The Three Lords and Three Ladies of London · chunk 27 of 41
Wilson, Robert · published 1590 · first performed or written 1588 [1588-1590] (Annals) moral · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) unassigned nearest T57 Ships, merchants and pirates · 502 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T57: ship, sea, master, sail, home, money, pisaro, life, ships, till.
o better my state, nay, to alter my state, for here where I am, I know the gouernment, here can I liue for all their threatning, if strangers peuaile, I know not their lawes nor their vsage, they may bée oppressore, & take al I haue, and it is like they are so, for they sk that's not their owne. Therfore here will I stay sure, to keepe what I haue, rather than be a traitor vpon hap and had I wist: and stay you if ye be wise, and pray as I pray, that the preachers and all other good men may die, and then we shall flourish, but neuer trust to strangers curtesie. We shall trust but to our friends & kin, you'll not go with us, yet for old acquaintance keep counsel, betray us not, for we'll be gone to sea, I am afraid yen foolish knave have belayed the streets for us. Let me go afore ye, if any such thing be, I'll give ye inkling. Do, farewell Usury: and as he goes one way, we'll go another, follow sirs, never trust a shrinker, if he be your own brother. Fealty, thou faithful Herald of our town, Thou true truce-kéeper, and sure friend in peace, Take down our shields, and give them to our boys: Now Fealty, prepare thy wits for war, To parley with the proud Castillians Approaching fast the frontiers of our coast: Wit, here, my Page in every message shall Attend on thee, to note them and their deeds: I need not tell thee, they are poor and proud, Vaunters, vainglorious, tyrants, truce-breakers, Envious, ireful, and ambitious, For thou hast found their facing and their brags, Their backs, their coffers, and their wealth, their rags, But let me tell thee what we crave of thee, To scan with judgement what their leaders be, To note their presence and observe their grace, And truly to advertise what they seem, Whether to be experienced in arms, Or men of name those three that led the rest, the rest refer we to thy own conceit, I hope in this my duty to discharge, as heretofore Clubs, clubs, nay come neighbours come, for here they be, here I left them, arrant thieves, rogues, cozeners, I charge ye as you will answer, prebend them, for they have undone me, and robbed me, and made me the poorest free man that ever kept a ballad stall: I charge ye keep the peace and lay down your weapons: Who raised this tumult? Speak, what means this stir? O I am undone, robbed, spoiled of all my stock, let me see, where be they? Keep every street and door, 'samine all that comes for Fraud that cozener. masters, what mean you in these troublous times to keep this coil? Alas my Lord, her's a poor man robbed, or cozened. I am robbed O my boys, my pretty boys, I am undone, saw ye no thieves, nor no crafty knaves, what be all these?
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)
o better my state, nay, to alter my state, for here where I am, I know the gouernment, here can I liue for all their threatning, if strangers peuaile, I know not their lawes nor their vsage, they may bée oppressore, & take al I haue, and it is like they are so, for they sk that's not their owne. Therfore here will I stay sure, to keepe what I haue, rather than be a traitor vpon hap and had I wist: and stay you if ye be wise, and pray as I pray, that the preachers and all other good men may die, and then we shall flourish, but neuer trust to strangers curtesie. We shal trust but to our friends & kin, yo'il not go with vs, yet for old acquaintance kep counsel, betray vs not, for we'il be gone to sea, I am affraid yen foolish knaue haue belaied the stréets for vs. Let me go afore ye, if any such thing be, Ile giue ye inkling. Do, farewel Vsury: and as he goes one way, we'il go another, follow sirs, nuer trust a shrinker, if he be your owne brother. Fealty, thou faithfull Herald of our towne, Thou true truce-kéeper, and sure friend in peace, Take downe our shields, and giue them to our boies: Now Fealty, prepare thy wits for war, To parlie with the proud Castillians Approching fast the frontiers of our coast: Wit, here, my Page in euerie message shall Attend on thee, to note them and their déedes: I néed not tel thée, they are poore and proud, Vaunters, vaineglorious, tyrants, truce-breakers, Enuious, irefull, and ambitious, For thou hast found their facing and their brags, Their backes, their coffers, and their wealth, their rag, But let me tell thee what we craue of thée, To scanne with iudgment what their leaders be, To note their presence and obserue their grace, And truly to aduertise what they seeme, Whether to be experienced in armes, Or men of name those three that lead the rest, the rest referre we to thy owne conceit, I hope in this my dutie to discharge, as heretofore Clubs, clubs, nay come neighbours come, for here they bee, here I left them, arrant theeues, rogues, cosoners, I charge ye as you wil answere, prebend them, for they haue vndone me, and robb'd me, and made me the poorest free man that euer kept a ballad stall: I charge ye keepe the peace and lay downe your weapons: Who rais'd this tumult? Speake, what meanes this stir? O I am vndone, robb'd, spoil'd of all my stocke, let me see, where be they? Keepe euerie street and doore, samine all that comes for Fraud that cosoner. Maisters, what meane you in these troublous times to keepe this coile? Alas my Lord, her's a poore man rob'd, or cosoned. I am rob'd O my boies, my pretie boies, I am vndone, saw ye no theeues, nor no craftie knaues, what be all these?