Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · 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 · other edition — not in the analysis
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: Methought a serpent eat my heart away, And yet 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 sound 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 marvellous 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 sayst thou, bully Bottom? There are things in this Comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe, that will never please. First, Piraemus must draw a sword to kill himself; which the Ladies cannot abide. How answer you that? Berlaken, a perilous fear. I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is done. Not a whit, I have a device to make all well. Writ me a Prologue, and set 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 and eight. Will not the Ladies be afeared of the Lion? I fear it, I promise you. Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves, 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: and we ought to look to it. 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; and there indeed let him name his name, and tell him plainly he is Snug 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 me Lyſander, helpe me; do thy beſt To plucke this crawling ſerpent from my breſt. Aye me, for pitty; what a dreame was here? Lyſander looke, how I do quake with feare: Me-thought a ſerpent eate my heart away, And yet ſat ſmiling at his cruell prey. Lyſander, what remoou'd? Lyſander, Lord, What, out of hearing, gone? No ſound, no word? Alacke where are you? ſpeake and if you heare: Speake of all loues; I ſound almoſt with feare. No, then I well perceiue you are not nye, Either death or you Ile finde immediately. Are we all met? Pat, pat, and here's a maruailous conuenient place for our rehearſall. This greene plot ſhall be our ſtage, this hauthorne brake our tyring houſe, and we will do it in action, as we will do it before the Duke. Peter quince? What ſaiſt thou, bully Bottome? There are things in this Comedy of Piramus and Thisby, that will neuer pleaſe. Firſt, Piraemus muſt draw a ſword to kill himſelfe; which the Ladies cannot abide. How anſwere you that? Berlaken, a parlous feare. I beleeue we muſt leaue the killing out, when all is done. Not a whit, I haue a deuice to make all well. Write me a Prologue, and ſet the Prologue ſeeme to ſay, we will do no harme with our ſwords, and that Pyramus is not kill'd indeede: and for the more better aſſurance, tell them, that I Piramus am not Piramus, but Bottome the Weauer; this will put them out of feare. Well, we will haue ſuch a Prologue, and it ſhall be written in eight and ſixe. No, make it two more, let it be written in eight and eight. Will not the Ladies be afear'd of the Lyon? I feare it, I promiſe you. Maſters, you ought to conſider with your ſelues, to bring in (God ſhield vs) a Lyon among Ladies, is a moſt dreadfull thing. For there is not a more fearefull wilde foule then your Lyon liuing: and wee ought to looke to it. Therefore another Prologue muſt tell he is not a Lyon. Nay, you muſt name his name, and halfe his face muſt be ſeene through the Lyons 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 would entreat you, not to feare, not to tremble: my life for yours. If you thinke I come hither as a Lyon, it were pitty of my life. No, I am no ſuch thing, I am a man as other men are; and there indeed let him name his name, and tell him plainly hee is Snug 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, Piramus and Thisby meete by Moone-light.