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HARPOOLE。
Well said； mad priest； we'll in and be friends。
＇Exeunt。＇
ACT II。 SCENE II。 London。 A room in the Axe Inn；
without Bishop…gate。
＇Enter sir Roger Acton； master Bourne； master Beverly；
and William Murley the brewer of Dunstable。＇
ACTON。
Now； master Murley； I am well assured
You know our arrant； and do like the cause；
Being a man affected as we are。
MURLEY。
Mary； God dild ye； dainty my dear！ no master； good sir
Roger Acton Knight； master Bourne； and master Beverly
esquires； gentlemen； and justices of the peaceno master I；
but plain William Murley； the brewer of Dunstable； your
honest neighbour； and your friend； if ye be men of my
profession。
BEVERLY。
Professed friends to Wickliffe； foes to Rome。
MURLEY。
Hold by me； lad； lean upon that staff； good master
Beverly： all of a house。 Say your mind； say your mind。
ACTON。
You know our faction now is grown so great；
Throughout the realm； that it begins to smoke
Into the Clergy's eyes； and the King's ear。
High time it is that we were drawn to head；
Our general and officers appointed；
And wars； ye wot； will ask great store of coin。
Able to strength our action with your purse；
You are elected for a colonel
Over a regiment of fifteen bands。
MURLEY。
Fue； paltry； paltry！ in and out； to and fro！ be it more or
less； upon occasion。 Lord have mercy upon us； what a
world is this！ Sir Roger Acton； I am but a Dunstable
man； a plain brewer； ye know： will lusty Cavaliering
captains； gentlemen； come at my calling； go at my
bidding？ Dainty my dear； they'll do a god of wax； a
horse or cheese； a prick and a pudding。 No； no； ye
must appoint some lord； or knight at least； to that place。
BOURNE。
Why； master Murley； you shall be a Knight：
Were you not in election to be shrieve？
Have ye not past all offices but that？
Have ye not wealth to make your wife a lady？
I warrant you； my lord； our General
Bestows that honor on you at first sight。
MURLEY。
Mary； God dild ye； dainty my dear！
But tell me； who shall be our General？
Where's the lord Cobham； sir John Old…castle；
That noble alms…giver； housekeeper； virtuous；
Religious gentleman？ Come to me there； boys；
Come to me there！
ACTON。
Why； who but he shall be our General？
MURLEY。
And shall he knight me； and make me colonel？
ACTON。
My word for that： sir William Murley； knight。
MURLEY。
Fellow sir Roger Acton； knight； all fellowsI mean
in armshow strong are we？ how many partners？ Our
enemies beside the King are might： be it more or less
upon occasion； reckon our force。
ACTON。
There are of us； our friends； and followers；
Three thousand and three hundred at the least；
Of northern lads four thousand； beside horse；
》From Kent there comes with sir John Old…castle
Seven thousand； then from London issue out；
Of masters； servants； strangers； prentices；
Forty odd thousands into Ficket field；
Where we appoint our special rendezvous。
MURLEY。
Fue； paltry； paltry； in and out； to and fro！ Lord have
mercy upon us； what a world is this！ Where's that
Ficket field； sir Roger？
ACTON。
Behind saint Giles in the field near Holborne。
MURLEY。
Newgate； up Holborne； S。 Giles in the field； and to
Tiborne： an old saw。 For the day； for the day？
ACTON。
On Friday next； the fourteenth day of January。
MURLEY。
Tyllie vallie； trust me never if I have any liking of that
day！ fue； paltry； paltry！ Friday； quoth a！ Dismal day！
Childermass day this year was Friday。
BEVERLY。
Nay； master Murley； if you observe the days；
We make some question of your constancy。
All days are like to men resolved in right。
MURLEY。
Say Amen； and say no more； but say； and hold；
master Beverly： Friday next； and Ficket field；
and William Murley； and his merry men shall be
all one。 I have half a score jades that draw my
beer carts；
And every jade shall bear a knave；
And every knave shall wear a jack；
And every jack shall have a skull；
And every skull shall shew a spear；
And every spear shall kill a foe
At Ficket field； at Ficket field。
John and Tom； and Dick and Hodge；
And Rafe and Robin； William & George；
And all my knaves shall fight like men；
At Ficket field on Friday next。
BOURNE。
What sum of money mean you to disburse？
MURLEY。
It may be modestly； decently； soberly； and handsomely
I may bring five hundred pound。
ACTON。
Five hundred； man！ five thousand's not enough！
A hundred thousand will not pay our men
Two months together。 Either come prepared
Like a brave Knight； and martial Colonel；
In glittering gold； and gallant furniture；
