Middleton, Thomas · published 1608 · first performed or written 1606 [1604-1607] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) T8 Captains, gallants and cheats typicality 0.85 · 498 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T8: captain, master, money, gentleman, little, lieutenant, rogue, pray, minos, honest.
You may build upon that Captain. Then since he has no will to do me good as long as he lives; by mine own will, I'll do myself good before he dies, and now I arrive at the purpose. You are not ignorant I'm sure, you true and necessary implements of mischief; first, that my grandsire Sir Bounteous Progress is a Knight of thousands, and therefore no Knight since one thousand six hundred: next, that he keeps a house like his name Bounteous, open for all comers: thirdly and lastly, that he stands much upon the glory of his complement, variety of entertainment, together with the largeness of his Kitchen, longitude of his Buttery, and fecundity of his Larder, and thinks himself never happier than when some stiff L. or great Countess alights, to make light his dishes: these being well mixed together may give my project better encouragement, and make my purpose spring forth more fortunate: to be short, and cut off a great deal of dirty way; I'll down to my Grandsire like a L. How Captain? A French ruff, a thin beard, and a strong perfume will do't: I can hire blue coats for you all by Westminster clock, and that colour will be soonest believed. But prithee Captain? Push, I reach past your fathoms; you desire crowns. From the crown of our head, to the sole of our foot bully. Why carry yourselves but probably, and carry away enough with yourselves. Why there spoke a Roman Captain, M. Penitent Brothel. Sweet M. Folly-wit.. here's a mad brain a'th' first, whose pranks scorn to have presidents; to be second to any; or walk beneath any: madcaps inventions, has played more tricks than the cards can allow a man, and of the last stamp too, hating imitation, a fellow, whose only glory is to be prime of the company; to be sure of which, he maintains all the rest: he's the carrion, and they the Kites that gorge upon him. But why in others do I check wild passions, And retain deadly follies in myself? I tax his youth of common received riot, Times Comic flashes, and the fruits of blood; And in myself sooth up adulterous motions, And such an appetite that I know dams me, Yet willingly embrace it, love to Harebrains wife, Over whose hours and pleasures her sick husband With a fantastic but deserved suspect, Bestows his serious time in watch and ward; And therefore I'm constrained to use the means Of one that knows no mean, a Courtesan, One poison for another, whom her husband Without suspicion innocently admits Into her company, who with tried art Corrupts and loosens her most constant powers, Making his jealousy more than half a wittol, Before his face plotting his own abuse, To which himself gives aim. Whilst the broad arrow with the forked head Misses his brow but narrowly; see here she comes, The close Courtesan, whose mother is her bawd. Master Penitent Brothel.
nodes 13–46 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 2 of 36 in this edition
Length
498 words · 655 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T8 — Captains, gallants and cheatscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.854 (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)
You may build vpon that Captaine. Then ſince hee ha's no will to doe me good as long as he liues; by mine owne will, Ile doe my ſelfe good before he dies, and now I arriue at the purpoſe. You are not ignorant I'me ſure, you true and neceſſary implements of miſchiefe; firſt, that my Grandſier Sir Bounteous Progreſſe is a Knight of thouſands, and therefore no Knight ſince one thouſand ſixe hundred: next, that he keepes a houſe like his name Bounteous, open for all commers: thirdly and laſtly, that hee ſtands much vpon the glory of his complement, variety of entertainement, together with the largenes of his Kitchin, longitude of his Buttery, and fecunditie of his Larder, and thinkes himſelfe neuer happier then when ſome ſtiffe L. or great Counteſſe alights, to make light his diſhes: theſe being well mixt together may giue my proiect better encouragement, and make my purpoſe ſpring forth more fortunate: to be ſhort, and cut off a great deale of durty way; Ile downe to my Grandſire like a L. How Captaine? A French ruffe, a thinne beard, and a ſtrong perfume will doo't: I can hire blew coats for you all by Weſtminſter clocke, and that colour will be ſooneſt beleeued. But prethee Captaine? Puſh, I reach paſt your fadomes; you deſire crowns. From the crowne of our head, to the ſole of our foot bully. Why carry your ſelues but probably, and carry away enough with your ſelues. Why there ſpoke a Romane Captaine, M. Penitent Brothell. Sweete M. Folly-wit.. Heer's a mad braine a'th firſt, whoſe prankes ſcorne to haue preſidents; to be ſecond to any; or walke beneath any: madcaps inuentions, has plaid more trickes then the cardes can allow a man, and of the laſt ſtampe too, hating imitation, a fellow, whoſe onely glory is to be prime of the company; to be ſure of which, he maintaines all the reſt: hee's the Karion, and they the Kytes that gorge vpon him. But why in others doe I checke wilde paſſions, And retaine deadly follies in my ſelfe? I taxe his youth of common receiu'd riot, Times Comicke flaſhes, and the fruits of blood; And in my ſelfe ſooth vp adulterous motions, And ſuch an appetite that I know dams me, Yet willingly embrace it, loue to Harebraines wife, Ouer whoſe howers and pleaſures her ſicke husband With a fantaſticke but deſerud ſuſpect, Beſtowes his ſerious time in watch and ward; And therefore I'me conſtraind to vſe the meanes Of one that knowes no meane, a Curtizan, One poyſon for another, whom her husband Without ſuſpition innocently admits Into her company, who with tried art Corrupts and looſens her moſt conſtant powers, Making his ielouſy more then halfe a wittoll, Before his face plotting his owne abuſe, To which himſelfe giues ayme. Whilſt the broad arrowe with the forked head Miſſes his browe but narrowly; ſee here ſhe comes, The cloſe Curtizan, whoſe mother is her bawde. Maſter Penitent Brothell.