J. S. Choose whether thou wilt or no, thou gettest no more of me; For I am sure thy office doth not arm thee with such authority, Thus to abuse the poor people of the country. But chiefest of all, vile villain as thou art, To play so unmanly and beastly a part, As to search my daughter thus in my presence! COLL. Why, base villain, wilt thou teach me what to do? Wilt thou prescribe me mine office, and what belongs thereto? [_Offers to strike him._ J. S. What, villain, dost strike me? I swear by the rood, As I am Jack Straw, thou shalt buy it with thy blood. There lie, and be well paid for thy pain. [_Throws him on the ground._ COLL. O help, help, the king's officer is slain! [_Dies._ _Enter_ PARSON BALL, WAT TYLER, NOBS, TOM MILLER _the clown_. W. T. How now, Jack Straw, doth anybody abuse thee? J. S. Alas, Wat! I have killed the king's officer in striking rashly. T. M. A small matter to recover a man that is slain: Blow wind in his tail, and fetch him again? PAR. Content thee, 'tis no matter, and Jack Straw, God-a-mercy, Herein thou hast done good service to thy country: Were all inhuman slaves so served as he, England would be civil, and from all such dealings free. NOBS. By Gog's blood, my master, we will not put up this so quietly; We owe God a death, and we can but die: And though the fairest end of a rebel is the gallows, Yet, if you will be ruled by me, We'll so deal of ourselves as we'll revenge this villainy. J. S. The king, God wot, knows not what's done by[436] such poor men as we, But we'll make him know it, if you will be ruled by me. Here's Parson Ball, an honest priest, and tells us that in charity We may stick together in such quarrels honestly. T. M. What, is he an honest man? The devil he is! he is the parson of the town; You think there's no knavery hid under a black gown? Find him in a pulpit but twice in the year, And I'll find him forty times in the ale-house tasting strong beer.