Bringing in coin a cart load at he least；
And all your followers mounted on good horse；
Or never come disgraceful to us all。
BEVERLY。
Perchance you may be chosen Treasurer。
Ten thousand pound's the least that you can bring。
MURLEY。
Paltry； paltry！ in and out； to and fro； upon occasion I
have ten thousand pound to spend； and ten too。 And
rather than the Bishop shall have his will of me for my
conscience； it shall out all。 Flame and flax； flame and
flax！ it was got with water and malt； and it shall fly
with fire and gun powder。 Sir Roger； a cart load of
money till the axetree crack； my self and my men in
Ficket field on Friday next： remember my Knighthood；
and my place。 There's my hand； I'll be there。
＇Exit。＇
ACTON。
See what Ambition may persuade men to；
In hope of honor he will spend himself。
BOURNE。
I never thought a Brewer half so rich。
BEVERLY。
Was never bankerout Brewer yet but one；
With using too much malt； too little water。
ACTON。
That's no fault in Brewers now…adays。
Come； away； about our business。
＇Exeunt。＇
ACT II。 SCENE III。 An audience…chamber in the
palace at Eltham。
＇Enter King Henry； Suffolk； Butler； and Old…castle
kneeling to the King。＇
KING。
Tis not enough； Lord Cobham； to submit；
You must forsake your gross opinion。
The Bishops find themselves much injured；
And though； for some good service you have done；
We for our part are pleased to pardon you；
Yet they will not so soon be satisfied。
COBHAM。
My gracious Lord； unto your Majesty；
Next unto my God； I owe my life：
And what is mine； either by nature's gift；
Or fortune's bounty； all is at your service。
But； for obedience to the Pope of Rome；
I owe him none； nor shall his shaveling priests
That are in England alter my belief。
If out of holy Scripture they can prove；
That I am in an error I will yield；
And gladly take instruction at their hands；
But otherwise； I do beseech your grace；
My conscience may not be encroached upon。
KING。
We would be loath to press our subjects' bodies；
Much less their souls； the dear redeemed part
Of him that is the ruler of us all；
Yet let me counsel ye； that might command：
Do not presume to tempt them with ill words；
Nor suffer any meetings to be had
Within your house； but to the uttermost；
Disperse the flocks of this new gathering sect。
COBHAM。
My liege； if any breathe； that dares come forth；
And say my life in any of these points
Deserves th'attaindor of ignoble thoughts；
Here stand I； craving no remorse at all；
But even the utmost rigor may be shown。
KING。
Let it suffice； we know your loyalty。
What have you there？
COBHAM。
A deed of clemency；
Your Highness' pardon for Lord Powis' life；
Which I did beg； and you； my noble Lord；
Of gracious favour did vouchsafe to grant。
KING。
But yet it is not signed with our hand。
COBHAM。
Not yet； my Liege。
＇One ready with pen and ink。＇
KING。
The fact； you say； was done；
Not of prepensed malice； but by chance。
COBHAM。
Upon mine honor so； no otherwise。
KING。
There is his pardon； bid him make amends；
＇Writes。＇
And cleanse his soul to God for his offence。
What we remit； is but the body's scourge
＇Enter Bishop。＇
How now； Lord Bishop？
BISHOP。
Justice； dread Sovereign！
As thou art King； so grant I may have justice。
KING。
What means this exclamation？ let us know。
BISHOP。
Ah； my good Lord； the state's abused；
And our decrees most shamefully profaned。
KING。
How？ or by whom？
BISHOP。
Even by this heretic；
This Jew； this Traitor to your majesty。
COBHAM。
Prelate； thou liest； even in thy greasy maw；
Or whosoever twits me with the name
Of either traitor； or of heretic。
KING。
Forbear； I say： and； Bishop； shew the cause
》From whence this late abuse hath been derived。
BISHOP。
Thus； mighty King：By general consent；
A messenger was sent to cite this Lord；
To make appearance in the consistory；
And coming to his house； a ruffian slave；
One of his daily followers； met the man；
Who； knowing him to be a parroter；
Assaults him first and after； in contempt
Of us and our proceedings； makes him cate
The written process； parchment； scale and all：
Whereby his master neither was brought forth；
Nor we but scorned for our authority。
KING。
When was this done？
BISHOP。
At six a clock this morning。
KING。
And when came you to court？
COBHAM。
Last night； my Lord。
KING。
By this it seems； he is not guilty of it；
And you have done him wrong t'accuse him so。
BISHOP。
But it was done； my lord； by his appointment；
Or else his man durst ne'er have been so bold。
KING。
Or else you durst be bold to interrupt；