KING

I marvel much my Lords what rage it is, That moves my people whom I love so deer, Under a show of quarrel good and joust, To rise against us thus in mutinies, With threatening force against our state and us: But if it be as we are given to know, By Letters and by credible report, A little spark hath kindled all this fire, Which must be quenched with circumspect regard, Before we feel the violence of the flame: Mean while, sweet Lady Mother be content, And think their malice shall not injure you, For we have tools to crop and cut them off, Ere they presume to touch our Royal self, And thus resolve, that you secure shall be, What hard mishap soever fallen to me. Health and good hap befall your Majesty. Admit him near, for we will hear him speak, 'Tis hard when betwixt the people and the King, Such terms of threats and parlies must be had, Would any Gentleman or man of worth, Be seen in such a cause without offence, Both to his God, his Country, and his Prince, Except he were enforced thereunto? How many men have they assembled in the field? With speed return to those unnatural men, And see Sir John you greet them thus from us, Tell them that we our self will come to them, To understand their meaning and their minds: And tell them if they have any evil sustained, Our self will see sufficient recompense: Go good Sir John, and tell them upon the Thames, Our self will meet with them, There to confer concerning their avail, Do so Sir John and kindly recommend us to them all. My Lords I hope we shall not need to fear, To meet those men that thus do threaten us. We will my Lords to morrow meet with them, And hear my Lords what 'tis that they demand. Mother your Grace shall needs to take no care, For you shall in our Tower of London stay, Till we return from Kenned to you again. My Lord see every thing prepared for us: And Mother thus I leave your Majesty, You to the Tower, and I must hence to Kenned, Sir Newton, & Lord Mayor, this wrong that I am offered, This open and unnatural injury, A King to be thus hardly handled, Of his own people and no other foes, But such as have been brought up and bred in his own bo some, Nourished with his tender care, To be thus robbed of Honour and of friends, Thus daunted with continual frights and fears, Haled on to what mishap I cannot tell: More herd mishap than had of Like been mine, Had I not marked been to be a King. If clemency may win their raging minds, To civil order, I'll approve it first. They shall perceive I come in quiet wise, Accompanied with the Lord Mayor here alone, Beside our Guard that does attend on us. No Lord Mayor, 'twill make them more outrageous, And be a mean to shed a world of blood: I more account the blood of Englishmen than so, But this is the place I have appointed them To hear them speak and have adventured, To come among this fowl varulie crew: And lo my Lords, see where the people comes. Newton, desire that one may speak for all; To tell the sum of their demand at full. I good my friends, I pray you heartily, Tell us your minds as mildly as you can: And we will answer you so well to all, As you shall not mislike in anything. It is enough, believe me if you will, For as I am your true succeeding Prince, I swear by all the Honour of my Crown, You shall have liberty and pardon all, As God hath given it and your lawful King. I pray thee fellow what countryman art thou? Well people ask you any more, Than to be free and have your liberty. Then take my word I promise it to you all, And eke my general pardon now forth with, Under seal and Letters patents to perform the same. Let every man betake him to his home, And with what speed our Clark's can make dispatch, Your pardons and your Letters patents, Shall be forth with sent down in every shire. We believe you all, and thank you all, And presently we will commandment give, That all this business may be quickly ready. What company be those Newton we do see? Be them of those that promised us to partly? Why then I see they stand not to their words, And sure they should not break it so with me, That have so carefully remembered them: This is a partly of great ingratitude. Lord Mayor, if it be so I wot, It is a dangerous and unnatural resolution. I pray thee Newton go and speak with them, Ask them what more it is that they require. Newton give it him if that be all the matter, Here take it and much good do it thee. Alas Lord Mayor, Newton is in great danger, And force cannot prevail amongst the rout. Lord Mayor for thy valiant Act in this, And Noble courage in the Kings behalf, Thou shalt perceive us not to be ungrateful. Our Captain is slain, our Captain is slain. Fear you not people for I am your King, And I will be your Captain and your friend. LOrd Mayor and well beloved friends, Whose readiness in aid of us and ours, Hath given joust trial of your loyalty, And love you bear to us and to our land: Sith by the help and mighty hand of God, These fowl unnatural broils are quieted, And this unhappy tumult well appeased: Having as law and duty binds us too, Given both Due praise and sacrifice of thanks, Unto our God from whom this goodness comes: Let me now to your counsel recommend, And to your sad opinions generally, The end of all these great and high affairs, This mighty business that we have in hand And that I may in brief unfold my mind, My Lords I would not yet, but mercy should, Against the law in this hard case prevail: And as I gave my word unto you all, That if they then had left their mutiny, Or rather had let fallen their wrongful Arms, Their pardon then should have been general, So will I not; yet God forbid I should, (Though law I know exact it at my hands) Behold so many of my country men, All done to death and strangled in one day, The end is this, that of that careless rout, That hath so far unnaturally rebelled, The chief offenders may be punished: And thus you know my mind, and so my Lords proceed, I pray you and no otherwise. There is but one or two in all the rout, Whom we would have to die for this offence, Especially that by name are noted men: One is a naughty and seditious Priest, They call him Ball, as we are let to know, A person more notorious than the rest, But this I do refer to your dispose. It is enough, I understand your minds, And well I wot in causes such as these, Kings may be found too full of clemency: But who are those that enter in this place. Morton to those condemned men we see, this a Pardon to them all: Excepti g namely those two f rmost men. I mean the Priest and him they call What Till r. To all the rest free Pardon we do send, And give the same to understand from us. It is no matter Morton let them bark, I trow they cannot bite when they be dead. And Lord Mayor for your valiant act, And dangerous attempt in our behalf, To free your country and your King from ill: In our behalf and in our common weal, We will accept it as the deed deserves, And thank you for this honourable attempt. To the end this deed shall rest in memory, Which shall continue for ever to the end: Lord Mayor I'll adjoin to thy degree, Another Title of a lasting fame. Kneel down William Walworth and receive, By mine own hand the order of Knighthood: Stand up Sir William first Knight of thy degree, But hence forth all which shall succeed thy place, Shall have Like honour for thy Noble deed. Beside that Time, shall never abridge thy fame, The City arms shall bear for memory, The bloody dagger the more for Walworths honour: Call forth your Harrold and receive your endue. Then sith these dangerous broils are over passed, With shedding of so little English blood. 'Tis for the fame and honour of a Prince, Well to reward the Actors of the same, So many of thy brethren as accompanied thee, In Smithfield here about this bold attempt, When time shall serve I'll Knight them as thou art And so Lord Mayor, Newton, Morton and the rest, Accompany us to guard us to the Tower, Where wele repose and rest our selves all night.