The Night Walker, or The Little Thief · chunk 20 of 39
Fletcher, John / Shirley, James · published 1640 · first performed or written c.1611(?) [revised by Shirley and re-licensed for stage, May 11, 1633] (Annals) comedy · Lady Elizabeth's Men · Phoenix/Cockpit T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds typicality 0.71 · 501 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
Alive we'll bury thee, speak old Iniquity. Bury him alive by all means for a testimony. Their voices make my house reel, oh for Officers, I am in a dream, thy daughter's spirit Walks a nights, and troubles all the neighbours; Go hire a conjurer, I'll say no more. The Law shall say more. We are witnesses, And if thou be'st not hanged— Buy a Book of good manners, A short book of good manners. Buy a ballad, a ballad of the maid was got with child. That might ha' been my case last night, I'll ha''t whate'er it cost me. A ballad of the Witches hanged at Ludlow. I will have that too; There was an Aunt of mine, I think amongst 'em, I would be glad to hear her Testament. A new book of women. The thunders laid, how they stare at him. A new book of fools, a strange book, Very strange fools. I'll owe thee a good turn whate'er thou art. A book of walking spirits. That I like not. Nor I, they walked me the fool's morris. A book of wicked women. That's well thought on. Of rude malicious women, of proud women, Of scolding women, we shall ne'er get in. A ballad of wronged Maids. I'll buy that. A little, very little book Of good and godly women, a very little one, So little, you may put it in a nutshell. With a small print, that nobody can read it. Peace sirrah, or I'll tear your books. Open the door, and let him in, I love him. A book of evil Magistrates. I marry, d'ee here that Justice. And their eviller wives, That we are their places in their petticoats. D'ee you hear that Lady. A book new Printed, against Playing, Dancing, Masking, maypoles; a zealous Brother's book, And full of fables. Another book of women, of mad women, Women that were borne in March. Are you got in? We would ha' pulled your knaves hide else; this fellow Was sent to abuse us, but we shall have time To talk more with this justice. Farewell Madam, as you like this come visit me again, You and your treble strings, now scold your hearts out— Shall he carry it thus away? Go to the Judge, and what you'll have us swear— I thank ye heartily, I'll keep that for the last, I will go home, And leave him to his Conscience for a while, If it sleep long, I'll wake it with a vengeance. What book has he given thee? A dainty book, a book of the great Navy, Of fifteen hundred ships of Cannon proof, Built upon Whales to keep their Keels from sinking; And Dragons in 'em, that spit fire ten mile; And Elephants that carry goodly castles. Dost thou believe it? Shall we not believe books in Print? I have John tailor's book of hempseed too, Which for two lines I happened on by chance, I reverence. I prithee what are they?
c.1611(?) [revised by Shirley and re-licensed for stage, May 11, 1633]
First performance (BritDrama)
1615 [1613-1616] [revised 1633]
Company (BritDrama)
Lady Elizabeth's Men
Theater
Phoenix/Cockpit;Indoor Professional
Genre (British Drama)
comedy
Play type
Adult Professional;Professional
Edition / TCP / DEEP
edition 1127 · TCP A00966 · DEEP 947
Edition role
Representative edition — used in the analysis
Position
nodes 1318–1389 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 20 of 39 in this edition
Length
501 words · 682 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T47 — Knaves, thieves and bawdscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.711 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T46 · seed 44: T41 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Alive weele bury thee, speake old Iniquitie. Bury him alive by all meanes for a testimony. Their voyces make my house reele, oh for Officers, I am in a dreame, thy daughters spirit Walkes a nights, and troubles all the neighbours; Goe hire a conjurer, Ile say no more. The Law shall say more. We are witnesses, And if thou beest not hang'd — Buy a Booke of good manners, A short booke of good manners. Buy a ballad, a ballad of the maide was got with child. That might ha beene my case last night, Ile ha't what ere it cost me. A ballad of the Witches hang'd at Ludlow. I will have taht too; There wasan Aunt of mine, I thinke amongst e'm, I would be glad to heare her Testament. A new booke of women. The thunders laid, how they stare at him. A new booke of fooles, a strange booke, Very strange fooles. Ile owe thee a good turne what e're thou art. A booke of walking spirits. That I like not. Nor I, they walk'd me the fooles morris. A booke of wicked women. Thats well thought on. Of rude malicious women, of proud women, Of scolding women, we shall nere get in. A ballad of wronged Maydes. Ile buy that. A little, very little booke Of good and godly women, a very little one, So little, you may put it in a nutshell. With a small print, that no body can reade it. Peace firra, or Ile teare your bookes. Open the doore, and let him in, I love him. A booke of evill Magistrates. I marry, dee here that Justice. And their eviller wives, That we are their places in their peticotes. Dee you heare that Lady. A booke new Printed, against Playing, Dancing, Masking, May-poles; a zealous Brothers booke, And full of fables. Another booke of women, of mad women, Women that were borne in March. Are you got in? We would ha pull'd your knaves hide else; this fellow Was sent to abuse us, but we shall have time To talke more with this Iustice. Farewell Madam, as you like this come visit me agen, You and your treble strings, now scold your hearts out — Shall he carry it thus away? Goe to the Judge, and what you'le have us sweare — I thanke yee heartily, Ile keepe that for the last, I will goe home, And leave him to his Conscience for a while, If it sleepe long, Ile wake it with a vengeance. What booke has he given thee? A dainty booke, a booke of the great Navy, Of fifteene hundred shippes of Cannon proofe, Built upon Whales to keepe their Keeles from sinking; And Dragons in 'em, that spit fire ten mile; And Elephants that carry goodly castles. Dost thou beleeve it? Shall we not beleeve bookes in Print? I have John Taylors booke of Hempeseede too, Which for two lines I hapned on by chance, I reverence. I prethee what are they?