Dradford town beare me your staues vpon your necks Or to begin withall I le baste you both so well You were neuer better basted in your liues Edward We will hold vp our staues George a Greene fights with the Shoomakers and beates them all downe George What haue you any more Call all your towne forth cut and longtaile The Shoomakers spy George a Greene Shoomaker What George a Greene is it you A plague found you I thinke you long'd to swinge me well Come George we wil crush a pot before we part George A pot you slaue we will haue an hundred Heere Will Perkins take my purse Fetch me a stand of Ale and set in the Market place That all may drinke that are athirst this day For this is for a free to welcome Robin Hood To Bradford towne They bring out the stane of ale and fall a drinking Here Robin sit thou here for thou art the best man Edward What is that Ienkin. Hearke in your eare He whispers the king in the eare Edward Goe your wayes and do it Ienkin. Come downe on your knees I haue got it Shoomaker Let vs heare what it is first Ienkin. Mary because you haue drunke with the king And the king hath so graciously pledgd you You shall be no more called Shoomakers But you and yours to the worlds ende Shall be called the trade of the gentle craft Shoomaker I beseech your maiestie reforme this Which he hath spoken Ienkin. I beseech your worship consume this Which he hath spoken Edward Confirme it you would say Well he hath done it for you it is sufficient Come George we will goe to Grime And haue thy loue Ienkin. I am sure your worship will abide For yonder is comming olde Musgroue And mad Cuddie his sonne Master my fellow Wilie comes drest like a woman And master Grime will marrie Wilie Heere they come Enter Musgroue and Cuddie and master Grime VVilie Mayd Marian and Bettris. Edward Which is thy old father Cuddie Cuddie This if it please your maiestie Edward Ah old Musgroue kneele vp It fits not such gray haires to kneele Musgroue Long liue my Soueragine Long and happie be his dayes Vouchsafe my gracious Lord a simple gift At Billy Musgroues hand King Iames at Meddellom castle gaue me this This wonne the honour and this giue I thee Edward Godamercie Musgroue for this friendly gift And for thou feldst a king with this same weapon This blade shall here dub valiant Musgroue knight Musgr. Alas what hath your highnes done I am poore Edw. To mend thy liuing take thou Meddellom castle The hold of both and if thou want liuing complaine Thou shalt haue more to mainetaine thine estate George which is thy loue George This if please your maiestie Edward Art thou her aged father Grime I am and it like your maiestie Edwar. And wilt not giue thy daughter vnto George Grime Yes my Lord if he will let me marrie With this louely lasse Edward What sayst thou George George With all my heart my Lord I giue consent Grime Then do I giue my daughter vnto George VVilie Then shall the mariage soone be at an end Witnesse my Lord if that I be a woman For I am Wilie boy to George a Greene Who for my master wrought this subtill shift Edwar. What is it a boy what sayst thou to this Grime Grime Mary my Lord I thinke this boy hath More knauerie than all the world besides Yet am I content that George shall both haue My daughter and my lands Edward Now George it rest I gratifie thy worth And therefore here I doe bequeath to thee In full possession halfe that Kendal hath And what as Bradford holdes of me in chiefe I giue it frankely vnto thee for euer Kneele downe George George What will your maiestie do Edward Dub thee a knight George George I beseech your grace grant me one thing Edward What is that George Then let me liue and die a yeoman still So was my father so must liue his sonne For t is more credite to men of base degree To do great deeds than men of dignitie Edward Well be it so George Iames. I beseech your grace dispatch with me And set downe my ransome Edward George a Greene set downe the king of Scots His ransome George I beseech your grace pardon me It passeth my skill Edward Do it the honor 's thine George Then let king Iames make good Those townes which he hath burnt vpon the borders Giue a small pension to the father lesse Whose fathers he caus'd murthered in those warres Put in pledge for these things to your grace And so returne King Iames are you content Iamie. I am content and like your maiestie And will leaue good castles in securitie Edward I craue no more Now George a Greene I le to thy house and when I haue supt I le go to Aske And see if Iane a Barley be so faire As good King Iames reports her for to be And for the ancient custome of Vaile staffe keepe it still Clayme priuiledge from me If any aske a reason why or how Say English Edward vaild his staffe to you FINIS
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
