1 The Troublesome Reign of King John · chunk 21 of 27
Anonymous · published 1591 · first performed or written 1591 (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men T15 Friars and holy orders in plot typicality 0.80 · 512 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T15: friar, lord, holy, friars, robin, peggy, lacie, angelo, love, nun.
What have we here, a holy Nun? So keep me God in health, A smooth fact Nun (for aught I know) is all the Abbot's wealth. Is this the No●ries chastity? Beshrew me but I think They go as oft to Venery, as niggards to their drink. Why paltrey Friar and Pandarus too, ye shameless shaven crown, Is this the chest that held a hoard, at least a thousand pound? And is the hoard a holy whore? Well be the hangman nimble, he'll take the pain to pay you home, and teach you to dissemble. O spare the Friar Anthony, a better never was To sing a Dirige solemnly, or read a morning Mass. If money be the means of this, I know an ancient Nun, That hath a hoard this seven years, did never see the sun; And that is yours, and what is ours, so favour now be shown, You shall command as commonly, as if it were your own, Your honour excepted. I Thomas, I mean so. From all save from Friars. Good Sir, do not think so? and you Friar Laurence remember your ransom a hundred pound, and a pardon for yourself, and the rest come on. Sir Prophet, you shall with me, to receive a Prophet's reward. My masters. I have showed you what warrant I have for this attempt; I perceive by your heavy countenances, you had rather be otherwise employed, and for my own part, I would the King had made choice of some other executioner: only this is my comfort, that a King commands, whose precepts neglected or omitted, threateneth torture for the default. Therefore in brief, leave me, and be ready to attend the adventure: stay within that entry, and when you hear me cry, God save the King, issue suddenly forth, lay hands on Arthur, set him in this chair, wherein (once fast bound) leave him with me to finish the rest. We go, though loath. My Lord, will it please your Honour to take the benefit of the fair evening? Gramttcie Hubert for thy care of me, In or to whom restraint is newly known, The joy of walking is small beue●●●, Yet will I take thy offer with small thanks, I would not lose the pleasure of the eye. But tell me courteous keeper if you can, How long the King will have me tarry here. I know not Prince, but as I guess not long. God send you freedom, and God save the King, They issue forth. Why how now sirs, what, may this outrage mean? O help me Hubert, gentle keeper help: God send this sudden mutinous approach Tend not to reave a wretched guiltless life. So sirs, depart, and leave the rest for me. Then Arthur yield, death frowneth in thy face, What meaneth this? Good Hubert plead the case. Patience young Lord, and listen words of woe, Harmful and harsh, hell's horror to be heard: A dismal tale fit for a fury's tongue. I faint to tell, deep sorrow is the sound. What, must I die?
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)
What haue wee here, a holy Nun? So kéepe mee God in health, A ſmooth facte Nunne (for ought I knowe) is all the Abbots wealth. Is this the Nories chaſtitie? Beſhrewe me but I thinke They goe as oft to Venery, as niggards to their drinke. Why paltrey Frier and Pandar too, yee ſhameleſſe ſhauen crowne, Is this the cheſt that held a hoord, at leaſt a thouſand pound? And is the hoord a holy whore? Wel be the hangman nimble, Hee'le take the paine to paye you home, and teach you to diſſemble. O ſpare the Frier Anthony, a better neuer was To ſing a Dirige ſolemnly, or read a morning Maſſe. If money be the meanes of this, I know an ancient Nunne, That hath a hoord this ſeauen yeares, did neuer ſée the ſunne; And that is yours, and what is ours, ſo fauour now be ſhown, You ſhall commaund as commonly, as if it were your owne, Your honour excepted. I Thomas, I meane ſo. From all ſaue from Friers. Good Sir, doo not thinke ſo? and you Frier Laurence remember your raunſome a hundred pound, and a pardon for your ſelfe, and the reſt come on. Sir Prophet, you ſhall with me, to receiue a Prophets rewarde. My maſters. I haue ſhewed you what warrant I haue for this attempt; I perceiue by your heauie countenances, you had rather be otherwiſe imployed, and for my owne part, I would the King had made choyce of ſome other executioner: onely this is my comfort, that a King commaunds, whoſe precepts neglected or omitted, threatneth torture for the default. Therefore in briefe, leaue me, and be readie to attend the aduenture: ſtay within that entry, and when you heare me crie, God ſaue the King, iſſue ſodainly foorth, lay handes on Arthur, ſet him in this chayre, wherin (once faſt bound) leaue him with me to finiſh the reſt. We goe, though loath. My Lord, will it pleaſe your Honour to take the benefite of the faire euening? Gramttcie Hubert for thy care of me, In or to whom reſtraint is newly knowen, The ioy of walking is ſmall beue , Yet will I take thy offer with ſmall thankes, I would not looſe the pleaſure of the eye. But tell me curteous keeper if you can, How long the King will haue me tarrie heere. I know not Prince, but as I geſſe not long. God ſend you freedome, and God ſaue the King, They iſſue forth. Why how now ſirs, what, may this outrage meane? O helpe me Hubert, gentle keeper helpe: God ſend this ſodaine mutinous approach Tend not to reaue a wretched guiltles life. So ſirs, depart, and leaue the reſt for me. Then Arthur yeeld, death frowneth in thy face, What meaneth this? Good Hubert plead the caſe. Patience yong Lord, and liſten words of woe, Harmfull and harſh, hells horror to be heard: A diſmall tale fit for a furies tongue. I faint to tell, déepe ſorrow is the ſound. What, muſt I die?