GEO. What, have you any more? Call all your town forth, Cut, and Longtail. [The shoemakers spy George-a-Greene. SHOE. What, George-a-Greene, is it you? A plague found you! * I think you long'd to swinge me well. Come, George, we will crush a pot before we part. [They bring out the stand of ale, and fall a Here, Robin, sit thou here; For thou art the best man at the board this day. Here's a carouse to good king Edward's self, [will. Enter the EARL OF WARWICK with other Noblemen, bringing out the king's garments; then GEORGE-A-GREENE and the rest kneel down to the king. K. EDW. Come, masters, all fellows. Nay, Robin, You are the best man at the board to-day. Rise up, George. GEO. Nay, good my liege, ill-nurtur'd we were then : Though we Yorkshire men be blunt of speech, And little skill'd in court, or such quaint fashions, * found] i. e. "confound." Yet nature teacheth us duty to our king, Therefore I humbly beseech you pardon George-aGreene. ROB. And good my lord, a pardon for poor Robin; And for us all a pardon, good king Edward. SHOE. I pray you, a pardon for the shoemakers. K. Edw. I frankly grant a pardon to you all. And George-a-Greene, give me thy hand; There is none in England that shall do thee wrong. Even from my court I came to see thyself; And now I see that fame speaks nought but truth. GEO. I humbly thank your royal majesty. That which I did against the earl of Kendal, It was but a subject's duty to his sovereign, And therefore little merits such good words. K. Edw. But ere I go, I'll grace thee with good Say what king Edward may perform, [deeds. And thou shalt have it, being in England's bounds. GEO. I have a lovely leman,* As bright of blee† as is the silver moon, And old Grime her father, will not let her match Although I love her, and she me, dearly. K. EDW. Where is she? GEO. At home at my poor house, And vows never to marry unless her father Enter JENKIN, and speaks. JEN. Ho, who saw a master of mine? O, he is gotten into company, and a body should rake hell for company. GEO. Peace, ye slave, see where king Edward is. GEO. I beseech your Grace pardon him, he is my man. SHOE. Sirrah, the king hath been drinking with us, and did pledge us too. JEN. Hath he so? kneel, I dub you gentlemen. JEN. I will. I beseech your worship grant me K. EDW. What is that? JEN. Hark in your ear. [He whispers the king in the ear. K. EDW. Go your ways, and do it. JEN. Come, down on your knees, I have got it. JEN. Marry, because you have drunk with the king, and the king hath so graciously pledged you, you shall be no more called shoemakers; but you and yours to the world's end, shall be called the trade of the Gentle Craft. SHOE. I beseech your majesty reform this which he hath spoken. JEN. I beseech your worship consume this which he hath spoken. K. Edw. Confirm it, you would say: Well he hath done it for you, it is sufficient. Come, George, we will go to Grime, and have thy love. JEN. I am sure your worship will abide; for yonder is coming old Musgrove, and mad Cuddy his Master, my fellow Wily, comes drest like a woman, and Master Grime will marry Wily. Here they come. son. Enter MUSGROVE and CUDDY, and MASTER GRIME,. K. Edw. Which is thy old father, Cuddy? [Kneel. K. Edw. Ah old Musgrove, stand up; My sovereign! long and happy be his days! King James at Middleham-castle gave me this; K. EDW. Godamercy, Musgrove, for this friendly gift; And for thou fell'dst a king with this same weapon, This blade shall here dub valiant Musgrove knight. Mus. Alas, what hath your Highness done? I am poor. K. EDW. To mend thy living take thou Middlehamcastle,* The hold of both; and if thou want living, complain, Thou shalt have more to maintain thine estate. George, which is thy love? GEO. This, if please your majesty. K. Edw. Art thou her aged father? K. Edw. And wilt not give thy daughter unto GRIME. Yes, my lord, if he will let me marry With this lovely lass. K. EDW. What say'st thou, George? GEO. With all my heart, my lord, I give consent. GRIME. Then do I give my daughter unto George. WILY. Then shall the marriage soon be at an end, Witness, my lord, if that I be a woman: * Middleham-castle] Grose in his Antiq. of England and Wales, vol. iv. gives two views of this castle, and is at the trouble to enquire what foundation the present play has on history: well might Ritson (Robin Hood, vol. i. p. xxix.) sneer at his very gravely sitting down and debating his opinion in form." For I am Wily, boy to George-a-Greene, GRIME. Marry, my lord, I think this boy hath More knavery than all the world besides. Yet am I content that George shall both have K. EDW. Now, George, it rests I gratify thy worth: And therefore, here I do bequeath to thee, In full possession, half that Kendal hath; Kneel down, George. GEO. What will your majesty do? K. EDW. Dub thee a knight, George. GEO. I beseech your Grace, grant me one thing. K. EDW. What is that? GEO. Then let me live and die a yeoman still : For 'tis more credit to men of base degree, K. JAMES. I beseech your Grace dispatch with me, And set down my ransom. K. EDW. George-a-Greene, set down the king of His ransom. GEO. I beseech your Grace pardon me, It passeth my skill. K. EDW. Do it, the honour's thine. [Scots Those towns which he hath burnt upon the borders; Give a small pension to the fatherless, Whose fathers he caus'd murder'd in those wars; Put in pledge for these things to your Grace, And so return. |