Shakespeare, William / Middleton, Thomas · published 1623 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men T15 Friars and holy orders in plot typicality 0.77 · 498 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T15: friar, lord, holy, friars, robin, peggy, lacie, angelo, love, nun.
I thank you good friend Lucio. Within two hours. Come Officer, away. No: holy Father, throw away that thought, Believe not that the dribbling dart of Love Can pierce a complete bosom: why, I desire thee To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose More grave, and wrinkled, than the aims, and ends Of burning youth. May your Grace speak of it? My holy Sir, none better knows than you How I have ever loved the life removed And held in idle price, to haunt assemblies Where youth, and cost, witless bravery keeps. I have delivered to Lord Angelo (A man of stricture and firm abstinence) My absolute power, and place here in Vienna, And he supposes me travailed to Poland, (For so I have strewed it in the common ear) And so it is received: Now (pious Sir) You will demand of me, why I do this. Gladly, my Lord. We have strict Statutes, and most biting Laws, (The needful bits and curbs to headstrong weeds,) Which for this fourteen years, we have let slip, Even like an o'ergrown Lion in a Cave That goes not out to pray: Now, as fond Fathers, Having bound up the threatening twigs of birch, Only to stick it in their children's sight, For terror, not to use: in time the rod More mocked, then feared: so our Decrees, Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead, And liberty, plucks justice by the nose; The Baby beats the Nurse, and quite a thwart Goes all decorum. It rested in your Grace To unloose this tyde-up justice, when you pleased: And it in you more dreadful would have seemed Then in Lord Angelo. I do fear: too dreadful: Sith 'twas my fault, to give the people scope, IT would be my tyranny to strike and gall them, For what I bid them do: For, we bid this be done When evil deeds have their permissive pass, And not the punishment: therefore indeed (my father) I have on Angelo imposed the office, Who may in th' ambush of my name, strike home, And yet, my nature never in the fight To do in slander: And to behold his sway I will, as 'twere a brother of your Order, Visit both Prince, and People: Therefore I prithee Supply me with the habit, and instruct me How I may formally in person bear Like a true Friar: More reasons for this action At our more leisure, shall I render you; Only, this one: Lord Angelo is precise, Stands at a guard with Envy: scarce confesses That his blood flows: or that his appetite Is more to bread then stone: hence shall we see If power change purpose: what our Seemers be. And have you Nuns no farther privileges? Are not these large enough? Yes truly; I speak not as desiring more, But rather wishing a more strict restraint Upon the Sisterhood, the Votarists of Saint Clare. Hoa? peace be in this place. Who's that which calls?
seed 43: T19 · seed 44: T20 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I thanke you good friend Lucio. Within two houres. Come Officer, away. No: holy Father, throw away that thought, Beleeue not that the dribling dart of Loue Can pierce a compleat boſome: why, I deſire thee To giue me ſecret harbour, hath a purpoſe More graue, and wrinkled, then the aimes, and ends Of burning youth. May your Grace ſpeake of it? My holy Sir, none better knowes then you How I haue euer lou'd the life remoued And held in idle price, to haunt aſſemblies Where youth, and coſt, witleſſe brauery keepes. I haue deliuerd to Lord Angelo (A man of ſtricture and firme abſtinence) My abſolute power, and place here in Ʋienna, And he ſuppoſes me trauaild to Poland, (For ſo I haue ſtrewd it in the common eare) And ſo it is receiu'd: Now (pious Sir) You will demand of me, why I do this. Gladly, my Lord. We haue ſtrict Statutes, and moſt biting Laws, (The needfull bits and curbes to headſtrong weedes,) Which for this foureteene yeares, we haue let ſlip, Euen like an ore-growne Lyon in a Caue That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond Fathers, Hauing bound vp the threatning twigs of birch, Onely to ſticke it in their childrens ſight, For terror, not to vſe: in time the rod More mock'd, then fear'd: ſo our Decrees, Dead to infliction, to themſelues are dead, And libertie, plucks Iuſtice by the noſe; The Baby beates the Nurſe, and quite a thwart Goes all decorum. It reſted in your Grace To vnlooſe this tyde-vp Iuſtice, when you pleaſ'd: And it in you more dreadfull would haue ſeem'd Then in Lord Angelo. I doe feare: too dreadfull: Sith 'twas my fault, to giue the people ſcope, 'T would be my tirrany to ſtrike and gall them, For what I bid them doe: For, we bid this be done When euill deedes haue their permiſſiue paſſe, And not the puniſhment: therefore indeede (my father) I haue on Angelo impos'd the office, Who may in th' ambuſh of my name, ſtrike home, And yet, my nature neuer in the fight To do in ſlander: And to behold his ſway I will, as 'twere a brother of your Order, Viſit both Prince, and People: Therefore I pre'thee Supply me with the habit, and inſtruct me How I may formally in perſon beare Like a true Frier: Moe reaſons for this action At our more leyſure, ſhall I render you; Onely, this one: Lord Angelo is preciſe, Stands at a guard with Enuie: ſcarce confeſſes That his blood flowes: or that his appetite Is more to bread then ſtone: hence ſhall we ſee If power change purpoſe: what our Seemers be. And haue you Nuns no farther priuiledges? Are not theſe large enough? Yes truely; I ſpeake not as deſiring more, But rather wiſhing a more ſtrict reſtraint Vpon the Siſterſtood, the Votariſts of Saint Clare. Hoa? peace be in this place. Who's that which cals?