that doeth wrong his Soueraigne Are you content with this that I haue done Iustice. I content George For highly hast thou honourd Wakefield towne In cutting of proud Mannering so short Come thou shalt be my welcome ghest to day For well thou hast deseru'd reward and fauour Exeunt omnes Enter olde Musgroue and yong Cuddie his sonne Cuddie Nowe gentle father list vnto thy sonne And for my mothers loue That earst was blythe and bonny in thine eye Graunt one petition that I shall demaund Olde Musgroue What is that my Cuddie Cuddie Father you knowe the ancient enmitie of late Betweene the Musgroues and the wily Scottes Whereof they haue othe Not to leaue one aliue that strides a launce O Father you are olde and wayning age vnto the graue Olde William Musgroue which whilome was thought The brauest horseman in all Westmerland Is weake and forst to stay his arme vpon a staffe That earst could wield a launce Then gentle Father resigne the hold to me Giue armes to youth and honour vnto age Mus. Auaunt false hearted boy my ioynts doe quake Euen with anguish of thy verie words Hath William Musgroue seene an hundred yeres Haue I bene feard and dreaded of the Scottes That when they heard my name in any roade They fled away and posted thence amaine And shall I dye with shame nowe in mine age No Cuddie no thus resolue I Here haue I liu'd and here will Musgroue dye Exeunt omnes Enter Lord Bonfild Sir Gilbert Armestrong M. Grime and Bettris his daughter Bon. Now gētle Grime God a mercy for our good chere Our fare was royall and our welcome great And sith so kindly thou hast entertained vs If we returne with happie victorie We will deale as friendly with thee in recompence Grime Your welcome was but dutie gentle Lord For wherefore haue we giuen vs our wealth But to make our betters welcome when they come O this goes hard when traytours must be flattered But life is sweete and I cannot withstand it God I hope will reuenge the quarrell of my King Gilb. What said you Grime Grime I say sir Gilbert looking on my daughter I curse the houre that ere I got the girle For sir she may haue many wealthy suters And yet she disdaines them all to haue Poore George a Greene vnto her husband Bonfild. On that good Grime I am talking with thy Daughter But she in quirkes and quiddities of loue Sets me to schoole she is so ouerwise But gentle girle if thou wilt forsake The pinner and be my loue I will aduaunce thee high To dignifie those haires of amber hiew I le grace them with a chaplet made of pearle Set with choice rubies sparkes and diamonds Planted vpon a veluet hood to hide that head Wherein two saphires burne like sparkling fire This will I doe faire Bettris and farre more If thou wilt loue the Lord of Doncaster Bettris. Heigh ho my heart is in a higher place Perhaps on the Earle if that be he See where he comes or angrie or in loue For why his colour looketh discontent Kendall Come Nick followe me Enter the Earle of Kendall and Nicholas Mannering Bonfild. Howe nowe my Lord what newes Kendall Such newes Bonfild as will make thee laugh And fret thy fill to heare how Nick was vsde Why the Iustices stand on their termes Nick as you knowe is hawtie in his words He layd the lawe vnto the Iustices With threatning braues that one lookt on another Ready to stoope but that a churle came in One George a Greene the pinner of the towne And with his dagger drawne layd hands on Nick And by no beggers swore that we were traytours Rent our Commission and vpon a braue Made Nick to eate the seales or brooke the stabbe Poore Mannering afraid came posting hither straight Bettris. Oh louely George fortune be still thy friend And as thy thoughts be high so be thy minde In all accords euen to thy hearts desire Bonfild. What sayes faire Bettris Grimes My Lord she is praying for George a Greene He is the man and she will none but him Bonfild. But him why looke on me my girle Thou knowest that yesternight I courted thee And swore at my returne to wedde with thee Then tell me loue shall I haue all thy faire Bettris. I care not for Earle nor yet for Knight Nor Baron that is so bold For George a Greene the merrie pinner He hath my heart in hold Bonfild. Bootlesse my Lord are many vaine replies Let vs hye vs to Wakefield and send her the pinners head Kend. It shall be so