Wilson, Robert / Drayton, Michael / Munday, Anthony / Hathaway, Richard · published 1600 · first performed or written 1599 [Oct 16, payment] (Annals) history · Admiral's (Nottingham's) Men unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
How now my lord, why stand you discontent? In sooth, methinks the King hath well decreed. Yea, yea, sir Iohn, if he would keep his word, But I perceive he favours him so much, As this will be to small effect, I fear. Why then I'll tell you what you're best to do: If you suspect the King will be but cold In reprehending him, send you a process too To serve upon him: so you may be sure To make him answer't, howsoe'er it fall. And well remembered, I will have it so, A Sumner shall be sent about it straight Yea, do so, in the mean space this remains For kind sir Iohn of Wrotham honest Jack. methinks the purse of gold the Bishop gave, Made a good show, it had a tempting look, Beshrew me, but my finger's ends do itch To be upon those rudduks: well, 'tis thus: I am not as the world does take me for: If ever wolf were clothed in sheeps coat, Than I am he, old huddle and twang, i'faith, A priest in show, but in plain terms, a thief, Yet let me tell you too, an honest thief. One that will take it where it may besp. And spend it freely in good fellowship. I have as many shapes as Proteus had, That still when any villainy is done, There may be none suspect it was sir Iohn. Besides, to comfort me, for what's this life, Except the crabbed bitterness thereof Be sweetened now and then with lechery? I have my Doll, my concubine as 'twere, To frolic with, a lusty bouncing girl. But whilst I loiter here the gold, may scape, And that must not be so, it is mine own, Therefore I'll meet him on his way to court, And shrive him of it: there will be the sport. God help, God help, there's law for punishing, But there's no law for our necessity: There be more stocks to set poor soldiers in, Than there be houses to relieve them at. Faith, housekeeping decays in every place, Even as Saint Peter writ, still worse and worse Master maior of Rochester has given commandment, that none shall go abroad out of the parish, and they have set an order down forsooth, what every poor householder must give towards our relief: where there be some ceased I may say to you, had almost as much need to beg as we. It is a hard world the while. If a poor man come to a door to ask for God's sake, they ask him for a licence, or a certificate from a justice. Faith we have none, but what we bear upon our bodies, our maimed limbs, God help us. And yet, as lame as I am, I'll with the king into France, if I can crawl but a shipboard, I had rather be slain in France, than starve in England.
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)
How now my lord, why stand you discontent? In sooth, me thinkes the King hath well decreed. Yea, yea, sir Iohn, if he would keepe his word, But I perceiue he fauours him so much, As this will be to small effect, I feare. Why then Ile tell you what y'are best to do: If you suspect the King will be but cold In reprehending him, send you a processe too To serue vpon him: so you may be sure To make him answer't, howsoere it fall. And well remembred, I will haue it so, A Sumner shall be sent about it strait Yea, doe so, in the meane space this remaines For kinde sir Iohn of Wrotham honest Iacke. Me thinkes the purse of gold the Bishop gaue, Made a good shew, it had a tempting looke, Beshrew me, but my fingers ends do itch To be vpon those rudduks: well, tis thus: I am not as the worlde does take me for: If euer woolfe were cloathed in sheepes coate, Then I am he, olde huddle and twang, yfaith, A priest in shew, but in plaine termes, a thefe, Yet let me tell you too, an honest theefe. One that will take it where it may besp. And spend it freely in good fellowship. I haue as many shapes as Proteus had, That still when any villany is done, There may be none suspect it was sir Iohn. Besides, to comfort me, for whats this life, Except the crabbed bitternes thereof Be sweetened now and then with lechery? I haue my Doll, my concubine as t'were, To frollicke with, a lusty bounsing gerle. But whilst I loyter here the gold, may scape, And that must not be so, it is mine owne, Therefore Ile meete him on his way to court, And shriue him of it: there will be the sport. God help, God help, there's law for punishing, But theres no law for our necessity: There be more stockes to set poore soldiers in, Than there be houses to releeue them at. Faith, housekeeping decayes in euery place, Euen as Saint Peter writ, still worse and worse Maister maior of Rochester has giuen commaundement, that none shall goe abroade out of the parish, and they haue set an order downe forsooth, what euery poore housholder must giue towards our reliefe: where there be some ceased I may say to you, had almost as much neede to beg as we. It is a hard world the while. If a poore man come to a doore to aske for Gods sake, they aske him for a licence, or a certificate from a Iustice. Faith we haue none, but what we beare vppon our bodies, our maimed limbs, God help vs. And yet, as lame as I am, Ile with the king into France, if I can crawle but a ship-boorde, I hadde rather be slaine in France, than starue in England.