Shakespeare, William · published 1600 · first performed or written 1598 (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T50 Fleets, armies and generals: war by sea · 535 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T50: sea, honour, general, soldiers, men, ship, fight, soldier, king, vittori.
I Learn in this letter, that done Peter of Arragon comes this night to Messina. He is very near by this, he was not three leagues off when I left him. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action? But few of any sort, and none of name. A victory is twice itself, when the atchiuer brings homeful numbers: I find here, that done Peter hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine called Claudio. Much deserved on his part and equally remembered by don Pedro he hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age, doing in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion, he hath indeed better bettered expectation than you must expect of me to tell you how. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him, even so much that joy could not show itself modest enough, without a badge of bitterness. Did he break out into tears? In great measure. A kind overflow of kindness, there are no faces truer than those that are so washed, how much better is it to weep at joy, then to joy at weeping? I pray you, is signor Mountanto returned from the wars or no? I know none of that name, lady, there was none such in the army of any sort. What is he that you ask for niece? My cozen means signor Benedick of Padua. O he's returned, and as pleasant as ever he was. He set up his bills here in Messina, and challenged Cupid at the Flight, and my uncles fool reading the challenge subscribed for Cupid, and challenged him at the Burbolt: I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? but how many hath he killed? for indeed I promised to eat all of his kill. Faith niece you tax signor Benedick too much, but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. He hath done good service lady in these wars. You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it, he is a very valiant trencher man, he hath an excellent stomach. And a good soldier too, lady. And a good soldier to a Lady, but what is he to a Lord? A lord to a lord, a man to a man, stuffed with all honourable virtues. It is so indeed, he is no less than a stuffed man, but for the stuffing well, we are all mortal. You must not, sir, mistake my niece, there is a kind of merry war betwixt signor Benedick and her, they never meet but there's a skirmish of wit between them. Alas he gets nothing by that, in our last conflict, 4 of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one, so that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horse, for it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature, who is his companion now? he hath every month a new sworn brother.
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)
I Learne in this letter, that don Peter of Arragon comes this night to Messina. He is very neare by this, he was not three leagues off when I left him. How many gentlemen haue you lost in this action? But few of any sort, and none of name. A victory is twice it selfe, when the atchiuer brings homeful numbers: I find here, that don Peter hath bestowed much honour on a yong Florentine called Claudio. Much deseru'd on his part and equally remembred by don Pedro he hath borne himselfe beyond the promise of his age, doing in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion, he hath indeed better bettred expectation then you must expect of me to tell you how. He hath an vnckle here in Messina will be very much glad of it. I haue already deliuered him letters, and there appeares much ioy in him, euen so much that ioy could not shew itselfe modest enough, without a badge of bitternesse. Did he breake out into teares? In great measure. A kind ouerflow of kindnesse, there are no faces truer then those that are so washt, how much better is it to weepe at ioy, then to ioy at weeping? I pray you, is Signior Mountanto returnd from the warres or no? I know none of that name, ladie, there was none such in the army of any sort. What is he that you aske for neece? My cosen meanes Signior Benedicke of Padua. O hee's returnd, and as pleasant as euer he was. He set vp his bills here in Messina, and challengde Cupid at the Flight, and my vncles foole reading the chalenge subscribde for Cupid, and challengde him at the Burbolt: I pray you, how many hath he kild and eaten in these warres? but how many hath he kild? for indeede I promised to eate all of his killing. Faith neece you taxe Signior Benedicke too much, but heele be meet with you, I doubt it not. He hath done good seruice lady in these warres. You had musty vittaile, and he hath holpe to eate it, he is a very valiaunt trencher man, he hath an excellent stomacke. And a good souldier too, lady. And a good souldiour to a Lady, but what is he to a Lord? A lord to a lord, a man to a man, stufft with al honorable vertues. It is so indeed, he is no lesse then a stuft man, but for the stuffing wel, we are al mortall. You must not, sir, mistake my neece, there is a kind of mery warre betwixt Signior Benedicke and her, they neuer meet but there's a skirmish of wit betweene them. Alas he gets nothing by that, in our last conflict, 4 of his fiue wits went halting off, and now is the whole man gouernd with one, so that if he haue wit enough to keep himself warm, let him beare it for a difference between himself and his horse, for it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature, who is his companion now? he hath euery month a new sworne brother.