Jonson, Ben · published 1631 · first performed or written 1629 [licensed for stage, Jan 19] (Annals) comedy · King's Men unassigned nearest T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe · 516 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
Me, and her mistress, she hath power to coin Up, into what she will. Indefinite Pru. But I must do the crowning act of bounty! What's that, my Lord? Give her myself, By all the holy vows of love I do, Spare all your promised portions, she is a dowry which here So all sufficient in her virtue and manners, That fortune cannot add to her. My Lord, Your praises, are instructions to mine ears, Whence, you have made your wife, to live your servant. Lights, get us several lights. Stay let my Mrs But hear my vision sung, my dream of beauty, Which I have brought, prepared, to bid us joy, And light us all to bed, 'twill be instead Of airing of the sheets with a sweet odour. 'Twill be an incense to our sacrifice Of love tonight, where I will woo afresh, And like Maecenas, having but one wife, I'll marry her, every hour of life, hereafter. Plays in themselves have neither hopes, nor fears, Their fate is only in their hearers ears: If you expect more than you had tonight, The maker is sick, and sad. But do him right, He meant to please you: for he sent things fit, In all the numbers, both of sense, and wit, If they ha' not miscarried! if they have, All that his faint, and faltering tongue doth crave, Is, that you not impute it to his brain. That's yet unhurt, although set round with pain, It cannot long hold out. All strength must yield. Yet judgement would the last be, i the field, With a true Poet. He could have haled in The drunkards, and the noises of the Inn, In his last Act; if he had thought it fit To vent you vapours, in the place of wit: But better 'twas, that they should sleep, or spew, Then in the Scene to offend or him, or you. This he did think; and this do you forgive: When ere the carcase dies, this Art will live. And had he lived the care of King, and Queen, His Art in something more yet had been seen; But Majors, and sheriffs may yearly fill the stage: A king's, or poet's birth do ask an age. A jovial Host, and Lord of the new Inn, Cleped the light Heart, with all that passed therein, Hath been the subject of our Play tonight, To give the King, and Queen, and Court delight. But, than we mean, the Court above the stairs, And past the guard; men that have more of ears, Than eyes to judge us: Such as will not hiss Because the Chambermaid was named Cis. We think, it would have served our Scene as true, If, as it is, at first we had called her Pru, For any mystery we there have found, Or magic in the letters, or the sound. She only meant was, for a girl of wit, To whom her Lady did a Province fit: Which she would have discharged, and, done as well, Had she been christened Ioyce, Grace, Doll, or Nell.
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)
Me, and her mistresse, she hath power to coye Vp, into what she will. Indefinite Pru. But I must doe the crowning act of bounty! What's that, my Lord? Giue her my selfe, By all the holy vowes of loue I doe, Spare all your promis'd portions, she is a dowry which here So all sufficient in her vertue and manners, That fortune cannot adde to her. My Lord, Your praises, are instructions to mine eares, Whence, you haue made your wife, to liue yo seruant. Lights, get vs seuerall lights. Stay let my Mrs But heare my vision sung, my dreame of beauty, Which I haue brought, prepar'd, to bid vs ioy, And light vs all to bed, 'twill be instead Of ayring of the sheets with a sweet odour. 'Twill be an incense to our sacrifice Of loue to night, where I will woo afresh, And like Mecaenas, hauing but one wife, Ile marry her, euery houre of life, hereafter. PLayes in themselues haue neither hopes, nor feares, Their fate is only in their hearers eares: If you expect more then you had to night, The maker is sick, and sad. But doe him right, He meant to please you: for he sent things fit, In all the numbers, both of sense, and wit, If they ha' not miscarried! if they haue, All that his faint, and faltring tongue doth cra, Is, that you not impute it to his braie. That's yet vnhurt, although set round with paine, It cannot long hold out. All strength must yeeld. Yet iudgement would the last be, i the field, With a true Poet. He could haue hal'd in The drunkards, and the noyses of the Inne, In his last Act; if he had thought it fit To vent you vapours, in the place of wit: But better 'twas, that they should sleepe, or spew, Then in the Scene to offend or him, or you. This he did thinke; and this doe you forgiue: When ere the carcasse dies, this Art will liue. And had he liu'd the care of King, and Queene, His Art in somthing more yet had beene seene; But Maiors, and Shriffes may yearely fill the stage: A Kings, or Poets birth doe ask an age. A Iouiall Host, and Lord of the new Inne, Clep't the light Heart, with all that past therein, Hath beene the subiect of our Play to night, To giue the King, and Queene, and Court delight. But, then we meane, the Court aboue the stayres, And past the guard; men that haue more of eares, Then eyes to iudge vs: Such as will not hisse Because the Chambermaid was named Cis. We thinke, it would haue sru'd our Scene as true, If, as it is, at first we' had call'd her Pru, For any mystery we there haue found, Or magick in the letts, or the sound. She only meant was, for a girle of wit, To whom her Lady did a Prouince fit: Which shewould haue discharg'd, and, done as well, Had she beene christned Ioyce, Grace, Doll, or Nell.