Shakespeare, William / Middleton, Thomas · published 1623 · first performed or written 1603 [1603-1604] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men T60 Imperial Rome: rulers, favour and politi typicality 0.74 · 508 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T60: caesar, rome, emperor, empire, honour, lord, lucius, great, palsgrave, kings.
O for the love of laughter, let him fetch his drum, he says he has a stratagem for't: when your Lordship sees the bottom of this success in't, and to what mettle this counterfeit lump of ours will be melted if you give him not Iohn drums entertainment, your inclining cannot be removed. here he comes. O for the love of laughter hinder not the honour of his design, let him fetch off his drum in any hand. How now Monsieur? This drum sticks sorely in your disposition. A pox on't, let it go, 'tis but a drum. But a drum: Is't but a drum? A drum so lost. There was excellent command, to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers. That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Caesar himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command. Well, we cannot greatly condemn our success: some dishonour we had in the loss of that drum, but it is not to be recovered. It might have been recovered. It might, but it is not now. It is to be recovered, but that the merit of service is seldom attributed to the true and exact performer, I would have that drum or another, or hic iacet. Why if you have a stomach, too't Monsieur: if you think your mystery in stratagem, can bring this instrument of honour again into his native quarter, be magnanimous in the enterprise and go on, I will grace the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you speed well in it, the Duke shall both speak of it, and extend to you what further becomes his greatness, even to the utmost syllable of your worthiness. By the hand of a soldier I will undertake it. But you must not now slumber in it. I'll about it this evening, and I will presently pen down my dilemmas, encourage myself in my certainty, put myself into my mortal preparation: and by midnight look to hear further from me. May I be bold to acquaint his grace you are gone about it. I know not what the success will be my Lord, but the attempt I vow. I know th' art valiant, And to the possibility of thy soldiership, Will subscribe for thee: Farewell. I love not many words. No more than a fish loves water. Is not this a strange fellow my Lord, that so confidently seems to undertake this business, which he knows is not to be done, damns himself to do, & dares better be damned then to do't. You do not know him my Lord as we do, certain it is that he will steal himself into a man's favour, and for a week escape a great deal of discoveries, but when you find him out, you have him ever after. Why do you think he will make no deed at all of this that so seriously he does address himself unto?
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
O for the loue of laughter, let him fetch his drumme, he ſayes he has a ſtratagem for't: when your Lordſhip ſees the bottome of this ſucceſſe in't, and to what mettle this counterfeyt lump of ours will be melted if you giue him not Iohn drummes entertainement, your inclining cannot be remoued. Heere he comes. O for the loue of laughter hinder not the honor of his deſigne, let him fetch off his drumme in any hand. How now Monſieur? This drumme ſticks ſorely in your diſpoſition. A pox on't, let it go, 'tis but a drumme. But a drumme: Iſt but a drumme? A drum ſo loſt. There was excellent command, to charge in with our horſe vpon our owne wings, and to rend our owne ſouldiers. That was not to be blam'd in the command of the ſeruice: it was a diſaſter of warre that Caeſar him ſelfe could not haue preuented, if he had beene there to command. Well, wee cannot greatly condemne our ſucceſſe: ſome diſhonor wee had in the loſſe of that drum, but it is not to be recouered. It might haue beene recouered. It might, but it is not now. It is to be recouered, but that the merit of ſeruice is ſildome attributed to the true and exact performer, I would haue that drumme or another, or hic iacet. Why if you haue a ſtomacke, too't Monſieur: if you thinke your myſterie in ſtratagem, can bring this inſtrument of honour againe into his natiue quarter, be magnanimious in the enterprize and go on, I wil grace the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you ſpeede well in it, the Duke ſhall both ſpeake of it, and extend to you what further becomes his greatneſſe, euen to the vtmoſt ſyllable of your worthineſſe. By the hand of a ſouldier I will vndertake it. But you muſt not now ſlumber in it. Ile about it this euening, and I will preſently pen downe my dilemma's, encourage my ſelfe in my certaintie, put my ſelfe into my mortall preparation: and by midnight looke to heare further from me. May I bee bold to acquaint his grace you are gone about it. I know not what the ſucceſſe wil be my Lord, but the attempt I vow. I know th' art valiant, And to the poſsibility of thy ſouldierſhip, Will ſubſcribe for thee: Farewell. I loue not many words. No more then a fiſh loues water. Is not this a ſtrange fellow my Lord, that ſo confidently ſeemes to vndertake this buſineſſe, which he knowes is not to be done, damnes himſelfe to do, & dares better be damnd then to doo't. You do not know him my Lord as we doe, certaine it is that he will ſteale himſelfe into a mans fauour, and for a weeke eſcape a great deale of diſcoueries, but when you finde him out, you haue him euer after. Why do you thinke he will make no deede at all of this that ſo ſeriouſlie hee dooes addreſſe himſelfe vnto?