Lyly, John · published 1592 · first performed or written 1585 [1583-1585] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (first) (?) · before the Court unassigned nearest T56 Magic, spells and conjuring · 485 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T56: magic, faustus, charms, charm, conjure, spirits, skill, ho, power, spells.
An art quoth you, that one multiplieth so much all day, that he wanteth money to buy meat at night? But what have we yonder? what devout man? he will never speak till he be urged. I will salute him. Sir, there lieth a purse under your feet, if I thought it were not yours, I would take it up. Dost thou not know that I was calculating the nativity of Alexander's great horse? Why what are you? An Astronomer. What one of those that makes Almanacs. Ipsissimus. I can tell the minute of thy birth, the moment of thy death, and the manner. I can tell thee what wether shall be between this and Octogessimus octaws mirabilis annus. When I list I can set a trap for the Sun, catch the Moon with lime-twigs, and go a batfowling for stars. I can tell thee things passed, and things to come, & with my cunning, measure how many yards of Clouds are beneath the Sky. Nothing can happen which I foresee not, nothing shall. I hope sir you are no more than a God. I can bring the twelve signs out of their Zodiacs, and hang them up at Taverns. I pray you sir tell me what you cannot do, for I perceive there is nothing so easy for you to compass as impossibilities. But what be those signs? As a man should say, signs which govern the body. The Ram governeth the head. That is the worst sign for the head. Why? Because it is a sign of an ill Ewe. Tush, that sign must be there. Then the Bull for the throat, Capricornus for the knees. I will hear no more signs, if they be all such desperate signs: but seeing you are, (I know not who to term you) shall I serve you? I would fain serve. I accept thee. Happy am I, for now shall I reach thoughts, and tell how many drops of water goes to the greatest shower of rain. You shall see me catch the Moon in the clips like a coney in a pursnet. I will teach thee the Golden number, the Epact, and the Prime. I will meddle no more with numbering of gold, for multiplication is a miserable action; I pray sir what wether shall we have this hour threescore year? That I must cast by our judicials Astronomical, therefore come in with me, and thou shall see every wrinkle of my Astrological wisdom, and I will make the Heavens as plain to thee as the high way, thy cunning shall sit cheek by jowl with the suns Chariot; then shalt thou see what a base thing it is, to have others thoughts creep on the ground, whenas thine shall be stitched to the stars. Then I shall be translated from this mortality. Thy thoughts shall be metamorphosed, and made hail fellows with the Gods.
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)
An arte quoth you, that one multiplieth so much all day, that he wanteth money to buy meate at night? But what haue we yonder? what deuoute man? he will neuer speake till he be vrged. I wil salute him. Sir, there lieth a purse vnder your feete, if I thought it were not yours, I would take it vp. Doost thou not knowe that I was calculating the natiuity of Alexanders great horse? Why what are you? An Astronomer. What one of those that makes Almanacks. Ipsissimus. I can tell the minute of thy byrth, the moment of thy death, and the manner. I can tel thee what wether shall be betweene this and Octogessimus octauus mirabilis annus. When I list I can sette a trap for the Sunne, catch the Moone with lyme-twigges, and goe a batfowling for starres. I can tell thee things past, and things to come, & with my cunning, measure how many yards of Clowdes are beneath the Skye. Nothing can happen which I fore-see not, nothing shall. I hope sir you are no more then a God. I can bring the twelue signes out of theyr Zodiacks, and hang them vp at Tauerns. I pray you sir tell me what you cannot doe, for I perceiue there is nothing so easie for you to compasse as impossibilities. But what be those signes? As a man should say, signes which gouerne the body. The Ramme gouerneth the head. That is the worst signe for the head. Why? Because it is a signe of an ill Ewe. Tush, that signe must be there. Then the Bull for the throte, Capricornus for the knees. I will heare no more signes, if they be all such desperate signes: but seeing you are, (I know not who to terme you) shall I serue you? I would faine serue. I accept thee. Happie am I, for now shall I reach thoughts, and tell how many drops of water goes to the greatest showre of rayne. You shall see me catch the Moone in the clips like a Conny in a pursnet. I will teach thee the Golden number, the Epact, and the Prime. I wil meddle no more with numbring of gold, for multiplication is a miserable action; I pray sir what wether shall we haue this howre three-score yeere? That I must cast by our Iudicials Astronomicall, therefore come in with me, and thou shall see euerie wrinkle of my Astrologicall wisedome, and I will make the Heauens as plaine to thee as the high waie, thy cunning shall sitte cheeke by iole with the Sunnes Chariot; then shalt thou see what a base thing it is, to haue others thoughts creepe on the grounde, when as thine shall be stitched to the starres. Then I shall be translated from this mortality. Thy thoughts shall be metamorphosed, and made haile fellowes with the Gods.