The Gentleman Usher (Vincentio and Margaret) · chunk 14 of 42
Chapman, George · published 1606 · first performed or written 1606 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (second) or Children of Paul’s (second) unassigned nearest T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim · 489 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T16: lady, madam, gentleman, lordship, ladies, honour, mistress, sweet, court, servant.
I see you have me, Even as in that quaint engine you have seen, A little man in shreds stand at the window, And seems to put all things in act about him, Lifting and pulling with a mighty stir, Yet adds no force to it, nor nothing does: So, (though your Lord be a brave Gentleman) And seems to do this business, He does nothing; Some man about him was the festival rob, That made him show so glorious and divine. I cannot tell my Lord, yet I should know if any such there were. Should know quoth you; I warrant you know: well, some there be Shall have the fortune to have such rare men, (Like brave beasts to their Arms) support their state, When others of as high a worth and breed, Are made the wasteful food of them they feed: What state hath your Lord made you for your service? He has been my good Lord, for I can spend Some fifteen hundred crowns in lands a year, Which I have gotten since I served him first. No more than fifteen hundred crowns a year? It is so much as makes me like my Lord, Like a poor Gentleman. Nay, 'tis pretty well: But certainly my nature does esteem Nothing enough for virtue; and had I The Duke my father's means, all should be spent, To keep brave men about me: but good sir, Accept this simple jewel at my hands, Till I can work persuasion of my friendship, With worthier arguments. No good my Lord, I can by no means merit the free bounties You have bestowed beside. Nay, be not strange, But do yourself right, and be all one man In all your actions, do not think but some Have extraordinary spirits like yourself, And will not stand in their society, On birth and riches: but on worth and virtue, With whom there is no niceness, nor respect Of others common friendship; be he poor Or basely borne, so he be rich in soul, And noble in degrees of qualities, He shall be my friend sooner than a King. T a most kingly idgement in your lordship, Faith sir I know not, but 'tis my vain humour. O, 'tis an honour in a Nobleman. Y'ave some lords now so politic and proud, They scorn to give good looks to worthy men. O fie upon 'em; by that light my lord, I am but servant to a Nobleman, But if I would not scorn such puppet lords, Would I wear breathless. You sir? so you may, For they will cog so when they wish to use men, With, pray be covered sir, I beseech you sit, who's there? wait of Master Usher to the door. O, these be godly gudgeons: where's the deeds? The perfect Nobleman? O good my Lord. Away, away, ere I would flatter so, I would eat rushes like lord Medici.
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)
I see you haue me, Euen as in that queint engine you haue seene, A little man in shreds stand at the winder, And seemes to put all things in act about him, Lifting and pulling with a mightie stirre, Yet addes no force to it, nor nothing does: So, (though your Lord be a braue Gentleman) And seemes to do this busines, He does nothing; Some man about him was the festiuall robe, That made him shew so glorius and diuine. I cannot tell my Lord, yet I should know if any such there were. Should know quoth you; I warrant you know: well, some there be Shall haue the fortune to haue such rare men, (Like braue beasts to their Armes) support their state, When others of as high a worth and breede, Are made the wastefull food of them they feede: What state hath your Lord made you for your seruice? He haz beene my good Lord, for I canspend Some fifteene hundred crownes in lands a yeare, Which I haue gotten since I seru'd him first. No more then fifteene hundred crownes a yeare? It is so much as makes me lie my Lord, Like a poore Gentleman. Nay, tis prettie well: But certainely my nature does esteeme Nothing enough for vertue; and had I The Duke my fathers meanes, all should be spent, To keepe braue men about me: but good sir, Accept this simple iewell at my hands, Till I can worke perswasion of my friendship, With worthier arguments. No good my Lord, I can by no meanes erite the free bounties You haue bestowed besides. Nay, be not strange, But doe your selfe right, and be all one man In all your actions, doe not think but some Haue extraordinarie spirits like your selfe, And wil not stand in their societie, On birth and riches: but on worth and vertue, With whom there is no nicenesse, nor respect Of others commn friendship; be he poore Or baselv borne, so he be rich in soule, And noble in degrees of qualities, He shall be my fiend sooner then a King. T a most kingly idgement in your lordship, Faith sir I know not, but tis my vane humour. O, ti an honour in a Nobleman. Y'aue some lords now so politike and prowd, They skorne to giue good lookes to worthy men. O fie vpon vm; by that light my lord, I am but seruant to a Noblman, But if I would not skone such puppet lords, Would I weare breathlesse. You sir? so you may, For they will cogge so when they wish to vse men, With, pray be couerd sir, I beseech you sit, Whoe's there? waite of Master Vsher to the doore. O, these be godly gudgeons: where's the deedes? The perfect Nobleman? O good my Lord. Away, away, ere I would flatter so, I wold eate rushes like lord Medici.