Christmas His Masque (Christmas His Show) · chunk 1 of 4
Jonson, Ben · published 1641 · first performed or written 1616 [Christmas; January 1617] (Annals) masque · before the Court unassigned nearest T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe · 474 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
WHy Gentlemen, do you know what you do? ha'! would you ha' kept me out? Christmas, old Christmas? Christmas of London, and Captain Christmas? Pray you let me be brought before my Lord Chamberlain, i'll not be answered else: 'tis merry in hall when beards wag all: I ha' seen the time you ha' wished for me, for a merry Christmas, and now you ha' me; they would not let me in: I must come another time! a good jest, as if I could come more than once a year; why, I am no dangerous person, and so I told my friends, o' the Guard. I am old Gregory Christmas still, and though I come out of Popes-head-alley as good a Protestant, as any i' my Parish. The troth is, I ha' brought a Masque here, out o' the City, o' my own making, and do present it by a set of my Sons, that come out of the Lanes of London, good dancing boys all: It was intended I confess for Curryers' Hall, but because the weather has been open, and the Livery were not at leisure to see it till a frost came that they cannot work. I thought it convenient, with some little alterations, and the Groom of the Revels hand to it, to fit it for a higher place, which I have done; and though I say it, another manner of devise than your New years night. Bones o' bread, the King! Son Rowland, Son Clem, be ready there in a trice; quick, Boys. NOw God preserve, as you well do deserve, your Majesties all, too there; Your Highness' small, with my good Lords all, and Ladies, how do you do there? Gi'me leave to ask, for I bring you a Masque from little little little little London; Which say the KING likes, I ha'passed the Pikes, if not, old Christmas is undone. OF peace, what's the matter there? Here's one, o' Friday street would come in. By no means, nor out of neither of the Fishstreets, admit not a man; they are not Christmas creatures: Fish, and fasting days, foh! Sons, said I well? look too't. No body out o' Friday-street, nor the two Fish-streets there; do you hear? Shall John Butter o' Milk-street come in? ask him. Yes, he may slip in for a Torchbearer, so he melt not too fast, that he will last till the Masque be done. Right Son. Our Dances fraught, is a matter of eight, and two, the which are Wenches; In all they be ten, four Cocks to a Hen, and will swim to the tune like Tenches. Each hath his knight, for to carry his light, which some would say are Torches; To bring them here, and to lead them there, and home again to their own porches. Now their intent—
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)
WHy Gentlemen, doe you know what you doe? ha! would you ha' kept me out? Chriſtmas, old Chriſtmas? Chriſtmas of London, and Captaine Chriſtmas? Pray you let me be brought before my Lord Chamberlaine, i'le not be anſwer'd elſe: 'tis merrie in hall when beards wag all: I ha' ſeene the time you ha' wiſh'd for me, for a merry Chriſtmas, and now you ha' me; they would not let me in: I muſt come another time! a good jeaſt, as if I could come more then once a yeare; why, I am no dangerous perſon, and ſo I told my friends, o' the Guard. I am old Gregorie Chriſtmas ſtill, and though I come out of Popes-head-alley as good a Proteſtant, as any i' my Pariſh. The troth is, I ha' brought a Maſque here, out o' the Citie, o' my owne making, and doe preſent it by a ſett of my Sonnes, that come out of the Lanes of London, good dancing boyes all: It was intended I confeſſe for Curryers Hall, but becauſe the weather has beene open, and the Livory were not at leiſure to ſee it till a froſt came that they cannot worke. I thought it convenient, with ſome little alterations, and the Groome of the Revells hand to 't, to fit it for a higher place, which I have done; and though I ſay it, another manner of deviſe then your New yeares night. Bones o' bread, the King! Sonne Rowland, Son Clem, be ready there in a trice; quicke, Boyes. NOw God preſerve, as you well doe deſerve, your Majeſties all, two there; Your Highneſſe ſmall, with my good Lords all, and Ladies, how doe you do there? Gi'me leave to aske, for I bring you a Maſque from little little little little London; Which ſay the KING likes, I ha'paſſed the Pikes, if not, old Chriſtmas is undone. A' peace, whats the matter there? Here's one, o' Friday ſtreet would come in. By no meanes, nor out of neither of the Fiſhſtreets, admit not a man; they are not Chriſtmas creatures: Fiſh, and faſting dayes, foh! Sonnes, ſayd I well? looke too't. No bodie out o' Friday-ſtreet, nor the two Fiſh-ſtreets there; doe yo heare? Shall John Butter o' Milke-ſtreet come in? aske him. Yes, he may ſlip in for a Torch-bearer, ſo he melt not too faſt, that he will laſt till the Maſque be done. Right Sonne. OVr Dances freight, is a matter of eight, and two, the which are Wenches; In all they be ten, foure Cockes to a Hen, and will ſwim to the tune like Tenches. Each hath his knight, for to carry his light, which ſome would ſay are Torches; To bring them here, and to lead them there, and home againe to their owne porches. Now their intent —