Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1598 (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T30 Constables, justices and the watch typicality 0.82 · 473 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T30: constable, squire, tub, clay, worship, justice, turf, mr, hun, valentine.
If we know him to be a thief, shall we not lay hands on him. Truly by your office you may, but I think they that touch pitch will be defiled: the most peaceable way for you, if you do take a thief, is, to let him show himself what he is, and steal out of your company. You have been always called a merciful man partner. Truly I would not hang a dog by my will, much more a man who hath any honesty in him. If you hear a child cry in the night you must call to the nurse, and bid her still it. How if the nurse be asleep and will not hear us? Why then depart in peace, and let the child wake her with crying, for the ewe that will not hear her Lamb when it baes, will never answer a calf when he bleats. 'Tis very true. This is the end of the charge: you constable are to present the Princes own person, if you meet the Prince in the night, you may stay him. Nay birladie that I think a cannot. Five shillings to one on't with any man that knows the Statues, he may stay him, marry not without the prince be willing, for indeed the watch ought to offend no man, and it is an offence to stay a man against his will. Birladie I think it be so. Ha', ah ha', well masters good night, and there be any matter of weight chances, call up me, keep your fellow's counsels, and your own, and good night, come neighbour. Well masters, we hear our charge, let us go sit here upon the Church bench till two, and then all to bed. One word more, honest neighbours. I pray you watch about signior Leonatoes' door, for the wedding being there to morrow, there is a great coil to night, adieu, be vigitant I beseech you. What, Conrade? Peace, stir not. Conrade I say. Here man, I am at thy elbow. Mass and my elbow itched, I thought there would a scab follow. I will owe thee an answer for that, and now forward with thy tale. Stand thee close then under this penthouse, for it drissels rain, and I will, like a true drunkard, utter all to thee. Some treason masters, yet stand close. Therefore know, I have earned of Don Iohn a thousand Ducats. Is it possible that any villainy should be so dear? Thou shouldst rather ask if it were possible any villainy should be so rich? for when rich villains have need of poor ones, poor ones may make what price they will. I wonder at it. That shows thou art unconfirmed, thou knowest that the fashion of a doublet, or a hat, or a cloak, is nothing to a man.
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 650–677 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 23 of 42 in this edition
Length
473 words · 603 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T30 — Constables, justices and the watchcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.823 (cosine to the topic centroid) · placed after the fit (approximate_predict), not counted in the topic statistics
Other seeds
seed 43: T36 · seed 44: T35 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
If wee know him to be a thiefe, ſhall wee not lay hands on him. Truly by your office you may, but I think they that touch pitch will be defil'd: the moſt peaceable way for you, if you doe take a theefe, is, to let him ſhew himſelfe what he is, and ſteale out of your company. You haue bin alwaies cal'd a merciful mā partner. Truely I would not hang a dog by my will, much more a man who hath anie honeſtie in him. If you heare a child crie in the night you muſt call to the nurſe, and bid her ſtill it. How if the nurſe be aſleepe and will not heare vs? Why then depart in peace, and let the childe wake her with crying, for the ewe that will not heare her Lambe when it baes, will neuer anſwere a calfe when he bleates. 'Tis verie true. This is the end of the charge: you conſtable are to preſent the Princes owne perſon, if you meete the Prince in the night, you may ſtaie him. Nay birladie that I thinke a cannot. Fiue ſhillings to one on't with anie man that knowes the Statues, he may ſtaie him, marrie not without the prince be willing, for indeed the watch ought to offend no man, and it is an offence to ſtay a man againſt his will. Birladie I thinke it be ſo. Ha, ah ha, well maſters good night, and there be anie matter of weight chances, call vp me, keepe your fellowes counſailes, and your owne, and good night, come neighbour. Well maſters, we heare our charge, let vs go ſit here vpon the Church bench till two, and then all to bed. One word more, honeſt neighbors. I pray you watch about ſignior Leonatoes doore, for the wedding being there to morrow, there is a great coyle to night, adiew, be vigitant I beſeech you. What, Conrade? Peace, ſtir not. Conrade I ſay. Here man, I am at thy elbow. Mas and my elbow itcht, I thought there would a ſcabbe follow. I will owe thee an anſwere▪ for that, and now forward with thy tale. Stand thee cloſe then vnder this penthouſe, for it driſſels raine, and I will, like a true drunkard, vtter all to thee. Some treaſon maſters, yet ſtand cloſe. Therefore know, I haue earned of Don Iohn a thouſand Ducates. Is it poſſible that anie villanie ſhould be ſo deare? Thou ſhould'ſt rather aske if it were poſſible anie villanie ſhould be ſo rich? for when rich villains haue neede of poore ones, poore ones may make what price they will. I wonder at it. That ſhewes thou art vnconfirm'd, thou knoweſt that the faſhion of a doublet, or a hat, or a cloake, is nothing to a man.