The Roaring Girl, or Moll Cutpurse · chunk 42 of 47
Dekker, Thomas / Middleton, Thomas · published 1611 · first performed or written 1611 (Annals) comedy · Prince Henry's Men · Fortune unassigned nearest T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
I wonder how thou cam'st to the knowledge of these nasty villains. And why do the foul mouths of the world call thee Moll cutpurse? a name, methinks, damned and odious. Dare any step forth to my face and say, I have ta'en thee doing so Moll? I must confess, In younger days, when I was apt to stray, I have sat amongst such adders; seen their stings, As any here might, and in full playhouses Watched their quick-diving hands, to bring to shame Such rogues, and in that stream met an ill name: When next my Lord you spy any one of those, So he be in his Art a scholar, question him, Tempt him with gold to open the large book Of his close villainies: and you yourself shall cant Better than poor Moll can, and know more laws Of cheaters, lifters, nips, foists, puggards, curbers, Withal the devils black guard, than it is fit Should be discovered to a noble wit. I know they have their orders, offices, Circuits and circles, unto which they are bound, To raise their own damnation in. How dost thou know it? As you do, I show it you, they to me show it. Suppose my Lord you were in Venice. Well. If some Italian pander there would tell All the close tricks of courtesans; would not you Hearken to such a fellow? Yes. And here, Being come from Venice, to a friend most dear That were to travel thither, you would proclaim Your knowledge in those villainies, to save Your friend from their quick danger: must you have A black ill name, because ill things you know, Good troth my Lord, I am made Moll cut purse so. How many are whores, in small ruffs and still looks? How many chaste, whose names fill slanders books? Were all men cuckolds, whom gallants in their scorns Call so, we should not walk for goring horns, Perhaps for my mad going some reprove me, I please myself, and care not else who loves me. A brave mind Moll i'faith. Come my Lord, shall's to the Ordinary? ay, 'tis noon sure. (or to the world: Good my Lord, let not my name condemn me to you A fencer I hope may be called a coward, is he so for that? If all that have ill names in London, were to be whipped, (there And to pay but twelve pence a piece to the beadle, I would ra- Have his office, than a constable's. So would I Captain Moll: 'twere a sweet tickling office i'faith. My son marry a thief, that impudent girl, Whom all the world stick their worst eyes upon? How will your care prevent it? 'Tis impossible. They marry close, they're gone, but none knows whether. Oh Gentlemen, when has a father's heartstrings Held out so long from breaking: now what news sir? They were met upo'th' water an hour since, sir, Putting in towards the Sluice.
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 wonder how thou cam'st to the knowledge of these nasty villaines. And why doe the foule mouthes of the world call thee Mol cutpursse? a name, me thinkes, damn'd and odious. Dare any step forth to my face and say, I haue tane thee doing so Mol? I must confesse, In younger dayes, when I was apt to stray, I haue sat amongst such adders; seene their stings, As any here might, and in full play-houses Watcht their quicke-diuing hands, to bring to shame Such rogues, and in that streame met an ill name: When next my Lord you spie any one of those, So hee bee in his Art a scholler, question him, Tempt him with gold to open the large booke Of his close villanies: and you your selfe shall cant Better then poore Mol can, and know more lawes Of cheaters, lifters, nips, foysts, puggards, curbers, Withall the diuels blacke guard, then it is fit Should be discouered to a noble wit. I know they haue their orders, offices, Circuits and circles, vnto which they are bound, To raise their owne damnation in. How do'st thou know it? As you do, I shew it you, they to me show it. Suppose my Lord you were in Venice. Well. If some Italian pander there would tell All the close trickes of curtizans; would not you Hearken to such a fellow? Yes. And here, Being come from Uenice, to a friend most deare That were to trauell thither, you would proclaime Your knowledge in those villanies, to saue Your friend from their quicke danger: must you haue A blacke ill name, because ill things you know, Good troth my Lord, I am made Mol cut purse so. How many are whores, in small ruffes and still lookes? How many chast, whose names fill slanders bookes? Were all men cuckolds, whom gallants in their scornes Cal so, we should not walke for goring hornes, Perhaps for my madde going some reproue mee, I please my selfe, and care not else who loues mee. A braue minde Mol i'faith. Come my Lord, shal's to the Ordinary? I, 'tis noone sure. (or to the world: Good my Lord, let not my name condemne me to you A fencer I hope may be cal'd a coward, is he so for that? If all that haue ill names in London, were to be whipt, (ther And to pay but twelue pence a peece to the beadle, I would ra- Haue his office, then a Constables. So would I Captaine Moll: 'twere a sweete tickling office i'faith. My sonne marry a theefe, that impudent girle, Whom all the world sticke their worst eyes vpon? How will your care preuent it? 'Tis impossible. They marry close, thei'r gone, but none knowes whether. Oh Gentlemen, when ha's a fathers heart-strings Held out so long from breaking: now what newes sir? They were met vppo'th water an houre since, sir, Putting in towards the Sluce.