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Sir Thomas More

Enter CAVELER with a pair of doves, WILLIAMSON the carpenter and SHERWIN following him.
Doll. Here he comes himself: tell him so if thou darest.
Caveler. Follow me no further; I say thou shalt not have them.
Williamson. I bought them in Cheapside, and paid my money for them (1.1.15–18).
Williamson. Indeed my lord mayor, on the ambassador’s complaint, sent me to Newgate one day because (against my will) I took the wall of a stranger (1.1.40–42.)
Lincoln. You know the Spital sermons begin the next week (1.1.88.)
Shrewsbury. My lord, our caters shall not use the market
For our provision, but some stranger now
Will take the victuals from him he hath bought.
A carpenter, as I was late informed,
Who, having bought a pair of doves in Cheap,
Immediately a Frenchman took them from him
And beat the poor man for resisting him,
And when the fellow did complain his wrongs
He was severely punished for his labour. (1.3.48–56)
[...]
Messenger. … The city is in an uproar and the mayor
Is threatened if he come out of his house (1.3.74–75).
[...]
This follows on the doctor’s publishing
The bill of wrongs in public at the Spital (1.3.79–80).
[...]
Lincoln.… This is St Martin’s,
And yonder dwells Meautis, a wealthy Picard,
At the Green Gate,
De Bard, Peter van Hollock, Adrian Martin,
With many more outlandish fugitives (2.1.22–26).
[...]
Doll.… I’ll tell ye what: we’ll drag the strangers out into Moorfields, and there bombast them till they stink again (2.1.42–44).
[...]
Williamson.… I hear the mayor hath gathered men in arms
and that shrieve More an hour ago received
Some of the Privy Council in at Ludgate(2.1.55–57).
[...]
More. The captains of this insurrection
Have ta’en themselves to arms, and came but now
To both the Counters, where they have released
Sundry indebted prisoners, and from thence
I hear that they are gone into St Martin’s,
where they intend to offer violence
To the amazed Lombards (2.2.1–7).
[...]
Messenger. My lord, the rebels have broke open Newgate,
From whence they have delivered many prisoners,
Both felons and notorious murderers,
That desperately cleave to their lawless train.
Mayor. Up with the drawbridge, gather some forces
To Cornhill and Cheapside (2.2.11–16).
[...]
Shrewsbury. … My lord of Surrey, please you to take horse
And ride to Cheapside, where the aldermen
Are with their several companies in arms.(2.3.167–69)
[...]
Mayor. Lincoln and Sherwin, you shall both to Newgate,
The rest unto the Counters (2.3.177–78).
[...]
Mayor. Master Shrieve More, you have preserved the city
From a most dangerous fierece commotion,
For if this limb of riot here in St Martin’s
Had joined with other brances of the city
That did begin to kindle, ’twould have bred
Great rage, that rage much murder would have fed (2.3.189–94).
[...]
More. … I think ’twere best, my lord, some two hours hence
We meet at the Guildhall, and there determine
That thorough every ward the watch be clad
In armour, but especially provide
That at the city gates selected men,
Substantial citizens, do ward tonight
For fear of further mischief (2.3.202–08).
[...]
Crofts. My lord, his highness sends express command
That a record be entered of this riot,
And that the chief and capital offenders
Be thereon straight arraigned, for himself intends
To sit in person on the rest tomorrow
At Westminster (2.3.239–44a).
[...]
Messenger. Is execution yet performed?
Sheriff. Not yet, the carts stand ready at the stairs,
And they shall presently away to Tyburn.
Messenger. Stay master shrieve, it is the Council’s pleasure,
For more example in so bad a case,
A gibbet be erected in Cheapside,
Hard by the Standard, whither you must bring
Lincoln, and those that were the chief with him
To suffer death, and that immediately (2.4.2–10).
[...]
Sheriff. … Call for a gibbet, see it be erected;
Others make haste to Newgate, bid them bring
The prisoners highter, for they here must die (2.4.12–14).
[...]
Officer. There’s such a press and multitude at Newgate,
They cannot bring the carts unto the stairs
To take the prisoners in (2.4.31–33a).
[Sheriff.] Nay, you set ope the Counter gates and you must hang chiefly (2.4.88–89).
Doll. … Commend me to that good shrieve Master More,
And tell him had’t not been for his persuasion
John Lincoln had not hung here as he does.
We would first have locked up in Leaden Hall
and there been burned to ashes with the roof (2.4.92–96).
Falkner. Tug me not, I’m no bear. ’Sblood, if all the dogs in Paris Garden hung at my tail, I’d shake ’em off with this: that I’ll appear before no king christened but my good lord chancellor
Sheriff. There was a fray in Paternoster Row, and because they would not be parted, the street was choked up with carts.
Falkner. My noble lord, Panyer Alley’s throat was open (3.1.59–63).
[...]
More. … Send the knave to Newgate.
