Webster, John · published 1623 · first performed or written 1614 [1612-1614; revised 1617-23(?)] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men · Blackfriars T31 Popes, cardinals and the crown typicality 0.78 · 471 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T31: cardinal, pope, king, lord, majesty, holy, rome, france, church, lords.
Why do you laugh? methinks you that are Courtiers Should be my touchwood, take fire, when I give fire; That is, laugh when I laugh, were the subject never so witty, True (my Lord) I myself have heard a very good jest, And have scorned to seem to have so silly a wit, as to understand it. But I can laugh at your Fool (my Lord.) He cannot speak (you know) but he makes faces, My Lady cannot abide him. Noah? Nor endure to be in merry Company: for she says Too much laughing, and too much Company, fills her Too full of the wrinkle. I would then have a Mathematical Instrument made for Her face, that she might not laugh out of compass: I shall shortly Visit you at Milan (Lord Silvio.) Your Grace shall arrive most welcome. You are a good Horseman (Antonio) you have excellent Riders in France, what do you think of good Horsemanship? Nobly (my Lord) as out of the Grecian-horse, issued Many famous Princes: So, out of brave Horsemanship, Arise the first Sparks of growing resolution, that raise The mind, to noble action. You have bespoke it worthily. Your brother, the Lord Cardinal, and sister Duchess. Are the Galleys come about? They are (my Lord.) Here's the Lord Silvio, is come to take his leave. Now (Sir) your promise: what's that Cardinal? I mean his Temper? they say he's a brave fellow, Will play his five thousand crowns, at Tennis, Dance, Court Ladies, and one that hath fought single Combats. Some such flashes superficially hang on him, for form: But observe his inward Character: he is a melancholy Churchman: The Spring in his face, is nothing but the Engendering of Toads: where he is jealous of any man. He lays worse plots for them, then ever was imposed on Hercules: for he strews in his way Flatters, Panders, Intelligencers, Atheists,: and a thousand such political Monsters: he should have been Pope: but in stead of Coming to it, by the primitive decency of the church, He did bestow bribes, so largely, and so impudently, as if he would Have carried it away without heaven's knowledge. Some good he Hath done. You have given too much of him: what's his brother? The Duke there? a most perverse, and turbulent Nature, What appears in him mirth, is merely outside, If he laugh heartily, it is to laugh All honesty out of fashion. Twins? In quality: He speaks with other's Tongues, and hears men's suits, With others Ears: will seem to sleep o'th' bench Only to entrap offenders, in their answers; dooms men to death, by information, Rewards, by hearsay. Then the Law to him Is like a foul black cobweb, to a Spider, He makes it his dwelling, and a prison To entangle those shall feed him.
seed 43: T38 · seed 44: T38 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Why do you laugh? Me thinks you that are Courtiers Should be my touch-wood, take fire, when I giue fire; That is, laugh when I laugh, were the subiect neuer so wity, True (my Lord) I my selfe haue heard a very good iest, And haue scorn'd to seeme to haue so silly a wit, as to vnderstand it. But I can laugh at your Foole (my Lord▪) He cannot speake (you know) but he makes faces, My Lady cannot abide him. Noe? Nor endure to be in merry Company: for she saies Too much laughing, and too much Company, fils her Too full of the wrinckle. I would then haue a Mathematicall Instrument made for Her face, that she might not laugh out of compasse: I shall shortly Visit you at Millaine (Lord Siluio.) Your Grace shall arriue most wel-come. You are a good Horse-man (Antonio) you haue excellent Riders in France, what doe you thinke of good Horse-man-ship? Noblely (my Lord) as out of the Grecian-horse, issued Many famous Princes: So, out of braue Horse-man-ship, Arise the first Sparkes of growing resolution, that raise The minde, to noble action. You haue be-spoake it worthely. Your brother, the Lord Cardinall, and sister Dutchesse. Are the Gallies come about? They are (my Lord.) Here's the Lord Siluio, is come to take his leaue. Now (Sir) your promise: what's that Cardinall? I meane his Temper? they say he's a braue fellow, Will play his fiue thousand crownes, at Tennis, Daunce, Court Ladies, and one that hath fought single Combats. Some such flashes superficially hang on him, for forme: But obserue his inward Character: he is a mellancholly Church-man: The Spring in his face, is nothing but the Ingendring of Toades: where he is iealious of any man. He laies worse plots for them, then euer was impos'd on Hercules: for he strewes in his way Flatters, Panders, Intelligencers, A thiests,: and a thousand such politicall Monsters: he should haue beene Pope: but in stead of Comming to it, by the primatiue decensie of the church, He did bestow bribes, so largely, and so impudently, as if he would Haue carried it away without heauens knowledge. Some good he Hath done. You haue giuen too much of him: what's his brother? The Duke there? a most peruerse, and turbulent Nature, What appeares in him mirth, is meerely outside, If he laugh hartely, it is to laugh All honesty out of fashion. Twins? In qualitie: He speakes with others Tongues, and heares mens suites, With others Eares: will seeme to sleepe o'th bench Onely to intrap offenders, in their answeres; Doombes men to death, by information, Rewards, by heare-say. Then the Law to him Is like a fowle blacke cob-web, to a Spider, He makes it his dwelling, and a prison To entangle those shall feede him.