Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

CHORUS:
Scarecrow!

Scarecrow!

The soldiers of the King

feared his name

Scarecrow

MAN:
On the southern coast

of England

There's a legend people

tell of days long ago

When the great Scarecrow

would ride from the jaws

of hell

And laugh

With a fiendish yell

With his clothes

all torn and tattered

Through the black

of night he'd ride

From the marsh to the coast

like a demon ghost

He'd show his face then hide

And he'd laugh

Till he split his side

Scarecrow! Scarecrow!

Scarecrow! Scarecrow!

The soldiers of the King

feared his name

Scarecrow! Scarecrow!

Scarecrow! Scarecrow!

The country folk

all loved him just the same

Scarecrow!

He would always

help the farmer

When there was

no gold to bring

He'd find a way

for the poor to pay

the taxes of the King

Scarecrow!

Every man would sing

So the King told

all his soldiers

Hang him high

or hang him low

But never return

till the day I learn

he's gone in flames below

Or you'll hang with

the great Scarecrow

Scarecrow! Scarecrow!

Scarecrow! Scarecrow!

The soldiers of the King

feared his name

Scarecrow! Scarecrow!

Scarecrow! Scarecrow!

The country folk

all loved him just the same

Scarecrow! Scarecrow!

Scarecrow!

(HORSE NICKERING)

Load up and away, lads.

We'll tweak King

George's nose.

Hurry, hurry,

or I'll lose

the tide. Come on.

He gives me

the shudders.

Do what he says.

That's the whole cargo,

Monsieur Scarecrow.

Your payment, Captain.

Horsemen on the sea

road, Scarecrow.

Excise men.

Douse the lights and go.

You all know your orders.

Hellspite, Curlew,

follow me.

(ALL URGING HORSES)

(NEIGHING)

(CACKLING)

It's him. The Scarecrow.

After him!

There's nobody

hiding in here,

sir.

We headed them

this way.

They must be

around somewhere.

They've vanished.

What are they,

ghosts?

Oh, no, they were

real enough, sir.

But where the

devil are they?

LEAD EXCISE MAN:

Search the place again.

All right, men.

We'll give it up.

There's nobody here.

They've gone.

They're miles away

from where our lads

should be by now.

Light the lantern.

It's the reward

for your capture

they're after, sir.

Not the contraband

we landed.

Mmm.

John, give us

five minutes'

start.

If you don't hear

any shooting,

then you two can

go on your way.

My lord...

Hmm?

I can't understand

why you'd allow

riffraff like this

in your coach.

Christian charity knows

no social barriers,

my dear General.

The man seemed

ill and tired

and asked my help.

General Pugh's right

though, my lord.

You take chances.

The marsh abounds with

The Gentlemen at nights.

"Gentlemen"?

That's what they

call the smugglers

in these parts, sir.

Pack of scoundrels,

I'd give them,

gentlemen.

Eh?

I've my briefing here

from the War Office and

Customs and Excise.

We have plans to smash

these Gentlemen, my lord.

Well, the whole countryside

protects them, General.

Their friends are

everywhere. I don't

envy you your task.

No, I relish it.

The law enforcement's

been too slack down here.

You'll see a change,

I promise you.

(TRUMPET BLOWING)

Halt there,

in the King's name.

COACHMAN:
Whoa.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

What's this? Why are

we stopping, hmm?

We're looking for a...

Sir. General, sir.

Well, what are

you looking for,

Sergeant?

An escaped prisoner, sir.

Convicted for preaching

treason.

Was to be hanged at Dover

in the morning, but he...

He got away, sir.

Treason?

Yeah, an American,

from the Colonies,

my lord.

You, there.

There he is.

After him!

(GUNSHOTS)

(GRUNTS)

SERGEANT:

Jeffrey, over there.

Search the bushes.

MAN:
Go on, get up!

SOLDIER:
No sign

of him, Corporal.

SERGEANT:
But he

can't be far away.

Try over there!

MAN:
Heave ho!

Come on, get up!

SERGEANT:
Go on, you.

Take the stream.

(SERGEANT EXCLAIMING)

(URGING HORSE)

GENERAL PUGH:

Mr. Brackenbury.

No sign of him,

Mr. Brackenbury?

No, sir.

The impertinent rogue.

Sergeant,

continue

the search.

Sir. Forward!

Here you are, Vicar.

Sixty-eight kegs of brandy

and 19 bales of silk.

Captain Delacroix.

On Thursday it's the

Dutchman's turn to deliver.

We are doing well,

Sexton.

Why do you go

on taking these

chances, Vicar?

You're not getting

rich on it.

And since they don't

know, the parish

don't thank you.

Well, they can live

and clothe themselves

and their children,

and pay the taxes

in a countryside

bled white by the

King's Parliament

which represents

them, and which buys

and sells votes

as if they were

dealing in cattle.

Ah, you can't change

the way of the world,

Vicar.

No? Unjust laws can

be altered, as well

as made, by men.

There's a new spirit

in the world, Mipps.

Taxed out of existence,

robbed of their

independence by

the King's Government,

the people must fight

back how they can.

Men can't beat

armies, sir.

Ideas can.

Faith can move mountains.

What we're doing here

is just a pinprick,

but a thousand pinpricks

put together will...

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Who's that?

Who are you,

stranger?

Gently, Mipps.

(PANTING)

Dr. Syn, Mother

Hathaway sent

me, sir.

There are troops out

searching for me.

Why? What have

you done?

You're American,

are you not?

Yes, sir.

I've been branded

a traitor

and sentenced to death

for preaching sedition.

You should know this

because I ask

for sanctuary.

Sedition?

That's what

King George

calls our wish

for freedom and

independence, yes.

I can't deny you

sanctuary, Mr...

Bates.

Simon Bates, sir.

Mr. Bates. But it

would not be safe

for either of us

to hide you here.

You'll give me up?

No.

But, Mipps, take him

to Mrs. Waggett's inn.

My sexton will know

what to say to her.

She'll hide you till

the coast is clear.

You, say nothing.

Then, take this,

sir. I stole it

in my escape.

Stole it? Why?

I thought to get

it to someone

hereabouts.

A man I heard

about in prison,

I think they call

him the Scarecrow.

It concerns him.

I was going to trade it

to him in the hope that

he'd help me in return.

For all I hear,

I don't think

you'll find him.

Many have tried and

failed, Mr. Bates.

Aye, he's like

the devil himself

they say,

riding the marshes

like a ghost.

He comes and

goes, they say,

nobody knows where...

I'll deal with

this if I can.

But you must go,

and quickly.

Thank you, sir,

and God bless you.

Quickly.

"General Pugh.

Dispatch of troops,

"subjugate the

whole marsh area.

"Whatever means necessary."

Well, well, well.

I'm giving you fair

warning, Sir Thomas.

And if you're

Justice of

the Peace

in these parts,

you'll want to see

justice carried out.

Mine or any other.

And it hasn't been

up till now,

has it, eh?

Are you telling

me my duty, sir?

I'm a blunt man.

I say what's

in me mind.

You're the law

here and the law

is being flouted.

Revolutionaries

and smugglers

walking the roads.

Wasn't I robbed last night,

not ten miles from here,

in your district?

In your parish,

Parson.

Very well, then,

you wait and see

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