Shakespeare, William · published 1598 · first performed or written 1597 [c.1596-1597] (Annals) history · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds · 498 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
If I be not ashamed of my soldiers, I am a souct gurnet, I have misused the kings press damnably. I have got in exchange of 150. soldiers 300. and odd pounds. I press me none but good householders, Yeoman's sons, inquire me out contracted bachelors, such as had been asked twice on the banes, such a commodity of warm slaves, as bad as lief hear the Devil as a drum, such as fear the report of a Caliver, worse than a struck foul, or a hurt wild duck: I priest me none but such toasts and butter with hearts in their bellies no bigger than pins heads, and they have bought out their services, and now my whole charge consists of Ancients, Corporals, Lieutenants, gentlemen of companies: slaves as ragged as Lazarus in the painted cloth, where the glutton's dogs licked his sores, and such as indeed were never soldiers, but discarded, unjust servingmen, younger sons to younger brothers, revolted tapsters, and Ostlers, tradefalne, the cankers of a calm world, and a long peace, ten times more dishonourable ragged than an old fazd ancient, and such have I to fill up the rooms of them as have bought out their services, that you would think that I had a hundred and fifty tottered prodigals, lately come from swine keeping, from eating draff and husks. A mad fellow met me on the way, and told me I had unloaded all the Gibbets, and priest the dead bodies. No eye hath seen such skarcrowes. I'll not march through Coventry with them, that's flat: nay, and the villains march wide betwixt the legs as if they had gives on, for indeed I had the most of them out of prison, there's not a shirt and a half in all my company, and the half shirt is two napkins tacked together, and thrown over the shoulders like a Herald's coat without sleeves, and the shirt to say the truth stolen from my host at S. Alban's, or the red-nose Innkeeper of Davintry, but that's all one, they'll find linen enough on every hedge. How now blown rack? how now quilt? What Hal, how now mad wag? what a devil dost thou in Warwickshire? My good Lo. of Westmoreland, I cry you mercy, I thought your honour had already been at shrewesburie. Faith sir Iohn 'tis more than time that I were there, and you too, but my powers are there already, the king I can tell you looks for us all, we must away all night. Tut never fear me, I am as vigilant as a Cat to steal Cream. I think to steal Cream indeed, for thy theft hath already made thee butter, but tell me jack, whose fellows are these that come after? Mine Hall, mine. I did never see such pitiful rascals. Tut, tut, good inongh to toss, food for powder, food for powder, they'll fill a pit as well as better; rush man, mortal men, mortal men.
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)
If I be not ashamed of my soldiours, I am a souct gurnet, I haue misused the kinges presse damnablie. I haue got in exchange of 150. soldiours 300. and odde poundes. I presse me none but good houshoulders, Yeomans sonnes, inquire me out contracted batchelers, such as had been askt twice on the banes, such a commodity of warme slaues, as bad as lieue heare the Diuell as a drumme, such as feare the report of a Caliuer, worse then a strucke foule, or a hurt wild ducke: I prest mee none but such tostes and butter with hearts in their bellies no bigger then pinnes heades, and they haue bought out their seruices, and now my whole charge consists of Ancients, Corporals, Lieutenants, gentlemen of companies: slaues as ragged as Lazarus in the painted cloth, where the gluttons dogs licked his sores, and such as indeed were neuer souldiours, but discarded, vniust seruingmen, yonger sonnes to yonger brothers, reuolted tapsters, and Ostlers, tradefalne, the cankers of a calme world, and a long peace, ten times more dishonourable ragged then an olde fazd ancient, and such haue I to fill vp the roomes of them as haue bought out their seruices, that you woulde thinke that I had a hundred and fiftie tottered prodigals, latelie come from swine keeping, from eating draffe and husks. A mad fellowe met mee on the way, and tolde mee I had vnloaded all the Gibbets, and prest the dead bodies. No eye hath seene such skarcrowes. Ile not march through Couentry with them, thats flat: nay, and the villains march wide betwixt the legs as if they had giues on, for indeede I had the most of them out of prison, theres not a shert and a halfe in all my companie, and the halfe shert is two napkins tackt togither, and throwne ouer the shoulders like a Heralds coate without sleeues, and the shert to say the trueth stolne from my host at S. Albones, or the red-nose Inkeeper of Dauintry, but thats all one, theile find linnen inough on euerie hedge. How now blowne racke? how now quilt? What Hal, how now mad wag? what a diuel dost thou in Warwickshire? My good Lo. of Westmerland, I cry you mercy, I thought your honour had alreadie bin at shrewesburie. Faith sir Iohn tis more then time that I were there, and you too, but my powers are there already, the king I can tel you lookes for vs all, we must away all night. Tut neuer feare mee, I am as vigilant as a Cat to steale Creame. I thinke to steale Creame indeed, for thy theft hath alreadie made thee butter, but tell me iacke, whose fellowes are these that come after? Mine Hall, mine. I did neuer see such pitifull rascals. Tut, tut, good inongh to tosse, foode for powder, foode for powder, theile fill a pit as well as better; rush man, mortall men, mortal men.