William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (371 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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LINCOLN A plague on them, they will not hold their peace. The devil cannot rule them.
MORE
Then what a rough and riotous charge have you
To lead those that the devil cannot rule.—
Good masters, hear me speak.
To lead those that the devil cannot rule.—
Good masters, hear me speak.
DOLL Ay, by th’ mass will we, More. Thou’rt a good housekeeper, and I thank thy good worship for my brother Arthur Watchins.
ALL THE OTHER CITIZENS Peace, peace!
MORE
Look what you do offend you cry upon;
That is, the peace. Not one of you here present,
Had there such fellows lived when you were babes
That could have topped the peace as now you would,
The peace wherein you have till now grown up
Had been ta’en from you, and the bloody times
Could not have brought you to the state of men.
Alas, poor things! What is it you have got
Although we grant you get the thing you seek?
That is, the peace. Not one of you here present,
Had there such fellows lived when you were babes
That could have topped the peace as now you would,
The peace wherein you have till now grown up
Had been ta’en from you, and the bloody times
Could not have brought you to the state of men.
Alas, poor things! What is it you have got
Although we grant you get the thing you seek?
GEORGE BETTS Marry, the removing of the strangers, which cannot choose but much advantage the poor handicrafts of the city.
MORE
Grant them removed, and grant that this your noise
Hath chid down all the majesty of England.
Imagine that you see the wretched strangers,
Their babies at their backs, with their poor luggage,
Plodding to th’ ports and coasts for transportation,
And that you sit as kings in your desires,
Authority quite silenced by your brawl,
And you in ruff of your opinions clothed:
What had you got? I’ll tell you: you had taught
How insolence and strong hand should prevail,
How order should be quelled. And by this pattern
Not one of you should live an aged man;
For other ruffians, as their fancies wrought,
With selfsame hand, self reasons, and self right,
Would shark on you, and men, like ravenous fishes,
Would feed on one another.
Hath chid down all the majesty of England.
Imagine that you see the wretched strangers,
Their babies at their backs, with their poor luggage,
Plodding to th’ ports and coasts for transportation,
And that you sit as kings in your desires,
Authority quite silenced by your brawl,
And you in ruff of your opinions clothed:
What had you got? I’ll tell you: you had taught
How insolence and strong hand should prevail,
How order should be quelled. And by this pattern
Not one of you should live an aged man;
For other ruffians, as their fancies wrought,
With selfsame hand, self reasons, and self right,
Would shark on you, and men, like ravenous fishes,
Would feed on one another.
DOLL Before God, that’s as true as the gospel.
GEORCE BETTS
LINCOLN
Nay, this’ a sound fellow, I tell you. Let’s mark him.
LINCOLN
Nay, this’ a sound fellow, I tell you. Let’s mark him.
MORE
Let me set up before your thoughts, good friends,
One supposition, which if you will mark
You shall perceive how horrible a shape
Your innovation bears. First, ‘tis a sin
Which oft th’apostle did forewarn us of,
Urging obedience to authority;
And ‘twere no error if I told you all
You were in arms ’gainst God.
One supposition, which if you will mark
You shall perceive how horrible a shape
Your innovation bears. First, ‘tis a sin
Which oft th’apostle did forewarn us of,
Urging obedience to authority;
And ‘twere no error if I told you all
You were in arms ’gainst God.
ALL CITIZENS Marry, God forbid thatl
MORE Nay, certainly you are. no
For to the king God hath His office lent
Of dread, of justice, power, and command;
Hath bid him rule, and willed you to obey.
And, to add ampler majesty to this,
He hath not only lent the king His figure,
His throne and sword, but given him His own name:
Calls him a god on earth. What do you, then,
Rising ‘gainst him that God Himself installs,
But rise ’gainst God? What do you to your souls
In doing this? O, desperate as you are,
Wash your foul minds with tears, and those same hands
That you, like rebels, lift against the peace,
Lift up for peace; and your unreverent knees,
Make them your feet. To kneel to be forgiven
Is safer wars than ever you can make
Whose discipline is riot.
In, in, to your obedience! Why, even your hurly
Cannot proceed but by obedience.
