If It Be Not Good, the Devil Is in It (If This Be Not a Good Play, the Devil Is in It) · chunk 44 of 44
Dekker, Thomas · published 1612 · first performed or written 1611 [1611-1612] (Annals) comedy · Queen Anne's Men · Red Bull T26 Devils, hell and fiends typicality 0.74 · 486 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T26: devil, hell, devils, sure, soul, fiend, sr, wife, lord, men.
His thirst it cannot slake, Seas could not quench his dropsy: Gold to get He would hang a City, statue a Country. even yet Raves he for Bonds and encumbers: to save whose soul, (Though he fed none living) sausages were his dole. What coil is that? 'tis a burning zeal must consume the wicked, and therefore I will not be kept out, but will chastise and correct the foul Fiend. What's this black Incubus? An Arch great Puritan once. Ha! How! a Puritan? An Arch-great Puritan! How comes thy soul so little. I did exercise too much with a lively Spirit. Are there any more of his Synagogue? Yes, a whole Hoy-full are Landed. Ha! Are they all so black as he is? Worse. sirrah, why being a Puritan is your soul so black? we were all smoked out of our own Country, and sent to Rotterdam. How camest thou lame and crooked, why dost halt? All the brethren and sisters for the better part are crooked, and halt: for my own part, I never went upright. And yet a puritane? hence with him. Alack! How can I choose but halt, go lame, and crooked? When I pulled a whole church down upon my back. Hence with him, he will pull all hell down too. Let in the brethren, to confound this wicked assembly, Thrust him out at hell gates. they'll confound our kingdom, If here they get but footing: rise therefore, away; Keep the jury of brokers till our next court day. Adjourn this. O yes! Sessions is deferred Because of Puritans, Hell cannot be cleared. Set forward to our Hall paved all with brass, judges we thank you: let our officers drink, I'th' bottom of hell's cellar, for their good service. Since to this height our Empire up you rear, Hell shall hold triumphs, and (that's done,) prepare, Again to walk your circuits o'er the earth, Souls are hell's Subjects, and then groans our mirth. IF't be not good, the Devil is in't, (they say,) The Devil was in't, this then is no good play By that conclusion, but hereby is meant, If for so many noons, and midnights spent To reap three hours of mirth, our harvest-seed Lies still and rot. The Diuell in't then indeed▪ Much Labour, Art, and Wit, make up a Play As it does a Ship, yet both are cast away, (When bravely they have passed the humorous Seas) At landing, What black fates curseth both these? Sail it, or sink it, now 'tis forth, and near The Haven at which it longs t'arrive: if there It suffers wrack, the spitefuller Rocks shoot forth, Yet none may bring it home laden with much worth. By your wonted gentle gale, (sweet as the Balm,) Or by extending fair liberal Palm. To fan away all storms, if you see it lours, The air shall ring thanks, but the glory's yours.
nodes 2633–2691 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 44 of 44 in this edition
Length
486 words · 672 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T26 — Devils, hell and fiendscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.743 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T23 · seed 44: T23 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
His thirst it cannot slake, Seas could not quench his dropsie: Golde to get Hee would hang a Citie, statue a Countrey. Euen yet Raues hee for Bonds and incombers: to saue whoe soule, (Tho hee fed none liuing) Saw-sages were his dole. What coyle is that? Tis a burning zeale must consume the wicked, and therefore I will not bee kept out, but will chastize and correct the foule Fiend. Whats this blacke Incubus? An Arch great Puritane once. Ha! How! a Puritane? An Arch-great Puritane! How comes thy soule so little▪ I did exercise too much with a liuely Spirit. Are there any more of his Synagogue? Yes, a whole Hoy-full are Landed. Ha! Are they all so blacke as he is? Worse. Syrra, why being a Puritane is your soule so black? Wee were all smoakt out of our owne Countrey, and sent to Rotterdam. How camst thou lame and crooked, why do'st halt? All the brethren and sisters for the better part are crooked, and halt: for my owne part, I neuer went vpright. And yet a puaitane? hence with him. Alacke! How can I choose but halt, goe lame, and crooked? When I pulld a whole church downe vpon my backe. Hence with him, he will pull all hell downe too. Let in the brethren, to confound this wicked assembly, Thrust him out at hell gates. Theile confound our kingdome, If here they get but footing: rise therefore, away; Keepe the Iurie of brokers till our next court day. Adourne this. O yes! Sessions is deferd Because of Puritanes, Hell cannot be cleerd. Set forward to our Hall paued all with brasse, Iudges we thanke you: let our officers drinke, I'th bottome of hells celler, for their good seruice. Since to this heigth our Empyre vp you reare, Hell hall hold umphes, and (thats don,) prepare, Agen to walke your circuites o're the earth, Soules are hells Subiects, and then grone our mirth. IF't be not good, the Duell is in't, (they say,) The Diuell was in't, this then is no good play By that conclusion, but hereby is meant, If for so many noes, and midnights spent To reape three howres of mirth, our haruest-seede Lyes still and rot. The Diuelt in't then indeed▪ Much Labour, Art, and Wit, make vp a Play As it does a Ship, yet both are cast away, (When brauely they haue past the humorous Seas) At landing, What black fates curseth both these? Sayle it, or fick it, now tis forth, and nere The Hauen at which it longs t'ariue: if there It suffers wrack, the spitefuller Rockes shoote forth, Yet non may bring it home ladē with much worth. By your wonted gentle gale, (sweete as the Balme,) Or by extending faire liberall Palme. To fan away all stormes, if you see it lowers, The ayre shall ring thankes, but the glory's yours.