Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	expect_v	expectation_n	prologue_n	40	3	15.8402	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04633	Bartholmew fayre : a comedie, acted in the yeare, 1614 by the Lady Elizabeths seruants, and then dedicated to King Iames, of most blessed memorie ; The diuell is an asse : a comedie acted in the yeare, 1616, by His Maiesties seruants ; The staple of newes : a comedie acted in the yeare, 1625, by His Maiesties seruants by the author, Beniamin Iohnson.; Plays. Selections	Jonson, Ben, 1573?-1637.	1631 (1631)	STC 14753.5; ESTC S4350	137,976	257

ALLOT and are to be sold at the signe of the Beare in Pauls Church-yard 1631 THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY PENI-BOY the Sonne the heire and Suiter PENI-BOY the Father the Canter PENI-BOY the Vncle The Vsurer CYMBAL Master of the Staple and prime Ieerer FITTON Emissary Court and Ieerer ALMANACH Doctor in Physick and Ieerer SHVN-FIELD Sea-captaine and Ieerer MADRIGAL Poetaster and Ieerer PICKLOCK Man o' law and Emissary Westminster PYED-MANTLE Pursiuant at armes and Heraldet REGISTER Of the Staple or Office NATHANEEL First Clerke of the Office Tho: BARBR Second Clerke of the Office PECVNIA Infanta of the Mynes MORTGAGE Her Nurse STATVTE First Woman BAND Second Woman VVAXE Chambermaid BROKER Secretary and Gentleman vsher to her Grace LICK-FINGER A Master Cooke and parcell Poet FASHIONER The Taylor of the times LINENER HABERDASHER SHOOMAKER SPVRRIER CVSTOMERS Male and Female PORTER DOGGES II The SCENE London THE INDVCTION The PROLOGVE enters After him Gossip MIRTH. Gos TATLE. Gos EXPECTATION and Gossip CENSVRE 4. Gentlewomen LADY-like attyred PROLOGVE FOr your owne sake not ours MIRTH. 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 PROLOGVE Where o' the Stage Ladies MIRTH. 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 PROLOGVE 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 MIRTH. 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 PROLOGVE O! Is that your purpose Why Mrs. Mirth and Madame Tatle enioy your delights freely TATLE. Looke your Newes be new and fresh Mr. Prologue and vntainted I shall find them else if they be stale or flye-blowne quickly PROLOGVE Wee aske no fauour from you onely wee would entreate of Madame Expectation EXPECTATION What Mr. Prologue PROLOGVE That your Ladi-ship would expect no more then you vnderstand EXPECTATION Sir I can expect enough PROLOGVE I feare too much Lady and teach others to do the like EXPECTATION I can doe that too if I haue cause PROLOGVE Cry you mercy you neuer did wrong but with iust cause What 's this Lady MIRTH. Curiosity my Lady Censure PROLOGVE 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 CENSVRE 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 BOOK-HOLDER Mend your lights Gentlemen Master Prologue beginne TATLE. Ay me EXPECTATION Who 's that PROLOGVE 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 travell 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 TATLE. Then the Poet has abus'd himselfe like an Asse as hee is MIRTH. No his Actors will abuse him enough or I am deceiu'd Yonder he is within I was i' the Tiring-house a while to see the Actors drest rowling himselfe vp and downe like a tun i' the midst of 'hem and spurges neuer did vessel of wort or wine worke so His sweating put me in minde of a good Shrouing dish and I beleeue would be taken vp for a seruice of state somewhere an 't were knowne a stew'd Poet He doth sit like an vnbrac'd Drum with one of his heads beaten out For that you must note a Poet hath two heads as a Drum has one for making the other repeating and his repeating head is all to pieces they may gather it vp i' the tiring-house for hee hath torne the booke in a Poeticall fury and put himselfe to silence in dead Sacke which were there no other vexation were sufficient to make him the most miserable Embleme of patience CENSVRE The Prologue peace THE PROLOGVE FOR THE STAGE FOr your owne sakes not his he bad me say Would you were come to heare not see a Play Though we his Actors must prouide for those Who are our guests here in the way of showes The maker hath not so he 'ld haue you wise Much rather by your eares then by your eyes And prayes you 'll not preiudge his Play for ill Because you marke it not and sit not still But haue a longing to salute or talke With such a female and from her to walke With your discourse to what is done and where How and by whom in all the towne but here Alas what is it to his Scene to know How many Coaches in Hide-parke did show Last spring what fare to day at Medleyes was If Dunstan or the Phoenix best wine has They are things But yet the Stage might stand as wel If it did neither heare these things nor tell Great noble wits be good vnto your selues And make a difference 'twixt Poetique elues And Poets All that dable in the inke And defile quills are not those few can thinke Conceiue expresse and steere the soules of men As with a rudder round thus with their pen He must be one that can instruct your youth And keepe your Acme in the state of truth Must enterprize this worke marke but his wayes What flight he makes how new And then he sayes If that not like you that he sends to night 'T is you haue left to iudge not hee to write THE PROLOGVE FOR THE COVRT A Worke not smelling of the Lampe to night But fitted for your Maiesties disport And writ to the Meridian of your Court VVee bring and hope it may produce delight The rather being offered as a Rite To Schollers that can iudge and faire report The sense they heare aboue the vulgar sort Of Nut-crackers that onely come for sight Wherein although our Title Sir be Newes Wee yet aduenture here to tell you none But shew you common follies and so knowne That though they are not truths th' innocent Muse Hath made so like as Phant'sie could them state Or Poetry without scandall imitate THE STAPLE OF NEVVES