Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE SINNER OF WAKEFIELD: THE YEOMAN AND PEASANTRY OF OLD ENGLAND, by ROBERT GREENE


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE SINNER OF WAKEFIELD: THE YEOMAN AND PEASANTRY OF OLD ENGLAND, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Master mannering, stand aside
Last Line: For well thou hast deserved reward and favour.
Subject(s): Peasantry


Enter the Justice, a townsman [of Wakefield], George a Greene, and Sir

Nicholas Mannering with his commission.

Justice. Master Mannering, stand aside whilst we confer
What is best to do. Townsmen of Wakefield,
The Earl of Kendal here hath sent for victuals,
And in aiding him we show ourselves no less
Than traitors to the king: therefore
Let me hear, townsmen, what is your consents.
First townsman. Even as you please, we are all content.
Justice. Then, Master Mannering, we are resolved.
Man. As how?
Justice. Marry, Sir, thus.—
We will send the Earl of Kendal no victuals,
Because he is a traitor to the king;
And in aiding him we'd show ourselves no less.
Man. Why, men of Wakefield, are you waxen mad,
That present danger cannot whet your wits,
Wisely to make provision of yourselves?
The Earl is thirty thousand men, strong in power,
And what town so ever him resist
He lays it flat and level with the ground:
Ye silly men, you seek your own decay:
Therefore send my lord such provision as he wants,
So he will spare your town
And come no nearer Wakefield than he is.
Justice. Master Mannering, you have your answer,
You may be gone.
Man. Well, Woodroffe, for so I guess is thy name,
I'll make thee curse thy overthwart denial;
And all that sit upon the bench this day
Shall rue the hour they have withstood
My Lord's commission.
Justice. Do thy worst, we fear thee not.
Man. See you these seals? Before you pass the town
I will have all things my lord doth want,
In spite of you.
George a Greene. Proud dapper Jack, vail bonnet to the bench
That represents the person of the king;
Or, sirrha, I'll lay thy head before thy feet.
Man. Why, who art thou?
George. Why, I am George a Greene,
True liegeman to my king;
Who scorns that men of such esteem as these,
Should brook the braves of any traitorous squire:
You of the bench, and you, my fellow friends,
Neighbours, are subjects all unto the king;
We are English born, and therefore Edward's friends,
Vowed unto him even in our mother's womb;
Our minds to God, our hearts unto our king,
Our wealth, our homage, and our carcases,
Be all King Edward's: then, sirrha, we have
Nothing left for traitors but our swords,
Whetted to bathe them in your bloods, and die
'Gainst you, before we send you any victuals.
Justice. Well spoken, George a Greene.
First townsman. Pray let George a Greene speak for us.
George. Sirrha, you get no victuals here,
Not if a hoof of beef would have your lives.
Man. Fellow, I stand amaz'd at thy presumption:
Why, what art thou that darest gainsay my lord,
Knowing his mighty puissance and his stroke?
Why, my friend, I come not barely of myself;
For see, I have a large commission.
George. Let me see it, sirrha.
[Takes the commission.
Whose seals be these?
Man. This is the Earl of Kendal's seal at arms;
This Lord Charnel Bonfield's;
And this Sir Gilbert Armstrong's.
George. I tell thee, sirrha, did good King Edward's son
Seal a commission 'gainst the King his father,
Thus would I tear it in despite of him.
[He tears the commission.
Being traitor to my sovereign.
Man. What? Hast thou torn my lord's commission?
Thou shalt rue it, and so shall all Wakefield.
George. What, are you in choler? I will give you pills
To cool your stomach. Seest thou these seals?
Now by my father's soul,
Which was a yeoman when he was alive;
Eat them, or eat my dagger's point, proud squire.
Man. But thou dost but jest, I hope.
George. Sure that shall you see before we two part.
Man. Well, an' there be no remedy, so, George.
[Swallows one of the seals.
One is gone: I pray thee no more now.
George. O, Sir,
If one be good, the others cannot hurt;
So, Sir.
[Mannering swallows the other two seals.
Now you may go and tell the Earl of Kendal,
Although I have rent his large commission,
Yet of courtesy I have sent all his seals
Back again by you.
Man. Well, Sir, I will do your errand.
[Exit.
George. Now let him tell his lord, that he hath spoke
With George a Greene,
Hight Pinner of merry Wakefield town;
That hath physic for a fool,
Pills for a traitor, that doth wrong his sovereign:
Are you content with this that I have done?
Justice. Ay, content, George:
For highly hast thou honoured Wakefield town,
In cutting of proud Mannering so short.
Come, thou shalt be my welcome guest to-day;
For well thou hast deserved reward and favour.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net