Following the stream of time, we arrive next at a travestie of the insurrection, in the reign of Richard II., in which Wat Tyler was the prime mover. Tyler deserves celebration in the history of burlesque as the hero of the only work of this kind produced by Mr. George Augustus Sala. This well-known _littérateur_ came out as a writer of travestie at the Gaiety in 1869, but has not been tempted to repeat the achievement. The fact is to be regretted, for his "Wat Tyler, M.P." had many strokes of wit and satire. Wat, being named Tyler, naturally became, in a piece of this _genre_, a hatter. He is portrayed as aspiring to Parliament, succeeding in his candidature, resisting payment of a tax upon chignons, heading a revolt against the powers that were, penetrating triumphantly into the royal palace, there getting drunk, and being, in the end, overpowered by the forces of the King. In his address to the electors from the hustings, there is a pleasant amalgam of pun and sarcasm. Tyler (who was impersonated by Mr. Toole) begins by saying:-- A poor industrious hatter I stand here (_cheers_), And standing now proceed to take that _cheer_. You know me! _Crowd._ Sartainly. _Wat._ Am I a fool? _Crowd._ No! _Wat._ Was I ever base corruption's _Toole_? Patriots, potwallopers, and townsmen dear, Voters unbribable and pure, look 'ere. Your sympathy my warmest thanks evokes, For you I'd brave the very _block_--my _blokes_! Tho' yonder dandy may treat me with scorn, I was of poor but honest parents born. Just twenty years ago, in ragged gown And soleless shoes, I trudged into this town, With one-and-ninepence and two plated spoons Within the pockets of my pantaloons. _Beaumanners._ Where did you get the spoons from? _Wat._ See how malice Ever conspires to drug the poor man's chalice! Where did I get the spoons from? Well, so far As I remember--from my grandmamma! But you, my friends, my whole career have seen. People of Essex, both these hands are clean (_holds out his hands_). _Oldest inhabitant._ They ain't. _Wat._ They is! Who's that? Some tyrant's minion. Gag him! and vote for freedom of opinion, (_Inhabitant is hustled off the stage._) Few are the promises you'll hear from me. Send me to Westminster as your M.P., And you shall see---- _Crowd._ What?