May, Thomas · published 1622 · first performed or written 1620 (Annals) comedy · Red Bull (Revels) Company (first) T30 Constables, justices and the watch typicality 0.82 · 506 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T30: constable, squire, tub, clay, worship, justice, turf, mr, hun, valentine.
I do beseech your Highness to excuse me, I cannot do more than your laws will let me, Nor falsify my knowledge nor my conscience. Then I am miserable, rise Matho rise, I do not discommend thy honesty, But blame my own hard fate, ay Philocles I would redeem thy life at any price, But the Stars cross it, cruel fate condemns thee. Come fellow watchmen, for now you are my fellows, I pleases you to call vs so master Constable. I do it to encourage you in your office, it is a trick that we commanders have, your great Captains call your soldiers' fellow soldiers to encourage them. Indeed and so they do, I heard master Curate trading a story book other day to that purpose. Well I must show now what you have to do, for I myself before I came to this prefermity, was as simple as one of you, and for your better destruction, I will deride my speech into two parts. First, what is a watchman. Secondly, what is the office of a watchman. For the first, if any man ask me what is a watchman, I may answer him, he is a man as others are, nay a tradesman, as a Vintner, a Tailor, or the like, for they have long bills. He tells us true neighbour, we have bills indeed. For the second, what is his office; I answer, he may by virtue of his office reprehend any person, or persons, that walk the streets too late at a seasonable hour. may we indeed master Constable. Nay, if you meet any of those rogues at seasonable hours, you may by virtue of your office commit him to prison, and then ask him whither he was going. Why that's as much as my Lord Maior does. True, my Lord Maior can do no more than you in that point. But master constable what if he should resist us. Why if he do resist, you may knock him down, and then bid him stand, and come afore the Constable. So now I thinke you are sufficiently constructed concerning you office take your stands, you shall hear rogues walking at these seasonable hours, I warrant you, stand close. Purpose, now do I take as much care to be apprehended, As others do to scape the watch, I must speak To be overheard, and plainly too, or else these dolts Will never conceive me. Hark who goes by? Oh my conscience, my conscience, the terror of a Guilty conscience. How, conscience talks he of, He's an honest man, I warrant him, let him pass I ay, let him pass, good night honest gentleman. These are wise officers, I must be plainer yet. That gold, that cursed gold, that made me poison him Made me poison Eugenio. How made me poison him, he's a knave I warrant him. M. Constable has found him already, I warrant you a knave cannot pass me, go reprehend him, I'll take his excommunication myself. Come afore the constable
seed 43: T36 · seed 44: T35 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I do beſeech your Highneſſe to excuſe me, I cannot doe more then your lawes will let me, Nor falſifie my knowledge nor my conſcience. Then I am miſerable, riſe Matho riſe, I do not diſcommend thy honeſty, But blame my owne hard fate, ay Philocles I would redeeme thy life at any price, But the Starres croſſe it, cruell fate condemnes thee. Come fellow watchmen, for now you are my fellowes, I pleaſes you to call vs ſo maſter Conſtable. I do it to encourage you in your office, it is a tricke that we commanders haue, your great Captains call your ſouldiers fellow ſouldiers to encourage them. Indeed and ſo they do, I heard maſter Curate trading a ſtory booke tother day to that purpoſe. Well I muſt ſhew now what you haue to do, for I my ſelfe before I came to this prefermity, was as ſimple as one of you, and for your better deſtruction, I will deride my ſpeech into two parts. Firſt, what is a watchman. Secondly, what is the office of a watchman. For the firſt, fany man aske me what is a watchman, I may anſwer him, he is a man as others are, nay a tradeſman, as a Vintner, a Tayler, or the like, for they haue long bils. He tels vs true neighbour, we haue bils indeed. For the ſecond, what is his office; I anſwer, he may by vertue of his office reprehend any perſon, or perſons, that wlke the ſtreets too late at a ſeaſonable houre. may we indeed maſter Conſtable. Nay, if you meet any of thoſe rogues at ſeaſonable houres, you may by vertue of your office commit him to priſon, and then aske him whither he was going. Why thats as much as my Lord Maior does. True, my Lord Maior can doe no more then you in that point. But maſter conſtable what if hee ſhould reſiſt vs. Why if he do reſiſt, you may knocke him downe, and then id him ſtand, and come afore the Conſtable. So you are ſufficiently cnſtructed concerning you office take your ſtands, you ſhall heare rogues walking at theſe ſeaſonable houres, I warrant you, ſtand cloſe. Purpoſe, now doe I take as much care to be apprehended, As others doe to ſcape the watch, I muſt ſpeake To be ouerheard, and plainly too, or els theſe dolts Will neuer conceiue mee. Harke who goes by? Oh my conſcience, my conſcience, the teror of a Guilty conſcience. How, conſcience talkes hee of, He's an honeſt man, I warant him, let him paſſe I I, let him paſſe, good night honeſt gentleman. Theſe are wiſe officers, I muſt bee plainer yet. That gold, that curſed gold, that made me poiſon him Made me poiſon Eugenio. How made me poiſon him, he's a knaue I warrant him. M. Conſtable has found him already, I warant you a knaue cannot paſſe me, go reprehend him, Ile take his excommunication my ſelfe. Come afore the conſtable