Tell me but this: What rebel captain,
As mutinies are incident, by his name
Can still the rout? Who will obey a traitor?
Or how can well that proclamation sound
When there is no addition but ‘a rebel’
To qualify a rebel? You’ll put down strangers,
Kill them, cut their throats, possess their houses,
And lead the majesty of law in lyam
To slip him like a hound.
Alas, alas!
Say now the King,
As he is clement if th’offender mourn,
Should so much come too short of your great trespass
As but to banish you: whither would you go?
What country, by the nature of your error,
Should give you harbour? Go you to France or
Flanders,
To any German province, Spain or Portugal,
Nay, anywhere that not adheres to England:
Why, you must needs be strangers. Would you be
pleased
To find a nation of such barbarous temper
That, breaking out in hideous violence,
Would not afford you an abode on earth,
Whet their detested knives against your throats,
Spurn you like dogs, and like as if that God
Owed not nor made not you, nor that the elements
Were not all appropriate to your comforts,
But chartered unto them? What would you think
To be thus used? This is the strangers’ case,
And this your mountainish inhumanity.
Of dread, of justice, power, and command;
Hath bid him rule, and willed you to obey.
And, to add ampler majesty to this,
He hath not only lent the king His figure,
His throne and sword, but given him His own name:
Calls him a god on earth. What do you, then,
Rising ‘gainst him that God Himself installs,
But rise ’gainst God? What do you to your souls
In doing this? O, desperate as you are,
Wash your foul minds with tears, and those same hands
That you, like rebels, lift against the peace,
Lift up for peace; and your unreverent knees,
Make them your feet. To kneel to be forgiven
Is safer wars than ever you can make
Whose discipline is riot.
In, in, to your obedience! Why, even your hurly
Cannot proceed but by obedience.
Tell me but this: What rebel captain,
As mutinies are incident, by his name
Can still the rout? Who will obey a traitor?
Or how can well that proclamation sound
When there is no addition but ‘a rebel’
To qualify a rebel? You’ll put down strangers,
Kill them, cut their throats, possess their houses,
And lead the majesty of law in lyam
To slip him like a hound.
Alas, alas!
Say now the King,
As he is clement if th’offender mourn,
Should so much come too short of your great trespass
As but to banish you: whither would you go?
What country, by the nature of your error,
Should give you harbour? Go you to France or
Flanders,
To any German province, Spain or Portugal,
Nay, anywhere that not adheres to England:
Why, you must needs be strangers. Would you be
pleased
To find a nation of such barbarous temper
That, breaking out in hideous violence,
Would not afford you an abode on earth,
Whet their detested knives against your throats,
Spurn you like dogs, and like as if that God
Owed not nor made not you, nor that the elements
Were not all appropriate to your comforts,
But chartered unto them? What would you think
To be thus used? This is the strangers’ case,
And this your mountainish inhumanity.
ALL CITIZENS Faith, a says true. Let us do as we may be done by.
ALL CITIZENS
LINCOLN We’ll be ruled by you, Master More, if you’ll stand our friend to procure our pardon.
LINCOLN We’ll be ruled by you, Master More, if you’ll stand our friend to procure our pardon.
MORE
Submit you to these noble gentlemen,
Entreat their mediation to the King,
Give up yourself to form, obey the magistrate,
And there’s no doubt but mercy may be found
If you so seek it.
Entreat their mediation to the King,
Give up yourself to form, obey the magistrate,
And there’s no doubt but mercy may be found
If you so seek it.
[
Addition 11 (Shakespeare)
]
Addition 11 (Shakespeare)
]
[
Original Text
(
Munday
)]
Original Text
(
Munday
)]
ALL CITIZENS We yield, and desire his highness’ mercy.
They lay by their weapons
They lay by their weapons
MORE
No doubt his majesty will grant it you.
But you must yield to go to several prisons
Till that his highness’ will be further known.
But you must yield to go to several prisons
Till that his highness’ will be further known.
ALL CITIZENS Most willingly, whither you will have us.
SHREWSBURY
Lord Mayor, let them be sent to several prisons,
And there, in any case, be well entreated.
