The Puritan, or The Widow of Watling Street (The Puritan Widow) · chunk 25 of 37
Middleton, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1606 (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) T8 Captains, gallants and cheats typicality 0.83 · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T8: captain, master, money, gentleman, little, lieutenant, rogue, pray, minos, honest.
Nay tell not me of that Captain, you'll near conjure after you're hanged, I warrant you look you sir, a perilous matter? sure! first to spread your circle upon the ground, then with a little conjuring ceremony, as I'll have an Hackney-man's wand silvered over a purpose for you, then arriving in the circle, with a huge word, and a great trample as for instance: have you never seen a stalking-stamping Player, that will raise a tempest with his tongue, and thunder with his heels? O yes, yes, yes: often, often. Why be like such a one, for any thing will blear the old knight's eyes, for you must note that he'll near dare to venture into the room, only perhaps peep fearfully through the keyhole, to see how the Play goes forward. Well I may go about it when I will, but mark the end on't, I shall but shame myself i'faith George, speak big words, and stamp and stare and he look in at Keyhole, why the very thought of that would make me laugh outright, and spoil all, nay I'll tell thee George, when I apprehend a thing once, I am of such a laxative laughter, that if the Devil himself stood by, I should laugh in his face. Puh, that's but the babe of a man, and may easily be hushed, as to think upon some disaster, some sad misfortune, as the death of thy Father i'th' Country! 'sfoot that would be the more to drive me into such an ecstasy, that I should near lin laughing. Why then think upon going to hanging else. Mass that's well remembered, now i'll do well I warrant thee, near fear me now: but how shall I do George for boisterous words, and horrible names. Puh, any fustian invocations Captain will serve as well as the best, so you rant them out well, or you may go to a pothecary's shop, and take all the words from the Boxes. Troth and you say true George, there's strange words enough to raise a hundred quacksalvers; though they be near so poor when they begin? but here lies the fear on't, how in this false conjuration a true Devil should pop up indeed. A true Devil, Captain, why there was near such a one, nay 'faith he that has this place, is as false a Knave as our last Churchwarden. Then he's false enough a conscience i'faith George. Good Gentlemen over the way, send your relief, Good Gentlemen over the way,— Good sir Godfrey? he's come, he's come. Master, that's my Kinsman yonder in the buff-jerkin— Kinsman, that's my Master yonder i'th' Taffety Hat— pray salute him entirely? Now my friend. May I partake your name sir. My name is Maister dmd. Master Edmond— are you not a Welshman sir? A Welshman, why? Because Master is your Christen name, and Edmond your surname? O no; I have more names at home, Master Edmond Pius, is my full name at length. O cry you mercy sir?
nodes 649–672 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 25 of 37 in this edition
Length
504 words · 693 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T8 — Captains, gallants and cheatscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.829 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T11 · seed 44: T14 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Nay tell not me of that Captaine, youle nere coniure after your hangd, I warrant you looke you ir, a parlous matter? sure, first to spred your circle vpon the ground, then with a little coniuring ceremonie, as Ile haue an Hackney-mans wand siluerd ore a purpose for you, then ariuing in the circle, with a huge word, and a great tmple as for instance: haue you neuer seene a stalking-stamping Player, that will raise a tempest with his toung, and thunder with his heeles? O yes, yes, yes: often, often. Why be like such a one, for any thing will bleae the old Knights eyes, for you must note that heele nere dare to venture into the roome, onely perhaps peepe fearefully through the Key hole, to see how the Play goes forward. Well I may goe about it when I will, but marke the end ot, I shall but shame my selfe ifaith George, speake big words, and stampe and stare and he looke in at Key-hole, why the very thought of that would make me laugh out-right, and spoile all, nay Ile tell thee George, when I apprehend a thing once, I am of such a laxatiue laughter, that if the Deuill him-selfe stood by, I should laugh in his face. Puh, thats but the babe of a man, and may easily bee husht, as to thinke vpon some disaster, some sad misfortune, as the death of thy Father ithe Country! Sfoote that would be the more to driue me into such an extasie, that I should nere lin laughing. Why then thinke vpon going to hanging else. Masse that's well remembred, now ile do well I warrant thee, nere feare me now: but how shall I do George for boysterous words, and horrible names. Puh, any fustian inuocations Captaine will serue as well as the best, so you rant them out well, or you may goe to a Pothecaries shop, and take all the words from the Boxes. Troth and you say true George, there's strange words enow to raise a hundred Quack-saluers; tho they be nere so poore when they begin? but here lyes the feare on't, how in this false coniuration a true Deuill should pop vp indeed. A true Deuill, Captaine, why there was nere such a one, nay faith hee that has this place, is as false a Knaue as our last Church-warden. Then hees false inough a conscience ifaith George. Good Gentlemen ouer the way, send your reliefe, Good Gentlemen ouer the way,—Good sr Godfrey? Hees come, hees come. Maister, thats my Kinsman younder in the Buff-Ierkin— Kinsman, thats my Maister yonder ith' Taffetie Hatt—pray salute him intirely? Now my friend. May I pertake your name sir. My name is Maister dmd. Maister Edmond—are you not a Welchman sir? A Welshman, why? Because Maister is your Christen name, and Edmond your sir name? O no; I haue more names at home, Maister Edmund Pius, is my full name at length. O crie you mercy ?