Marston, John · published 1606 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.73 · 559 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
LEt those once know that herewith malice lurk, 'tis base to be too wise, in others work. The rest, sit thus saluted: Spectators know, you may with freest faces Behold this Scene, for here no rude disgraces Shall taint a public, or a private name, This pen at viler rate doth value fame, Than at the price of others infamy, To purchase it: Let others dare the rope, Your modest pleasure is our author's scope. The hurdle and the rack to them he leaves, That have nought left to be accounted any, But by not being: Nor doth he hope to win Your louder hand, with that most common sin Of vulgar pens, rank bawdry, that smells Even thorough your masks, vsque ad nauseam: The venus of this Scene doth loathe to wear So vile, so common, so immodest clothings, But if the nimble form of comedy, Mere spectacle of life, and public manners May, gracefully arrive to your pleased ears, We boldly dare the utmost death of fears For we do know that this most fair filled room Is Loaden with most Attic judgements, ablest spirits, Then whom, there are none more exact, full, strong, Yet none more soft, benign in censuring, I know there's not one Ass in all this presence, Not one Calumnious rascal, or base villain Of emptiest merit, that would tax and slander If innocency herself should write, not one we know't. O you are all the very breath of Phoebus In your pleased gracings all the true life blood Of our poor author lives, you are his very graces. Now if that any wonder why he's drawn To such base soothings, know his play's; The Fawn. SEe yonder's Urbin those far appearing Spires, rise from the City, you shall conduct me no further, return to Ferrara, my Dukedom by your care in my absence shall rest constantly united, and most religiously loyal. My Prince and brother, let my blood and love challenge the freedom of one question. You have't. Why? in your steadier age in strength of life, And firmest wit of time, will you break forth Those stricter Limits of regardful state (Which with severe distinction you still kept) And now to unknown dangers you'll give up yourself Ferrara's Duke, and in yourself The state; and us. Oh my loved brother, " Honour avoids not only just defame: But flies all means that may ill voice his name. Busy yourself with no fears, for I shall rest most wary of our safety, only some glimpses I will give you for your satisfaction why I leave Ferrara, I have vowed to visit the Court of Urbin in some disguise, as thus: my son as you can well witness with me, could I never persuade to marriage, although myself was then, an ever resolved Widower, and though I proposed to him this very Lady, to whom he is gone in my right to negotiate: now how cooler blood will behave itself in this business, would I have an only testimony, other contents shall I give myself; as not to take love by attorney, or make my election out of tongues, other sufficings there are which my regard would fain make sound to me: something of much you know, that and what else you must not know, bids you excuse this kind of my departure.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
LEt those once know that herewith malice lurke, Tis base to be too wise, in others worke. The rest, sit thus saluted: Spectators know, you may with freest faces Behold this Scene, for here no rude disgraces Shall taint a publique, or a priuat name, This pen at viler rate doth value fame, Than at the price of others infamy, To purchase it: Let others dare the rope, Your modest pleasure is our authors scope. The hurdle and the racke to them he leaues, That haue naught left to be accompted any, But by not being: Nor doth he hope to wyn Your lowder hand, with that most common sinne Of vulgar pennes, ranke baudrie, that smels Euen thorow your maskes, vsque ad nauseam: The venus of this Sceane doth loath to weare So vile, so common, so immodest cloathings, But if the nymble forme of commody, Meere spectacle of life, and publique manners May, gracefully arriue to your pleased eares, We boldly dare the vtmost death of feares For we do know that this most faire fil'd roome Is Loaden with most Atick iudgements, ablest spirits, Then whome, there are none more exact, full, strong, Yet none more soft, benigne in censuring, I know ther's not one Asse in all this presence, Not one Callumnious rascall, or base villaine Of emptiest merit, that would taxe and slaunder If Innocencie her selfe should write, not one we know't. O you are all the very breath of Phebus In your pleas'd gracings all the true life bloud Of our poore author liues, you are his very graces. Now if that any wonder why he's drawn To such base soothings, know his play's; The Fawne. SEe yonder's Vrbin those farre appearing Spires, rise from the Citie, you shall conduct mee no further, returne to Ferrara, my Dukedome by your care in my absence shall rest constantly vnited, and most religiously loyall. My Prince and brother, let my blood and loue challenge the freedome of one question. You hau't. Why? in your stedier age in strength of life, And firmest wit of time, will you breake forth Those stricter Limits of regardfull state (Which with seuere distinction you still kept) And now to vnknowne dangers you'l giue vp Your selfe Ferraras Duke, and in your selfe The state; and vs. Oh my lou'd brother, "Honour auoyds not only iust defame: "But flies all meanes that may ill voice his name. Busie your selfe with no feares, for I shall rest most warie of our safetie, only some glimses I will giue you for your satisfaction why I leaue Ferrara, I haue vowed to visit the Court of Vrbin in some disguise, as thus: my sonne as you can well witnesse with me, could I neuer perswade to marriage, although my selfe was then, an euer resolued Widdower, and tho I proposed to him this verie Ladie, to whome hee is gone in my right to negotiat: now how cooler bloud wil behaue it selfe in this busines, would I haue an only testimony, other contents shal I giue my selfe; as not to take loue by attorney, or make my election out of tongues, other suffisings there are which my regard would faine make sound to me: something of much you knowe, that and what els you must not knowe, bids you excuse this kind of my departure.