Grime gramercie Shut vp the daughter bridle her affects Let me not misse her when I make returne Therefore looke to her as to thy life good Grime Grime I warrant you my Lord Ex. Grime Bettris. Ken. And Bettris leaue a base pinner for to loue an Earle Faine would I see this pinner George a Greene It shall be thus Nick Mannering shall leade on the battell And we three will goe to Wakefield in some disguise But howsoeuer I le haue his head to day Ex. omnes Enter the King of Scots Lord Humes with souldiers and Iohnie King Why Iohnie then the Earle of Kendall is blithe And hath braue men that troupe along with him Iohnie I marie my liege and hath good men That come along with him And vowes to meete you at Scrasblesea God willing King If good S. Andrewe lend King Iame leaue I will be with him at the pointed day But soft whose pretie boy art thou Enter Iane a Barleys sonne Ned. Sir I am sonne vnto Sir Iohn a Barley Eldest and all that ere my mother had Edward my name Iame. And whither art thou going pretie Ned Ned. To seeke some birdes and kill them if I can And now my scholemaster is also gone So haue I libertie to ply my bowe For when he comes I stirre not from my booke Iames. Lord Humes but marke the visage of this child By him I gesse the beautie of his mother None but Laeda could breede Helena Tell me Ned who is within with thy mother Ned. Not but her selfe and houshold seruants sir If you would speake with her knocke at this gate Iames. Iohnie knocke at that gate Enter Iane a Barley vpon the walles Iane O I am betraide what multitudes be these Iames. Feare not faire Iane for all these men are mine And all thy friends if thou be friend to me I am thy louer Iames the King of Scottes That oft haue sued and wooed with many letters Painting my outward passions with my pen When as my inward soule did bleede for woe Little regard was giuen to my sute But haply thy husbands presence wrought it Therefore sweete Iane I fitted me to time And hearing that thy husband was from home Am come to craue what long I haue desirde Ned. Nay soft you sir you get no entrance here That seeke to wrong sir Iohn a Barley so And offer such dishonour to my mother Iames. Why
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
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
what dishonour Ned Ned. Though young yet often haue I heard My father say No greater wrong than to be made cuckold Were I of age or were my bodie strong Were he ten Kings I would shoote him to the heart That should attempt to giue sir Iohn the horne Mother let him not come in I will goe lie at lockie Millers house Iames. Stay him Iane I well said Ned thou hast giuen the King His answere For were the ghost of Cesar on the earth Wrapped in the wonted glorie of his honour He should not make me wrong my husband so But good King Iames is pleasant as I gesse And meanes to trie what humour I am in Else would he neuer haue brought an hoste of men To haue them witnes of his Scottish lust Iames. Iane in faith Iane Iane Neuer reply for I protest by the highest Holy God That doometh iust reuenge for things amisse King Iames of all men shall not haue my loue Iames. Then list to me Saint Andrewe be my boote But I le rase thy castle to the verie ground Vnlesse thou open the gate and let me in Iane I feare thee not King Iamie doe thy worst This castle is too strong for thee to scale Besides to morrowe will sir Iohn come home Iames. Well Iane since thou disdainst King Iames loue I le drawe thee on with sharpe and deepe extremes For by my fathers soule this brat of thine Shall perish here before thine eyes Vnlesse thou open the gate and let me in Iane O deepe extremes my heart begins to breake My little Ned lookes pale for feare Cheare thee my boy I will doe much for thee Ned. But not so much as to dishonour me Iane And if thou dyest I cannot liue sweete Ned Ned. Then dye with honour mother dying chaste Iane I am armed My husbands loue his honour and his fame Ioynes victorie by vertue Nowe King Iames if mothers teares cannot alay thine ire Then butcher him for I will neuer yeeld The sonne shall dye before I wrong the father Iames. Why then he dyes Allarum within Enter a Messenger Messenger My Lord Musgroue is at hand Iames. Who Musgroue The deuill he is Come My horse Exeunt omnes