Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1592 [Jun 10] (Annals) moral · Derby's (Strange's) Men unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 527 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
'tis strange to see how men of our knowledge live, And how we are hated of the baser sort, Because (forsooth) we live upon our wit: But let the baser sort think as they will, For he may best he termed a Gentleman, That when all fails, can live upon his wit. And if all fails, then have I got a wench, That cuts and deals, to maintain my expense, Now I use her, as men use sweetest flowers, That while they are sweet and pleasant to the eye, I do regard them for their pleasant smell: But when their colour fades, and sent decay, I cast them off for men to trample on: But to the purpose, here is the Gentleman My honest friend did lately tell me of. Sir, though I had another business of import, That might have hindered me for coming here, Yet in regard I am loath to break my word, I have set my other business clean apart, Because you should not judge amiss of me, I find you kind Sir, and yourself shall see How I will labour to requite your courtesy. This is the honest man I told you of, One that will do you pleasure in the cause, So be it you will content him for his pains. Else God forbid, and good sir, thus it is, I bought a farm of one that dwells here by, And for an earnest gave an hundred pound, The rest was to be paid as six weeks past, Now sir, I would have you as witness, That at my house you saw me pay three hundred pound, And for your pains I will give you a hundred pound: Besides, I will stand your friend in what I may, You hear the cause, what will your conscience serve you to do it? How say you sir, my conscience, than you touch me, I tell you sir, my conscience will serve me to do more than this: Why, I have been a post knight in Westminster this xii. year, And sworn to that which no one else would venture on. Why, I have sworn against mine own father for money: I have sworn right or wrong any ways for money, when I have received money before witness, I swore to the contrary And do you misdoubt me in so slight a matter as this, When I have sworn against father, mother and all my kin? I told you sir how resolute you should find him, He doth it without fear I warrant you: I think that in London you could not have found a man so fit for your purpose, I knew his father (sir) a man of honest reputation, And one whose life was witness to the life he led, He was a Bailiff (sir) though I say't, but no Bailiff that used deceit, He had too good a conscience for that. All the better for that, for it should seem by his behavior That he hath had good bringing up. Indeed my father in his life time was a man, Given to the fear of God, and to use much devotion.
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)
Tis strange to see how men of our knowledge liue, And how we are hated of the baser sort, Because (forsooth) we liue vpon our wit: But let the baser sort thinke as they will, For he may best he termed a Gentleman, That when all fayles, can liue vpon his wit. And if all fayles, then haue I got a wench, That cuts and deales, to maintaine my expence, Now I vse her, as men vse sweetest flowers, That while they are sweet and pleasant to the eie, I doe regard them for their pleasant smell: But when their cullour fades, and sent decaies, I cast them off for men to trample on: But to the purpose, here is the Gentleman My honest friend did lately tell me of. Sir, though I had another businesse of import, That might haue hindred me for comming here, Yet in regard I am loth to breake my word, I haue set my other businesse cleane apart, Because you should not iudge amisse of me, I find you kind Sir, and your self shal see How I will labour to requite your curtesie. This is the honest man I told you of, One that will doe you pleasure in the cause, So be it you will content him for his paines. Els God forbid, and good sir, thus it is, I bought a farme of one that dwels here by, And for an earnest gaue an hundred pound, The rest was to be paid as sixe weekes past, Now sir, I would haue you as witnesse, That at my house you saw me pay three hundred pound, And for your paines I will giue you a hundred pound: Besides, I will stand your friend in what I may, You heare the cause, what will your conscience serue you to do it? How say you sir, my conscience, then you touch me, I tell you sir, my conscience wil serue me to doe more than this: Why, I haue bene a poste knight in Westminster this xii. year, And sworne to that which no one els would venture on. Why, I haue sworne against mine owne father for mony: I haue sworne right or wrong any wayes for money, whē I haue rereiued mony before witnes, I swore to the cōtrary And do you misdoubt me in so sleight a matter as this, When I haue sworne against father, mother and all my kin? I told you sir how resolute you should find him, He doeth it without feare I warrant you: I think that in London you could not haue found a man so fit for your purpose, I knew his father (sir) a man of honest reputation, And one whose lyfe was witnesse to the lyfe he led, He was a Bailtefe (sir) though I say't, but no Bayiefe that vsde deceit, He had too good a conscience for that. Al the better for that, for it should seem by his behaueor That he hath had good bringing vp. Indeed my father in his lyfe time was a man, Giuen to the feare of God, and to vse much deuotion.