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Men of your place and greatness are to blame。
I tell ye true； my lords； in that his majesty
Is not informed of this base abuse
And daily wrongs are offered to his subjects；
For； if he were； I know his gracious wisdom
Would soon redress it。
＇Enter a Messenger。＇
SHREWSBURY。
Sirrah； what news？
CHOLMLEY。
None good； I fear。
MESSENGER。
My lord； ill news； and worse； I fear； will follow；
If speedily it be not looked unto：
The city is in an uproar； and the Mayor
Is threatened； if he come out of his house。
A number poor artificers are up
In arms and threaten to avenge their wrongs。
CHOLMLEY。
We feared what this would come unto：
This follows on the doctors publishing
The bill of wrongs in public at the Spittle。
SHREWSBURY。
That Doctor Beale may chance beshrew himself
For reading of the bill。
PALMER。
Let us go gather forces to the Mayor；
For quick suppressing this rebellious route。
SURREY。
Now I bethink myself of Master More；
One of the sheriffs； a wise and learned gentleman；
And in especial favour with the people：
He； backed with other grave and sober men；
May by his gentle and persuasive speech
Perhaps prevail more than we can with power。
SHREWSBURY。
Believe me； but your honor well advises：
Let us make haste； for I do greatly fear
Some of their graves this morning's work will bear。
＇Exeunt。＇
ACT II。
SCENE I。 Cheapside。
＇Enter three or four Apprentices of trades； with a pair of cudgels。＇
HARRY。
Come； lay down the cudgels。 Ho； Robin； you met us well at
Bunhill； to have you with us a Maying this morning。
ROBIN。
Faith； Harry； the head drawer at the Miter by the great Conduit
called me up； and we went to breakfast into St。 Anne lane。 But
come； who begins？ in good faith； I am clean out of practise。 When
wast at Garrets school； Harry？
HARRY。
Not this great while； never since I brake his ushers head； when he
played his scholars prize at the Star in Bread…street。 I use all to
George Philpots at Dowgate； he's the best backswordman in
England。
KIT。
Bate me an ace of that； quoth Bolton。
HARRY。
I'll not bate ye a pin on 't； sir； for； by this cudgel； tis true。
KIT。
I will cudgel that opinion out of ye： did you break an ushers head；
sir？
HARRY。
Aye； marry； did I； sir。
KIT。
I am very glad on 't： you shall break mine too； and ye can。
HARRY。
Sirrah； I prithee； what art thou？
KIT。
Why； I am a prentice as thou art； seest thou now？ I'll play with
thee at blunt here in Cheapside； and when thou hast done； if thou
beest angry； I'll fight with thee at sharp in Moore fields。 I have a
sword to serve my turn in a favor。 。 。 。 come Julie； to serve 。 。 。 。
SCENE II。 Saint Martins…le…Grand。
＇Enter Lincoln； two Bettses； Williamson； Sherwin； and other；
armed； Doll in a shirt of mail； a headpiece； sword； and buckler； a
crew attending。＇
CLOWN。
Come； come； we'll tickle their turnips； we'll butter their boxes。
Shall strangers rule the roost？ yes； but we'll baste the roost。 Come；
come； a flaunt； a flaunt！
GEORGE。
Brother； give place； and hear John Lincoln speak。
CLOWN。
Aye； Lincoln my leader；
And Doll my true breeder；
With the rest of our crew；
Shall ran tan tarra ran；
Do all they what they can。
Shall we be bobbed； braved？ no：
Shall we be held under？ no；
We are freeborne；
And do take scorn
To be used so。
DOLL。
Peace there； I say！ hear Captain Lincoln speak； keep silence； till we
know his mind at large。
CLOWN。
Then largely deliver； speak； bully： and he that presumes to
interrupt thee in thy oration； this for him。
LINCOLN。
Then； gallant bloods； you whose free souls do scorn
To bear the inforced wrongs of aliens；
Add rage to resolution； fire the houses
Of these audacious strangers。 This is St。 Martins；
And yonder dwells Mutas； a wealthy Piccardy；
At the Green Gate；
De Barde； Peter Van Hollocke； Adrian Martine；
With many more outlandish fugitives。
Shall these enjoy more privilege than we
In our own country？ let's； then； become their slaves。
Since justice keeps not them in greater awe；
We be ourselves rough ministers at law。
CLOWN。
Use no more swords； nor no more words； but fire the houses； brave
captain courageous； fire me their houses。
DOLL。
Aye； for we may as well make bonfires on May day as at
midsummer： we'll alter the day in the calendar； and set it down in
flaming letters。
SHERWIN。
Stay！
No； that would much endanger the whole city；
Whereto I would not the least prejudice。
DOLL。
No； nor I neither； so may mine own house be burned for company。
I'll tell ye what： we'll drag the strangers into More fields； and there
bombast them till they stink again。
CLOWN。
And that's soon done； for they smell for fear already。
GEORGE。
Let some of us enter the strangers' houses；
And； if we find them there； then bring them forth。
DOLL。
But if ye bring them forth ere ye find them； I'll ne'er allow of that。
CLOWN。
Now； Mars； for thy honor；
Dutch or French；
So it be a wench；
I'll upon her。
＇Exeunt some and Sherwin。＇
WILLIAMSON。
Now； lads； sure shall we labor in our safety。
I hear the Mayor hath gathered men in arms；
And that Shreeve More an hour ago rised
Some of the Privy Counsel in at Ludgate：
Force now must make our peace； or else we fall；
'Twill soon be known we are the principal。
DOLL。
And what of that？ if thou beest afraid； husband； go home again；
and hide they head； for； by the Lord； I'll have a little sport； now we
are at it。
GEORGE。
Let's stand upon our swords； and； if they come；
Receive them as they were our enemies。
＇Enter Sherwin and the rest。＇
CLOWN。
A purchase； a purchase！ we have found； we ha found
DOLL。
What？
CLOWN。
Nothing； not a French Fleming nor a Fleming French to be found；
but all fled； in plain English。
LINCOLN。
How now！ have you found any？
SHERWIN。
No； not one； they're all fled。
LINCOLN。
Then fire the houses； that； the Mayor being busy
About the quenching of them； we may escape；
Burn down their kennels： let us straight away；
Least this day prove to us an ill May day。
CLOWN。
Fire； fire！ I'll be the first：
If hanging come； tis welcome； that's the worst。
＇Exeunt。＇
SCENE III。 The Guildhall。
＇Enter at one door Sir Thomas More and Lord Mayor； at another
door Sir John Munday hurt。＇
LORD MAYOR。
What； Sir John Munday； are you hurt？
SIR JOHN。
A little knock； my lord。 There was even now
A sort of prentices playing at cudgels；
I did command them to their masters' houses；
But now； I fear me； they are gone to join
With Lincoln； Sherwin； and their dangerous train。
MORE。
The captains of this insurrection
Have taken themselves to arms； and came but now
To both the Counters； where they have released
Sundry indebted prisoners； and from thence
I hear that they are gone into St。 Martins；
Where they intend to offer violence
To the amazed Lombards： therefore； my lord；
If we expect the safety of the city；
Tis time that force or parley do encounter
With these displeased men。
＇Enter a Messenger。＇
LORD MAYOR。
How now！ what news？
MESSENGER。
My lord； the rebels have broke open Newgate；
From whence they have delivered many prisoners；
Both felons and notorio