Jonson, Ben · published 1609 · first performed or written 1597 [1597-1598; interpolations later] (Annals) comedy · Pembroke's Men unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 484 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
I muse he spoke no, belike he was amazed Coming so suddenly and unprepared? Well let's go: SO now enough my heart, beat now no more; At least for this affright, what a could sweat, Flowed on my brows, and over all my bosom! Had I not reason? to behold my door Beset with unthrifts, and myself abroad? Why Iaques? was their nothing in the house Worth a continual eye, a vigilant thought, Whose head should never nod, nor eyes once wink? Look on my coat; my thoughts; worn quite thread bare, That time could never cover with a nap, And by it learn, never with naps of sleep, To smother your conceits of that you keep. But yet, I marvel, why these gallant youth's Spoke me so fair, and I esteemed a beggar? The end of flattery, is gain, or lechery: If they seek gain of me, they think me rich, But that they do not: for their other object: 'tis in my handsome daughter, if it be. And by your leave, her handsomeness may tell them My beggary counterfeits, and, that her neatness, Flows from some store of wealth, that breaks my coffers, With this same engine, love to mine own breed. But this is answered: Beggars will keep fine, Their daughters, being fair, though themselves pine. Well then, it is for her, ay, 'tis sure for her, And I make her so brisk for some of them, That I might live alone once with my gold. O 'tis a sweet companion! kind and true, A man may trust it when his father cheats him; Brother, or friend, or wife, o wondrous pelf, " That which makes all men false, is true itself. But now this maid, is but supposed my daughter: For I being Steward to a Lord of France, Of great estate, and wealth, called Lord Chamount, He gone into the wars, I stole his treasure, (But hear not, any thing) I stole his treasure, And this his daughter, being but two years old, Because it loved me so, that it would leave The nurse herself, to come into mine arms, And had I left it, it would sure have died. Now herein I was kind, and had a conscience; And since her Lady mother that did die In childbed of her, loved me passing well, It may be nature fashioned this affection, Both in the child and her: but he's ill bred, That ransacks tombs, and doth deface the dead. I'll therefore say no more: suppose the rest, Here have I changed my form, my name and hers. And live obscurely, to enjoy more safe My dearest treasure. But I must abroad, Rachel. What is your pleasure sir? Rachel I must abroad. Lock thyself in, but yet take out the key, That whosoever peeps in at the keyhole, May yet imagine there is none at home. I will sir.
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)
I muſe he ſpake no, belike he was amazd Comming ſo ſuddenly and vnprepard? Well lets go: SO now inough my heart, beat now no more; At leaſt for this afright, what a could ſweat, Flow'd on my browes, and ouer all my boſome! Had I not reaſon? to behold my dore Beſet with vnthrifts, and my ſelfe abroad? Why Iaques? was their nothing in the houſe Worth a continuall eye, a vigelent thought, Whoſe head ſhould neuer nod, nor eyes once wincke? Looke on my coate; my thoughts; worne quite thred bare, That time could neuer couer with a nappe, And by it learne, neuer with nappes of ſleepe, To ſmother your conceipts of that you keepe. But yet, I maruell, why theſe gallant youths Spokeine ſo faire, and I eſteemd a beggar? The end of flattery, is gaine, or lechery: If they ſeeke gaine of me, they thinke me rich, But that they do not: for their other obiect: Tis in my handſome daughter, if it be. And by your leaue, her handſomneſſe may tell them My beggery counterfeits, and, that her neatneſſe, Flowes from ſome ſtore of wealth, that breakes my coffers, With this ſame engine, loue to mine owne breed. But this is anſwered: Beggers will keepe fine, Their daughters, being faire, though themſelues pine. Well then, it is for her, I, t'is ſure for her, And I make her ſo briske for ſome of them, That I might liue alone once with my gold. O t'is a ſweet companion! kind and true, A man may truſt it when his father cheats him; Brother, or friend, or wife, ô wondrous pelfe, "That which makes all men falſe, is true it ſelfe. But now this maid, is but ſuppos'd my daughter: For I being Steward to a Lord of France, Of great eſtate, and wealth, called Lord Chammount, He gone into the warres, I ſtole his treaſure, (But heare not, any thing) I ſtole his treaſure, And this his daughter, being but two yeares old, Becauſe it lou'd me ſo, that it would leaue The nurſe her ſelfe, to come into mine armes, And had I left it, it would ſure haue dyed. Now herein I was kinde, and had a conſcience; And ſince her Lady mother that did dye In child-bed of her, loued me paſſing well, It may be nature faſhiond this affection, Both in the child and her: but hees ill bred, That ranſackes tombes, and doth deface the dead. I'le therefore ſay no more: ſuppoſe the reſt, Here haue I chang'd my forme, my name and hers. And liue obſurely, to enioy more ſafe My deereſt treaſure. But I muſt abroad, Rachel. VVhat is your pleaſure ſir? Rachel I muſt abroad. Lock thy ſelfe in, but yet take out the key, That whoſoeuer peepes in at the key-hole, May yet imagine there is none at home. I will ſir.