_Cromwell:_ They will be needed. _Hampden:_ I can spend one thousand pounds on arms. _Cromwell:_ Arms. Yes. If it must be. But God may spare us. (There is a sound of argument outside, and BRIDGET CROMWELL, persuading an officer of the House to let her enter, comes in with AMOS TANNER. They are both from a long journey.) _Bridget_ (greeting her father and the others): I went to your lodging and learnt that you were still here. _Cromwell:_ But what is it, daughter? _Bridget:_ Amos here--we had to come. _Cromwell:_ Well? _Amos:_ My boy--there, I can't tell. _Bridget:_ Seth--you know he came to London last year. _Cromwell:_ Yes. _Bridget:_ It seems he was in a tavern here one evening, and they were talking about ship money. Seth said it was a bad thing, and he spoke of our Cousin Hampden. _Amos:_ He remembered Mr. Hampden when he was at Ely, sir. He always took a great opinion of Mr. Hampden, Seth did. _Bridget:_ He said Cousin John was a great patriot because he wouldn't pay. The King's spies were there. Seth was taken. He got a message sent down to Amos. It was to be a Star Chamber matter. _Amos:_ There wasn't a better lad in the shire, sir. _Cromwell:_ What has been done? _Bridget:_ We don't know. I brought Amos up at once to find you. I wanted to come alone, but he wouldn't let me. _Amos:_ I couldn't stay, sir. They'll not have hurt him surely? _Bridget:_ What will they do? Is it too late? Can't it be stopped? _Cromwell:_ Bassett. (The officer comes.) _Bassett:_ Yes, sir. _Cromwell:_ Have you heard any Star Chamber news these last days? _Bassett:_ Nothing out of the way, sir. A few croppings and brandings. _Cromwell:_ Any names? _Bassett:_ Jollyboy was one. That's an anyhow name for a man, now, isn't it? Lupton there was, too. He was cropped, both ears--said a bishop was a man. That was blasphemous. And a fellow about ship money. That was savage. Tanner his name was. _Amos:_ Yes--but not Seth--it wasn't Seth Tanner? _Bassett:_ Tanner was all I heard. _Amos:_ It wouldn't be Seth. _Bridget:_ What did they do to him? _Bassett:_ It's not proper hearing for your sort. But they let him go. _Cromwell:_ What was it? The girl has heart enough. _Bassett:_ Both thumbs, both ears, the tongue, and a T on the forehead. _Amos:_ It wasn't Seth, sir. It couldn't be Seth--not like that. He was the beauty of the four parishes. _Bassett_ (to CROMWELL): Was he something to do with you, sir? _Cromwell:_ There is a boy, Seth Tanner, we have a care for. _Bassett:_ Because I made bold to take him in. He was dazed, as it were--didn't seem to know where to go. _Cromwell:_ It was a good man's doing. Where is he? _Bassett:_ I live under the walls here, as you might say. _Cromwell:_ Could we see him? _Bassett:_ Nay--it's no place to take you to. But I'll fetch him if you will. He doesn't sleep. _Cromwell:_ Do, then. (BASSETT goes.)