T. M. It is good to make provision; for peradventure
We shall lack victuals, and we lie in camp
On Blackheath long.
And, in faith, as long as this goose lasts we'll not starve:
And as many good fellows as will come
To the eating of her, come, and welcome.
For, in faith, I came lightly by her,
And lightly come, lightly gone.
We captains are Lords within ourselves, and if
The world hold out, we shall be kings shortly.
[Enter Nobs, and cut away the goose while he talketh, leave the head behind him,[442] and exit.
T. M. The rest of my fellow-captains are gone
Before to Greenwich to meet the king:
That comes to know our minds,
And while they be about it:
I'll make good cheer with my goose here—
What! is the goose flown away without her head?
[Exit.
Re-enter Tom Miller, with Jack Straw, Wat Tyler, Hob Carter, Sir John Morton, and their crew.[443]
J. S. Here's a stir more than needs;
What means the king thus to abuse us?
And make us run about [at] his pleasure, and to no end?
He promised us to meet us on the water,
And by [our] Lady, as soon as we came at the waterside,
He fair and flat turns his barge, and away he goes to London.
I tell thee, Wat, we will not put up this abuse.
W. T. By Gog's blood, Captain Straw, we will
Remove our camp, and away to London roundly,
And there we'll speak with him, or we'll
Know why we shall not.
J. S. God a-mercy, Wat; and ere we have done.
We will be lords every one.
Hob. Gentle Jack Straw,
In one line let us draw,
And we'll not leave a man of law,
Nor a paper worth a haw,
And make him worse than a daw,
That shall stand against Jack Straw.
Mor. Methinks you might do well to answer the king, in the name of the whole company: some dozen or twenty men for the nonce, that may deliver the minds of you all in few words.