Randolph, Thomas · published 1638 · first performed or written 1630 [licensed for stage, Nov 25] (Annals) moral · King's Revels Company unassigned nearest T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe · 512 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
Indeed it something pricks my Conscience, I come to sell 'em Pins and Looking-glasses. I have their custom too for all their feathers: 'Tis fit that we which are sincere Professors Should gain by Infidels. Mr Roscius we have brought the things you spoke for. Why 'tis well. Pray sir what serve they for? We use them in our Play. Are you a Player? I am Sir, what of that? And is it lawful? Good sister le's convert him, will you use So fond a calling? And so impious? So irreligious? So unwarrantable? Only to gain by vice? To live by sin? My spleen is up: And live not you by sin? Take away vanity and you both may break. What serves your lawful trade of selling pins, But to joint gewgaws, and to knit together Gorgets, strips, neckcloths, laces, ribbons, ruffs, And many other such like toys as these, To make the Baby Pride a pretty Puppet? And you sweet Featherman, whose ware though light Oreweighs your Conscience, what serves your Trade But to plume folly, to give Pride her wings, To deck vainglory? spoiling the Peacock's tail T'adorn an Idiot's Coxcomb! O dull ignorance! How ill 'tis understood what we do mean For good and honest! They abuse our Scene, And say we live by vice: Indeed 'tis true As the Physicians by diseases do, Only to cure them: They do live we see Like Cooks by pamp'ring prodigality, Which are our fond accusers. On the stage We set an Usurer to tell this age How ugly looks his soul: A prodigal Is taught by us how far from liberal His folly bears him: Boldly I dare say There has been more by us in some one Play Laughed into wit and virtue, then hath been By twenty tedious Lectures drawn from sin And foppish humours; Hence the cause doth rise Men are not won by th'ears so well as eyes. First see what we present. The sight is able To unsanctify our eyes, and make 'em Carnal. Will you condemn without examination? No Sister, let us call up all our zeal, And try the strength of this temptation: Satan shall see we dare defy his Engines. I am content. Then take your places here, I will come to you And moralise the plot. That moralising I do approve, it may be for instruction. Roscius, I hear you have a new Play to day. We want not you to play Mephostopholis. A pretty natural vizard! What have you there? A Looking-glass, or two. What things are they? Pray let me see them. Heaven, what sights are here! I a've seen a Devil. Looking-glasses call you them? There is no basilisk but a Looking-glass. 'tis your own face you saw. My own? thou liest: I'd not be such a Monster for the world. Look in it now with me, what ●…eest thou now? An Angel and a Devil. Look on that Thou callst an Angel, mark it well, and tell me, Is it not like my face? As 'twere the same.
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)
Indeed it something pricks my Conscience, I come to sell 'em Pins and Looking-glasses. I have their custome too for all their feathers: 'Tis fit that we which are sincere Professors Should gain by Infidels. Mr Roscius we have brought the things you spake for. Why tis well. Pray sir what serve they for? We use them in our Play. Are you a Player? I am Sir, what of that? And is it lawfull? Good sister lets convert him, will you use So fond a calling? And so impious? So irreligious? So unwarrantable? Only to gain by vice? To live by sinne? My spleene is up: And live not you by sinne? Take away vanity and you both may break. What serves your lawfull trade of selling pins, But to joynt gew-gawes, and to knit together Gorgets, strips, neck-cloths, laces, ribbands, ruffs, And many other such like toyes as these, To make the Baby Pride a pretty Puppet? And you sweet Featherman, whose ware though light Oreweighs your Conscience, what serves your Trade But to plume folly, to give Pride her wings, To deck vain-glory? spoiling the Peacocks tayle T'adorne an Idiots Coxcombe! O dull ignorance! How ill 'tis understood what we doe meane For good and honest! They abuse our Scene, And say we live by vice: Indeed tis true As the Physitians by diseases doe, Only to cure them: They doe live we see Like Cookes by pamp'ring prodigality, Which are our fond accusers. On the stage We set an Vsurer to tell this age How ugly looks his soule: A prodigall Is taught by us how farre from liberall His folly bears him: Boldly I dare say There has been more by us in some one Play Laugh't into wit and vertue, then hath been By twenty tedious Lectures drawn from sinne And foppish humours; Hence the cause doth rise Men are not wonn by th'eares so well as eyes. First see what we present. The sight is able To unsanctify our eyes, and make 'em Carnall. Will you condemne without examination? No Sister, let us call up all our zeale, And try the strength of this temptation: Satan shall see we dare defie his Engines. I am content. Then take your places here, I will come to you And moralize the plot. That moralizing I doe approve, it may be for instruction. Roscius, I heare you have a new Play to day. We want not you to play Mephostopholis. A pretty naturall vizard! What have you there? A Looking-glasse, or two. What things are they? Pray let me see them. Heaven, what sights are here! I a've seene a Divell. Looking-glasses call you them? There is no basilisque but a Looking-glasse. Tis your own face you saw. My own? thou liest: I'de not be such a Monster for the world. Look in it now with me, what eest thou now? An Angell and a Divell. Look on that Thou callst an Angell, mark it well, and tell me, Is it not like my face? As twere the same.