Nashe, Thomas · published 1600 · first performed or written 1592 (Annals) comedy · Unknown T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness typicality 0.74 · 456 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Heigh ho. Here is a coil in deed to bring beggars to stocks. I promise you truly, I was almost asleep; I thought I had been at a Sermon. Well, for this one nights exhortation, I vow (by God's grace) never to be good husband while I live. But what is this to the purpose? Hur come to Powl (as the Welshman says) and hur pay an halfpenny for burr seat, and hur hear the Preacher talge, and a talge very well by gis, but yet a cannot make hur laugh: go a Theater, and hear a queen's Fice, and he make hur laugh, and laugh hur bellyful. So we come hither to laugh and be merry, and we hear a filthy beggarly Oration, in the praise of beggary. It is a beggarly Poet that writ it: and that makes him so much commend it, because he knows not how to mend himself. Well, rather than he shall have no employment but lick dishes, I will set him a work myself, to write in praise of the art of stooping, and how there was never any famous Thresher, Porter, Brewer, Pioneer, or Carpenter, that had straight back. Repair to my chamber, poor fellow, when the play is done, and thou shalt see what I will say to thee. Vertumnus, call Solstitium. Solstitium, come into the court without: peace there below; make room for master Solstitium. All hail to Summer my dread sovereign Lord. Welcome, Solstitium, thou art one of them, To whose good husbandry we have referred Part of those small revenues that we have. What hast thou gained us? what hast thou brought in? Alas, my Lord, what gave you me to keep, But a few days eyes in my prime of youth? And those I have converted to white hairs: I never loved ambitiously to climb, Or thrust my hand too far into the fire. To be in heaven, sure, is a blessed thing: But Atlas-like, to prop heaven on ones back, Cannot but be more labour than delight. Such is the state of men in honour placed; They are gold vessels made for servile uses, High trees that keep the weather from low houses, But cannot shield the tempest from themselves. I love to dwell betwixt the hills and dales; Neither to be so great to be envied, Nor yet so poor the world should pity me. Inter utrumque tene, medio tutissimus ibis. What dost thou with those balances thou bear'st? In them I weigh the day and night alike. This white glass is the hourglass of the day: This black one the just measure of the night; One more than other holdeth not a grain: Both serve times just proportion to maintain.
seed 43: T35 · seed 44: T34 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Heigh ho. Here is a coyle in deede to bring beggers to stockes. I promise you truely, I was almost asleep; I thought I had bene at a Sermon. Well, for this one nights exhortation, I vow (by Gods grace) neuer to be good husband while I liue. But what is this to the purpose? Hur come to Powl (as the Welshman sayes) and hur pay an halfepenny for bur seat, and hur heare the Preacher talge, and a talge very well by gis, but yet a cannot make hur laugh: goe a Theater, and heare a Queenes Fice, and he make hur laugh, and laugh hur belly-full. So we come hither to laugh and be merry, and we heare a filthy beggerly Oration, in the prayse of beggery. It is a beggerly Poet that writ it: and that makes him so much commend it, because hee knowes not how to mend himselfe. Well, rather then he shall haue no imployment but licke dishes, I will set him a worke my selfe, to write in prayse of the arte of stouping, and howe there was neuer any famous Thresher, Porter, Brewer, Pioner, or Carpenter, that had streight backe. Repayre to my chamber, poore fellow, when the play is done, and thou shalt see what I will say to thee. Vertumnus, call Solstitium. Solstitium, come into the court without: peace there below; make roome for master Solstitium. All hayle to Summer my dread soueraigne Lord. Welcome, Solstitium, thou art one of them, To whose good husbandry we haue referr'd Part of those small reuenues that we haue. What hast thou gaynd vs? what hast thou brought in? Alas, my Lord, what gaue you me to keepe, But a fewe dayes eyes in my prime of youth? And those I haue conuerted to white hayres: I neuer lou'd ambitiously to clyme, Or thrust my hand too farre into the fire. To be in heauen, sure, is a blessed thing: But Atlas-like, to proppe heauen on ones backe, Cannot but be more labour then delight. Such is the state of men in honour plac'd; They are gold vessels made for seruile vses, High trees that keepe the weather from low houses, But cannot sheild the tempest from themselues. I loue to dwell betwixt the hilles and dales; Neyther to be so great to be enuide, Nor yet so poore the world should pitie me. Inter vtrum que tene, medio tutissimus ibis. What doest thou with those ballances thou bearst? In them I weigh the day and night alike. This white glasse is the houre-glasse of the day: This blacke one the iust measure of the night; One more then other holdeth not a grayne: Both serue times iust proportion to mayntayne.