_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_).