Men and women are on the stage half naked.  The captains come in, swords drawn, looking for the watchmen, whose lack of warning has lost the town to invaders without a fight.  They suspect the truth, the watchmen come in to confirm it in deed if not in word. Mumford arrives to chase the captains away and sees the drunk watchman, who cannot react to him intelligibly, and then runs out chasing the half-naked people.

Scene 28 . . . Directory . . . Scene 30

Scene 29

Alarum, with men and women half naked:
Enter two Captains without doublets, with swords.

1 CAP: Where are these villains that were set to watch,
And fire the Beacon, if occasion served,
That thus have suffered us to be surprised,
And never given notice to the town?
We are betrayed, and quite devoid of hope,
By any means to fortify ourselves.

2 CAP: Tis ten to one the peasants are o’ercome with
drink and sleep, and so neglect their charge.

1 CAP: A whirlwind carry them quick to a whirlpool,
That there the slaves may drink their bellies full. … [29.10]

2 CAP: This tis, to have the Beacon so near the Ale-house.

Enter the watchmen drunk, with each a pot.

1 CAP: Out on ye, villains, whither run you now?

1 WATCH: To fire the town, and call up the Beacon.

2 WATCH: No, no, sir, to fire the Beacon.   He drinks.

2 CAP: What, with a pot of ale, you drunken Rogues?

1 CAP: You’ll fire the Beacon, when the town is lost:
I’ll teach you how to tend your office better.   Draw to stab them.

Enter Mumford, Captains run away.

MUMFORD: Yield, yield, yield.  He kicks down their pots.

1 WATCH: Reel? no, we do not reel:
You may lack a pot of Ale ere you dye. … [29.20]

MUMFORD: But in mean space, I answer, you want none.
Well, there’s no dealing with you, y’are tall men, & well-weaponed,
I would there were no worse than you in the town.   Exit.

2 WATCH: A speaks like an honest man; my cholers past already.
Come, neighbor, let’s go.

1 WATCH: Nay, first let’s see and we can stand.   Exeunt.

Alarum, excursions, Mumford after them, and some half naked.