Falkner. To Newgate? ’Sblood, Sir Thomas More, I appeal, I appeal! From Newgate to any of the two worshipful Counters (3.1.75b-78).
[...]
More. … Young man, I charge thee
And do advise thee, start not from that vow,
And for I will be sure thou shalt not shrive,
Besides, because it is an odious sight
To see a man thus hairy, thou shalt lie
In Newgate till thy vow and three years
Be full expired. Away with him (3.1.114b-120).
[...]
More. To Newgate then. Sirrah, great sins are bred
In all that body where there’s a foul head (3.1.123–24).
[...]
More. … How quickly are three years
Run out in Newgate (3.1.234b-35).
[...]
More. … Thy head is for they shoulders now more fit:
Thou hast less hair upon it but more wit. Exit.
Morris. Did not I tell thee always of these locks?
Falkner. And the locks were on again, all the goldsmiths in Cheapside should not pick them open (3.1.241–44).
Falkner. … I am deposed, my crown is taken from me. More had been better a’ scoured Moorditch than a’notched me thus (3.1.252–54).
Falkner. Why farewell frost. I’ll go hang myself out for the poll head. Make a Sar’cen of Jack? (3.1.257–58)
More. … Reverend Erasmus, whose delicious words
Express the very soul and life of wit,
Newly took sad leave of me, with tears
Troubled the silver channel of the Thames,
Which glad of such a burden proudly swelled
And on her bosom bore him toward the sea (3.2.7–12).
Inclination. We would desire your honour but to stay a little: one of my fellows is but run to Ogle’s for a long beard for young Wit, and he’ll be here presently (3.2.139–41).
Inclination. And many such rewards would make us all ride and horse us with the best nags in Smithfield(3.2.354–55).
Lady. … Methought ’twas night,
And that the king and queen went on the Thames
In barges to hear music (4.2.10–12a).
[...]
Lady. … But after many pleasing voices spent
In that still moving music-house, methought
The violence of the stream did sever us
Quite from the golden fleet, and hurried us
Unto the bridge, which with unused horror
We entered at full tide; thence some flight shoot
Being carried by the waves, our boat stood still
Just opposite the Tower, and there it turned
And turned about, as when a whirlpool sucks
The circled waters (4.2.16–25a).
[...]
Rochester. For that, as pleaseth God, in my restraint
From worldly causes, I shall better see
Into myself than at proud liberty.
The Tower and I will privately confer
Of things wherein at freedom I may err (4.3.13–17).
[...]
Surrey. … Be well advised,
For on mine honour, lord, grave Doctor Fisher
Bishop of Rochester, at the self same instant
Attached with you, is sent unto the Tower
For the like obstinacy; his majesty
Hath only sent you prisoner to your house (4.4.118b-23).
[...]
More. … But my good lords,
If I refuse, must I unto the Tower? (4.4.128b-29)
[...]
More. O pardon me,
I will subscribe to go unto the Tower
With all submissive willingngess, and thereto add
My bones to strengthen the foundation
Of Julius Caesar’s palace (4.4.150b-54a).
[...]
First Warder. Ho, make a guard there.
Second Warder. Master Lieutenant gives a straight command
The people be avoided from the bridge.
Third Warder. From whence is he committed, who can tell?
First Warder. From Durham house, I hear.
Second Warder. The guard were waiting there an hour ago.
Third Warder. If he stay long, he’ll not get near the wharf,
There’s such a crowd of boats upon the Thames (5.1.1–8).
[...]
Second Warder. Woman, stand back, you must avoid this place,
The lords must pass this way into the Tower (5.1.29–30).
[...]
Gentleman Porter. Before you enter through the Tower gate,
Your upper garment, sir, belongs to me (5.1.44–45).
[...]
Roper. I think before this hour,
More heavy hearts ne’er parted in the Tower (5.3.127–28).
[...]
First Warder. Good morrow, master shrieves of London; master lieutenant
Wills ye repair to the limits of the Tower
Ther to receive your prisoner (5.4.4–6).
[...]
More. Yet God be thanked, here’s a fair day toward
To take our journey in. Master Lieutenant,
It were fair walking on the Tower leads (5.4.10–12).
[...]
More. … Ah, master sheriff, you and I have been of old acquaintance:
You were a patient auditor of mine
When I read the divinity lecture at Saint Lawrence’s (5.4.37–39).
[...]
More. … And, as I call to mind,
When I studied the law in Lincoln’s Inn,
I was of counsel with ye in a cause (5.4.42b-44).
More. One thing more, take heed thou cutst not off my beard. O, I forgot, execution [was] passed upon that last night, and the body of it lies buried in the Tower (5.4.99–101).

References

  • Munday, Anthony, Henry Chettle, Thomas Dekker, Thomas Heywood, and William Shakespeare. Sir Thomas More. Ed. Vittorio Gabrieli and Giorgio Melchiori. Revels Plays. Manchester; New York: Manchester UP, 1990. Print.

This project is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Humanities Computing and Media Centre       University of Victoria
SSHRC
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