Dekker, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1606 [c.1606-1607] (Annals) history; allegory · Prince Henry's Men unassigned nearest T35 Fools, wit and railing · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T35: fool, wit, aristippus, achilles, wise, fools, patroclus, thersites, master, men.
You are grown sirrah an observer since you came out of Babylon. Troth mistress, I left villains and knaves there, & find knaves & fools here: for your Ordinary is your Isle of Gulls, your ship of fools, your hospital of incurable madmen: it is the field where your captain and brave man is called to the lastreckoning, and is overthrown horse and foot: it is the only school to make an honest man a knave: for Intelligencers may hear enough there, to set twenty a begging oflands: it is the strangest Chessboard in the world. Why? Because in some games at Chess, knights are better than pawns, but here a good pawn is better than a knight. Afford our shores such wonders? Wonders? why this one little Cockpit, (for none come into it, but those that have spurs) is able to show all the follies of your kingdom, in a few Apes of the kingdom. Have we not in our Land Physicians To purge these red impostumes? Troth yes mistress; but I am Plain dealing, and must speak truth, thou hast many Physicians, some of them sound men, but a number of them more sick at heart, than a whole parish full of Patients: let them cure themselves first, & then they may better know how to heal others: then have you other fellows that take upon them to be Surgeons, and by letting out the corruption of a State, and they let it out I'll be sworn; for some of them in places as big as this, and before a thousand people, rip up the bowels of vice in such a beastly manner, that (like women at an Execution, that can endure to see men quartered alive) the beholders learn more villainy than they knew before: others likewise there be of this consort last named, that are like Beadles bribed, they whip, but draw no blood, and of these I have made a Rhyme. Let's hear it. Those that do jerk these times, are butlike fleas; They bite the skin, but leap from the disease. I'll have you Sir (because you have an eye so sharply pointed) to look through and through that our great City, and like death, to spare the lives of none, whose conscience you find sickly and going. If I give you the copy of the City's countenance, I'll not flatter the face, as painters do; but show all the wrinkles of it. Do so, you shall no more to Babylon, But live with us, and be our Officer. Have I any kindred in your Court? is there any one of my name an officer? if there be, part us; because it will not be good, to have two of the Plain-dealing in one office, they'll be beggars if they do. No Sirrah, we'll provide you shall not want Whilst us you serve. Go learn where Truth doth lie. Nay, nay, I have heard of her, she dwells (they say) at the sign of the Holy Lamb.
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)
You are growne sirra an obseruer since you came out of Babylon. Troth mistresse, I left villains and knaues there, & find knaues & fooles here: for your Ordinary is your Isle of Gulles, your ship of fooles, your hospitall of incurable madmen: it is the field where your captaine and braue man is cal'd to the lastreckoning, and is ouerthrown horse and foot: it is the onely schoole to make an honest man a knaue: for Intelligencers may heare enough there, to set twenty a begging oflands: it is the strangest Chesse-board in the world. Why? Because in some games at Chesse, knights are better then pawnes, but here a good pawne is better then a knight. Affoard our shores such wonders? Wonders? why this one little Cocke-pit, (for none come into it, but those that haue spurs) is able to shew all the follies of your kingdome, in a few Apes of the kingdome. Haue we not in our Land Physitions To purge these red impostumes? Troth yes mistresse; but I am Plaine dealing, and must speake truth, thou hast many Physitions, some of thē sound men, but a number of them more sicke at heart, then a whole parish full of Patients: let them cure themselues first, & then they may better know how to heale others: then haue you other fellowes that take vpon them to be Surgeons, and by letting out the corruption of a State, and they let it out Ile be sworne; for some of them in places as big as this, and before a thousand people, rip vp the bowels of vice in such a beastly manner, that (like women at an Execution, that can endure to see men quartred aliue) the beholders learne more villany then they knew before: others likewise there be of this consort last named, that are like Beadles bribed, they whip, but draw no blood, and of these I haue made a Rime. Let's heare it. Those that doe jerke these times, are butlike fleas; They bite the skinne, but leap from the disease. Ile haue you Sir (because you haue an eye so sharply pointed) to looke through and through that our great Citie, and like death, to spare the liues of none, whose conscience you find sickly and going. If I giue you the copie of the Cities countenance, Ile not flatter the face, as painters do; but shew al the wrinckles of it. Doe so, you shall no more to Babylon, But liue with vs, and be our Officer. Haue I any kinred in your Court? is there any one of my name an officer? if there bee, part vs; because it will not bee good, to haue two of the Plain-dealings in one office, they'l bee beggars if they doe. No Sirra, wee'le prouide you shall not want VVhilst vs you serue. Goe learne where Tuth doth lie. Nay, nay, I haue heard of her, she dwelles (they say) at the signe of the Holy Lambe.