ACT III
Time: Evening of the same day.
Scene: The hall of the One Nine-pin.At the opening of the act all the Pilgrims are on the stage, except the following:Miller,Shipman,Cook,Manciple,Summoner,Knight,Alisoun,Chaucer,andWycliffe.Owing to the overcrowding of the little inn, the hall is arranged, for the night, as a common sleeping-room. Up stage, right, is a great canopied bedstead, with steps to climb into it. Along the right wall are truckle-beds. As the curtain rises, a clear bell is heard ringing outside, slow and musical. By the light of a single torch, the Pilgrims are seen, some putting on their cloaks and hoods, some peering from behind the bed-curtains, others taking links from a tap-boy, who distributes them. These, as they are lit, throw an ever stronger light upon the grouped faces and contrasted garbs of the company. TheParsonis just waking thePloughman, who drowses on a truckle-bed.
Scene: The hall of the One Nine-pin.
At the opening of the act all the Pilgrims are on the stage, except the following:Miller,Shipman,Cook,Manciple,Summoner,Knight,Alisoun,Chaucer,andWycliffe.
Owing to the overcrowding of the little inn, the hall is arranged, for the night, as a common sleeping-room. Up stage, right, is a great canopied bedstead, with steps to climb into it. Along the right wall are truckle-beds. As the curtain rises, a clear bell is heard ringing outside, slow and musical. By the light of a single torch, the Pilgrims are seen, some putting on their cloaks and hoods, some peering from behind the bed-curtains, others taking links from a tap-boy, who distributes them. These, as they are lit, throw an ever stronger light upon the grouped faces and contrasted garbs of the company. TheParsonis just waking thePloughman, who drowses on a truckle-bed.
PARSON
Up, brother; yon’s the chapel bell.
PLOUGHMAN
It rings
For thee; thou art the parson, Jankin.
PARSON
Nay,
The preacher will be Wycliffe, old good Master
De Wycliffe.
MERCHANT
Old good Master Weak-liver!
PARSON
[Turns angrily.]
Sir!
MAN-OF-LAW
Old good Master Black-sheep!
PARSON
[Turns.]
Sir!
MONK
Old Nick!
PARSON
[Turns.]
Whom name you thus?
MONK
Your preacher. Faugh! The pope
Hath bann’d him with five bulls for heresy.
PLOUGHMAN
The old man hath a good grip, if he can
Hold five bulls by the horns.
MAN-OF-LAW
[Aside to Priest.]
An ignoramus!
BOTTLEJOHN
Dick, fetch a pint of moist ale from the cellar
For Master Bailey here.
[Aside.]
A small pint, mind,
And notch his tally.
DICK
[Takes a stick from wall, notches it with his knife, and showsit to Bottlejohn.]
Sixpence, sir, three farthings.
[Dick then goes to the cellar door. As he opens it, he is grabbed within by the Miller, handed breathlessly to the Shipman, who claps his hands over the boy’s mouth, and disappears with him below. The door then is closed, but at intervals it opens and the Miller’s head is seen cautiously to emerge.]
[Dick then goes to the cellar door. As he opens it, he is grabbed within by the Miller, handed breathlessly to the Shipman, who claps his hands over the boy’s mouth, and disappears with him below. The door then is closed, but at intervals it opens and the Miller’s head is seen cautiously to emerge.]
MERCHANT
This Wycliffe’s gab hath hurt good trade. ’Twas him,
Six year ago, whose preaching made the poor folk
March up to London-town with Wat the Tyler,
And burn the gentry’s houses.
DYER
Served ’em right!
PLOUGHMAN
God save Wat Tyler!
MONK
Peasant! Spit upon thee!
PARSON
Thou son of Antichrist!
MONK
Thou unhang’d Lollard!
BOTTLEJOHN
Sst! Sst! Good masters! Pray, sweet lordings, here
Comes Master Wycliffe.
[Enter, in conversation,WycliffeandChaucer, followed byJohanna, who seeks to drawWycliffeaway. The Pilgrims greet the last, some with shouts of welcome, others with hisses.]
