Middleton, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1604 [1603-1604] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) · before the Court unassigned nearest T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds · 488 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
With all present speed sir. And Latronello. ay sir. Sit you down, & very soberly take the examination. I'll draw a few horse heads in a paper, make a show: I hope I shall keep my countenance. Pox on him again, would he be taken? he frets me: I have been a youth myself, I ha' seen the day I could have told money out of other men's purses (Mass so I can do now) nor will I keep that fellow about me that dares not bid a man stand: for as long as drunkenness is a vice, stand is a virtue: but I would not have 'em taken. I remember now betimes in a morning I would have peeped through the green boughs, & have had the party presently, and then to ride away sinelye in fear, 'twas e'en Venery to me i'faith, the pleasantst course of life, one would think every Woodcok a Constable, and every Owl an officer, but those days are passed with me: and a my troth I think I am a greater thief now, and in no danger: I can take my ease, sit in my Chair, look in your faces now, and rob you, make you bring your money by authority put off your hat, and thank me for robbing of you, O there is nothing to a thief under Covert barn. Come Officers bring him away. Nay, I see thee through thy false beard, thou mid-wind chinned Rascal, How now my Masters, what's he? ha? Your worship knows, I never come but I bring a thief with me. Thou hast left thy wont else Constable. Sir, we understand you to be the only up rightness of this place. But I scare understand you sir. Why then you understand not yourself sir. Such another word, and you shall change places with the Thief. A maintainer of equal causes I mean. Now I have you, proceed sir. This Gentleman and myself, being led hither by occasion of business, have been offered the discourtesy of the Country, set upon by three thieves and robbed. What are become of the other two, Latronello, and Fuca? Here sir. They both made away from us, the cry pursues 'em, but as yet none but this taken. Latronello. Sir. Take his examination. Yes sir. Let the Knave stand single. Thank your good worship. Has been a suitor at Court sure, he thanks me for nothing. he's a Thief now sure. That we must know of him, what are you sir? A piece next to the Tail sir— a Servingman. By my troth a pretty phrase and very cleanly handled, put it down Latronello: thou mayst make use on't. Is he of honour or worship whom thou servest? Of both dear sir, honourable in mind, and worshipful in body. Why would one wish a man to speak better? Oh sir, they most commonly speak best, that do worst.
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)
With all preſent ſpeede ſir. And Latronello. I ſir. Sit you downe, & very ſoberly take the examnation. Ile drawe a few horſe heades in a paper, make a ſhew: I hope I ſhall keepe my countenence. Pox on him agen, would he be taken? hee frets me: I haue beene a youth my ſelfe, I ha ſeene the day I could haue told money out of other mens purſes (Maſſe ſo I can doe now) nor will I keepe that fellow about me that dares not bid a man ſtand: for as long as drunkenneſſe is a vice, ſtand is a vertue: but I would not haue 'em taken. I remember now betimes in a morning I would haue peept through the greene boughs, & haue had the partie preſently, and then to ride away ſinelye in feare, twas e'en Venerie to me yfaith, the pleaſantſt courſe of life, one would thinke euery Woodcok a Conſtable, and euery Owle an officer, but thoſe dayes are paſt with mee: and a my troth I thinke I am a greater theefe now, and in no danger: I can take my eaſe, ſit in my Chaire, look in your faces now, and rob you, make you bring your money by authoritie put off your hat, and thanke me for robbing of you, O there is nothing to a theefe vnder Couert Barne. Come Officers bring him away. Nay, I ſee thee through thy falſe beard, thou mid-winde chinde Raſcall, How now my Maiſters, whats he? ha? Your worſhip knowes, I neuer come but I bring a theefe with me. Thou haſt left thy wont elſe Conſtable. Sir, we vnderſtand you to be the onely vp rightnes of this place. But I ſcare vnderſtand you ſir. Why then you vnderſtand not your ſelfe ſir. Such another word, and you ſhal change places with the Theefe. A maintayner of equall cauſes I meane. Now I haue you, proceede ſir. This Gentleman and my ſelfe, being led heather by occaſion of buſineſſe, haue beene offered the diſcurteſie of the Country, ſet vppon by three theeues and rob'd. What are become of the other two, Latronello, and Fuca? Heere ſir. They both made away from vs, the crie purſues e'm, but as yet none but this taken. Latronello. Sir. Take his examination. Yes ſir. Let the Knaue ſtand ſingle. Thanke your good worſhip. Ha's beene a ſuter at Court ſure, hee thankes me for nothing. Hee's a Theefe now ſure. That we muſt know of him, what are you ſir? A peece next to the Taile ſir—a Seruingman. By my troth a prettie phraſe and verye cleanly handled, put it downe Latronello: thou mayſt make vſe on't. Is hee of honour or worſhip whom thou ſerueſt? Of both deere ſir, honourable in minde, and worſhipfull in bodie. Why would one wiſh a man to ſpeake better? Oh ſir, they moſt commonly ſpeake beſt, that doe worſt.