Act 4 — Scene II.—THE MARKET PLACE.
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With the main street leading down to the harbour, crowded with English, shouting and firing. In the distance the bay, with the ships. Drake enters at one side with his men, charging. As they enter a volley is fired at them by the enemy who immediately fly in confusion.
Drake. Where are the longbows now? Give them your bolts, scourge them with English hail! Brave Oxenham! Here he comes true to promise. (Enter Oxenham with his men from the other side, shouting).
Oxenham. Hurrah my boys! (the bowmen shoot cheering). Hah! They can’t stand that sort of storm blast, in these latitudes, general. We have carried all before us.
Drake. The town is ours. Now to secure the treasure. (Confusion—The English mustering and charging about with their axes and longbows).
Enter Moon with two Spaniards, prisoners. The men cheer him.
Moon. Here are two prisoners, general. I have granted them their lives on condition that they lead us to the treasure store.
Drake (in much delight and surprise). Lucky Moon! To the treasure store! (Confusion and rushing about).
English (shouting). To the treasure store! To the treasure store!
1st Spaniard. Here is the king’s treasure house at hand! (He turns to another side of the Market-place, and points to a wide door open, with lights burning, exposing piles of gold and silver bars, with quantities of precious stones). How strange! The great doors open, and lights burning! (aside), some traitor—an Indian perhaps. There is treasure for you, enough to freight a fleet.
Oxenham. We don’t want so much at present. Only about fifty tons of gold, and a few cases of the largest pearls and emeralds, (cheers and laughter). That’s what I call moderation. But we shall pay you another visit, (he points to the heaps). I say Moon, there’s something to look at.
2nd Spaniard. I have been a merchant, accustomed to the wealth of Spain, in the East, and in the West, and can say the world has never seen such a mass of treasure. That single pile of silver bars is seventy feet long, ten wide, and twelve feet deep; I have measured it.
Drake, who has been badly wounded in the action, is seized with weakness and staggers for support, leaning on his sword.
Drake. Oxenham, you and Moon will see to all this. I am faint with loss of blood. (He falls down fainting, alarm about him and running to his assistance.)
Oxenham. Look to the General, men. Give him some wine; bear a hand. Come on with your flasks! Has no one a flask?
Moon. All’s right, he revives. Here comes a supply?
Enter John Drake helping along Bill Saunders loaded with wine, almost drunk and brandishing a great silver tankard.
Saunders (singing).
Good wines the stuff Just drink enough, You’ll never, never die.
Holy Neptune! The General’s down. Here’s the drug to revive him. Here General’s the genuine sherries, the true philosophers stone (laughter). No that’s not it—the elixir of life. Why it would raise the dead. See how it has revived me. (He staggers. Laughter. Moon, interrupting him, seizes the bottle.)
Moon. Now we have neither corkscrew nor drinking cup, what is to be done?
Saunders. Do you think you lubber, Bill Saunders would forget that, and the General so bad? Here’s a bit of pewter will do what’s wanted, if handsomely used. Show me the bottle, (he seizes the bottle, knocks off the neck with the tankard, and filing it presents it to the General with much applause). Drink, General! (Drake takes the cup, drinks and laughs). That’s the medicine—the true agua vitæ, as a murdering Spaniard would call it. Damn them! The thieves know what’s good, it has the strength of Samson in it. Look at me that was killed dead, and am alive again, and all from that blessed liquor.
Sailor. If you were dead Bill, you were dead drunk.
Saunders. You lie like a doctor or a lawyer. I was only looking after something to revive the General. (Laughter. He is dragged aside by the sailors, who make fun with him. Drake sitting up with some gathered round him assisting and persuading him to go aboard).
Oxenham. Now General, we must have you carried aboard. You require rest and repose and your wounds seen to.
All (crying out confusedly). Aye! Aye! That’s it. Take care of the General, England can’t spare him. Let’s get him aboard.
Oxenham. Besides, your presence is unnecessary. The town is in our hands, not a tongue durst wag, not a dog durst bark. They know their masters.
Drake. Well! brave friends and comrades, as you will.
Drake is carried away amidst cheers from his devoted crew.
Oxenham. Now, about getting our stuff aboard. Lord we could not stow the tenth part of it.
Moon. Our Spanish friend here is right, it would freight a fleet.
John Drake. It would sink ours.
Oxenham. What a thundering shame! to send us out on such an expedition with two or three cockle shells, when with proper outfit and English hearts to back us, we could enrich the nation. But it is always the way with our government. They care more for her enemies than for England! (He walks aside with his hands up in great indignation).
John Drake. What would please you in the way of Government, Jack?
Oxenham (with great energy). To get up a fleet, man it with true British tars, rovers and volunteers I mean; give the command to Hawkins or Drake, then let Philip see how long his galleons could keep the sea, (exultingly). We would soon transfer the Indies with all their wealth to the crown of England.
Moon. Suppose Jack you were in authority, as King of England. What then?
Oxenham. By all the stars in heaven I would begin with stringing to the yards arm, every Jack in office. But come let us go ahead with this little job. First, where’s our transport? Take a guard Moon, scour the town for horses, mules—everything that can carry. (Exit Moon and others with him). Now men, with a will. Muster your gangs. (Pointing to the great silver pile). Hurrah! upon these silver bars! (They rush about with bars of gold and silver, preparing to load them.)
John Drake. Avast there! Serve out the wine now. I’m sure we are all ready for it. Where’s Bill Saunders? He’s the man for that. (Laughter and cheers).
All. Hurrah for the wine! Hurrah for Drake! Hurrah for the Queen!
Oxenham (looking out). Oh! I see Moon coming with a crowd of horses, mules and people. In the meantime, Saunders, you may as well enliven us with a stave—One of your moralities you know, just to let these Spaniards see how little we care for them.
All. Hurrah for the song. Now Bill! (Saunders hesitates).
Oxenham. He’s backward. It’s his modesty, (laughter), lend a hand there, heave him ahead!
They gather round Saunders laughing and push him forward to the front. Hitching up his breeches sailor fashion, he prepares himself to sing.
Saunders (looking round at them). Come on then, boys, and chime in all hands, keeping time with the stroke oar, like jolly tars.
I.
The Greeks in dreams of Paradise Did golden apples try To make thy trees Hesperides Their immortality, But wine’s the stuff Just drink enough, The Nectar of the sky.
II.
Our father Noe knew the way, He planted us the vine, And Poets sing, and Prophets say, His knowledge was divine. For wine’s the stuff, Then drink enough, You’ll Never! Never die!
III.
When fevers, plagues, or blows are near. Or surging seas run high, We fearless Britons drink and cheer. (They cheer). And face our destiny! Oh Wine’s the stuff, Just drink enough, And never fear to die.
IV.
Be sure you don’t the Doctor call Pill draught, and Bolus fly, For if you take them, one or all! Just bid your friends good bye! Good wine’s the stuff, Then drink enough, And never say you’ll die! (Laughter and cheers).
All. Never say Die! Hurrah! Hurrah!
(Scene changes).