Marston, John · published 1602 · first performed or written 1602 (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) unassigned nearest T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim · 474 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T16: lady, madam, gentleman, lordship, ladies, honour, mistress, sweet, court, servant.
Go to, I must take you down for this. Lend me your ear. A glow worm, the word? Splendescit tantum tenebris. O, Lady, the glow worm figurates my valour: which shineth brightest in most dark, dismal and horrid achievements. Or rather, your glow worm represents your wit, which only seems to have fire in it, though indeed 'tis but an ignis fatuus, and shines only in the dark dead night of fools admiration. Lady, my wit hath spurs, if it were disposed to ride you. Faith sir, your wits spurs have but walking rowels; dull, blunt, they will not draw blood: the gentlemen ushers may admit them the Presence, for any wrong they can do to Ladies. Truly, I have strained a note above Ela, for a device; look you, 'tis a fair ruled singing book: the word, Perfect, if it were pricked. Though you are masked, I can guess who you are by your wit. You are not the exquisite Balurdo, the most rarely shaped Balurdo. Who, I? No I am not sir Ieffrey Balurdo. I am not as well known by my wit, as an alehouse by a red lattice. I am not worthy to love and be beloved of Flavia. I will not scorn to favour such good parts, as are applauded in your rarest self. Truly, you speak wisely, and like a Gentlewoman of fourteen years of age. You know the stone called lapis; the nearer it comes to the fire, the hotter it is: and the bird, which the Geometricians call avis, the farther it is from the earth, the nearer it is to the heaven: and love, the nigher it is to the flame, the more remote (there's a word, remote) the more remote it is from the frost, Your wit is quick, a little thing pleaseth a young Lady, and a small favour contenteth an old Courtier; and so, sweet mistress I truss my codpiece point. What might import this flourish? bring us word. Stand away: here's such a company of fly-boats, hulling about this galleass of greatness, that there's no boarding him. Do you hear yond thing called, Duke? How now blunt Feliche, what's the news? Yonder's a knight, hath brought Andrugio's head, & craves admittance to your chair of state. Conduct him with attendance sumptuous, Sound all the pleasing instruments of joy: Make triumph, stand on tiptoe whilst we meet: O sight most gracious, O revenge most sweet! We vow, by the honour of our birth, to recompense any man that bringeth Andrugio's head, with twenty thousand double Pistolets, and the endearing to our choicest love. We still with most unmoved resolved confirm Our large munificence: and here breathe A sad and solemn protestation: When I recall this vow, O, let our house Be even commanded, stained, and trampled on, As worthless rubbish of nobility.
seed 43: T31 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Goe to, I must take you downe for this. Lende me your eare. A glowe worme, the word? Splendescit tantùm tenebris. O, Ladie, the glowe worme figurates my valour: which shineth brightest in most darke, dismall and horrid atchieuements. Or rather, your glowe worme represents your wit, which only seems to haue fire in it, though indeed tis but an ignis fatuus, and shines onely in the darke deade night of fooles admiration. Ladie, my wit hath spurs, if it wete dispos'd to ride you. Faith sir, your wits spurs haue but walking rowels; dull, blunt, they will not drawe blood: the gentlemen vshers may admit them the Presence, for anie wrong they can doe to Ladies. Truely, I haue strained a note aboue Ela, for a deuise; looke you, tis a faire rul'd singing booke: the word, Perfect, if it were prickt. Though you are mask't, I can guesse who you are by your wit. You are not the exquisite Balurdo, the most rarely shap't Balurdo. Who, I? No I am not sir Ieffrey Balurdo. I am not as well knowne by my wit, as an alehouse by a red lattice. I am not worthy to loue and be belou'd of Flauia. I will not scorne to fauour such good parts, as are applauded in your rarest selfe. Truely, you speake wisely, and like a Iantlewoman of foureteene yeares of age. You know the stone called lapis; the nearer it comes to the fire, the hotter it is: and the bird, which the Geometricians cal Auis, the farther it is from the earth, the nearer it is to the heauen: and loue, the nigher it is to the flame, the more remote (ther's a word, remote) the more remote it is from the frost, Your wit is quicke, a little thinge pleaseth a young Ladie, and a smal fauour contenteth an ould Courtier; and so, sweete mistresse I trusse my codpeece point. What might import this florish? bring vs word. Stand away: here's such a companie of flibotes, hulling about this galleasse of greatnesse, that there's no boarding him. Doe you heare yon thing call'd, Duke? How now blunt Feliche, what's the newes? Yonder's a knight, hath brought Andrugio's head, & craues admittance to your chaire of state. Conduct him with attendance sumptuous, Sound all the pleasing instruments of ioy: Make tryumph, stand on tiptoe whil'st wee meete: O sight most gratious, O reuenge most sweete! We vowe, by the honour of our birth, to recompence any man that brngeth Andrugio's head, with twentie thousand double Pistolets, and the endeering to our choysest loue. We still with most vnmou'd resolu'd confirme Our large munificence: and here breath A sad and solemne protestation: When I recall this vowe, O, let our house Be euen commaunded, staind, and trampled on, As worthlesse rubbish of nobilitie.