University of Virginia Library

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, tis no matter, and Iacke Strawe godamercie,
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,
VVele so deale of ourselues as wele reuenge this villainy,

Iacke Strawe.
The king God wot knowes not whats done by such poore men as we,
But wele 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 Ile 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, Ile helpe thee,
There was no place for surgerie,
And old men knew not vsurie:
Now tis 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 twil 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 Ile die.
How saist thou Wat, shall it bee so?

Wat Tyler.
I Iacke Straw, or else Ile 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,
Tis 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 wele 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 lets about it.

VVat Tyler.
Agreed fellow Captaines to London.

Exeunt all but Nobs.
Nobs.
Heres euen worke towards for the Hangman, did you euer see such a crue,
After so bad a beginning, whats 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:
Tis 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 say the beginning of this Riot,
May chaunce colt many a mans life before all be at quiet:
And I faith Ile 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 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 no we 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 peril 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 Ile 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 afighting, 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 wor-
ships, 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 wele lie,

And if the King will come thither to know our pleasures
so it is: if not, I know what wele doo.

Wat Tyler.
Gogs bloud Iacke, haue we the cards in our hands?
Lets 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 mazedminde,
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 tis 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:
Meane 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 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,
Tis 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 direst 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 robe 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 tis that they demand.
Mother your Grace shall need to take no care,
For youll all 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 my 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.