Davenport, Robert · published 1639 · first performed or written 1625 [c.1624-1639] (Annals) comedy · Queen Henrietta Maria's Men (?); Lady Elizabeth's Men (?) T15 Friars and holy orders in plot typicality 0.73 · 494 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T15: friar, lord, holy, friars, robin, peggy, lacie, angelo, love, nun.
I pray Friar Iohn, what spirit do you deal with? Aestroth, did you not hear me name him? And what's he? One of the four great Spirits, that have Dominion o'er the four quarters of the Earth: good Dame, methinks you do not eat. I could eat thee. Could you not show your Devil for a need, To one that fain would see him? In what shape? Why in his own. Oh 'tis too terrible, it would fright us all. Yet would I see him. What, in his terrors? he would make you mad, Distracted and amazed, yet, good mine Host, To give you all content, I could be willing To show him but in some familiar shape, Such as should not affright you. With all my heart. Have you no Neighbour whom you best affect, whose Shape he might assume t'appear less terrible? Yes, twenty I could name. Soft, let me pause; It must be some that still wake at these hours, We have no power o'er sleepers; say I bring him In person of some Watchman? No shape better. Or in the habit of your Constable? Why he's my honest Gossip. Why then his. More scurvy tricks Friar Iohn, I may live to cry quittance with you. But mine Host, resolve me one thing; should great Asterothe appear to you in your gossip's shape, How would you deal with him? Why as my friend, my Neighbour, and my Gossip. No such thing; you must imagine him what he appears, An evil spirit, to kick him, and defy him, As you would do the Devil, otherwise When you are late abroad, and we gone hence, He'll haunt your house hereafter. Fear not that, If kicks and spurns will drive the Devil hence, I'll help to send him packing. I must tell you, 'tis merely for your own good, Appear Asteroth, Asteroth appear from underneath the bed In shape of Master Constable; do't when I say't, Not yet? Excruciabo te Asteroth, in jam jam jam apparebis. Now mine Host, either with zeal expel the Devil hence, Or have your house still haunted. Will kicks do't? Let me alone to conjure him, pox on the Devil, He hath put me in a sweat. I'll after him, and lest he should bear down part Of the house, I'll let him out of doors. Yes, do good Nan; I think Friar Iohn I have bombasted the Devil; thanks for our Supper, French wine, and Spanish Loaves, I never tasted meat That more contented me. But how came this? I'll tell you by the way; no questions now: Now good mine Host we see the night quite spent And the bright day star rising in the East; We'll take our leaves; make much of our good Dame, And think no worse of your good Officer, Your Gossip and your Neighbour, in whose form Asteroth so late appeared. Good night friar Iohn, and holy Father Bernard. Rather good morrow.
seed 43: T19 · seed 44: T20 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I pray Frier Iohn, what ſpirit doe you deale with? Aeſtroth, did you not heare me name him? And what's hee? One of the foure great Spirits, that have Dominion O're the foure quarters of the Earth: good Dame, Me thinkes you doe not eate. I could eate thee. Could you not ſhew your Divell for a need, To one that faine would ſee him? In what ſhape? Why in his owne. Oh 'tis too terrible, it would fright us all. Yet would I ſee him. What, in his terrors? he would make you mad, Diſtracted and amaz'd, yet, good mine Hoſt, To give you all content, I could be willing To ſhew him but in ſome familiar ſhape, Such as ſhould not affright you. With all my heart. Have you no Neighbour whom you beſt affect, whoſe Shape he might aſſume t'appeare leſſe terrible? Yes, twenty I could name. Soft, let me pauſe; It muſt be ſome that ſtill wake at theſe houres, We have no power o're ſleepers; ſay I bring him In perſon of ſome Watchman? No ſhape better. Or in the habit of your Conſtable? Why hee's my honeſt Goſſip. Why then his. More ſcurvy trickes Frier Iohn, I may live to cry quittance with you. But mine Hoſt, reſolve me one thing; ſhould great Aſterothe appeare to you in your Goſſips ſhape, How would you deale with him? Why as my friend, my Neighbour, and my Goſſip. No ſuch thing; you muſt imagine him what he appeares, An evill ſpirit, to kicke him, and defie him, As you would doe the Divell, otherwiſe When you are late abroad, and we gone hence, He'le haunt your houſe hereafter. Feare not that, If kickes and ſpurnes will drive the Divell hence, Ile helpe to ſend him packing. I muſt tell you, 'tis meerely for your owne good, Appeare Aſteroth, Aſteroth appeare from underneath the bed In ſhape of Maſter Conſtable; do't when I ſay't, Not yet? Excruciabo te Aſteroth, in jam jam jam apparebis. Now mine Hoſt, either with zeale expell the Divell hence, Or have your houſe ſtill haunted. Will kickes do't? Let me alone to conjure him, pox on the Divell, He hath put me in a ſweat. Ile after him▪ and leaſt he ſhould beare downe part Of the houſe, Ile let him out of doores. Yes, doe good Nan; I thinke Frier Iohn I have bumbaſted the Devill; thankes for our Supper, French wine, and Spaniſh Loaves, I never taſted meat That more contented me. But how came this? Ile tell you by the way; no queſtions now: Now good mine Hoſt we ſee the night quite ſpent And the bright day ſtarre riſing in the Eaſt; We'le take our leaves; make much of our good Dame, And thinke no worſe of your good Officer, Your Goſſip and your Neighbour, in whoſe forme Aſteroth ſo late appear'd. Good night Frier Iohn, and holy Father Bernard. Rather good morrow.