Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1599 [1598-1599] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T52 Prodigals, portions and poor kin typicality 0.85 · 506 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T52: brother, father, uncle, cousin, son, poor, bread, old, given, master.
AS I remember Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will, but poor a thousand Crowns, and as thou saist, charged my brother on his blessing to breed me well: and there begins my sadness: My brother Iaques he keeps at school, and report speaks goldenly of his profit: for my part, he keeps me rustically at home, or (to speak more properly) stays me here at home unkept: for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the stalling of an Ox? his horses are bred better, for besides that they are fair with their feeding, they are taught their manage, and to that end Riders dearly hired: but I (his brother) gain nothing under him but growth, for the which his Animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him as I: besides this nothing that he so plentifully gives me, the something that nature gave me, his countenance seems to take from me: he lets me feed with his Hinds, bars me the place of a brother, and as much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my education. This is it Adam that grieves me, and the spirit of my Father, which I think is within me, begins to mutiny against this servitude. I will no longer endure it, though yet I know no wise remedy how to avoid it. Yonder comes my Master, your brother. Go apart Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will shake me up. Now Sir, what make you here? Nothing: I am not taught to make any thing. What mar you then sir? Marry sir, I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poor unworthy brother of yours with idleness. Marry sir be better employed, and be naught a while. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? what prodigal portion have I spent, that I should come to such penury? Know you where you are sir? O sir, very well: here in your Orchard. Know you before whom sir? I, better than him I am before knows me: I know you are my eldest brother, and in the gentle condition of blood you should so know me: the courtesy of nations allows you my better, in that you are the first borne, but the same tradition takes not away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt us: I have as much of my father in me, as you, albeit I confess your coming before me is nearer to his reverence. What Boy. Come, come elder brother, you are too young in this. Wilt thou lay hands on me villain? I am no villain: I am the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys, he was my father, and he is thrice a villain that says such a father begot villains: wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand from thy throat, till this other had pulled out thy tongue for saying so, thou hast railed on thyself.
seed 43: T52 · seed 44: T52 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
AS I remember Adam, it was vpon this faſhion bequeathed me by will, but poore a thouſand Crownes, and as thou ſaift, charged my brother on his bleſſing to breed mee well: and there begins my ſadneſſe: My brother Iaques he keepes at ſchoole, and report ſpeakes goldenly of his profit: for my part, he keepes me ruſtically at home, or (to ſpeak more properly) ſtaies me heere at home vnkept: for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the ſtalling of an Oxe? his horſes are bred better, for beſides that they are faire with their feeding, they are taught their mannage, and to that end Riders deerely hir'd: but I (his brother) gaine nothing vnder him but growth, for the which his Animals on his dunghils are as much bound to him as I: beſides this nothing that he ſo plentifully giues me, the ſomething that nature gaue mee, his countenance ſeemes to take from me: hee lets mee feede with his Hindes, barres mee the place of a brother, and as much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my education. This is it Adam that grieues me, and the ſpirit of my Father, which I thinke is within mee, begins to mutinie againſt this ſeruitude. I will no longer endure it, though yet I know no wiſe remedy how to auoid it. Yonder comes my Maſter, your brother. Goe a-part Adam, and thou ſhalt heare how he will ſhake me vp. Now Sir, what make you heere? Nothing: I am not taught to make any thing. What mar you then ſir? Marry ſir, I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poore vnworthy brother of yours with idleneſſe. Marry ſir be better employed, and be naught a while. Shall I keepe your hogs, and eat huskes with them? what prodigall portion haue I ſpent, that I ſhould come to ſuch penury? Know you where you are ſir? O ſir, very well: heere in your Orchard. Know you before whom ſir? I, better then him I am before knowes mee: I know you are my eldeſt brother, and in the gentle condition of bloud you ſhould ſo know me: the courteſie of nations allowes you my better, in that you are the firſt borne, but the ſame tradition takes not away my bloud, were there twenty brothers betwixt vs: I haue as much of my father in mee, as you, albeit I confeſſe your comming before me is neerer to his reuerence. What Boy. Come, come elder brother, you are too yong in this. Wilt thou lay hands on me villaine? I am no villaine: I am the yongeſt ſonne of Sir Rowland de Boys, he was my father, and he is thrice a villaine that ſaies ſuch a father begot villaines: wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand from thy throat, till this other had puld out thy tongue for ſaying ſo, thou haſt raild on thy ſelfe.