Shakespeare, William / Middleton, Thomas · published 1623 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.81 · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Good'euen, good Father. Bliss, and goodness on you. Of whence are you? Not of this Country, though my chance is now To use it for my time: I am a brother Of gracious Order, late come from the Sea, In special business from his Holiness. What news abroad i' th' World? None, but that there is so great a Favour on goodness, that the dissolution of it must cure it. Novelty is only in request, and as it is as dangerous to be aged in any kind of course, as it is virtuous to be constant in any undertaking. There is scarce truth enough alive to make Societies secure, but Security enough to make Fellowships accursed: Much upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world: This news is old enough, yet it is every day's news. I pray you Sir, of what disposition was the Duke? One, that above all other strifes, Contended especially to know himself. What pleasure was he given to? Rather rejoicing to see another merry, then merrrie at any thing which professed to make him rejoice. A Gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to his events, with a prayer they may prove prosperous, & let me desire to know, how you find Claudio prepared? I am made to understand, that you have lent him visitation. He professes to have received no sinister measure from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself to the determination of justice: yet had he framed to himself (by the instruction of his frailty) many deceyving promises of life, which I (by my good leisure) have discredited to him, and now is he resolved to die. You have paid the heavens your Function, and the prisoner the very debt of your Calling. I have laboured for the poor Gentleman, to the extremest shore of my modesty, but my brother-Iustice have I found so severe, that he hath forced me to tell him, he is indeed justice. If his own life, Answer the straightness of his proceeding, It shall become him well: wherein if he chance to fail he hath sentenced himself. I am going to visit the prisoner, Far you well. Peace be with you. He who the sword of Heaven will bear, Should be as holy, as severe: Pattern in himself to know, Grace to stand, and Virtue go: More, nor less to others paying, Then by selfe-offences weighing. Shame to him, whose cruel striking, Kills for faults of his own liking: Twice treble shame on Angelo, To weed my vice, and let his grow. Oh, what may Man within him hide, Though Angel on the outward side? How may likeness made in crimes, Making practice on the Times, To draw with idle Spider's strings Most ponderous and substantial things? Craft against vice, I must apply. With Angelo to night shall lie His old betrothed (but despised:) So disguise shall by th' disguised Pay with falsehood, false exacting, And perform an old contracting.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Good'euen, good Father. Bliſſe, and goodneſſe on you. Of whence are you? Not of this Countrie, though my chance is now To vſe it for my time: I am a brother Of gracious Order, late come from the Sea, In ſpeciall buſineſſe from his Holineſſe. What newes abroad i' th World? None, but that there is ſo great a Feauor on goodneſſe, that the diſſolution of it muſt cure it. Noueltie is onely in requeſt, and as it is as dangerous to be aged in any kinde of courſe, as it is vertuous to be conſtant in any vndertaking. There is ſcarſe truth enough aliue to make Societies ſecure, but Securitie enough to make Fellowſhips accurſt: Much vpon this riddle runs the wiſedome of the world: This newes is old enough, yet it is euerie daies newes. I pray you Sir, of what diſpoſition was the Duke? One, that aboue all other ſtrifes, Contended eſpecially to know himſelfe. What pleaſure was he giuen to? Rather reioycing to ſee another merry, then merrrie at anie thing which profeſt to make him reioice. A Gentleman of all temperance. But leaue wee him to his euents, with a praier they may proue proſperous, & let me deſire to know, how you finde Claudio prepar'd? I am made to vnderſtand, that you haue lent him viſitation. He profeſſes to haue receiued no ſiniſter meaſure from his Iudge, but moſt willingly humbles himſelfe to the determination of Iuſtice: yet had he framed to himſelfe (by the inſtruction of his frailty) manie deceyuing promiſes of life, which I (by my good leiſure) haue diſcredited to him, and now is he reſolu'd to die. You haue paid the heauens your Function, and the priſoner the verie debt of your Calling. I haue labour'd for the poore Gentleman, to the extremeſt ſhore of my modeſtie, but my brother-Iuſtice haue I found ſo ſeuere, that he hath forc'd me to tell him, hee is indeede Iuſtice. If his owne life, Anſwere the ſtraitneſſe of his proceeding, It ſhall become him well: wherein if he chance to faile he hath ſentenc'd himſelfe. I am going to viſit the priſoner, Fare you well. Peace be with you. He who the ſword of Heauen will beare, Should be as holy, as ſeueare: Patterne in himſelfe to know, Grace to ſtand, and Vertue go: More, nor leſſe to others paying, Then by ſelfe-offences weighing. Shame to him, whoſe cruell ſtriking, Kils for faults of his owne liking: Twice trebble ſhame on Angelo, To vveede my vice, and let his grow. Oh, what may Man within him hide, Though Angel on the outward ſide? How may likeneſſe made in crimes, Making practiſe on the Times, To draw with ydle Spiders ſtrings Moſt ponderous and ſubſtantiall things? Craft againſt vice, I muſt applie. With Angelo to night ſhall lye His old betroathed (but deſpiſed:) So diſguiſe ſhall by th' diſguiſed Pay with falſhood, falfe exacting, And performe an olde contracting.