Middleton, Thomas / Rowley, William · published 1620 · first performed or written 1620 (Annals) masque · Prince Charles's Men (first) unassigned nearest T35 Fools, wit and railing · 484 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T35: fool, wit, aristippus, achilles, wise, fools, patroclus, thersites, master, men.
Pox a your pipe; if I should dance after your pipe, I should soon dance to the Devil. I think, some serpent sure has licked him over, And given him only craft enough to keep, And go no farther with him; all the rest Is innocence about him, truth and bluntness. I must seek other course; for I have learned Of my Infernal Sire, not to be lazy, Faint or discouraged at the tenth repulse: methinks that world Simplicity now hugs fast, does look as if't should be Deceit's at last. So, so, I'm glad he's vanished: methought I had much ado to keep myself from a smatch of knavery, as long as he stood by me; for certainly villainy is infectious, and in the greater person the greater poison: as for example, he that takes but the tich of a Citizen, may take the scab of a Courtier. Hark, the Reapers begin to sing, they're come nearer methinks too. HAppy times we live to see, Whose Master is Simplicity: This is the age where blessings flow, In joy we reap, in peace we sow; we do good deeds without delay, we promise and we keep our day, we love for virtue, not for wealth, we drink no healths, but all for health, we sing, we dance, we pipe, we play, Our work's continual Holiday, we live in poor contented sort, Yet neither beg, nor come at Court, These Reapers have the merriest lives, they have music to all they do; they'll sow with a Tabor, and get Children with a Pipe. Sir, he's a fool, the world belongs to you, You're mighty in your worth and your command, You know to govern, form, make laws, and take Their sweet and precious penalty, it befits A mightiness like yours, the world was made For such a Lord as you, so absolute A Majesty in all Princely nobleness As yourself is; but to lie useless now, Rusty or lazy in a fool's pre-eminence, It is not for a glorious worth to suffer. Thou'st said enough. Now my hope ripens fairly. here's a brave glistering Thing looks me i'th' face, I know not what to say to't. What's thy name? You may read it in my looks: Simplicity. What mak'st thou with so great a charge about thee? Resign it up to me, and be my Fool. Troth that's the way to be your Fool indeed; But shall I have the privilege to fool freely? As ever Folly had. I'm glad I'm rid on't. Pray let me case your Majesty. Thou? hence Base Sycophant, insinuating hellhound, Lay not a finger on it, as thou lov'st The state of thy whole body; all thy filthy And rotten flatteries stink i' my remembrance, And nothing is so loath some as thy presence. Sure this will prove a good Prince. Still repulsed? I must find ground to thrive on.
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)
Poxe a your pipe; if I should dance after your pipe, I should soone dance to the Diuell. I thinke, some serpent sure has lickt him ouer, And giuen him only craft enough to keepe, And go no farther with him; all the rest Is innocence about him, truth and bluntnesse. I must seeke other course; for I haue learn'd Of my Infernall Sire, not to be lazy, Faint or discourag'd at the tenth repulse: Me thinks that world Simplicity now huggs fast, Do's looke as if't should be Deceit's at last. So, so, l'me glad hees vanisht: me thought I had much adoe to keep my selfe from a smatch of knauery, as long as he stood by me; for certainly villany is infectious, and in the greater person the greater poyson: as for example, hee that takes but the tich of a Citizen, may take the scab of a Courtier. Harke, the Reapers begin to sing, they'r come neerer me thinks too. HAppy times wee liue to see, Whose Master is Simplicity: This is the age where blessings flow, In ioy we reape, in peace wee sow; Wee doe good deeds without delay, Wee promise and wee keepe our day, Wee loue for vertue, not for wealth, Wee drinke no healths, but all for health, Wee sing, wee dance, wee pipe, wee play, Our work's continuall Holiday, Wee liue in poore contented sort, Yet neither beg, nor come at Court, These Reapers haue the merriest liues, they haue musicke to all they doe; they'l sow with a Tabor, and get Children with a Pipe. Sir, hee's a foole, the world belongs to you, Y'are mighty in your worth and your command, You know to gouerne, forme, make lawes, and take Their sweet and precious penalty, it befits A mightinesse like yours, the world was made For such a Lord as you, so absolute A Maiesty in all Princely noblenes As your selfe is; but to lye vse-lesse now, Rusty or lazy in a Fooles preheminence, It is not for a glorious worth to suffer. Thou'st said enough. Now my hope ripens fairely. Heer's a braue glistring Thing looks me ith' face, I know not what to say too't. What's thy name? You may read it in my lookes: Simplicity. What mak'st thou with so great a charge about thee? Resigne it vp to me, and be my Foole. Troth that's the way to be your Foole indeed; But shall I haue the priuiledge to foole freely? As euer Folly had. I'me glad I'me rid on't. Pray let me case your Maiesty. Thou? hence Base Sycophant, insinuating hell-hound, Lay not a finger on it, as thou lou'st The state of thy whole body; all thy filthy And rotten flatteries stinke i' my remembrance, And nothing is so loath some as thy presence. Sure this will proue a good Prince. Still repulst? I must finde ground to thriue on.