S., S. · published 1616 · first performed or written 1615 [c.1614-1615] (Annals) comedy · Queen Anne's Men unassigned nearest T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds · 491 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
Now have I, like a Parasite, covered my back with brains. Out of my usurers Gouty toe, I have spun a fair suit. I would fain hear, whether the devil be dead or no. Yet I need not be so inquisitive, for I'm sure he has given me nothing in's will. Now am I in quest of some vaulting house. I would fain spend these crowns, as I got them, in coney-catching. I ha'the game in scent, & will follow it with full cry. Stand— Give the word. Word? what word? am I beleaguered? Few words are best among friends. Empty your pockets, and you may vault the lighter. Quick. thouart an honest fellow, a very honest fellow. In good faith I had no great need of money; but since thou hast brought me some, I'll not refuse it. Troth, I ha' but a little. Faith nor I. we'll even draw cuts, who shall ha' both. Agreed.— Shall we breath? Good fortune grant, you be able to pay me for this pains. In sadness, I deserve double fees. I'll make you plead harder, ere you sit down to tell your money. Look that your case be good, I shall pick a hole in't else. Well, let the law pass. Not altogether so: lest we be both hang.— Stand your ground. Zlid, I cannot abide these running Cocks. I have seen a runner win the battle.— Shall we draw stakes? Ha? a match— Throw by weapons, and let's embrace. I am a villain, but I fear your clutch worse than a sergeant's As I'm true thief, thou mayst trust me. Ha sirrah! Robin Hood, and the Pindar of Wakefield had not a stiffer bout. Shall we cling, like a couple of eels, not to be dissolved but by Thunder? Most liberally. Let's set up shop together. Done: & to begin our trade, behold a customer. Stand close. This russet-shape of a plain-dealing yeoman Spirits my hopes with boldness. Sharp suspicion Like to a winking justicer shall see me, And yet not see me. Thus with grief-swollen eyes, I'll match my wife, and children's miseries. This fifty pound I'll husband like a Badger; Buy and sell Barley: and so easily wind Into the present passages of Bedford. How good a schoolmaster is Poverty! I could not live on hundreds, that came in By annual rents; now I begin to thrive On the small fragments. Thus like Prodigals, That once did scorn the meat, now glad of pottage. The manor gone, I'll try to live o'th' cottage. Bedford, ha' for you. Stand. Give the word. The word, you're a thief. You might ha' shot twice, and not hit it righter. What do you shoot at? Oh Sir, like your Jesuit, all at the purse. Will you cast out the devil, and save's a conjuring. Are you so cunning at the black Art? I'll try your skill. What, both at once? that's no fair play.
seed 43: T46 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Now haue I, like a Paraſite, couerd my backe with braines. Out of my vſurers Gowtie toe, I haue ſpun a faire ſuite. I would faine heare, whether the diuell be dead or no. Yet I need not be ſo inquiſitiue, for I'm ſure he has giuē me nothing in'swill. Now am I in queſt of ſome vaulting houſe. I would faine ſpend theſe crownes, as I got them, in cony-catching. I ha'the game in ſent, & will follow it with full cry. Stand—Giue the word. Word? what word? am I beleaguerd? Few words are beſt among friends. Emptie your pockets, and you may vault the lighter. Quicke. Th'art an honeſt fellow, a very honeſt fellow. In good faith I had no great need of mony; but ſince thou haſt brought me ſome, Ile not refuſe it. Troth, I ha'but a little. Faith nor I. we'll euen draw cuts, who ſhall ha'both. Agreed.—Shall we breathe? Good fortune grant, you be able to pay me for this paines. In ſadnes, I deſerue double fees. Ile make you plead harder, ere you ſit downe to tell your money. Looke that your caſe be good, I ſhall picke a hole in't elſe. Well, let the law paſſe. Not altogether ſo: leſt we be both hange.—Stand your ground. Zlid, I cannot abide theſe running Cockes. I haue ſeene a runner winne the battell.—Shall wee draw ſtakes? Ha? a match—Throw by weapons, and lets embrace. I am a villaine, but I feare your clutch worſe then a Seriants As I'm true theefe, thou maiſt truſt me. Ha ſirrah! Robin Hood, and the Pindar of Wakefield had not a ſtiffer bout. Shall we cling, like a couple of Eeles, not to bee diſſolu'd but by Thunder? Moſt liberally. Let's ſet vp ſhop together. Done: & to begin our trade, behold a cuſtomer. Stand cloſe. This ruſſet-ſhape of a plaine-dealing yeoman Spirits my hopes with boldneſſe. Sharpe ſuſpition Like to a winking Iuſticer ſhall ſee me, And yet not ſee me. Thus with griefe-ſwolne eyes, Ile match my wife, and childrens miſeries. This fiftie pound Ile husband like a Badger; Buy and ſell Barley: and ſo eaſily wind Into the preſent paſſages of Bedford. How good a ſchoolemaſter is Pouertie! I could not liue on hundreds, that came in By annuall rents; now I begin to thriue On the ſmall fragments. Thus like Prodigals, That once did ſcorne the meate, now glad of pottage. The mannor gone, Ile trie to liue oth' cottage. Bedford, ha'for you. Stand. Giue the word. The word, y' are a theefe. You might ha'ſhot twice, and not hit it righter. What do you ſhoot at? Oh Sir, like your Ieſuite, all at the purſe. Will you caſt out the diuell, and ſaue's a coniuring. Are you ſo cunning at the blacke Art? Ile trie your skill. What, both at once? that's no faire play.