Sir Thomas More
Act I, Scene 3
London. A state apartment.
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Enter the Earls of Shrewsbury and Surrey, Sir Thomas Palmer,
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and Sir Roger Cholmley.
Shrewsbury
1 - 8
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My lord of Surrey, and Sir Thomas Palmer
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Might I with patience tempt your grave advice,
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I tell ye true, that in these dangerous times
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I do not like this frowning vulgar brow:
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My searching eye did never entertain
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A more distracted countenance of grief
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Than I have late observed
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In the displeased commons of the city.
Surrey
9 - 15
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’Tis strange that from his princely clemency,
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So well a tempered mercy and a grace,
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To all the aliens in this fruitful land,
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That this high-crested insolence should spring
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From them that breathe from his majestic bounty,
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That, fattened with the traffic of our country,
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Already leaps into his subjects’ face.
Palmer
16 - 24
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Yet Sherwin, hindered to commence his suit
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Against de Barde by the ambassador,
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By supplication made unto the king,
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Who, having first enticed away his wife
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And got his plate, near worth four hundred pound,
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To grieve some wronged citizens that found
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This vile disgrace oft cast into their teeth,
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Of late sues Sherwin, and arrested him
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For money for the boarding of his wife.
Surrey
25 - 29
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The more knave Barde, that, using Sherwin’s goods,
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Doth ask him interest for the occupation.
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I like not that, my lord of Shrewsbury:
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He’s ill bested that lends a well-paced horse
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Unto a man that will not find him meet.
Cholmley
30
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My lord of Surrey will be pleasant still.
Palmer
31 - 37
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Aye, being then employed by your honors
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To stay the broil that fell about the same,
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Where by persuasion I enforced the wrongs,
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And urged the grief of the displeased city,
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He answered me, and with a solemn oath,
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That, if he had the Mayor of London’s wife,
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He would keep her in despite of any English.
Surrey
38 - 41
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’Tis good, Sir Thomas, then, for you and me;
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Your wife is dead, and I a bachelor:
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If no man can possess his wife alone,
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I am glad, Sir Thomas Palmer, I have none.
Cholmley
42
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If a take a wife, ’a shall find her meet.
Surrey
43 - 47
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And reason good, Sir Roger Cholmley, too.
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If these hot Frenchmen needsly will have sport,
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They should in kindness yet defray the charge:
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’Tis hard when men possess our wives in quiet,
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And yet leave us in, to discharge their diet.
Shrewsbury
48 - 56
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My lord, our caters shall not use the market
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For our provision, but some stranger now
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Will take the vittailes from him he hath bought:
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A carpenter, as I was late informed,
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Who having bought a pair of doves in Cheap,
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Immediately a Frenchman took them from him,
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And beat the poor man for resisting him;
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And when the fellow did complain his wrongs,
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He was severely punished for his labor.
Surrey
57 - 63
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But if the English blood be once but up,
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As I perceive their hearts already full,
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I fear me much, before their spleens be cold,
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Some of these saucy aliens for their pride
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Will pay for ’t soundly, wheresoe’er it lights:
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This tide of rage that with the eddy strives,
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I fear me much, will drown too many lives.
Cholmley
64 - 70
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Now, afore God, your honors, pardon me:
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Men of your place and greatness are to blame.
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I tell ye true, my lords, in that his majesty
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Is not informed of this base abuse
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And daily wrongs are offered to his subjects;
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For, if he were, I know his gracious wisdom
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Would soon redress it.
Shrewsbury
71
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Sirrah, what news?
Cholmley
72
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None good, I fear.
First Messenger
73 - 78
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My lord, ill news; and worse, I fear, will follow,
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If speedily it be not looked unto:
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The city is in an uproar, and the Mayor
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Is threatened, if he come out of his house.
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A number poor artificers are up
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In arms and threaten to avenge their wrongs.
Cholmley
79 - 81
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We feared what this would come unto:
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This follows on the doctor’s publishing
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The bill of wrongs in public at the Spittle.
Shrewsbury
82 - 83
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That Doctor Beale may chance beshrew himself
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For reading of the bill.
Palmer
84 - 85
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Let us go gather forces to the Mayor,
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For quick suppressing this rebellious route.
Surrey
86 - 91
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Now I bethink myself of Master More,
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One of the sheriffs, a wise and learned gentleman,
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And in especial favor with the people:
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He, backed with other grave and sober men,
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May by his gentle and persuasive speech
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Perhaps prevail more than we can with power.
Shrewsbury
92 - 94
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Believe me, but your honor well advises:
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Let us make haste; for I do greatly fear
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Some of their graves this morning’s work will bear.