Enter olde Musgroue with King Iames prisoner Mus. Nowe King Iames thou art my prisoner Iames. Not thine but fortunes prisoner Enter Cuddie Cuddie Father the field is ours their colours we Haue seyzed And Humes is stayne I slewe him hand to hand Mus. God and Saint George Cuddie O father I am sore athirst Iane Come in young Cuddie come and drinke thy fill Bring in King Iame with you as a ghest For all this broile was cause he could not enter Exeunt omnes Enter George a Greene alone George The sweete content of men that liue in loue Breedes fretting humours in a restlesse minde And fansie being checkt by fortunes spite Growes too impatient in her sweete desires Sweete to those men whome loue leades on to blisse But sowre to me whose happe is still amisse Enter the Clowne Ienkin. Marie amen sir George Sir what doe you crye Amen at Ienkin. Why did not you talke of loue George Howe doe you knowe that Ienkin. Well though I say it that should not say it There are fewe fellowes in our parish So netled with loue as I haue bene of late Geor. Sirra I thought no lesse when the other morning You rose so earely to goe to your wenches Sir I had thought you had gone about my honest busines Ienkin. Trow you haue hit it for master be it knowne To you There is some good will betwixt Madge the Sousewife And I Marie she hath another louer George Canst thou brooke any riuals in thy loue Ien. A rider no he is a sow-gelder and goes a foote But Madge pointed to meete me in your wheate close Georg. Well did she meete you there Ien. Neuer make question of that And first I saluted her with a greene gowne And after fell as hard a wooing As if the Priest had bin at our backs to haue married vs Georg. What did she grant Ien. Did she graunt Neuer make question of that And she gaue me a shirt coler Wrought ouer with no counterfet stuffe Georg. What was it gold Ien. Nay t was better than gold Georg. What was it Ien. Right Couentrie blew Who had no sooner come there but wot you who came by Georg. No who Ien. Clim the sow-gelder Georg. Came he by Ien. He spide Madge and I sit together He leapt from his horse laid his hand on his dagger and Began to sweare Now I seeing he had a dagger And I nothing but this twig in my hand I gaue him faire words and said nothing He comes to me and takes me by the bosome You hoorsen shue said he hold my horse And looke he take no colde in his feete No marie shall he sir quoth I I le lay my cloake vnderneath him I tooke my cloake spread it all along And his horse on the midst of it Georg. Thou clowne didst thou set his horse vpon Thy cloake Ien. I but marke how I serued him Madge and he was no sooner gone downe into the ditch But I plucked out my knife Cut foure hoales in my cloake and made his horse stand On the bare ground Geor. T was well done now sir go and suruay my fields If you finde any cattell in the corne to pound with them Ien. And if I finde any in the pound I shall turne them out Exit Ienkin Enter the Earle of Kendal Lord Bonfield sir Gilbert all disguised with a traine of men Kend. Now we haue put the horses in the corne Let vs stand in some corner for to heare What brauing tearmes the pinner will breathe When he spies our horses in the corne Enter Iacke blowing of his horne Ien. O master where are you we haue a prise Georg. A prise what is it Ienkin. Three goodly horses in our wheate close George Three horses in our wheat close whose be they Ienkin. Marie that 's a riddle to me but they are there Veluet horses and I neuer sawe such horses before As my dutie was I put off my cappe and said as followeth My masters what doe you make in our close One of them hearing me aske what he made there held vp his head and neighed and after his maner laught as heartily as if a mare had bene tyed to his girdle My masters said I it is no laughing matter for if my master take you here you goe as round as a top to the pound Another vntoward iade hearing me threaten him to the pound and to tell you of them cast vp both his heeles and let such a monstrous great fart that was as much as in his language to say A fart for the pound and a fart for George a Greene Nowe I hearing this put on my cap blewe my horne called them all iades and came to tell you George Nowe sir goe and driue me those three horses To the pound Ienkin. Doe