Jonson, Ben · published 1631 · first performed or written 1616 [Oct-Nov (?)] (Annals) comedy · King's Men unassigned nearest T52 Prodigals, portions and poor kin · 520 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T52: brother, father, uncle, cousin, son, poor, bread, old, given, master.
I do not wish to be one, truly, Father. In a descent, or two, we come to be Just ' i their state, fit to be cozened, like 'hem. And I had rather ha' tarried i' your trade: For, since the Gentry scorn the City so much, Me thinks we should in time, holding together, And matching in our own tribes, as they say, Have got an Act of Common Council, for it, That we might cousin them out of rerum natura. I, if we had an Act first to forbidden The marrying of our wealth heirs unto 'em: And daughters, with such lavish portions. That confounds all. And makes a Mongrel breed, Father. And when they have your money, than they laugh at you: Or kick you down the stairs. I cannot abide 'hem. I would feign have 'em cozened, but not trusted. O, is he come! I knew he would not fail me. Welcome, good Guilt-head, I must ha' you do A noble Gentleman, a courtesy, here: In a mere toy (some pretty Ring, or jewel) Of fifty, or threescore pound (Make it a hundred, And hedge in the last forty, that I own you, And your own price for the Ring) He's a good man, Sr, And you may hap' see him a great one! He, Is likely to bestow hundreds, and thousands, Wi' you; if you can humour him. A great prince He will be shortly. What do you say? In truth, Sir I cannot. IT has been a long vacation with us, Of what, I pray thee? of wit? or honesty? Those are your Citizens long vacations. Good Father do not trust 'em, Nay, Thom. Guilt-head. He will not buy a courtesy and beg it: he'll rather pay, than pray. If you do for him, You must do cheerfully. His credit, Sir, Is not yet prostitute! Who's this? thy son? A pretty youth, what's his name? Plutarch, Sir. Plutarch! How came that about? That year Sr, That I begot him, I bought Plutarch's lives, And fallen s ' in love with the book, as I called my son By ' his name; In hope he should be like him: And writ the lives of our great men! I' the City? And you do breed him, there? His mind, Sir, lies Much to that way. Why, than, he is i' the right way. But, now, I had rather get him a good wife, And plant him i' the country; there to use The blessing I shall leave him: Out upon 't! And loose the laudable means, thou hast at home, here, T' advance, and make him a young Alderman? Buy him a Captain's place, for shame; and let him Into the world, early, and with his plume, And Scarves, march through Cheapside, or along Cornhill, And by the virtue ' of those, draw down a wife There from a windo', worth ten thousand pound! Get him the posture book, and 's leaden men, To set upon a table, 'gainst his Mistress Chance to come by, that he may draw her in, And show her Finsbury battles.
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)
I doe not wiſh to be one, truely, Father. In a deſcent, or two, wee come to be Iuſt 'i their ſtate, fit to be coozend, like 'hem. And I had rather ha' tarryed i' your trade: For, ſince the Gentry ſcorne the Citty ſo much, Me thinkes we ſhould in time, holding together, And matching in our owne tribes, as they ſay, Haue got an Act of Common Councell, for it, That we might coozen them out of rerum natura. I, if we had an Act firſt to forbid The marrying of our wealthy heyres vnto 'hem: And daughters, with ſuch lauiſh portions. That confounds all. And makes a Mungril breed, Father. And when they haue your money, then they laugh at you: Or kick you downe the ſtayres. I cannot abide 'hem. I would faine haue 'hem coozen'd, but not truſted. O, is he come! I knew he would not faile me. Welcome, good Guilt-head, I muſt ha' you doe A noble Gentleman, a courteſie, here: In a mere toy (ſome pretty Ring, or Iewell) Of fifty, or threeſcore pound (Make it a hundred, And hedge in the laſt forty, that I owe you, And your owne price for the Ring) He's a good man, Sr, And you may hap' ſee him a great one! Hee, Is likely to beſtow hundreds, and thouſands, Wi' you; if you can humour him. A great prince He will be ſhortly. What doe you ſay? In truth, Sir I cannot. 'T has beene a long vacation with vs, Of what, I pray thee? of wit? or honeſty? Thoſe are your Citizens long vacations. Good Father do not truſt 'hem, Nay, Thom. Guilt-head. Hee will not buy a courteſie and begge it: Hee'll rather pay, then pray. If you doe for him, You muſt doe cheerefully. His credit, Sir, Is not yet proſtitute! Who's this? thy ſonne? A pretty youth, what's his name? Plutarchus, Sir. Plutarchus! How came that about? That yeere Sr, That I begot him, I bought Plutarch's liues, And fell ſ' in loue with the booke, as I call'd my ſonne By 'his name; In hope he ſhould be like him: And write the liues of our great men! I' the City? And you do breed him, there? His minde, Sir, lies Much to that way. Why, then, he is i' the right way. But, now, I had rather get him a good wife, And plant him i' the countrey; there to vſe The bleſſing I ſhall leaue him: Out vpon 't! And loſe the laudable meanes, thou haſt at home, heere, T' aduance, and make him a young Alderman? Buy him a Captaines place, for ſhame; and let him Into the world, early, and with his plume, And Scarfes, march through Cheapſide, or along Cornehill, And by the vertue' of thoſe, draw downe a wife There from a windo', worth ten thouſand pound! Get him the poſture booke, and 's leaden men, To ſet vpon a table, 'gainſt his Miſtreſſe Chance to come by, that hee may draw her in, And ſhew her Finsbury battells.