Comrades Page #3

---

l mean it.

For your own good.

Getting on with a job never hurt no-one.

Are you getting paid for it?

ls he?

Only a fool does something for nothing.

Those men paid a shilling out of their

hard-earned money to join the union.

lf you and others like you were to join...

He believes in what he's doing.

Don't worry about me.

l can look after myself.

(Gentle knocking)

MAN:
Who comes here to disturb

the peace and harmony

of this our most worthy and honourable order?

l'm a brother with strangers.

We wish to be admitted into this,

your most worthy and honourable order.

Most worthy brothers,

another stands at the door with strangers

who wish to be admitted into this,

our most worthy and honourable order...

OLD TOM:
Let them enter.

(Floorboard creaks)

(Muffled men's voices)

Dear God, help them.

(Soft footsteps upstairs)

Strangers within our secret walls,

we have admitted you

hoping you will prove honest, faithful and true.

lf you cannot keep the secrets we require,

go hence,

you are at liberty to retire.

Are your motives pure?

Yes.

Then amongst us you will shortly be

entitled to the endearing name of 'brother'.

And what you hear or see here done,

you must not disclose to any other.

We are uniting to cultivate friendship,

as well as to protect our trade,

and due respect must to all our laws be paid.

Are your motives pure?

Yes.

Give the strangers sight.

Strangers,

mark well this shadow...

..which you see.

lt is a faithful emblem...

of man's destiny.

Strangers,

you are welcome.

And if you prove sincere,

you'll not repent your pains and labour here.

We have one common interest,

and one common soul,

which should by virtue

guide and actuate the whole.

The design of this, our order, is love and unity,

with self protection

founded on the laws of equity.

And when you have

our mystic rites gone through,

our secrets all will be disclosed to you.

Edward Legg, do you swear to this alliance?

EDWARD:
I swear.

GEORGE:
And now,

shouldst thou ever pro?e deceitful,

remember thine end.

Remember.

VICAR:
l like to think of myself

as being a friend to all men.

lndeed it's flattering

that you should ask me to intervene, but...

..don't you think

you've got things slightly out of proportion?

Difficult times, Vicar.

Mr Frampton...

..has not been ungenerous.

As you can see.

Mr Frampton says for you

to make yourselves comfortable.

(Men conversing within)

(Muffled men's voices)

(Men laugh in another room)

(Applause in another room)

(Laughter)

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

George, how very nice to see you.

l do hope we haven't kept you waiting.

We had no idea of the time.

Please accept my apologies.

Gentlemen, please...

sit down.

FRAMPTON:
Please sit down.

Well, gentlemen,

how good it is to see you all here.

l must claim, in all modesty, to be a fair man.

Mr Frampton, my friends asked me to act

as independent spokesman on their behalf.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

l see no reason to detain you

longer than is necessary.

The vicar has put your case.

And we must admire his ability to see...

both sides of the coin.

(Chuckles)

We felt the time has come...

Yes, of course you did.

We have your best interests at heart.

lt's just that...well, we don't know where we are

what with the wages going down week by week.

You're quite right. There's no question of that.

But in spite of the circumstances, and with,

if l might add, a fervent hope for the future,

an extra shilling will be granted.

Are you saying eight shillings?

Eight!

Have you any more questions, gentlemen?

(Man belches)

Have away, Nelly.

(Bells ring at various pitches)

Mr Frampton told me to give this to you.

EDWARD:
Thank you very much, miss.

That's very kind of you.

Thank you very much, miss. Thank you.

That's all right, Mr Legg.

FOREMAN:
Hammett.

Legg.

Look.

Loveless.

Come on, George.

One must eat to live.

Sing for us, Elvi.

l'll sing for you. Come on, Briney.

We'll sing for 'em.

d When l was just a beardless boy

no more than six years old

d l used to go akeeping crows

in rain and wind and cold

d Oh, well do l remember now

as well as it can be

d My little house...

d ..thatched in the marsh agin the sea

d Cahoo, cahoo, you old black crow

d Go fly away to Sutton

d lf you stop here twill cost you dear

d l'll kill you dead as mutton

(Laughter and applause)

(Whispers)

Shh.

d lt's fare thee well, cold winter

d And fare thee well, cold frost

d Nothing have l gained

d But my true love l've lost

d l'll sing and l'll be merry

d While a caution do l see

d And l'll rest me when l'm weary

d Let him go, farewell he

d To half a pound of reason

d Take a half a grain of sense

d A small sprig of time

d And as much of prudence

d And mix them up together

d As you may plainly see

d l'll defy the lad for ever

d Let him go, farewell he

(Giggles)

Poor Legg.

(Hammering)

Who's the next one

that we see in our galanty show?

Why, it's three little soldier boys

standing in a row.

Three little soldier boys.

Standing at the battle.

They hear the horses gallop.

They hear the sabres rattle.

Soon they'll wish that they were

safely tucked up in their beds.

Because...bang goes the cannon!

And off comes their heads!

l'm a changed man, George.

A reformed one.

You swept the cobwebs out of my brain.

l shall never forget Tolpiddle.

Go, then,

and make a union of lanternists.

See?

The heavens!

Remember us!

Remember!

(Pounding on door)

George Loveless?

Yes.

You're all right.

PlTT:
These Iabourers -

l use the word with the utmost respect -

are worthy and honourable men.

l've met George Loveless on several occasions.

He is an honest man.

He told me the men work hard.

These men have the right to a decent wage

for a decent job well done.

Beyond this county,

the wage of half a pound is tolerated.

The solution is simple.

A magistrate should fix the sum by law

as has always been the custom.

l am a magistrate,

Chairman of the Bench

and a member of the Grand Jury.

Vicar, l understand that you were

an advocate for the Tolpiddle men.

And that you were present when Mr Frampton

agreed to rectify their grievances.

Were they not promised an extra shilling?

Well?

(Coughs)

No.

No such promise was made.

Are you quite sure?

He is a man of God!

Mr Pitt, please don't make

such a fool of yourself!

The men's wages are neither here nor there.

They were engaged in secret meetings,

administering illegal oaths,

taking the law into their own hands,

and this must stop!

PITT:
We are talking about

a union of farm labourers.

Which may be offensive to some

but is no longer against the law.

All this nonsense about illegal oaths.

lt's a trumped-up charge.

lt's on the statute book,

Mr Pitt.

You're a magistrate.

l will tell you in the strictest confidence,

l have it from no less a person

than the Home Sec...

On the highest authority.

This is the best way to proceed.

We have followed every letter of the law.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes