Shakespeare, William · published 1630 · first performed or written 1597 [Apr 23] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T55 Fairies, fairy queens and enchanted desi · 506 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T55: fairy, fairies, oberon, mopsus, queen, land, grace, babylon, mab, thestylis.
'Tis well, 'tis well, no more: Be not as extreme in submission, as in offence, But let our plot go forward: Let our wives Yet once again (to make us public sport) Appoint a meeting with this old fat-fellow, Where we may take him, and disgrace him for it. There is no better way than that they spoke of. How? to send him word they'll meet him in the park at midnight? Fie, fie, he'll never come. You say he has been thrown in the rivers: and has been grievously beaten, as an old o'man: methinks there should be terror in him, that he should not come: methinks his flesh is punished, he shall have no desires, So think I too. Device but how you'll use him when he comes, And let us two devise to bring him thither. There is an old tale goes, that Herne the Hunter (sometime a keeper here in Windsor forest) Doth all the winter time, at still midnight, Walk round about an oak, with great raged horns, And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle, And make milk-cows yield blood, and shakes a chain In a most hideous and dreadful manner. You have heard of such a Spirit, and well you know The superstitious idle-headed-Eld Received, and did deliver to our age This tale of Herne the Hunter, for a truth. Why yet there want not many that do fear In deep of night to walk by this Hernes oak: But what of this? Marry this is our device, That Falstaff at that oak shall meet with us. Well, let it not be doubted but he'll come, And in this shape, when you have brought him thither, What shall be done with him? What is your plot? That likewise have we thought upon and thus: Nan Page (my daughter) and my little son, And three or four more of their growth, we'll dress Like urchins, Ouphes, and Fairies, green and white, With rounds of waxed Tapers on their heads And rattles in their hands; upon a sudden, As Falstaff, and I, are newly met, Let them from forth a saw-pit rush at once With some diffused song: upon their sight We two, in great amazedness will fly: Then let them all encircle him about, And Fairy-like to pinch the unclean Knight; And ask him why that hour of Fairy revel, In their so sacred paths, he dares to tread In shape profane. And till he tell the truth, Let the supposed Fairies pinch him, sound, And burn him with their Tapers. The truth being known. We'll all present ourselves; dis-horne the spirit, And mock him home to Windsor. The children must Be practised well to this, or they'll ne'er do't. I will teach the children their behaviours & I will: be like a Iacke-an-Apes also, to burn the Knight with my Taber. That will be excellent, I'll go buy them vizards. My Nan shall be the Queen of all the Fairies, finely attired in a robe of white.
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)
'Tis well, 'tis well, no more: Be not as extreme in ſubmiſſion, as in offence, But let our plot go forward: Let our wiues Yet once againe (to make vs publike ſport) Appoint a meeting with this old fat-fellow, Where we may take him, and diſgrace him for it. There is no better way then that they ſpoke of. How? to ſend him word they'll meete him in the Parke at midnight? Fie, fie, he'll neuer come. You ſay he has bin throwne in the Riuers: and has bin greeuouſly peaten, as an old o'man: me-thinkes there ſhould be terror in him, that hee ſhould not come: Me-thinkes his fleſh is puniſh'd, hee ſhall haue no deſires, So thinke I too. Deuiſe but how you'l vſe him when he comes, And let vs two deuiſe to bring him thither. There is an old tale goes, that Herne the Hunter (ſometime a keeper heere in Windſor Forreſt) Doth all the winter time, at ſtill midnight, Walke round about an Oake, with great rag'd hornes, And there he blaſts the tree, and takes the cattle, And make milch-kine yeeld blood, and ſhakes a chaine In a moſt hideous and dredfull manner. You haue heard of ſuch a Spirit, and well you know The ſuperſtitious idle-headed-Eld Receiu'd, and did deliuer to our age This tale of Herne the Hunter, for a truth. Why yet there want not many that do feare In deepe of night to walke by this Hernes Oake: But what of this? Marry this is our deuiſe, That Falſtaffe at that Oake ſhall meete with vs. Well, let it not be doubted but he'll come, And in this ſhape, when you haue brought him thether, What ſhall be done with him? What is your plot? That likewiſe haue we thoght vpon and thus: Nan Page (my daughter) and my little ſonne, And three or foure more of their growth, wee'l dreſſe Like Vrchins, Ouphes, and Fairies, greene and white, With rounds of waxen Tapers on their heads And rattles in their hands; vpon a ſodaine, As Falſtaffe, and I, are newly met, Let them from forth a ſaw▪ pitruſh at once With ſome diffuſed ſong: Vpon their ſight We two, in great amazedneſſe will flye: Then let them all encircle him about, And Fairy-like to pinch the vncleane Knight; And aske him why that houre of Fairy Reuell, In their ſo ſacred pathes, he dares to tread In ſhape prophane. And till he tell the truth, Let the ſuppoſed Fairies pinch him, ſound, And burne him with their Tapers. The truth being knowne. We'll all preſent our ſelues; diſ-horne the ſpirit, And mocke him home to Windſor. The children muſt Be practis'd well to this, or they'll neu'r doo't. I will teach the children their behauiours & I will: be like a Iacke-an-Apes alſo, to burne the Knight with my Taber. That will be excellent, Ile go buy them vizards. My Nan ſhall be the Queene of all the Fairies, finely attired in a robe of white.