Guardian:  They are thieves.  There is one of them bringing away my gold-handled sword. (He and Servant seize sword.)

Ogre:  (Coming forward and bowing low.) It is time for you to come, your honour my lordship!  I am proud to see you coming!  It was I myself that rang the bell and that called and awakened you, where I would not like to see the place robbed and left bare by these scum of the world!

All the Princes:  Oh!  Oh!  Oh!

Guardian:  What have you to do with it?  Where do you come from?

Ogre:  An honest poor man I am....

Servant:  You have a queer wild sort of a dress.

Ogre:  Making a living I do be, dressing up as a hobgoblin and a bogey man to get an odd copper from a mother here and there, would be wishful to frighten a stubborn child from bawling or from tricks.  Passing the door I was, and hearing a noise I looked in, and these young villains were after rising a board and taking out that sword you seen in their hands.  It is then that I made a clamour with the bell.

(Princes laugh.)

Guardian:  Who are they at all?

Ogre:  It is I myself say it; they are the terror of the whole district.

1st Prince:  You may save your breath and stop that talk.  This gentleman knows us well.  He knows us and will recognise us.

Guardian:  I do recognise you.  I saw you but yesterday.

2nd Prince:  There now, what do you say?

Guardian:  You are those vagabond Wrenboys that came tricking and begging to my gate.

Princes:  Oh!  Oh!  Oh!

Ogre:  That’s it!  Spying round they were!  Thinking to do a robbery!  Robbery they’re after doing!

3rd Prince:  We were doing no such thing!

Guardian:  You were!  I stopped you making off with my sword of Justice.

Ogre:  If it wasn’t for me hindering them they would have it swept.

Guardian:  That was very honest of you.

4th Prince:  (Rushing at Ogre.) It is you that are a rogue and a thief!

Other Princes:  Throw him down while we have the chance. (They surround him.)

Guardian:  Silence!  Don’t make that disturbance!  I felt a suspicion yesterday the first time I saw your faces there was villainy hidden beneath the dust that was on your cheeks.

4th Prince:  Listen to us, listen!

Guardian:  And whatever I thought then, you are seventeen times more wicked looking now!  And the very scum of the roads!

5th Prince:  Oh, have you forgotten your nurslings!

Guardian:  It is well you reminded me of them. (To Servant.) Go now and bring the young Princes here till they will see justice done!  They are maybe gone a bit wild and foolish since yesterday, put out by those Dowager Messengers.  But whatever they were at their worst, they are King George compared with these!