The Dutch Courtesan (Cockle de Moye) · chunk 1 of 35
Marston, John · published 1605 · first performed or written 1605 [1603-1605] (Annals) comedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.75 · 465 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
SLight hasty labours in this easy Play, Present not what you would, but what we may: For this vouchsafe to know the only end Of our now study is, not to offend. Yet think not, but like others rail we could, (Best art Presents, not what it can, but should) And if our pen in this seem over slight, We strive not to instruct, but to delight, As for some few, we know of purpose here to tax, and scout: know firm art cannot fear Vain rage: only the highest grace we pray Is, you'll not tax, until you judge our Play. Think and then speak: 'tis rashness, and not wit To speak what is in passion, and not judgement fit: Sit then, with fair expectance, and survey Nothing but passionate man in his slight play, Who hath this only ill: to some deemed worst, A modest diffidence, and self mistrust. NAy comfort my good host Shark, my good, Mulligrubb. Advance thy snout, do not suffer thy sorrowful nose to drop on thy spanish leather jerkin, most hardly honest Mulligrub. What, cogging Cocledemoy is run away with a nest of goblets, true, what then? they will be hammered out well enough, I warrant you. Sure, some wise man would find them out presently. Yes sure, if we could find out some wise man presently. How was the plate lost? how did it vanish? In most sincere prose thus: that man of much money, some wit, but less honesty, cogging Cocledemoy, comes this night late into mine hosts Mulligrubs Tavern here, calls for a room, the house being full, Cocledemoy consorted with his movable chattel, his instrument of fornication, the bawdy Mrs. are emparlour next the street good poultry was their food, black bird, Lark, woodcock, and mine host here, comes in, cries God bless you, and departs: A blind Harper enters, craves audience, uncaseth, plays, the Drawer for female privateness' sake is nodded out, who knowing that whosoever will hit the mark of profit, must like those that shoot in stone-bows wink with one eye, grows blind a the right side and departs. He shall answer for that winking with one eye at the last day. Let him have day till then, and he will wink with both his eyes. Cocledemoy perceiving none in the room but the blind Harper, (whose eyes heaven had shut up, from beholding wickedness,) unclasps a casement to the street very patiently, pockets up 5. bowls unnaturally, thrusts his wench forth the window, and himself most preposterously with his heels forward follows, the unseeing Harper plays on, bids the empty dishes and the treacherous candles much good do them. The Drawer returns, but out alas, not only the, but also the beast of goblets were flown away, Laments are raised.
seed 43: T16 · seed 44: T15 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
SLight haſtie labours in this eaſie Play, Preſent not what you would, but what we may: For this vouchſafe to know the onely end Of our now ſtudie is, not to offend. Yet thinke not, but like others raile we could, (Beſt art Preſents, not what it can, but ſhould) And if our pen in this ſeeme ouer ſlight, We ſtriue not to inſtruct, but to delight, As for ſome few, we know of purpoſe here to taxe, and ſcowt: know firme art cannot feare Vaine rage: onely the higheſt grace we pray Is, you'le not taxe, vntill you iudge our Play. Thinke and then ſpeake: tis raſhneſſe, and not wit To ſpeake what is in paſsion, and not iudgement fit: Sit then, with faire exſpectance, and ſuruay Nothing but paſsionate man in his ſlight play, Who hath this onely ill: to ſome deem'd worſt, A modeſt diffidence, and ſelfe miſtruſt. NAy comfort my good hoaſt Sharke, my good, Mulligrubb. Aduance thy ſnout, doe not ſuffer to droppe on thy ſpaniſh leather ierkin, moſt hardly honeſt Mulligrub What, cogging Cocledemoy is with a neaſt of goblets, true, what then? they will be ha merd out well enough, I warrant you. Sure, ſome wiſe man would finde them out preſently. Yes ſure, if we could finde out ſome wiſe man preſently▪ How was the plte loſt? how did it vaniſh? In moſt ſincere proſe thus: that man of much money, ſome witte, but leſſe honeſtie, cogging Cocledemoy, comes this night aie into mine hoſtes Mulligrubs Tauerne heere, cals for dome, the houſe being ful, Cocledemoy conſorted with hi rable , his inſtrument of fornication, the baw Mrs. are imparlarde next the ſtreete good po as their foode, black bird, Larke, woodcocke, and mine hoaſt here, comes in, cryes God bleſſe you, and departes: A blinde Harper enters, craues audience, vncaſeth, playes, the Drawer for female priuatnes ſake is nodded out, who knowing that whoſoeuer will hit the mark of profit, muſt like thoſe that ſhoot in ſtone-bowes winke with one eye, growes blind a the right ſide and departs. He ſhal anſwere for that winking with one eye at the laſt day. Let him haue day till then, and he will winke with both his eyes. Cocledemoy perceiuing none in the roome but the blind Harper, (whoſe eyes heauen had ſhut vp, from beholding wickedneſſe,) vnclaſpes a caſement to the ſtreet very patiently, pockets vp . bowles vnnaturally, thruſtes his wench forth the window, and him ſelfe moſt prepoſterouſly with his heeles forward followes, the vnſeeing Harper playes on, bids the empty diſhes and the treacherous candles much good do them. The Drawe returnes, but out alas, not on , but alſo the beaſt of goblets were flowne away, Laente are raiſde.