Anonymous · published 1592 · first performed or written 1592 [c.1589-1592] (Annals) tragedy · Unknown T6 Money, debt and credit typicality 0.75 · 544 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
Now am I growing into a doubtful agony What I were best to do, to run away with this Chain, Or deliver it, and follow my master. If I deliver it and follow my master, I shall have thanks. But they will make me never the fatter, If I run away with it, I may live upon credit All the while I wear this chain, Or domineer with the money when I have sold it, Hitherto all goes well, but if I be taken, I marry sir, than the case is altered, I and haltered to, Of all things I do not love to preach With a halter about my neck, Therefore for this once, i'll be honest against my will, Perseda shall have it, but before I go, i'll be so bold As to dive into this Gentleman's pocket, for good luck's sake. If he deny me not: how say you sir, are you content? A plain case, Qui tacet consentire videtur. See where his body lies. ay, ay, I see his body all to soon, What barbarous villain is't that rifles him. Ah Ferdinand, the stay of my old age, And chief remainder of our progeny, Ah loving cousen how art thou misdone, By false Erastus, ah no by treachery, For well thy valour hath been often tried, But whilst I stand and weep, and spend the time In fruitless plaints, the murderer will escape, Without revenge, sole salve for such a sore, Say villain, wherefore didst thou rifle him? Faith sir for pure good will, Seeing he was going towards heaven, I thought to see, if he had a passport to S. Nicholas or no, Some sot he seems to be, 'twere pity to hurt him: Sirrah canst thou tell who slew this man? ay sir very well, it was my master Erastus. Thy master, and whether is he gone now? To fetch the Sexton to bury him I think. 'twere pity to imprison such a sot, Now it fits my wisdom to counterfeit the fool. Come hither sirrah, thou knowest me For the Governor of the city, dost thou not? I forsooth sir. Thou art a bondman, and wouldst feign be free? I forsooth sir. Then do but this, and I will make thee free, And rich withal, learn where Erastus is, And bring me word, and i'll reward thee well. That I will sir, I shall find you at the Castle, shall I not? Yes. Why i'll be here, as soon as ever I come again. But for assurance that he may not scape, we'll lay the ports and havens round about, And let a proclamation straight be made, That he that can bring forth the murderer, Shall have three thousand Ducats for his pains, myself will see the body borne from hence, And honoured with Balm and funeral. God sends fortune to fools. Did you ever see wise man escape as I have done, I must betray my master: I but when can you tell? See where Perseda comes, to save me a labour. After my most hearty commendations, This is to let you understand, That my master was in good health at the sending hereof, Yours for ever and ever and ever. In most humble wise Piston.
nodes 961–1026 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 16 of 35 in this edition
Length
544 words · 709 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T6 — Money, debt and creditcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.754 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T9 · seed 44: T10 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Now am I growing into a doubtfull agonie What I were best to do, to run away with this Chaine, Or deliuer it, and follow my maister. If I deliuer it and follow my maister, I shall haue thanks. But they will make me neuer the fatter, If I run away with it, I may liue vpon credit All the while I weare this chaine, Or dominere with the money when I haue sold it, Hetherto all goes well, but if I be taken, I marry sir, then the case is altered, I and haltered to, Of all things I do not loue to preach With a haulter about my neck, Therefore for this once, ile be honest against my will, Perseda shall haue it, but before I go, ile be so bolde As to diue into this Gentlemans pocket, for good luck sake. If he deny me not: how say you sir, are you content? A plaine case, Quitacet consitiri videtur. See where his body lyes. I, I, I see his body all to soone, What barbarous villaine ist that rifles him. Ah Ferdinand, the stay of my old age, And cheefe remainder of our progenie, Ah louing cousen how art thou misdone, By false Erastus, ah no by treacherie, For well thy valour hath beene often tride, But whilst I stand and weepe, and spend the time In fruitlesse plaints, the murtherer will escape, VVithout reuenge, sole salue for such a sore, Say villaine, wherefore didst thou rifle him? Faith sir for pure good will, Seeing he was going towards heauen, I thought to see, if he had a pasport to S. Nicholas or no, Some sot he seemes to be, twere pittie to hurt him: Sirra canst thou tell who slew this man? I sir very well, it was my maister Erastus. Thy maister, and whether is he gone now? To fetch the Sexten to burie him I thinke. Twere pittie to imprison such a sot, Now it fits my wisdome to counterfeit the foole. Come hether sirra, thou knowest me For the Gouernour of the cittie, doost thou not? I forsooth sir. Thou art a bondman, and wouldst faine be free? I forsooth sir. Then do but this, and I will make thee free, And rich wiihall, learne where Erastus is, And bring me word, and ile reward thee well. That I will sir, I shall finde you at the Castle, shall I not? Yes. Why ile be here, as soone as euer I come againe. But for assurance that he may not scape, VVeele lay the ports and hauens round about, And let a proclamation straight be made, That he that can bring foorth the murtherer, Shall haue three thousand Duckets for his paines, My selfe will see the body borne from hence, And honored with Balme and funerall. God sends fortune to fooles. Did you euer see wise man escape as I haue done, I must betraie my maister: I but when can you tell? See where Perseda comes, to saue me a labour. After my most hearty commendations, This is to let you vnderstand, That my maister was in good health at the sending hereof, Yours for euer and euer and euer. In most humble wise Piston.