Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
FOr your own sake, not ours— Come Gossip, be not ashamed. The Play is the Staple of News, and you are the Mistress, and Lady of Tatle, let's ha' your opinion of it: Do you hear Gentleman? what are you? Gentleman-usher to the Play? pray you help us to some stools here. Where? o' the Stage, Ladies? Yes, o' the Stage; we are persons of quality, I assure you, and women of fashion; and come to see, and to be seen: My Gossip Tatle here, and Gossip Expectation, and my Gossip Censure, and I am Mirth, the daughter of Christmas, and spirit of Shrovetide. They say, It's merry when Gossips meet, I hope your Play will be a merry one! Or you will make it such, Ladies'. Bring a form here, but what will the Noblemen think, or the grave Wits here, to see you seated on the bench thus? Why, what should they think? but that they had Mothers, as we had, and those Mothers had Gossips (if their children were christened) as we are, and such as had a longing to see Plays, and sit upon them, as we do, and arraign both them, and their Poets. O! Is that your purpose? Why, Mrs. Mirth, and Madam Tatle, enjoy your delights freely. Look your News be new, and fresh, Mr. Prologue, and untainted, I shall found them else, if they be stolen, or fly-blown, quickly! We ask no favour from you, only we would entreat of Madam Expectation— What, Mr. Prologue? That your Ladyship would expect no more than you understand. Sir, I can expect enough! I fear too much, Lady, and teach others to do the like? I can do that too, if I have cause. Cry you mercy, you never did wrong, but with just cause. What's this, Lady? Curiosity, my Lady Censure. O Curiosity! you come to see, who wears the new suit to day? whose clothes are best penned, what ever the part be? which Actor has the best leg and foot? what King plays without cuffs? and his Queen without gloves? who rides post in stockings? and dances in boots? Yes, and which amorous Prince makes love in drink, or does overact prodigiously in beaten satin▪ and, having got the trick on't, will be monstrous still, in despite of Counsel! Mend your lights, Gentlemen. Master Prologue, begin. Aye me! Who's that? Nay, start not Ladies, these carry no fireworks to fright you, but a Torch i' their hands, to give light to the business. The truth is, there are a set of gamesters within, in travel of a thing called a Play, and would feign be delivered of it: and they have entreated me to be their Man- Midwife, the Prologue; for they are like to have a hard labour on't. Than the Poet has abused himself, like an Ass, as he is.
seed 43: T16 · seed 44: T15 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
FOr your owne ſake, not ours— Come Goſsip, be not aſham'd. The Play is the Staple of Newes, and you are the Miſtreſſe, and Lady of Tatle, let's ha' your opinion of it: Do you heare Gentleman? what are you? Gentleman-vſher to the Play? pray you helpe vs to ſome ſtooles here. Where? o' the Stage, Ladies? Yes, o' the Stage; wee are perſons of quality, I aſſure you, and women of faſhion; and come to ſee, and to be ſeene: My Goſſip Tatle here, and Goſsip Expectation, and my Goſsip Cenſure, and I am Mirth, the daughter of Chriſtmas, and ſpirit of Shrouetide. They ſay, It's merry when Goſſips meet, I hope your Play will be a merry one! Or you will make it ſuch, Ladies. Bring a forme here, but what will the Noblemen thinke, or the graue Wits here, to ſee you ſeated on the bench thus? Why, what ſhould they thinke? but that they had Mothers, as we had, and thoſe Mothers had Goſsips (if their children were chriſtned) as we are, and ſuch as had a longing to ſee Playes, and ſit vpon them, as wee doe, and arraigne both them, and their Poëts. O! Is that your purpoſe? Why, Mrs. Mirth, and Madame Tatle, enioy your delights freely. Looke your Newes be new, and freſh, Mr. Prologue, and vntainted, I ſhall find them elſe, if they be ſtale, or flye-blowne, quickly! Wee aske no fauour from you, onely wee would entreate of Madame Expectation— What, Mr. Prologue? That your Ladi-ſhip would expect no more then you vnderſtand. Sir, I can expect enough! I feare too much, Lady, and teach others to do the like? I can doe that too, if I haue cauſe. Cry you mercy, you neuer did wrong, but with iuſt cauſe. What's this, Lady? Curioſity, my Lady Cenſure. O Curioſity! you come to ſee, who weares the new ſute to day? whoſe clothes are beſt penn'd, what euer the part be? which Actor has the beſt legge and foote? what King playes without cuffes? and his Queene without gloues? who rides poſt in ſtockings? and daunces in bootes? Yes, and which amorous Prince makes loue in drinke, or doe's ouer-act prodigiouſly in beaten ſatten▪ and, hauing got the tricke on't, will be monſtrous ſtill, in deſpight of Counſell! Mend your lights, Gentlemen. Maſter Prologue, beginne. Ay me! Who's that? Nay, ſtart not Ladies, theſe carry no fire-workes to fright you, but a Torch i' their hands, to giue light to the buſineſſe. The truth is, there are a ſet of gameſters within, in trauell of a thing call'd a Play, and would faine be deliuer'd of it: and they haue intreated me to be their Man-Midwife, the Prologue; for they are like to haue a hard labour on't. Then the Poet has abus'd himſelfe, like an Aſſe, as hee is.