Jonson, Ben · published 1609 · first performed or written 1597 [1597-1598; interpolations later] (Annals) comedy · Pembroke's Men T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.76 · 478 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
How dost thou bastinado the poor cudgel with terms? O Ingle, I have the phrases man, and the Anagrams and the Epitaphs, fitting the mystery of the noble science. I'll be hanged & he were not misbegotten of some fencer. Sirrah Valentine, you can resolve me now, have they their masters of defence in other countries as we have here in Italy? O Lord, ay, especially they in Utopia, there they perform their prizes and challenges, with as great ceremony as the Italian or any nation else. Indeed? how is the manner of it (for gods love) good Valentine? Ingle? I prithee make recourse unto us, we are thy friends and familiars: sweet Ingle. Why thus sir. God a mercy good Valentine, nay go on. Silentium bonus socius Onionus, good fellow Onion be not so ingenious, and turbulent: so fir? and how? how sweet Ingle? Marry, first they are brought to the public Theater: What? ha? they Theater there Theatres? I and plays to: both tragedy and comedy & set forth with as much state as can be imagined? By Gods so; a man is nobody, till he has traveled. And how are their plays? as ours are? extemporal? O no? all premeditated things, and some of them very good i'faith, my master used to visit them often when he was there. Why how are they in a place where any man may see them? ay, in the common Theatres, I tell you. But the sport is at a new play to observe the sway and variety of opinion that passeth it. A man shall have such a confused mixture of judgement, poured out in the throng there, as ridiculous, as laughter itself: one says he likes not the writing, another likes not the plot, another not the playing. And sometimes a fellow that comes not there passed once in five year at a Parliament time or so, will be as deep mired in censuring as the best, and swear by God's foot he would never stir his foot to see a hundred such as that is. I must travel to see these things, I shall near think well of myself else. Fellow Onion, I'll bear thy charges and thou wilt but pilgrimize it along with me, to the land of Utopia. Why but methinks such rooks as these should be ashamed to judge. Not a whit? the rankest stinkard of them all, will take upon him as peremptory, as if he had writ himself in artibus magister. And do they stand to a popular censure for any thing they present. I ever, ever, and the people generally are very acceptive and apt to applaud any meritable work, but there are two sorts of persons that most commonly are infectious to a whole auditory. What be they? I come let's know them. It were good they were noted.
seed 43: T16 · seed 44: T15 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
How doſt thou baſtinado the poore cudgell with tearmes? O Ingle, I haue the phraſes man, and the Anagrams and the Epitaphs, fitting the miſtery of the noble ſcience. Ile be hangd & he were not misbegotten of ſome fencer. Sirrah Valentine, you can reſolue me now, haue they their maiſters of defence in other countries as we haue here in Italy? O Lord, I, eſpecially they in Vtopia, there they performe their prizes and chalenges, with as great cerimony as the Italian or any nation elſe. Indeed? how is the manner of it (for gods loue) good Valeniine? Ingle? I prithee make recourſe vnto vs, wee are thy friends and familiars: ſweet Ingle. Why thus ſir. God a mercy good Valentine, nay go on. Silentium bonus ſocius Onionus, good fellow Onion be not ſo ingenious, and turbulent: ſo fir? and how? how ſweete Ingle? Marry, firſt they are brought to the publicke Theater: What? ha? they Theater there Theaters? I and plaies to: both tragidy and comedy & ſet foorth with as much ſtate as can be imagined? By Gods ſo; a man is nobody, till he has trauelled. And how are their plaies? as ours are? extemporall? O no? all premeditated things, and ſome of them very good I faith, my maiſter vſed to viſite them often when he was there. Why how are they in a place where any man may ſee them? I, in the common Theaters, I tell you. But the ſport is at a new play to obſerue the ſway and variety of oppinion that paſſeth it. A man ſhall haue ſuch a confus'd mixture of iudgement, powr'd out in the throng there, as ridiculous, as laughter it ſelfe: one ſaies he likes not the writing, another likes not the plot, another not the playing. And ſometimes a fellow that comes not there paſt once in fiue yeare at a Parliament time or ſo, will be as deepe myr'd in cenſuring as the beſt, and ſweare by Gods foote he would neuer ſtirre his foote to ſee a hundred ſuch as that is. I muſt trauell to ſee theſe things, I ſhall nere think well of my ſelfe elſe. Fellow Onion, Ile beare thy charges and thou wilt but pilgrimize it along with me, to the land of Vtopia. Why but me thinkes ſuch rookes as theſe ſhould be aſham'd to iudge. Not a whit? the rankeſt ſtinkard of them all, will take vpon him as peremptory, as if he had writ himſelfe in artibus magiſter. And do they ſtand to a popular cenſure for any thing they preſent. I euer, euer, and the people generally are very acceptiue and apt to applaud any meritable worke, but there are two ſorts of perſons that moſt commonly are infectious to a whole auditory. What be they? I come lets know them. It were good they were noted.