My lord of Surrey, please you to take horse
And ride to Cheapside, where the aldermen
Are with their several companies in arms.
Will them to go unto their several wards,
Both for the stay of further mutiny
And for the apprehending of such persons
As shall contend.
And there, in any case, be well entreated.
My lord of Surrey, please you to take horse
And ride to Cheapside, where the aldermen
Are with their several companies in arms.
Will them to go unto their several wards,
Both for the stay of further mutiny
And for the apprehending of such persons
As shall contend.
SURREY
I go, my noble lord.
Exit
SHREWSBURY
We’ll straight go tell his highness these good news.
Withal, Sheriff More, I’ll tell him how your breath
Hath ransomed many a subject from sad death.
Exit
Withal, Sheriff More, I’ll tell him how your breath
Hath ransomed many a subject from sad death.
Exit
LORD MAYOR
Lincoln and Sherwin, you shall both to Newgate,
The rest unto the Counters.
The rest unto the Counters.
PALMER
Go, guard them hence. A little breath well spent
Cheats expectation in his fair’st event.
Cheats expectation in his fair’st event.
DOLL Well, Sheriff More, thou hast done more with thy good words than all they could with their weapons. Give me thy hand. Keep thy promise now for the King’s pardon, or, by the Lord, I’ll call thee a plain cony-catcher.
LINCOLN
Farewell, Sheriff More. And as we yield by thee
So make our peace; then thou deal’st honestly.
So make our peace; then thou deal’st honestly.
CLOWN BETTS Ay, and save us from the gallows, else a deals double honestly.
[
The Citizens
]
are led away
The Citizens
]
are led away
LORD MAYOR
Master Sheriff More, you have preserved the city
From a most dangerous fierce commotion.
For if this limb of riot here in St Martin’s
Had joined with other branches of the city
That did begin to kindle, ’twould have bred
Great rage. That rage much murder would have fed.
From a most dangerous fierce commotion.
For if this limb of riot here in St Martin’s
Had joined with other branches of the city
That did begin to kindle, ’twould have bred
Great rage. That rage much murder would have fed.
PALMER
Not steel but eloquence hath wrought this good.
You have redeemed us from much threatened blood.
You have redeemed us from much threatened blood.
MORE
My lord, and brethren, what I here have spoke
My country’s love and, next, the city’s care
Enjoined me to; which since it thus prevails,
Think God hath made weak More His instrument
To thwart sedition’s violent intent.
I think ’twere best, my lord, some two hours hence
We meet at the Guildhall, and there determine
That thorough every ward the watch be clad
In armour. But especially provide
That at the city gates selected men,
Substantial citizens, do ward tonight,
For fear of further mischief.
My country’s love and, next, the city’s care
Enjoined me to; which since it thus prevails,
Think God hath made weak More His instrument
To thwart sedition’s violent intent.
I think ’twere best, my lord, some two hours hence
We meet at the Guildhall, and there determine
That thorough every ward the watch be clad
In armour. But especially provide
That at the city gates selected men,
Substantial citizens, do ward tonight,
For fear of further mischief.
LORD MAYOR It shall be so.
Enter Shrewsbury
But yon, methinks, my lord of Shrewsbury.
SHREWSBURY
My lord, his majesty sends loving thanks
To you, your brethren, and his faithful subjects
Your careful citizens. But Master More, to you
A rougher yet as kind a salutation.
Your name is yet too short. Nay, you must kneel.
A knight’s creation is this knightly steel.
To you, your brethren, and his faithful subjects
Your careful citizens. But Master More, to you
A rougher yet as kind a salutation.
Your name is yet too short. Nay, you must kneel.
A knight’s creation is this knightly steel.
⌈
More kneels
⌉
Rise up Sir Thomas More.
⌈
He knights More
⌉
MORE ⌈
rising
⌉
rising
⌉
I thank his highness for thus honouring me.
SHREWSBURY
This is but first taste of his princely favour,
For it hath pleased his high majesty,
Noting your wisdom and deserving merit,
To put this staff of honour in your hand,
For he hath chose you of his Privy Council.