The king my sonne Kend. Art thou sure of that George I as sure as thou art Henry Momford The one L. Bonfild the other sir Gilbert Kend. Why this is wondrous being blinde of sight His deepe perseuerance should be such to know vs Gilb. Magike is mightie and foretelleth great matters In deede Father here is the Earle come to see thee And therefore good father fable not with him George Welcome is the Earle to my poore cell And so are you my Lords but let me counsell you To leaue these warres against your king And liue in quiet Kend. Father we come not for aduice in warre But to know whether we shall win or leese Georg. Lose gentle Lords but not by good king Edward A baser man shall giue you all the foile Kend. I marie father what man is that George Poore George a Greene the pinner Kend. What shall he George Pull all your plumes and sore dishonour you Kend. He as how George Nay the end tries all but so it will fall out Kend. But so it shall not by my honor Christ I le raise my campe and fire Wakefield towne And take that seruile pinner George a Greene And butcher him before king Edwards face George Good my Lord be not offended For I speake no more then arte reueales to me And for greater proofe Giue your man leaue to fetch me my staffe Kend. Ienkin fetch him his walking staffe Ien. Here is your walking staffe George I le proue it good vpon your carcases A wiser wisard neuer met you yet Nor one that better could foredoome your fall Now I haue singled you here alone I care not though you be three to one Kend. Villaine hast thou betraid vs Georg. Momford thou liest neuer was I traitor yet Onely deuis'd this guile to draw you on For to be combatants Now conquere me and then march on to London Least you be torne in peeces with shee deuils Mistres Bettris once twice thrice He throwes the ground in and she comes out Oh is this no cunning George Is this my loue or is it but her shadow Ienkin. I this is the shadow but heere is the substance George Tell mee sweete loue what good fortune Brought thee hither For one it was that fauoured George a Greene Bettris. Both loue fortune brought me to my George In whose sweete sight is all my hearts content Geor. Tell mee sweete loue how camst thou from thy Fathers Bettris. A willing minde hath many slips in loue It was not I but Wily thy sweete boy Geor. And where is Wily now Bettris. In my apparell in my chamber still Geor. Ienkin come hither Goe to Bradford And listen out your fellow Wily Come Bettris let vs in And in my cottage we will sit and talke Exeunt omnes Enter King Edward the king of Scots Lord VVarwicke yong Cuddy and their traine Edward Brother of Scotland I doe hold it hard Seeing a league of truce was late confirmde Twixt you and me without displeasure offered You should make such inuasion in my land The vowes of kings should be as oracles Not blemisht with the staine of any breach Chiefly where fealtie and homage willeth it Iames. Brother of England rub not the sore afresh My conscience grieues me for my deepe misdeede I haue the worst of thirtie thousand men There scapt not full fiue thousand from the field Edward Gramercie Musgroue else it had gone hard Cuddie I le quite thee well ere we two part Iames. But had not his olde Father William Musgroue Plaid twice the man I had not now bene here A stronger man I seldome felt before But one of more resolute valiance Treads not I thinke vpon the English ground Edward I wot wel Musgroue shall not lose his hier Cuddie And it please your grace my father was Fiue score and three at Midsommer last past Yet had king Iamie bene as good as George a Greene Yet Billy Musgroue would haue fought with him Edward As George a Greene I pray thee Cuddie Let me question thee Much haue I heard since I came to my crowne Many in manner of a prouerbe say Were he as good as G. a Green I would strike him sure I pray thee tell me Cuddie canst thou informe me What is that George a Greene Cuddie Know my Lord I neuer saw the man But mickle talke is of him in the Country They say he is the Pinner of Wakefield towne But for his other qualities I let alone VVar. May it please your grace I know the mā too wel Edward Too well why so Warwicke VVar. For once he swingde me till my bones did ake Edward Why dares he strike an Earle VVarw. An Earle my Lord nay he wil strike a king Be it not king Edward For stature he is framde Like to the picture of stoute Hercules And for his carriage passeth Robin Hood The boldest Earle or Baron of your land That offereth scath vnto the towne of Wakefield George will arrest his pledge vnto the pound And who so resisteth beares away the blowes For he himselfe is good inough for three Edward Why this is wondrous my L. of Warwicke Sore do I long to see this George a Greene But leauing him what shall we do my Lord For to subdue the rebels in the North They are now marching vp to Doncaster Enter one with the Earle of Kendal prisoner Soft who haue we there Cuddie Here is a traitour the Earle of Kendal Edward Aspiring traitour how darst thou once Cast thine eyes vpon thy Soueraigne That honour'd thee with kindenes and with fauour But I will make thee buy this treason deare Kend. Good my Lord Edw. Reply not traitour Tell me Cuddy whose deede of honour Wonne the victorie against this rebell Cuddy George a Greene the Pinner of Wakefield Edward George a Greene now shall I heare newes Certaine what this Pinner is Discourse it briefly Cuddy how it befell Cud. Kendall and Bonfild with sir Gilbert Armstrong Came to Wakefield Towne disguisd And there spoke ill of your grace Which George but hearing feld them at his feete And had not rescue come into the place George had slaine him in his close of wheate Edward But Cuddy canst thou not tell Where I might giue and grant some thing That might please highly gratifie the pinners thoughts Cuddie This at their parting George did say to me If the king vouchsafe of this my seruice Then gentle Cuddie kneele vpon thy knee And humbly craue a boone of him for me Edward Cuddie what is it Cuddie It is his will your grace would pardon them And let them liue although they haue offended Edward I thinke the man striueth to be glorious Well George hath crau'd it and it shall be graunted Which none but he in England should haue gotten Liue Kendall but as prisoner So shalt thou end thy dayes within the tower Kend. Gracious is Edward to offending subiects Iames. My Lord of Kend you are welcome to the court Edward Nay but ill come as