All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord, with cheerful voice; Him serve with fear, his praise forth tell, Come ye before Him and rejoice. The Lord, we know, is God indeed. Without our aid He did us make; We are his folk, He doth us feed, And for his sheep He doth us take. O enter then his gate with praise, Approach with joy his courts unto; Praise, laud, and bless his name always, For it is seemly so to do. (As the men move away, one of them, SETH TANNER, comes forward.) _Seth:_ As I came up from Long Close I stopped at the ale-house. Two fellows were there from the Earl of Bedford. Talking they were. _Cromwell:_ What had they to say? _Seth:_ It seems they know you are going to stand out for the people to-morrow. _Cromwell:_ Well? _Seth:_ Treason, they call it. _Cromwell:_ Treason. _Seth:_ Seeing that my Lord of Bedford has the King's authority, as it were. _Cromwell:_ Thank you, Seth. _Seth:_ They were coming here, they said. To warn you, and persuade you against it if it might be. _Cromwell:_ Thank you, Seth. _Seth_ (to HAMPDEN): If I might be so bold, sir? _Hampden:_ What, my friend? _Seth:_ That was a brave thing to do, sir, that about the ship money. We common folk know what it means. I'm sure we thank you with all our hearts. _Hampden:_ I don't know about brave, but I know it is good to be thanked like that. _Seth:_ Yes, sir. That's all. Good-even, sir; good-even, mistress. (He is moving away as two of BEDFORD'S agents appear at the window, followed by the other labourers, who have returned with them.) _First Agent:_ Is this Mr. Oliver Cromwell's? _Cromwell:_ It is. _Mrs. Cromwell:_ The door is along there, to the right. _Cromwell:_ It's no matter, mother. What do you want? _First Agent:_ To see Mr. Cromwell. _Cromwell:_ You are speaking to him. _Second Agent:_ May we come in? _Cromwell:_ Why, yes. (They do so. The labourers gather round the window again. They follow the coming argument with close personal concern.) _Second Agent:_ May we speak with you alone? _Cromwell:_ These are all my friends. I have nothing to say that I would not have them hear. _First Agent:_ It is discretion for your sake. _Cromwell:_ I do not desire your interest. What have you to say? _Second Agent:_ It is said that you will oppose the proclamation to-morrow. _Cromwell:_ Assuredly. _Second Agent:_ The Earl of Bedford and those with him have not drained these commons for nothing. _Cromwell:_ Well? _Second Agent:_ They have earned the rights to be proclaimed to-morrow. _Cromwell:_ By whose will? _First Agent:_ By the King's. _Cromwell:_ These rights of pasture belong to the people. It is within no man's powers to take them away. _Second Agent:_ The King decrees it. _Cromwell:_ I know not how that may be. I know that these rights are the people's, above any earl or king whatsoever. The King is to defend our rights, not to destroy them. _First Agent:_ This is plain treason.