Massinger, Philip · published 1633 · first performed or written 1625 (Annals) comedy · Queen Henrietta Maria's Men · Phoenix/Cockpit T6 Money, debt and credit typicality 0.83 · 483 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
'Twas for these good ends I made him a justice. He that bribes his belly, Is certain to command his soul. I wonder (Still with your licence) why, your Worship having The power to put this thin-gut in commission, You are not in't yourself? Thou art a fool; In being out of Office I am out of danger Where if I were a justice, besides the trouble, I might, or out of wilfulness, or error, Run myself finely into a Praemunire, And so become a prey to the Informer. No, I'll have none of't; 'tis enough I keep Greedy at my devotion: so he serve My purposes, let him hang, or damn, I care not. Friendship is but a word. You are all wisdom. I would be worldly wise, for the other wisdom That does prescribe us a well-governed life, And to do right to others, as ourselves, I value not an Atom. What course take you With your good patience to hedge in the Manor Of your neighbour master Frugal? as 'tis said, He will nor sell, nor borrow, nor exchange, And his land lying in the midst of your many Lordships, Is a foul blemish. I have thought on't, Marrall, And it shall take. I must have all men sellers, And I the only Purchaser. 'Tis most fit Sir. I'll therefore buy some Cottage near his, Manor, Which done, I'll make my men break ope his fences; Ride o'er his standing corn, and in the night Set fire on his barns; or break his cattles legs. These Trespasses draw on Suits, and Suits expenses, Which I can spare, but will soon beggar Him. When I have harried him thus two, or three year, Though he sue in forma pauperis, in spite Of all his thrift, and care he'll grow behindhand. The best I ever heard; I could adore you. Then with the favour of my man of Law, I will pretend some title: Want will force him To put it to arbitrement: then if he sell For half the value, he shall have ready money, And I possess his land. 'Tis above wonder! Welborne was apt to sell, and needed not These fine arts Sir to hook him in. Well thought on. This varlet Marrall lives too long, to upbraid me With my close cheat put upon him. Will nor cold, Nor hunger kill him? I know not what to think on't. I have used all means, and the last night I caused His host the Tapster to turn him out of doors; And have been since with all your friends, and tenants, And on the forfeit of your favour charged him, Though a crust of mouldy bread would keep him fró starving Yet they should not relieve him. This is done, Sir. That was something, Marrall, but thou must go further, And suddenly Marrall. Where, and when you please Sir.
nodes 571–634 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 9 of 40 in this edition
Length
483 words · 634 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T6 — Money, debt and creditcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.832 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T9 · seed 44: T10 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
'Twas for these good ends I made him a Iustice. He that bribes his bellie, Is certaine to command his soule. I wonder (Still with your licence) why, your Worship hauing The power to put this thinne-Gut in commission, You are not in't your selfe? Thou art a foole; In being out of Office I am out of danger Where if I were a Iustice, besides the trouble, I might, or out of wilfulnesse, or error, Run my selfe finely into a Praemunire, And so become a prey to the Informer. No, I'le haue non of't; 'tis enough I keepe Greedie at my deuotion: so he serue My purposes, let him hang, or damne, I care not. Friend-ship is but a word. You are all wisdome. I would be worldly wise, for the other wisdome That does prescribe vs a well-gouern'd life, And to doe right to others, as our selues, I value not an Atome. What course take you With your good patience to hedge in the Mannour Of your neighbour master Frugall? as 'tis sayd, He will nor sell, nor borrow, nor exchange, And his land lying in the mid'st of your many Lordshipps, Is a foule blemish. I haue thought on't, Marrall, And it shall take. I must haue all men sellers, And I the only Purchaser. 'Tis most fit Sir. I'le therefore buy some Cottage neare his, Mannour, Which done, I'le make my men breake ope his fences; Ride o're his standing corne, and in the night Set fire on his barnes; or breake his cattells legges. These Trespasses draw on Suites, and Suites expences, Which I can spare, but will soone begger Him. When I haue harried him thus two, or three yeare, Though he sue in forma pauperis, in spite Of all his thrift, and care he'le grow behind-hand. The best I euer heard; I could adore you. Then with the fauour of my man of Law, I will pretend some title: Want will force him To put it to arbitrement: then if he sell For halfe the value, he shall haue ready money, And I possesse his land. 'Tis aboue wonder! Welborne was apt to sell, and needed not These fine arts Sir to hooke him in. Well thought on. This varlet Marrall liues too long, to vpbraide me With my close cheate put vpon him. Will nor cold, Nor hunger kill him? I know not what to thinkeon't. I haue vs'd all meanes, and the last night I caus'd His host the Tapster to turne him out of doores; And haue beene since with all your friends, and tenant's, And on the forfeit of your fauour charg'd him, Though a crust of mouldie bread would keep him fró staruing Yet they should not relieue him. This is done, Sir. That was something, Marrall, but thou must goe further, And suddainely Marrall. Where, and when you please Sir.