Anonymous · published 1609 · first performed or written 1607 [1599-1608] (Annals) comedy · Children of the King's Revels unassigned nearest T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
GEntles of both sexes, and all sorts, I am sent to bid ye welcome, I am but instead of a Prologue: for a she prologue is as rare as an usurers Alms: non reperitur in usu, and the rather I come woman, because men are apt to take kindly any kind thing at a woman's hand; and we poor souls are but too kind, if we be kindly entreated, marry otherwise, there I make my Aposiopesis: the Author hath indeed made me an honest merry wench, one of his humorists, yet I am so much beholding to him, I cannot get me a husband in his play that's worth the having, unless I be better halfe of the suitor myself: and having imposed this audacity on me, he sends me hither first for exercise I come among ye all: these are the Contents, that you would hear with patience, judge with lenity, and correct with smiles, for the which our endeavours shall show itself like a tall fellow in action: if we shall join hands, a bargain. As a lowly earnest, I give this courtesy before, And in conceit I give ye twenty more. Nay, but Accutus, prithee what misshapen vizard of Melancholy hast thou masked thyself in? thou look'st as thou were't changing thy religion: what? is there a breach in thy Faith? come, declare, and let me set thy wits on work, to amend it. Ha ha ha! Pretty: a man's well advisd to offer good counsel, and be laughed at for his labour: we shall shortly have no Counsellors but Physicians, I spend my breath to thee, and thou answerest me some half an hour after in a sembreve, or like to a Sexton with a Sobeitor Amen. Condemn my Stars then. I should wrong am then, as thou dost with a false indictment, I know it took not, being at thy birth, thou hast been merry, thou hast sounded hoops, swallowed whiffs, walked late, worn favours, seen whore sons: thou canst feel and understand, come, thou hast been a sinner: unload, discharge, untune, confess, is venus dominatrix? art not in love? Yes, I love God and my neighbours. Then either for God's sake or thy Neighbours, or both, be smooth, and participate, is't not some underlayer, some she Camel that will bear as much of her belly, as three beasts on their backs? some Lanthorne-maker, I'll hold thy head: come, up with't. Prithee I hate none, but heaven hate me if I be in love with any. Off with these clogs, then break prison, and get out of this melancholy jail, hark how the general noise doth welcome from the Parthian wars, each spirit's jocund, fraught with glee, then wrong not thine with this dull meditation. Oh! how do they then wrong my meditation? my thoughts are with themselves at a counsel, till with noise and thou with continual talk, hast driven them to a nonplus.
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Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
GEntles of both ſexes, and all ſortes, I am ſent to bid yee welcome, I am but inſteade of a Prologue: for a ſhe prologue is as rare as an Vſurers Almes: non reperitur in vſu, and the rather I come woman, becauſe men are apt to take kindelye any kinde thing at a womans hand; and wee poore ſoules are but too kinde, if we be kindely intreated, marry otherwiſe, there I make my Apoſiopeſis: the Author hath indeede made me an honeſt merrye wench, one of his humoriſts, yet I am ſo much beholding to him, I cannot get mee a husband in his play that's worthe the hauing, vnleſſe I be better halfe of the ſutor my ſelfe: and hauing impoſed this audacity on me, he ſends me hither firſt for exerciſe I come among ye all: theſe are the Contentes, that you would heare with patience, iudge with lenity, and correct with ſmiles, for the which our endeauours ſhall ſhew it ſelfe like a tall fellow in action: if vve ſhall ioyne hands, a bargaine. As a lowely earneſt, I giue this curteſie before, And in conceite I giue ye twenty more. Nay, but Accutus, prethee what miſ-ſhapen vizard of Melancholly haſt thou mask't thy ſelfe in? thou lookſt as thou wer't changing thy religion: what? is there a breach in thy Faith? come, declare, and let me ſet thy wits on worke, to amend it. Ha ha ha! Prettie: a man's well aduiſd to offer good counſell, and be laught at for his labour: we ſhall ſhortly haue no Counſellors but Phyſitians, I ſpend my breath to thee, and thou anſwereſt me ſome halfe an houre after in a ſembreue, or like to a Sexton with a Sobeitor Amen. Condemne my Stars then. I ſhould wrong am then, as thou doſt with a falſe inditement, I know it tooke not, beeing at thy birth, thou haſt bene merrie, thou haſt ſounded hoopes, ſwallowed whiffes, walkt late, worne fauours, ſeene whore ſons: thou canſt feele and vnderſtand, come, thou haſt bene a ſinner: vnloade, diſcharge, vntune, confeſſe, is venus dominatrix? art not in loue? Yes, I loue God and my neighbors. Then either for Gods ſake or thy Neighbors, or both, be ſmothe, and participate, iſt not ſome vnderlayer, ſome ſhe Cammell that will beare as much of her belly, as three beaſtes on their backes? ſome Lanthorne-maker, Ile holde thy head: come, vp with't. Prethee I hate none, but heauen hate me if I be in loue with any. Off with theſe clogs, then break priſon, and get out of this melancholly Gaole, harke how the generall noiſe doth welcome from the Parthian wars, each ſpirit's iocund, fraught with glee, then wrong not thine with this dull meditation. Oh! how doe they then wrong my meditation? my thoughts are with themſelues at a counſell, til with noiſe and thou with continuall talke, haſt driuen them to a nonplus.