Shakespeare, William · published 1598 · first performed or written c.1595 (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men · before the Court T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.70 · 512 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Four days ago. Let's see the penalty▪ On pain of losing her tongue. Who devised this penalty? Marry that did I. Sweet Lord and why? To fright them hence with that dread penalty. A dangerous law against gentletie. Item▪ If any man be seen to talk with a woman within the term of three years▪ he shall endure such publibue shame as the rest of the Court can possible devise. This Article my liege yourself must break, For well you know here comes in Embassaie, The French kings daughter with yourself to speak: A Maid of grace and complete majesty, About surrender up of Aquitaine, To her decrepit, sick, and bedrid Father. Therefore this Article is made in vain, Or vainly comes th' admired Princess hither. What say you Lords? why, this was quite forgot. So Study evermore is overshot, While it doth study to have what it would, It doth forget to do the thing it should: And when it hath the thing it hunteth most.▪ 'tis won as towns with fire, so won so lost. We must of force dispense with this Decree, She must lie here on mere necessity. Necessity will make us all forsworn Three thousand times within this three years space: For every man with his affects is borne, Not by might mastered, but by special grace. If I break faith, this word shall speak for me, I am forsworn on mere necessity. So to the Laws at large I writ my name, And he that breaks them in the least degree, Stands in attainder of eternal shame. Suggestions are to other as to me▪ But I believe although I seem so loath, I am the last that will last keep his oath. But is there no quick recreation granted? I that there is, our Court you know is haunted With a refined travailer of Spain, A man in all the worlds new fashion planted, That hath a mint of phrases in his brain: On who the music of his own vain tongue Doth ravish like enchanting harmony: A man of compliments whom right and wrong Have chose as umpire of their mutiny. This child of Fancy that Armado hight, For interim to our studies shall relate, In high borne words the worth of many a Knight: From tawny Spain lost in the worlds debate. How you delight my Lords I know not I, But I protest I love to hear him lie, And I will use him for my Minstrelsy. Armado is a most illustrious wight, A man of fire new words, Fashions own knight. Costard the swain and he, shallbe our sport, And so to study three years is but short. Which is the Dukes own person? This fellow, What wouldst? I myself reprehend his own person, for I am his grace's Farborough: But I would see his own person in flesh and blood. This is he. Signeour Arm Arm commends you: there's villainy abroad, this letter will tell you more▪ Sir the Contempls thereof are as touching me. A letter from the magnifisent Armado.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Foure dayes ago. Lets ſee the penaltie▪ On payne of looſing her tung. Who deuiſ'd this penaltie? Marrie that did I. Sweete Lord and why? To fright them hence with that dread penaltie. A dangerous law againſt gentletie. Item▪ Yf any man be ſeene to talke with a woman within the tearme of three yeeres▪ he ſhall indure ſuch publibue ſhame as the reſt of the Court can posſible deuiſe. This Article my liedge your ſelfe muſt breake, For well you know here comes in Embaſſaie, The French kinges daughter with your ſelfe to ſpeake: A Maide of grace and complet maieſtie, About ſurrender vp of Aquitaine, To her decrepit, ſicke, and bedred Father. Therefore this Article is made in vaine, Or vainely comes th' admired Princeſſe hither. What ſay you Lordes? why, this was quite forgot. So Studie euermore is ouerſhot, While it doth ſtudie to haue what it would, It doth forget to do the thing it ſhould: And when it hath the thing it hunteth moſt▪ Tis won as townes with fire, ſo won ſo loſt. We muſt of force diſpence with this Decree, Shee muſt lie heere on meere neceſſitie. Neceſſitie will make vs all forſworne Three thouſand times within this three yeeres ſpace: For euery man with his affectes is borne, Not by might maſtred, but by ſpeciall grace. If I breake fayth, this word ſhall ſpeake for me, I am forſworne on meere neceſſitie. So to the Lawes at large I write my name, And he that breakes them in the leaſt degree, Standes in attainder of eternall ſhame. Suggeſtions are to other as to me▪ But I beleeue although I ſeeme ſo loth, I am the laſt that will laſt keepe his oth. But is there no quicke recreation graunted? I that there is, our Court you know is haunted With a refined trauailer of Spaine, A man in all the worldes new faſhion planted, That hath a mint of phraſes in his braine: On who the muſique of his owne vaine tongue Doth rauiſh like inchaunting harmonie: A man of complements whom right and wrong Haue choſe as vmpier of their mutenie. This childe of Fancie that Armado hight, For interim to our ſtudies ſhall relate, In high borne wordes the worth of many a Knight: From tawnie Spaine loſt in the worldes debate. How you delight my Lords I know not I, But I proteſt I loue to heare him lie, And I will vſe him for my Minſtrelſie. Armado is a moſt illuſtrious wight, A man of fier new wordes, Faſhions owne knight. Coſtard the ſwaine and he, ſhalbe our ſport, And ſo to ſtudie thee yeeres is but ſhort. Which is the Dukes owne perſon? This fellow, What would'ſt? I my ſelfe reprehend his owne perſon, for I am his graces Farborough: But I would ſee his owne perſon in fleſh and blood. This is he. Signeour Arme Arme commendes you: Ther's villanie abrod, this letter will tell you more▪ Sir the Contempls thereof are as touching me. A letter from the magnifiſent Armado.