Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1596 [1594-1596] (Annals) tragedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T55 Fairies, fairy queens and enchanted desi typicality 0.73 · 489 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T55: fairy, fairies, oberon, mopsus, queen, land, grace, babylon, mab, thestylis.
O than I see Queen Mab hath been with you: She is the Fairies Midwife, & she comes in shape no bigger than Agatstone, on the forefinger of an Alderman, drawn with a team of little Atoms, over men's noses as they lie asleep: her Wagon Spokes made of long Spinner's legs: the Cover of the wings of Grasshoppers, her Traces of the smallest Spiders web, her colours of the Moonshines watery Beams, her Whip of Crickets bone, the Lash of Philome, her Waggoner, a small gray-coated Gnat, not half so big as a round little Worm, pricked from the Lazie-finger of a man. Her Chariot is an empty Haselnut, made by the joiner Squirrel or old Grub, time out a mind, the Fairies Coach-makers: & in this state she gallops night by night, through Lover's brains: and then they dream of Love.. On Courtier's knees, that dream on Curtsies straight: o'er Lawyer's fingers, who straight dreamt on Fees, o'er Lady's lips, who straight on kisses dream, which oft athe angry Mab with blisters plagues, because their breath with Sweet meats tainted are. Sometime she gallops over a Courtier's nose, & then dreams he of smelling out asute: & sometime comes she with tithe pig's tale, tickling a Parson's nose as a lies asleep, than he dreams of another Benefice. Sometime she driveth over a Soldier's neck, & then dreams he of cutting Foreign throats, of Breaches, Ambuscadoes, Spanish Blades: Of Healths five Fathom deep, and then anon drums in his ears, at which he starts and wakes; and being thus frighted, swears a prayer or two & sleeps again: this is that very Mab that plaits the manes of Horses in the night: & bakes the Elk-locks in foul sluttish hairs, which once untangled, much misfortune bodes, This is the hag, when Maids lie on their backs, That presses them, and learns them first to bear, Making them women of good carriage: This is she. Peace, peace, Mercutio peace, Thou talk'st of nothing. True, I talk of dreams: Which are the children of an idle brain, Begot of nothing, but vain fantasy, Which is as thin of substance as the air, And more inconstant than the wind, who woos Even now the frozen bosom of the North: And being angered, puffs away from thence, Turning his side to the dew dropping South. This wind you talk of blows us from ourselves, Supper is done, and we shall come too late. I fear too early, for my mind misgives, Some consequence yet hanging in the stars, Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night's revels, and expire the term Of a despised life closed in my breast: By some vile forfeit of untimely death. But he that hath the stirrage of my course, Direct my suit: on lusty Gentlemen. Strike Drum. Where's Potpan, that he helps not to take away? He shift a Trencher? he scrape a Trencher?
seed 43: T50 · seed 44: T47 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
O then I ſee Queene Mab hath beene with you: She is the Fairies Midwife, & ſhe comes in ſhape no bigger then Agat-ſtone, on the fore-finger of an Alderman, drawne with a teeme of little Atomies, ouer mens noſes as they lie aſleepe: her Waggon Spokes made of long Spinners legs: the Couer of the wings of Graſhoppers, her Traces of the ſmalleſt Spiders web, her coullers of the Moonſhines watry Beames, her Whip of Crickets bone, the Laſh of Philome, her Waggoner, a ſmall gray-coated Gnat, not halfe ſo bigge as a round little Worme, prickt from the Lazie-finger of a man. Her Chariot is an emptie Haſelnut, made by the Ioyner Squirrel or old Grub, time out a mind, the Faries Coach-makers: & in this ſtate ſhe gallops night by night, through Louers braines: and then they dreame of Loue. On Courtiers knees, that dreame on Curſies ſtrait: ore Lawyers fingers, who ſtrait dreamt on Fees, ore Ladies lips, who ſtrait on kiſſes dreame, which oft athe angry Mab with bliſters plagues, becauſe their breath with Sweet meats tainted are. Sometime ſhe gallops ore a Courtiers noſe, & then dreames he of ſmelling out aſute: & ſomtime comes ſhe with Tith pigs tale, tickling a Parſons noſe as a lies aſleepe, then he dreames of another Benefice. Sometime ſhe driueth ore a Souldiers necke, & then dreames he of cutting Forraine throats, of Breaches, Ambuſcados, Spaniſh Blades: Of Healths fiue Fadome deepe, and then anon drums in his eares, at which he ſtartes and wakes; and being thus frighted, ſweares a prayer or two & ſleepes againe: this is that very Mab that plats the manes of Horſes in the night: & bakes the Elk-locks in foule ſluttiſh haires, which once vntangled, much misfortune bodes, This is the hag, when Maides lie on their backs, That preſſes them, and learnes them firſt to beare, Making them women of good carriage: This is ſhe. Peace, peace, Mercutio peace, Thou talk'ſt of nothing. True, I talke of dreames: Which are the children of an idle braine, Begot of nothing, but vaine phantaſie, Which is as thin of ſubſtance as the ayre, And more inconſtant then the wind, who wooes Euen now the frozen boſome of the North: And being anger'd, puffes away from thence, Turning his ſide to the dew dropping South. This wind you talke of blowes vs from our ſelues, Supper is done, and we ſhall come too late. I feare too early, for my mind miſgiues, Some conſequence yet hanging in the ſtarres, Shall bitterly begin his fearefull date With this nights reuels, and expire the tearme Of a deſpiſed life cloſ'd in my breſt: By ſome vile forfeit of vntimely death▪ But he that hath the ſtirrage of my courſe, Direct my ſute: on luſtie Gentlemen. Strike Drum. Where's Potpan, that he helpes not to take away? He ſhift a Trencher? he ſcrape a Trencher?