Jonson, Ben · published 1640 · first performed or written 1633 [licensed for stage, May 7] (Annals) comedy · Queen Henrietta Maria's Men unassigned nearest T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds · 505 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
Masters, take heed, let's not vind too many: One's enough to stay the Hangman's stomach. There is Iohn Clay, who is yvound already; A proper man: A Tileman by his trade: A man as one would zay, moulded in clay: As spruce as any neighbour's child among you: And he (you zee) is taken on conspition, And two, or three (they zay) what call you 'hem? Zuch as the Justices of Coram nobis Grant— (I forget their names, you ha' many on 'em, Mr. High Constable they come to you.) I ha' it at my tongue's end— Cunni-borroughes, To bring him strait avore the zessions house. O you mean warrens, neighbour, do you not? I, I, thick same! you know ' un well enough. Too well, too well; would I had never known 'hem. We good Vree-holders' cannot live in quiet, But every hour new purcepts, Huy's and Cry's, Put us to requisitions' night and day: What should a man zay, should we leave the zearch? I am in danger, to reburse as much As he was robbed on; I, and pay his hurts, If I should vollow it, all the good cheer That was provided; for the wedding dinner Is spoiled, and lost. O there are two vat pigs, A zindging by the vi●r: Now by Saint Tomy, Too good to eat, but on a wedding day; And than, a Goose will bid you all, Come cut me. Zun Clay, zun Clay (for I must call thee so) Be of good comfort; take my Muckender; And dry thine eyes. If thou be'st true, and honest; And if thou findest thy conscience clear urom it, Pluck up a good heart, we'll do well enough. If not, confess a truth's name. But in faith I durst be sworn upon all holy books, Iohn Clay would ne'er commit a Robbery On his own head. Not; Truth is my rightful Judge: I have kept my hands, here hence, fro' evil speaking, Lying, and slandering; and my tongue from stealing. He do not live this day can say, Iohn Clay I ha' zeene thee, but in the way of honesty. Faith neighbour Medlay, I durst be his burrow, He would not look a true man in the face. I take the town to concord, where I devil, All Kilburne be my witness; If I were not Begot in bashfulness, brought up in shamefacedness: Let 'un bring a dog, but to my face, that can Zay, I ha' beat' hun, and without a vault; Or but a cat, will swear upon a book, I have as much as zet a vier her tail; And I'll give him, or her a crown for 'mends. But to give out, and zay, I have robbed a Captain! Receive me at the latter day, if I E'er thought of any such matter; or could mind it—. Not Iohn, you are come of too good personage; I think my Gossip Clench, and Mr. Turf Both think, you would ra ' tempt not such voule matter.
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)
Maſters, take heed, let's not vind too many: One's enough to ſtay the Hang-mans ſtomack. There is Iohn Clay, who is yvound already; A proper man: A Tile-man by his trade: A man as one would zay, moulded in clay: As ſpruce as any neighbours child among you: And he (you zee) is taken on conſpition, And two, or three (they zay) what call you 'hem? Zuch as the Juſtices of Coram nobis Grant— (I forget their names, you ha' many on 'hem, Mr. High Conſtable they come to you.) I ha' it at my tongues end — Cunni-borroughes, To bring him ſtraight avore the zeſſions houſe. O you meane warrens, neighbour, doe you not? I, I, thick ſame! you know 'un well enough. Too well, too well; wou'd I had never knowne 'hem. Wee good Vree-holders cannot live in quiet, But every houre new purcepts, Huy's and Cry's, Put us to requiſitions night and day: What ſhud a man zay, ſhud we leave the zearch? I am in danger, to reburſe as much As he was rob'd on; I, and pay his hurts, If I ſhould vollow it, all the good cheare That was provided; for the wedding dinner Is ſpoil'd, and loſt. Oh there are two vat pigs, A zindging by the vir: Now by Saint Tomy, Too good to eate, but on a wedding day; And then, a Gooſe will bid you all, Come cut me. Zun Clay, zun Clay (for I muſt call thee ſo) Be of good comfort; take my Muckinder; And dry thine eyes. If thou beeſt true, and honeſt; And if thou find'ſt thy conſcience cleare vrom it, Pluck up a good heart, wee'll doe well enough. If not, confeſſe a truths name. But in faith I durſt be ſworne upon all holy bookes, Iohn Clay would nere commit a Robberie On his owne head. No; Truth is my rightfull Judge: I have kept my hands, here hence, fro' evill ſpeaking, Lying, and ſlandering; and my tongue from ſtealing. He doe not live this day can ſay, Iohn Clay I ha' zeene thee, but in the way of honeſty. Faith neighbour Medlay, I durſt be his burrough, He would not looke a true man in the vace. I take the towne to concord, where I dwell, All Kilburne be my witneſſe; If I were not Begot in baſhfulneſſe, brought up in ſhamefac'tneſſe: Let 'un bring a dog, but to my vace, that can Zay, I ha' beat 'hun, and without a vault; Or but a cat, will ſweare upon a booke, I have as much as zet a vier her taile; And Ile give him, or her a crowne for 'mends. But to give out, and zay, I have rob'd a Captaine! Receive me at the latter day, if I Ere thought of any ſuch matter; or could mind it—. No Iohn, you are come of too good perſonage; I thinke my Goſſip Clench, and Mr. Turfe Both thinke, you would ra 'tempt no ſuch voule matter.