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there is an order, which if I do not keep, I shall be turned out of mine office.

SHOE. What is that, sir?

JEN. Whensoever I go to fight with any body, I use to flourish my staff thrice about my head before I strike, and then shew no favour.

SHOE. Well, sir, and till then I will not strike thee.

JEN. Well, sir, here is once, twice-here is my hand, I will never do it the third time.

SHOE. Why then, I see, we shall not fight.

JEN. Faith, no: come, I will give thee two pots of the best ale, and be friends.

SHOE. Faith, I see, it is as hard to get water out of a flint, as to get him to have a bout with me: therefore I will enter into him for some good cheer. My friend, I see thou art a faint-hearted fellow, thou hast no stomach to fight, therefore let us go to the ale-house and drink.

JEN. Well, content; go thy ways and say thy prayers, thou 'scapest my hands to-day.

[Exeunt.

Enter GEORGE-A-GREENE and BETTRIS.

GEO. Tell me, sweet love, how is thy mind content,

What, canst thou brook to live with George-a-Greene? BET. O, George, how little pleasing are these words?

Came I from Bradford for the love of thee?

And left my father for so sweet a friend?
Here will I live until my life do end.

Enter ROBIN HOOD, and MARIAN, and his train.

GEO. Happy am I to have so sweet a love. But what are these come tracing here along?

BET. Three men come striking through the corn, my love.

GEO. Back again, you foolish travellers,

For you are wrong, and may not wend this way. ROB. That were great shame. Now by my soul, proud sir,

We be three tall* yeomen, and thou art but one.
Come, we will forward in despite of him.

GEO. Leap the ditch, or I will make you skip.
What, cannot the highway serve your turn,
But you must make a path over the corn?

ROB. Why, art thou mad? dar'st thou encounter three?

We are no babes, man, look upon our limbs.
GEO. Sirrah,

The biggest limbs have not the stoutest hearts.
Were ye as good as Robin Hood, and his three merry

men,

I'll drive you back the same way that ye came.
Be ye men, ye scorn to encounter me all at once;
But be ye cowards, set upon me all three,
And try the Pinner what he dares perform.
SCAR. Were thou as high in deeds

As thou art haughty in words,

Thou well might'st be a champion for a king:
But empty vessels have the loudest sounds,
And cowards prattle more than men of worth.
GEO. Sirrah, darest thou try me?
SCAR. Ay, sirrah, that I dare.

[They fight, and George-a-Greene beats him. MUCH. How now? what, art thou down? Come, sir, I am next.

[They fight, and George-a-Greene beats him. ROB. Come, sirrah, now to me: spare me not, For I'll not spare thee.

* tall] See note* vol. i. p. 118.

GEO. Make no doubt, I will be as liberal to thee. [They fight; Robin Hood stays. ROB. Stay, George, for here I do protest, Thou art the stoutest champion that ever I Laid hands upon.

GEO. Soft, you sir, by your leave, you lie, You never yet laid hands on me.

ROB. George, wilt thou forsake Wakefield,
And go with me ?

Two liveries will I give thee every year,
And forty crowns shall be thy fee.
GEO. Why, who art thou?

ROB. Why, Robin Hood:

I am come hither with my Marian,
And these my yeomen for to visit thee.

GEO. Robin Hood!

Next to king Edward art thou lieft to me. Welcome, sweet Robin; welcome, maid Marian; And welcome, you my friends. Will you to my poor house?

You shall have wafer cakes your fill,

A piece of beef hung up since Martlemas,‡
Mutton and veal: if this like you not,

Take that you find, or that you bring for me.

ROB. Godamercies, good George,

I'll be thy guest to day.

GEO. Robin, therein thou honourest me.

I'll lead the way.

[Exeunt omnes.

Enter KING EDWARD and KING JAMES disguised,

with two staves.

K. EDW. Come on, king James, now we are thus disguis'd,

* George, wilt thou, &c.] See the Ballad at the end of this

play.

+ lief] i. e. dear.

Martlemas] See note *
p. 182.

There is none, I know, will take us to be kings:
I think we are now in Bradford,
Where all the merry shoemakers dwell.

Enter a SHOEMAKER.

SHOE. Down with your staves, my friends, Down with them.

K. Edw. Down with our staves! I pray thee, why so?

SHOE. My friend, I see thou art a stranger here, Else would'st thou not have question'd of the thing. This is the town of merry Bradford,

And here hath been a custom kept of old,
That none may bear his staff upon his neck
But trail it all along throughout the town,
Unless they mean to have a bout with me.

K. EDW. But hear you, sir, hath the king
Granted you this custom?

SHOE. King or kaisar, none shall pass this way, Except king Edward;

No, not the stoutest groom that haunts his court: Therefore down with your staves.

K. EDW. What were we best to do?

K. JAMES. Faith, my lord, they are stout fellows; And, because we will see some sport, We will trail our staves.

K. EDW. Hear'st thou, my friend? Because we are men of peace and travellers, We are content to trail our staves.

SHOE. The way lies before you, go along.

Enter ROBIN HOOD and GEORGE-A-GREENE, disguised.

ROB. See, George, two men are passing through

the town,

Two lusty men, and yet they trail their staves.

GEO. Robin,

They are some peasants trickt in yeoman's weeds. Hollo, you two travellers!

K. EDW. Call you us, sir?

GEO. Ay, you.

Are ye not big enough to bear

Your bats upon your necks, but you must trail them Along the streets?

K. EDW. Yes, sir, we are big enough;

But here is a custom kept,

his neck,

That none may pass,
his staff upon
Unless he trail it at the weapon's point.
Sir, we are men of peace, and love to sleep
In our whole skins, and therefore quietness is best.
GEO. Base-minded peasants, worthless to be men!
What, have you bones and limbs to strike a blow,
And be your hearts so faint, you cannot fight?
Wer't not for shame, I would drub* your shoulders
And teach you manhood against another time. [well,
SHOE. Well preach'd, sir Jack, down with your

staff.

K. EDW. Do you hear, my wise, keep down

[blocks in formation]

Your staves, for all the town will rise upon you.

Enter several Shoemakers. †

be

GEO. Thou speakest like an honest quiet fellow. But hear you me; in spite of all the swains

Of Bradford town, bear me your staves upon your necks,

Or, to begin withal, I'll baste you both so well, You were never better basted in your lives. K. Edw. We will hold up our staves. [George-a-Greene fights with the shoemakers, and beats them all down.

*drub] The 4to. "shrub."

+ Enter several Shoemakers] Not in the 4to.

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