For it hath pleased his high majesty,
Noting your wisdom and deserving merit,
To put this staff of honour in your hand,
For he hath chose you of his Privy Council.
⌈
He gives More a staff of office
⌉
MORE
My lord, for to deny my sovereign’s bounty
Were to drop precious stones into the heaps
Whence first they came.
To urge my imperfections in excuse
Were all as stale as custom. No, my lord,
My service is my king’s. Good reason why,
Since life or death hangs on our sovereign’s eye.
Were to drop precious stones into the heaps
Whence first they came.
To urge my imperfections in excuse
Were all as stale as custom. No, my lord,
My service is my king’s. Good reason why,
Since life or death hangs on our sovereign’s eye.
LORD MAYOR
His majesty hath honoured much the city
In this his princely choice.
In this his princely choice.
MORE My lord and brethren,
Though I depart for court, my love shall rest
〈 〉
I now must sleep in court, sound sleeps forbear.
The chamberlain to state is public care.
Yet in this rising of my private blood
My studious thoughts shall tend the city’s good.
〈 〉
I now must sleep in court, sound sleeps forbear.
The chamberlain to state is public care.
Yet in this rising of my private blood
My studious thoughts shall tend the city’s good.
Enter Croft
Enter Crofts
SHREWSBURY
How now, Crofts? What news?
CROFTS
My lord, his highness sends express command
That a record be entered of this riot,
And that the chief and capital offenders
Be thereon straight arraigned; for himself intends
To sit in person on the rest tomorrow
At Westminster.
That a record be entered of this riot,
And that the chief and capital offenders
Be thereon straight arraigned; for himself intends
To sit in person on the rest tomorrow
At Westminster.
SHREWSBURY
Lord Mayor, you hear your charge.
Come, good Sir Thomas More, to court let’s hie.
You are th’appeaser of this mutiny.
You are th’appeaser of this mutiny.
MORE
My lord, farewell. New days begets new tides.
Life whirls ’bout fate, then to a grave it slides.
Life whirls ’bout fate, then to a grave it slides.
Exeunt severally
Sc. 7Enter Master Sheriff, and meet a Messenger
SHERIFF
Messenger, what news?
MESSENGER Is execution yet performed?
SHERIFF
Not yet. The carts stand ready at the stairs,
And they shall presently away to Tyburn.
And they shall presently away to Tyburn.
MESSENGER
Stay, Master Sheriff. It is the Council’s pleasure,
For more example in so bad a case,
A gibbet be erected in Cheapside
Hard by the Standard, whither you must bring
Lincoln, and those that were the chief with him,
To suffer death, and that immediately.
For more example in so bad a case,
A gibbet be erected in Cheapside
Hard by the Standard, whither you must bring
Lincoln, and those that were the chief with him,
To suffer death, and that immediately.
Enter Officers
SHERIFF
It shall be done, sir.
Exit Messenger
Exit Messenger
Officers, be speedy.
Call for a gibbet, see it be erected.
Others make haste to Newgate; bid them bring
The prisoners hither, for they here must die.
Away, I say, and see no time be slacked.
Others make haste to Newgate; bid them bring
The prisoners hither, for they here must die.
Away, I say, and see no time be slacked.
OFFICERS We go, sir.
SHERIFF That’s well said, fellows. Now you do your duty.
Exeunt some
⌈
Officers
⌉
severally. Others set up the gibbet
Exeunt some
⌈
Officers
⌉
severally. Others set up the gibbet
God for his pity help these troublous times!
The street’s stopped up with gazing multitudes.
Command our armed officers with halberds
Make way for entrance of the prisoners.
Let proclamation once again be made
That every householder, on pain of death,
Keep in his prentices, and every man
Stand with a weapon ready at his door,
As he will answer to the contrary.
The street’s stopped up with gazing multitudes.
Command our armed officers with halberds
Make way for entrance of the prisoners.
Let proclamation once again be made
That every householder, on pain of death,
Keep in his prentices, and every man
Stand with a weapon ready at his door,
As he will answer to the contrary.
FIRST OFFICER I’ll see it done, sir.
Exit
Exit
Enter another Offices
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