PRINCE          Maybe things will change now that King Henry’s dead. 

TRAMP 4        After all, none of us expected to see Bill here again, did we? Not after he was took away to court, yet here he is, large as life. 

TRAMP 3         Aye, still saying little and eating plenty! 

TRAMP 5         Same old Bill! What happened then, pretend poisoner? 

PRIS 1             I just told him the truth, that’s all. 

TRAMP 2         You, tell the truth? That’ll be the day! 

TRAMP 1         Huh, first time for everything, so they say. 

TRAMP 4         And young Edward believed you, did he? 

TRAMP 5         Must be that honest face of yours, Bill. 

TRAMP 2         (mimicking) It wasn’t me your majesty, not honest Bill, I was at home looking after my sick old mother, trying my best to take care of a wife and six little kids .... 

TRAMP 1         Just the six? 

TRAMP 2         Sorry your majesty, did I say six? I meant sixteen! Not to mention the wife’s sister, her mother, and her pet hamster Freddy. Me, a poisoner? I’d never find the time, so help me God! 

TRAMP 1         (mimicking Prince) Well, you do look like an upright, honest man, and you certainly do seem to have a hard life. Besides, I like hamsters. You will go free, and here’s a gold sovereign for you to take home with you. 

TRAMP 2         Cor, bless you my lord, that’ll buy more nuts for little Freddy! 

PRIS 1             You may well laugh, but it’s true. I told him what really happened and he trusted my word. 

TRAMP 3         Sounds like he’s as daft as his father was cruel. 

PRINCE          (musing) I don’t think he’s mad, I think he’s very clever. 

TRAMP 4         Well, maybe things really will change after all. 

TRAMP 5         Change? Hah, that’s a laugh! One king’s the same as any other. Only the name’s different. 

TRAMP 2         Yeah. William, Henry, Edward, nothing’ll change. They’re all bloodsucking swines. They sit there in their fancy palaces, counting their money - they’ve no idea what the real world’s like for us out here on the streets. 

TRAMP 1         I tell you, if I ever came face to face with Edward fancypants, I’d drag him down here to see how his loyal subjects live .... then I’d smash his little head in! 

TRAMP 3         Yeah, give him a taste of his own medicine! 

TRAMP 4         Let him try begging for a week or two ... 

TRAMP 5         ..... living off people’s charity! 

TRAMP 2         .... freezing in the winter! 

TRAMP 3         .... starving all year round. 

TRAMP 1         .... oh, what I wouldn’t give to have him here now .... with my fingers round his throat! (mimics throttling) 

TRAMP 4         Fat chance of that! Kings don’t come down here too often. 

TRAMP 2         He isn’t king yet - not till tomorrow. 

PRINCE          Not king yet? How so? 

TRAMP 2         Don’t you know nothing? They’re crowning him tomorrow morning in the cathedral. (PRINCE immediately races off)    Here, where are you off to? 

TRAMP 5         Charming! You give a lad food and warmth and what do you get in return? 

TRAMP 3         Didn’t even say thank you.