Shakespeare, William · published 1600 · first performed or written 1596 [1594-1596] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe · 485 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
Help me Lysander, help me: do thy best To pluck this crawling serpent, from my breast, Ay me, for pity. What a dream was here? Lysander look, how I do quake with fear. Me thought, a serpent eat my heart away, And you sat smiling at his cruel prey. Lysander what, removed? Lysander, Lord, What, out of hearing, gone? No sound, no word? Alack where are you? Speak, and if you hear: Speak, of all loves. I swoon almost with fear. No, than I well perceive, you are not nigh: Either death, or you, I'll find immediately. Are we all met? Pat, pat: and here's a marvels convenient place, for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our stage, this hawthorn broke our tiring house, and we will do it in action, as we will do it before the Duke. Peter Quince? What sayest thou, bully, Bottom? There are things in this Comedy, of Pyramus and Thisbe, that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword, to kill himself; which the Ladies cannot abide. How answer you that? Berlakin, a perilous fear. I believe, we must leave the kill, out, when all is done. Not a whit: I have a device to make all well. Writ me a Prologue, and let the Prologue seem to say; we will do no harm, with our swords, and that Pyramus is not killed indeed: and for the more better assurance, tell them, that I Pyramus am not Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver: this will put them out of fear. Well: we will have such a Prologue, and it shall be written in eight and six. No: make it two more: let it be written in eight & eight. Will not the ladies be afeard of the Lion? I fear it, I promise you. Masters, you ought to consider with yourself, to bring in (God shield us) a Lion among Ladies, is a most dreadful thing. For there is not a more fearful wild foul than your Lion living: & we ought to look totoot. Therefore, another Prologue must tell, he is not a Lion. Nay: you must name his name, and half his face must be seen through the Lion's neck, and he himself must speak through, saying thus, or to the same defect; Ladies, or fair Ladies, I would wish you, or I would request you, or I would entreat you, not to fear, not to tremble: my life for yours. If you think I come hither as a Lion, it were pity of my life. No: I am no such thing: I am a man as other men are: & there indeed, let him name his name, and tell them plainly he is Snugge, the joiner. Well: it shall be so: but there is two hard things; that is, to bring the Moonlight into a chamber: for you know, Pyramus and Thisbe meet by Moonlight.
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)
Helpe mee Lysander, helpe mee: do thy best To pluck this crawling serpent, from my brest, Ay mee, for pittie. What a dreame was here? Lysander looke, how I doe quake with feare. Me thought, a serpent eate my heart away, And you sate smiling at his cruell pray. Lysander what, remou'd? Lysander, Lord, What, out of hearing, gon? No sound, no word? Alacke where are you? Speake, and if you heare: Speake, of all loues. I swoune almost with feare. No, then I well perceiue, you are not ny: Either death, or you, Ile finde immediately. Are wee all met? Pat, pat: and heres a maruailes conuenient place, for our rehearsall. This greene plot shall be our stage, this hauthorne brake our tyring house, and wee will doe it in action, as wee will doe it before the Duke. Peeter Quince? What saiest thou, bully, Bottom? There are things in this Comedy, of Pyramus and Thisby, that will neuer please. First, Pyramus must draw a sworde, to kill himselfe; which the Ladies cannot abide. How answere you that? Berlakin, a parlous feare. I beleeue, we must leaue the killing, out, when all is done. Not a whit: I haue a deuise to make all well. Write me a Prologue, and let the Prologue seeme to say; we wil do no harme, with our swords, and that Pyramus is not kild indeede: and for the more better assurance, tel them, that I Pyramus am not Pyramus, but Bottom the weauer: this will put them out of feare. Well: wee will haue such a Prologue, and it shall be written in eight and six. No: make it two more: let it be written in eight & eight. Will not the ladies be afeard of the Lyon? I feare it, I promise you. Masters, you ought to consider with your selfe, to bring in (God shielde vs) a Lyon among Ladies, is a most dreadfull thing. For there is not a more fearefull wilde foule then your Lyon liuing: & we ought to looke toote. Therfore, another Prologue must tel, he is not a Lion. Nay: you must name his name, and halfe his face must be seene through the Lions necke, and he himselfe must speake through, saying thus, or to the same defect; Ladies, or faire Ladies, I would wish you, or I would request you, or I wold intreat you, not to feare, not to trēble: my life for yours. If you thinke I come hither as a Lyon, it were pittie of my life. No: I am no such thing: I am a man as other men are: & there indeed, let him name his name, and tell them plainely he is Snugge, the Ioyner. Well: it shall be so: but there is two hard things; that is, to bring the Moone-light into a chamber: for you know, Pyramus and Thisby meete by Moone-light.