Middleton, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1604 [1603-1604] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) · before the Court T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.77 · 482 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
A little too wise, a little too wise to live long. You have answered us with wisdom, let it be. Things private are best known through privacy. Stay you my elected servant. My kind Lord. The Duke my Father has a heavy burden, Of years upon him. My Lord it seems so, for they make him stoop. Without dissemblance he is deep in age, He bows unto his grave, I wonder much Which of his wild Nobility it should be (For none of his sad counsel has a voice in't) Should so far travail into his consent, To set me over into other Kingdoms. Upon the stroke and minute of his death? My Lord, 'tis easier to suspect them all, Then truly to name one. Since it is thus, By absence, i'll obey the Duke my father, And yet not wrong myself. Therein my Lord, You might be happy twice. So it shall be, I'll stay at home, and travail; Would your Grace Could make that good. I can, & indeed a Prince need no travail farther than his own Kingdom, if he apply himself faithfully, worthy the glory of himself and expectation of others: and it would appear far nobler industry in him, to reform those fashions that are already in his Country, than to bring new ones in, which have neither true form nor fashion; to make his Court an Owl, City an Ape, and the Country a Wolf, preying upon the ridiculous pride of either, and therefore I hold it a safer stern upon this lucky advantage, since my father is near his setting, and I upon the Eastern hill to take my rise, to look into the heart & bowels of this Dukedom, and in disguise, mark all abuses ready for Reformation or Punishment. Give me but leave unfeignedly to admire you, Your wisdom is so spacious and so honest, So much have the complaints and suits of men, seven, nay seventeen years neglected, still interposed by coin and great enemies, prevailed with my pity, that I cannot otherwise think but there are infectious dealings in most offices, and foul mysteries throughout all Professions: and therefore I nothing doubt but to find travail enough within myself, and Experience I fear too much: nor will I be curious to fit my body to the humblest form and bearing, so the labour may be fruitful: for how can abuses that keep low, come to the right view of a Prince, unless his looks lie level with them, which else will be longest hid from him, he shall be the last man sees 'em. For oft between king's Eyes, and subjects Crimes Stands there a bar of bribes, the under office Flatters him next above it: he the next, And so of most, or many, Every Abuse will choose a brother, 'tis through the world, this Hand will rub the other.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
A little too wiſe, a little too wiſe to liue long. You haue anſwered vs with wiſdome, let it be. Things priuate are beſt known through priuacy. Stay you my elected ſeruant. My kinde Lord. The Duke my Father has a heauy burthen, Of yeares vpon him. My Lord it ſeemes ſo, for they make him ſtoope. Without diſſemblance hee is deepe in age, He bowes vnto his graue, I wonder much Which of his wilde Nobilitie it ſhould bee (For none of his ſad counſell has a voyce in't) Should ſo farre trauaile into his conſent, To ſet me ouer into other Kingdomes. Vpon the ſtroke and minute of his death? My Lord, tis eaſier to ſuſpect them all, Then truly to name one. Since it is thus, By abſence, ile obey the Duke my father, And yet not wrong my ſelfe. Therein my Lord, You might be happie twice. So it ſhall bee, Ile ſtay at home, and trauaile; Would your Grace Could make that good. I can, & indeed a Prince need no trauaile farther then his owne Kingdome, if hee applie himſelfe faythfullye, worthie the glorie of himſelfe and expectation of others: and it would appeare farre nobler induſtrie in him, to reforme thoſe faſhions that are alreadye in his Countrey, then to bring newe ones in, which haue neither true forme nor faſhion; to make his Court an Owle, Cittie an Ape, and the Countrey a Wolfe, preying vpon the ridiculous pride of eyther, and therefore I holde it a ſafer ſterne vpon this luckie aduantage, ſince my father is nere his ſetting, and I vpon the Eaſterne hil to take my riſe, to look into the heart & bowels of this Dukedome, and in diſguiſe, marke all abuſes readie for Reformation or Puniſhment. Giue me but leaue vnfainedly to admire you, Your wiſdome is ſo ſpacious and ſo honeſt, So much haue the complaints and ſuits of men, ſeauen, nay ſeauenteene yeares neglected, ſtil interpoſd by coine and great enemies, preuaild with my pittie, that I cannot otherwiſe thinke but there are infectious dealings in moſt offices, and foule miſteries throughout al Profeſſions: and therefore I nothing doubt but to find trauaile ynough within my ſelfe, and Experience I fear too much: nor will I be curious to fit my bodie to the humbleſt forme and bearing, ſo the labor may be fruitfull: for how can abuſes that keepe lowe, come to the right view of a Prince, vnleſſe his lookes lie leuell with them, which elſe will be longeſt hid from him, hee ſhall be the laſt man ſees 'em. For oft betwene Kings Eyes, and ſubiects Crimes Stands there a barre of brybes, the vnder office Flatters him next aboue it: he the next, And ſo of moſt, or manye, Euerie Abuſe will chuſe a brother, Tis through the world, this Hand will rub the other.