Middleton, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1606 [1604-1606] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) T52 Prodigals, portions and poor kin typicality 0.78 · 527 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T52: brother, father, uncle, cousin, son, poor, bread, old, given, master.
Delicate shortyard, commodious Falslight, Hug and away, shift, shift. 'tis slight, not strength that gives the greatest lift. Now my desires are full— for this time, Men may have Cormorant wishes, but alas A little thing three hundred pound a year, Suffices nature, keeps life and soul together, I'll have 'em kept immediately. I long to warm myself byth' wood,— A fine journey in the Whitsun-holy days i'faith, to ride down with a number of Citizens, and their wives, some upon pillions, some upon Side saddles, ay, and little Tomazin i'th' middle our some and heir Sim Quomodo in a peach colour Taffeta Jacket, some horses length, or a long yard before us, there will be a fine show on's I can tell you, where we Citizens will laugh, and lie down get all our wives with child against a bank and get up again,— stay, ha hast thou that wit i'faith 'twill be admirable, to see how the very thought of green fields puts a man into sweet inventions. I will presently possess Sim Quomodo of all the land, I have a toy and I'll do't: and because I see before mine eyes that most of our heirs prove notorious Rioters after our deaths, and that cousinage in the father wheels about to folly in the son, our posterity commonly foiled at the same weapon, at which we played rarely. And being the worlds beaten word, what's got over the devils back, (that's by knavery) must be spent under his belly, (that's by lechery) being awake in these knowings, why should not I oppose 'em now, and break destiny of her custom, preventing that by policy, which without it must needs be Destiny? and I have took the course, I will forthwith sicken, call for my keys, make my Will, and dispose of all, give my son this blessing, that he trust no man, keep his hand from a quean, and a Scrivener, live in his father's faith, and do good to nobody: then will I begin to rave like a fellow of a wide conscience, and for all the world counterfeit to the life, that which I know I shall do when I die, take on for my gold, my lands, and my writings, grow worse and worse, call upon the Devil, and so make an end: by this time I have indented with a couple of searchers, who to uphold my device shall fray them out a'th' Chamber with report of sickness, and so la, I start up, and recover again: for in this business I will trust, no not my spirits Falslight & shortyard, but in disguise note the condition of all, how pitiful my wife takes my death, which will appear by November in her eye, and the fall of the leaf in her body, but especially by the cost she bestows upon my funeral, there shall I try her love and regard, my daughters marrying to my will & liking, and my sons affection after my disposing: for to conclude, I am as jealous of this land as of my wife, to know what would become of it after my decease.
seed 43: T52 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Delicate ſhortyard, commodious Falſlight, Hug and away, ſhift, ſhift. Tis ſlight, not ſtrength that giues the greateſt lift. Nowe my deſires are full—for this tyme, Men may haue Cormorant wiſhes, but alas A little thing three hundred pound a yeare, Suffices nature, keepes life and ſoule together, Ile haue 'em lpt immediately. I long to warme my ſelfe by'th wood,—A fine iourney in the Whitſun-holy dayes yfaith, to ride downe with a number of Citizens, and their wiues, ſome vpon pillions, ſome vpon Sde ſaddles, I, and little Tomazin ith middle our ſome and heire Sm Quomodo in a peach colour Taffata Iackt, ſome horſ length, or a long ard before vs, there will be a fine ſhew on's I can tell you, where we Citizens will laugh, and lie downe ge all our wiues with child againſt a bank and get vp againe, ſtay, ha aſt thou that wit yfaith twil▪ be admirable, to ſee how the very thought of greene fieldes puts a man into ſweet inuenttions. I will preſently poſſeſſe Sim Quomodo of all the land, I haue a toy and ile doo't: and becaue I ſee before mine eies that moſt of our heires proue notorious Rioters after our deaths, and that couſonage in the father wheeles about to follie in the ſonne, our poſteritie commonly foylde at the ſame weapon, at which we plaide rarely. And being the world beaten worde, what's got ouer the Diuels backe, (that's by knauerie) muſt be ſpent vnder his bellie, (that's by lechery) being awake in theſe knowings, why ſhould not I oppoſe 'em now, and breake deſtinie of her cuſtome, preuenting that by pollicie, which without it muſt needes be Deſtinie? and I haue tooke the courſe, I will forthwith ſicken, call for my keyes, make my Will, and diſpoſe of all, giue my ſonne this bleſſing, that hee truſt no man, keepe his hand from a queane, and a Scriuener, liue in his fathers faith, and doe good to no bodie: then will I begin to raue like a fellow of a wide conſcience, and for all the worlde counterfeit to the life, that which I know I ſhall do when I die, take on for my golde, my landes, and my wrytings, grow worſe and worſe, call vpon the Diuell, and ſo make an ende▪ by this time I haue indented with a couple of ſearchers, who to vphold my deuice ſhall fray them out a'th Chamber with report of ſickneſſe, and ſo la, I ſtart vp, and recouer agen: for in this buſineſſe I will truſt, no not my ſpirits Falſlight & ſhortyard, but in diſguiſe note the condition of al, how pittiful my wife takes my death, which wil appear by Nouember in her eye, and the fall of the leaf inher bodie, but eſpecially by the coſt ſhe beſtows vpō my funeral, there ſhall I trie her loue and regard, my daughters marrying to my will & lyking, and my ſonnes affection after my diſpoſing: for to cōclude▪ I am as jealous of this land as of my wife, to know what would become of it after my deceaſe.