the life of sir john oldcastle-第5节
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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;