Heywood, Thomas · published 1615 · first performed or written 1594 (Annals) romance · Worcester's Men · Red Bull T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.80 · 464 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
1 WHat mean you, my masters, to appear thus before your times? Do you not know that I am the Prologue? Do you not see this long black velvet cloak upon my back? Have you not sounded thrice? Do I not look pale, as fearing to be out in my speech? Nay, have I not all the signs of a Prologue about me? Then, to what end come you to interrupt me? 2 I have a Prologue to speak too. 3 And I another. 1 O superfluous, and more than ever I heard of! three Prologues to one play! 2 Have you not seen three ropes to toll one bell, three doors to one house, three ways to one town? 1 I grant you: but I never heard of any that had three heads to one body, but Cerberus. But what doth your Prologue mean? 2 I come to excuse the name of the Play? 3 I the errors in the Play. 1 And I the Author that made the Play. Touching the name, why is it called, True and Strange, or The four Prentices of London? A Gentleman that heard the subject discoursed, said it was not possible to be true; and none here are bound to believe it. 2 'tis true, that Alexander at thirty years of age conquered the whole world; but strange he should do so. If we should not believe things recorded in former ages, we were not worthy that succeeding times should believe things done in these our ages. 1 But what authority have you for your History? I am one of those that will believe nothing that is not in the Chronicle. 2 Our authority is a Manuscript, a book writ in parchment; which not being public, nor general in the world, we rather thought fit to exemplify to the public censure, things concealed and obscured, such as are not common with every one, than such Historical Tales as every one can tell by the fire in Winter. Had not ye rather, for novelties sake, see Ierusalem ye never saw, than London that ye see hourly? So much touching the name of our History. 1 You have satisfied me; and, I hope, all that hear me. Now what have you to speak concerning the errors in the Play? 3 We acknowledge none: For the errors we could find, we would willingly amend; but if these clear-sighted Gentlemen, with the eyes of their judgements, looking exactly into us, find any imperfections which are hid from ourselves, our request is, you would rather look over them, then through them, not with a troubled eye, that makes one object to seem two, but with a favourable eye, which hath power in itself to make many to seem none at all.
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)
1 VVHat meane you, my maisters, to appeare thus before your times? Doe you not know that I am the Prologue? Do you not see this long blacke veluet cloke vpon my backe? Haue you not sounded thrice? Do I not looke pale, as fearing to bee out in my speech▪ Nay, haue I not all the signes of a Prologue about me? Then, to what nd come you to interrupt mee? 2 I haue a Prologue to speake too. 3 And I another. 1 O superfluous, and more then euer I heard of! three Pr logues to one play! 2 Haue you not seene three ropes to tole one bell, three doores to one house, three wayes to one towne? 1 I grant you: but I neuer heard of any that had three heads to one body, but Cerberus. But what doth your Prologue meane? 2 I come to excuse the name of the Play? 3 I the errours in the Play. 1 And I the Author that made the Play. Touching the name, why is it called, True and Strange, or The foure Prentises of London? A Gentleman that heard the subiect discourst, said it was not possible to be true; and none here are bound to beleeue it. 2 Tis true, that Alexander at thirty yeares of age conquered the whole world; but strange he should doe so. If we should not beleeue things recorded in former ages, wee were not worthy that succeeding times should beleeue things done in these our ages. 1 But what authority haue you for your History? I am one of those that wil beleeue nothing that is not in the Chronicle. 2 Our authority is a Manuscript, a booke writ in parchment; which not being publique, nor generall in the world, wee rather thought fit to exemplifie to the publique censure, things concealed and obscur'd, such as are not common with euery one, than such Historicall Tales as euery one can tell by the fire in Winter. Had not yee rather, for nouelties sake, see Ierusalem yee neuer saw, then London that yee see howerly? So much touching the name of our History. 1 You haue satisfied me; and, I hope, all that heare me. Now what haue you to speake concerning the errours in the Play? 3 We acknowledge none: For the errors we could finde, we would willingly amend; but if these cleere-sighted Gentlemen, with the eyes of their iudgements, looking exactly into vs, finde any imperfections which are hid from our selues, our request is, you would rather looke ouer them, then through them, not with a troubled eye, that makes one obiect to seeme two, but with a fauourable eye, which hath power in it selfe to make many to seeme none at all.