Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1592 [Jun 10] (Annals) moral · Derby's (Strange's) Men T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds typicality 0.77 · 506 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
Why, what art thou? marry I go plain, and my name is Honesty, A friend to your Grace, but a foe to Flatterers, And one that hath a Knack to know a Knave. As how sir, by art, or by some foolish gift God hath given you, You are some physician, or skilled in physiognomy, or in palmistry For I am sure, you can never do it by Astronomy, Because there are no stars to know a knave. True, but many an honest man knows a knave to his cost, And is neither Visitian, Visognomer, palmister, nor astronomer But a plain man of the country, like me. That knows a knave, if he do but see his cap. That were pretty i'faith, to see Honesty know a knave by his cap, 'tis more than I can do with all the skill I have: But tell me I pray thee, how I should know a knave. I believe you well, for offenders never bewray their offences Till the Law find them, and punish them: But you would fain tell how to know a knave, Then thus, the first man you meet in the morning, If he salute you, draw near him, And smell to his hat, and after smell to your own, And my cap to a noble, if his smell like yours, he is a knave, I think I spoke with you now. Base Villain, were it not that the kings presence doth privilege thy presumption, I would teach you to jest with your fellows Forbear, honesty, thou art a good plain fellow, And I commend thy wit, that hast such ways to know a knave. Honesty is plain my Lord, but no good fellow, For good fellows be purse-takers now a days: And there be so many of such good fellows, That Honesty may walk the streets without company, Not that there wants company, but honest company I mean, And yet Honesty. can clap a knave on the shoulder for all his bravery. Why (base companion) mean you me? Not base (sir) because I was truly begotten, For Honesty may be suspected, but never detected: But you think I had a bailiff to my father as you had, And that my mother could return a writ of error, As yours did, when such a Gallant as you were gotten. Believe me, Perin, he hath touched you now, And I perceive, though Honesty be simple, Yet many times he speaks truth. True, if it please your Grace, for honest men will not lie: But if your Grace vouchsafe to give me leave, You shall see me find more knaves than one. If my cunning fail me not, or else say Honesty had no honesty But tell me, Dunston, how thinkest thou of this motion? Were it not good thinkest thou we gave him leave To stifle such Caterpillars as corrupt the common wealth: For many times such simple men as he, Bewray much matter in simplicity: Then tell me Dunston, what thinkest thou of his motion?
nodes 67–117 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 2 of 33 in this edition
Length
506 words · 656 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T47 — Knaves, thieves and bawdscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.770 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T46 · seed 44: T41 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Why, what art thou? Mary I goe plaine, and my name is Honesty, A friend to your Grace, but a foe to Flatterers, And one that hath a Knacke to know a Knaue. As how sir, by art, or by some foolish gift God hath giuen you, You are some Uissitian, or skild in Uisognomy, or in palmesry For I am sure, you can neuer do it by Astronomie, Because there are no starres to knowe a knaue. True, but many an honest man knowes a knaue to his cost, And is neither Uisitiā, Uisognomer, palmester, nor astronomer But a plaine man of the country, lyke me. That knowes a knaue, if he doe but see his cap. That wer pretie I faith, to see Honesty know a knaue by his cap, Tis more than I can do with al the skil I haue: But tel me I pray thee, how I should know a knaue. I beleeue you wel, for offenders neuer bewray their offences Til the Law fynd them, and punish them: But you would faine tell how to know a knaue, Then thus, the first man you meet in the morning, If he salute you, drawe neere him, And smell to his hat, and after smell to your owne, And my cap to a noble, if his smel lyke yours, he is a knaue, I thinke I spoke with you now. Base Uillain, were it not hat the Kinges presence doth priuilege thy presūptiō, I wold teach you to iest with your fellows▪ Forbear, honesty, thou art a good plain fellow, And I cōmend thy wit, that hast such waies to know a knaue. Honesty is plaine my Lord, but no good fellow, For good fellowes be purse-takers now a daies: And there be so manie of such good fllwes, That Honesty may walke the stretes without company, Not that there wants company, but honest company I mean, And yet Honesty▪ can clap a knaue on the shoulder for al his brauerie. Why (base companion) meane you me? Not base (sir) because I was truelie begotten, For Honesty may be suspected, but neuer detected: But you think I had a bayliefe to my father as you had, And that my mother could returne a writ of error, As yours did, when such a Gallant as you were gotten. Beleeue me, Perin, he hath toucht you now, And I perceiue, though Honesty be simple, Yet manie tymes he speakes trueth. True, if it please your Grace, for honest men wil not lie: But if your Grace vouchsafe to giue me leaue, You shall see me finde more knaues than one. If my cunning faile me not, or els say Honesty had no honesty But tel me, Dunston, how thinkest thou of this motion? Were it not good thinkest thou we gaue him leaue To stifle such Catterpillers as corrupt the common welth: For manie tymes such simple men as he, Bewray much matter in simplicitie: Then tell me Dunston, what thinkest thou of his motion?