[Enter, in conversation,WycliffeandChaucer, followed byJohanna, who seeks to drawWycliffeaway. The Pilgrims greet the last, some with shouts of welcome, others with hisses.]
WYCLIFFE
[To Chaucer.]
Certes, sir, it may
Be as you say.—Good folk! good children!—Yet
To me this England is a gorgeous tabard,
Blazon’d with shining arms and kingly shields;
A cloth of gold, blood-dyed with heraldries
Of knightly joustings, presbyterial pomps,
And red-wine revellings; cunningly, i’ the fringe,
Chaced round with little lutes and ladies’ Cupids
To snuggle the horse-hair lining. This brave shirt,
This inward-goading cloth of gaiety,
The poor, starved peasant wears on his bare back—
A ghost, that plays the bridegroom with’s despair.
PLOUGHMAN
[Amongst sneers and applause.]
Right!
WYCLIFFE
[To Chaucer.]
Friend, how seems it thee?
CHAUCER
Sir, with your pardon,
To me, our England is still “Merry England!”
Which nature cirqued with its green wall of seas
To be her home and hearth-stone; where no slave,
Though e’er he crept in her lap, was nursed of her;
But the least peasant, bow’d in lonely fief,
Might claim his free share in her dower of grace;
The hush, pied daisy for’s society,
The o’erbubbling birds for mirth, the silly sheep
For innocence.—Mirth, friendship, innocence:
Where nature grants these three, what’s left for envy?
These three, sir, serve for my theology.
MAN-OF-LAW
Parfoi! What is this man—a Papist? Is’t
Some courtier?
FRANKLIN
Naw! He rings true Lollard, him.
They’re friends.
PARDONER
[Sniffs.]
They say it is a London vintner.
WYCLIFFE
[Aside, to Johanna, indicating Chaucer.]
Not speak with him?
JOHANNA
On no account.
WYCLIFFE
But—
JOHANNA
’Tis
A villain. Pray, sir, come to chapel.
[She hurries Wycliffe toward the door, where she is accosted,beseechingly, by the Squire.]
SQUIRE
Mistress!
JOHANNA
Am I beset?
[Indicating Chaucer.]
Join your conspirator,
Signore!
[She sweeps out.]
SQUIRE
[Following.]
Grace, Madonna, grace!
[Enter, right, Eglantine, with her priests.]
CHAUCER
[Aside, sees her.]
My lady!
PARSON
[To Ploughman.]
Quick, mon, and light the way for Master Wycliffe.
[Exeunt.]
MERCHANT
[To Man-of-Law.]
Go you?
MAN-OF-LAW
[Smiles ironically.]
Hein? When an ass comes out of Oxford,
His braying charms great ears.
[Lower.]
They say he hath
A patron in John Gaunt.
[They go out.]
BOTTLEJOHN
[Calls.]
Dick! Drat thee, Dick!
Ned, fetch Dick from the cellar with that ale
For Master Bailey.
NED
[Goes slowly.]
Can I ’ave a candle?
[The Host gives him such a look that he hastens on.]
BOTTLEJOHN
[To Bailey.]
These ’prentices!
BAILEY
Haw! Haw!
MONK
[To Pardoner.]
Come, we’ll go twit him.
[Exeunt toward chapel.][As Ned is about to open the cellar door, a black face looksout at him.]
NED
[Running back.]
Ow! Ow! A devil’s head! I seed a spook!
BOTTLEJOHN
[Seizing a ladle, drives him back.]
Scat! And the devil swallow thee! Skedaddle!
Feared o’ the dark!
NED
[Goes whimpering.]
’E’ll drub me wi’ his thigh-bones.
[Opening the door, he feels his way down. As the doorcloses, a faint scream comes from within.]
CHAUCER
[To Prioress, who, preceded by her three priests, is about to go out.]
Madame, goes she to chapel?
PRIORESS
Paul, Joannes,
Keep close.
