W., J. · published 1637 · first performed or written 1626 [1625-1626] (Annals) history · Unknown unassigned nearest T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds · 479 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
Then 'tis like the sea, for all's fish that comes to net there. I'll tell you the mystery of that, look what mouths gape at land, the self same gape at sea, all the land is one kingdom, and all the sea another. And people in't. And people in't (right worshipful) but they all go Westhod, as there are good and bad here, so there are good and bad there, gulls here, gulls there, as great men here eat up the little men: so Whales feed upon the lesser fishes. Belike then the watery common wealth are ill governed. No bravely, for heroical Hector Herring is King of fishes. So. Rich cobs his good subjects, who at Yarmouth lay down their lives in his quarrel, swordfish and Pike are his guard. On. Fresh Cods the gallants, and sweet slipper the Knights, whiting-mops the Ladies, and Lillie-white-mussels the waiting-gentlewomen. Dangerous meat to take too much of. But who the pages? Shrimps. No, no sir, periwinkles are the pages, periwinkles. No justices among them? Yes sir Ieffery, thornbacks are the justices, Crabs the Constables, whom if you butter with good words, 'tis passing meat at midnight. Ah, ha. Dogfish are jailers, And Stockfish the poor common people. Indeed they live hardly. But sir they are beaten to't, then have you wet Eels for whores, and great Oysters for Bawds. Why great Oysters Bawd? Because for the most part they are stewed. Very good. Lastly, because no Kingdom can stand without laws, and where law has her eyen, there Lawyers & pettifogger's swarm, therefore the Lawyers here are sharks, and gudgeons the poor Clients. Wa ho ro sol fa, sol fa. Hark. Peace Bolt. Nay peace you good sir Ieffery, peace, peace. Sol la, sol la sol la sol la. Some falconers teaching his Hawk pricksong, Shall I mock him in's own key. Do. Sol fa sol fa, here boy. Here boy, wa ha ho ho, All hail to you two. And all snow to you sir. Sirrah what art thou that wishest all the hail to light upon us two? Answer wisely to my master, For he's a justice of peace, and you'll be smelled out. I am a drowned rat. A Rat? Do you take sir Ieffrey for a Rat-catcher, You'll tell a sweet tale for yourself anon. Pox rot you, I am shipwrecked, Give me some meat. Shall I make his Mittimus? he begs sir. iha met more than my match, Neptune and I, Wrestling for falls, he got the mastery, I'm with his beating bruised, weary, cold, weak, Liquored soundly. He's drunk. Yet so thirsty scarce can speak, If ye be men, help me to food and fire. What Countryman art thou sirrah? A Scot, give me some victuals pray. No mind but of thy belly. Sirrah, sirrah, you are a Scot, and I a true English Justice.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Then tis like the ſea, for all's fiſh that comes to net there. I'le tell you the myſtery of that, looke what mouthes gape at land, the ſelfe ſame gape at ſea, all the land is one kingdome, and all the ſea another. And people in't. And people in't (right worſhipful) but they all go Weſthod, as there are good and bad here, ſo there are good and bad there, gulls here, gulls there, as great men here eate up the little men: ſo Whales feed upon the leſſer fiſhes. Belike then the watry common wealth are ill govern'd. No bravely, for heroicall Hector Herring is King of fiſhes. So. Rich cobs his good ſubjects, who at Yarmouth lay downe their lives in his quarrell, ſword-fiſh and Pike are his guard. On. Freſh Cods the gallants, and ſweet ſlipper the Knights, whiting-mopps the Ladies, and Lillie-white-muſſels the wayting-gentlewomen. Dangerous meat to take too much of. But who the pages? Shrimps. No, no ſir, perriwinckles are the pages, perriwinckles. No Iuſtices among them? Yes ſir Ieffery, Thornebacks are the Iuſtices, Crabs the Conſtables, whom if you butter with good words, 'tis paſſing meat at midnight. Ah, ha. Dogfiſh are Iaylors, And Stockfiſh the poore common people. Indeed they live hardly. But ſir they are beaten too't, then have you wet Eeles for whores, and great Oyſters for Bawds. Why great Oyſters Bawd? Becauſe for the moſt part they are ſtewed. Very good. Laſtly, becauſe no Kingdome can ſtand without laws, and where law ha's her eyne, there Lawyers & Pettifoggers ſwarme, therfore the Lawyers here are ſharks, and gudgeons the poore Clyents. Wa ho ro ſol fa, ſol fa. Harke. Peace Bolt. Nay peace you good ſir Ieffery, peace, peace. Sol la, ſol la ſol la ſol la. Some Faulconers teaching his Hawke prickſong, Shall I mocke him in's owne key. Do. Sol fa ſol fa, here boy. Here boy, wa ha ho ho, All haile to you two. And all ſnow to you ſir. Sirra what art thou that wiſheſt all the haile to light upon us two? Anſwer wiſely to my maſter, For hee's a Iuſtice of peace, and you'l be ſmelt out. I am a drown'd rat. A Rat? Do you take ſir Ieffrey for a Rat-catcher, Youle tell a ſweet tale for your ſelfe anon. Pox rot you, I am ſhipwrack't, Give me ſome meate. Shall I make his Mittimus? he begs ſir. I'ha met more then my match, Neptune and I, Wraſtling for fals, he got the maſterie, I'me with his beating bruis'd, weary, cold, weak, Liquor'd ſoundly. He's drunk. Yet ſo thirſtie ſcarce can ſpeak, If ye be men, help me to food and fire. What Countryman art thou ſirra? A Scot, give me ſome victuals pray. No minde but of thy belly. Sirra, ſirra, you are a Scot, and I a true Engliſh Juſtice.