Jonson, Ben · published 1600 · first performed or written 1599 (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness · 509 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Ha, ha, ha? I'not this good? Is 't not pleasing this? ha, ha? God's ha? Is't possible that such a spacious villain Should live and not be plagued? or lies he hid Within the wrinkled bosom of the world, Where heaven cannot see him? 'sblood (methinks) 'Tis rare and admirable, that he should breathe, and walk. Feed with digestion, sleep, enjoy his health, And (like a boisterous Whale swallowing the poor) Still swim in wealth and pleasure: is't not strange? Unless his house and skin were thunder-proof, I wonder at it. methinks now, the hectic, Gout, Leprosy, or some such loathed disease Might light upon him; or that fire (from heaven) Might fall upon his barns; or mice and rats Eat up his grain; or else that it might rot Within the hoary Reeks, e'en as it stands: methinks this might be well; and after all The devil might come and fetch him: ay, 'tis true. Mean time he surfeits in prosperity, And thou (in envy of him) gnaw'st thyself, Peace fool, get hence, and tell thy vexed spirit, " Wealth in this age will scarcely look on merit. Who brought this same sir ha? Marry sir one of the justices men, he says 'tis a precept, and all their Hands be at it: ay, and the prints of them stick in my flesh Deeper than i' their letters: They have sent me Pills wrapped in paper here, that should I take 'em, Would poison all the sweetness of my Book, And turn my Honey into Hemlock juice: But I am wiser than to serve their precepts, Or follow their prescriptions: Here's a device, To charge me bring my Grain unto the markets: ay, much, when I have neither barn nor Garner, Nor Earth to hide it in, I'll bring it; but till then, Each corn I send shall be as big as Paul's. O, but (say some) the poor are like to starve. Why let 'em starve, what's that to me? are Bees Bound to keep life in Drones and idle Moths? no: Why such are these (that term themselves the poor, Only because they would be pitied) But are indeed a sort of lazy Beggars, Licentious Rogues and sturdy Vagabonds, Bred (by the sloth of a fat plenteous year) Like snakes in heat of summer out of dung, And this is all that these cheap times are good for: Whereas a wholesome and penurious Dearth Purges the soil of such vile excrements, And kills the Vipers up. O but master, Take heed they hear you not. Why so? They will exclaim against you. ay, their exclaims Move me as much, as thy breath moves a Mountain; Poor worms, they hiss at me, whilst I at home Can be contented to applaud myself, To sit and clap my hands, and laugh and leap, Knocking my head against my roof, with joy To see how plump my bags are, and my barns. Sirrah, go, hie you home, and bid your fellows Get all their flails ready again I come.
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)
Ha, ha, ha? I'not this good? Is 't not pleasing this? ha, ha? Gods ha? Is't possible that such a spacious villaine Should liue and not be plagu'd? or lies he hid VVithin the wrinckled bosome of the world, VVhere heauen cannot see him? Sbloud (me thinkes) 'Tis rare and admirable, that he should breath, and walke. Feed with disgestion, sleepe, enjoy his health, And (like a boist'rous VVhale swallowing the poore) Still swimme in wealth and pleasure: is't not strange? Vnlesse his house and skin were thunder-proofe, I wonder at it. Me thinkes now, the Hecticke, Gout, Leprosie, or some such loth'd disease Might light vpon him; or that fire (from heauen) Might fall upon his barnes; or mice and rats Eat vp his graine; or else that it might rot VVithin the hoarie Reekes, e'ne as it stands: Me thinkes this might be well; and after all The deuill might come and fetch him: I, 'tis true. Meane time he surfets in prosperitie, And thou (in envie of him) gnaw'st thy selfe, Peace foole, get hence, and tell thy vexed spirit, "Wealth in this age will scarcely look on merit. VVho brought this same sir ha? Marry sir one of the justices men, hee saies 'tis a precept, and all their Hands be at it: I, and the prints of them sticke in my flesh Deeper than i' their letters: They haue sent me Pils wrapt in paper here, that should I take 'hem, VVould poison all the sweetnesse of my Booke, And turne my Honey into Hemlocke juice: But I am wiser than to serue their precepts, Or follow their prescriptions: Here's a deuise, To charge me bring my Graine vnto the markets: I, much, when I haue neither Barne nor Garner, Nor Earth to hide it in, I'le bring it; but till then, Ech corne I send shall be as big as Paules. O, but (say some) the poore are like to sterue. VVhy let 'hem sterue, what's that to me? are Bees Bound to keepe life in Drones and idle Moaths? no: VVhy such are these (that tearme themselues the poore▪ Only because they would be pittied) But are indeed a sort of lazie Beggers, Licencious Rogues and sturdie Vagabonds, Bred (by the sloth of a fat plenteous yeare) Like snakes in heat of summer out of dung, And this is all that these cheape times are good for: VVhereas a holsome and penurious Dearth Purges the soile of such vile excrements, And kils the Vipers vp. O but maister, Take heed they heare you not. VVhy so? They will exclaime against you. I, their exclaimes Moue me as much, as thy breath moues a Mountaine; Poore wormes, they hisse at me, whilst I at home Can be contented to appld my selfe, To sit and clap my hands, and laugh and leape, Knocking my head against my roofe, with joy To see how plumpe my bags are, and my barnes. Sirah, goe, hie you home, and bid your fellowes Get all their flailes readie againe I come.