CHAUCER
Si chère Madame—if dear my lady
Would vouchsafe but a moment, till—
PRIORESS
[Pausing, but not looking at Chaucer.]
Eh bien?
CHAUCER
[Confused.]
The night is very beautiful.
PRIORESS
Joannes!
CHAUCER
That is—I bring you tidings of your brother.
JOANNES
What would Madame?
CHAUCER
The moon—
PRIORESS
[To Joannes.]
Go, go—to chapel.
JOANNES
But will Madame—
PRIORESS
Va! Va!—
[Exeunt priests; she turns shyly to Chaucer.]
Alors, Monsieur,
Vous dites mon frère?—
CHAUCER
Your brother—
[Aside, as they go out.]
Drown her brother!
WEAVER
[To Dyer.]
Come on!
[Exeunt omnes.]
BOTTLEJOHN
[Blowing out a candle.]
This preaching saveth tallow.
[Calls.]
Dick!
Ned! Slow knaves!
[Exit right.]
[Cautiously, the cellar door is opened, and enter the Miller. He whistles softly; some one within whistles in answer.]
[Cautiously, the cellar door is opened, and enter the Miller. He whistles softly; some one within whistles in answer.]
MILLER
Be all gagged below there?
SHIPMAN
[His head appearing.]
Aye,
All’s tight beneath the hatches. Is the deck clear?
[Miller nods; Shipman disappears for an instant. Then theMiller bows low.]
MILLER
This way, your lordship—
COOK
[Appearing with Shipman.]
’Save your Worship!
[EnterSummoner,Manciple, andHuberd, the latter disguised as a chimney-sweep. Lastly,Alisounin the dress of the Knight.]
[EnterSummoner,Manciple, andHuberd, the latter disguised as a chimney-sweep. Lastly,Alisounin the dress of the Knight.]
ALL THE SWAINS
Hail,
Dan Roderigo!
ALISOUN
[While the Swains assist in adjusting her disguise.]
Good my squires and henchmen,
I thank you.— Roger, sweetheart, lace my boot there.—
Our journey hath been perilous and dark—
Bob, chuck, how sits my doublet?—but praise Mary,
I am preserved to greet my virgin sister;—
God sendshelike the flavour of my beard
Better than me.
FRIAR
Let me amend it, sweet!
[Kisses her.]
ALISOUN
Avaunt, vile chimney-sweep! Beshrew thee, Huberd
Love, wouldst thou swap complexions?
[Looks in a pewter plate, while the Cook holds a candle.]
Thy smut nose
Hath blotched the lily pallor of my brow
Like a crushed violet. Some powder, quick,
And touch it off.
FRIAR
[From his robe and cowl, which the Shipman holds, extracts a rabbit’s foot and touches up Alisoun’s face, while the Manciple helps her on with a scarlet-lined mantle.]
[From his robe and cowl, which the Shipman holds, extracts a rabbit’s foot and touches up Alisoun’s face, while the Manciple helps her on with a scarlet-lined mantle.]
Sweet love, how liketh you
This cloak I stole?
ALISOUN
’Twill serve.
FRIAR
[Bowing.]
Your valet is
Your abject Ethiop slave.
MILLER
[Kicks him.]
Your nincumpoop!
Scarecat! Thou blacks thy friar’s skin to save it,
Lest the fat vintner and the young squire catch thee
And flay it off.
FRIAR
Even so.
SUMMONER
By quid, let’s blab, then.
He kissed her, and we’ll blab.
COOK, MANCIPLE,ANDSHIPMAN
Aye!
ALISOUN
Wo betide ye,
Then! Down! Kneel down—the batch of ye—and swear,
As ye have hopes to win this lily-white hand,
Ye will be brothers, till I win my bet.
Out with your oaths, now. Kiss my foot and say,
By Venus’s lip,
And Alis’s hip,
I swear to keep
This fellowship!
ALL
[Severally trying to kiss her extended foot.]
By Venus’s lip,
And Alis’s hip,