Edward Pudsey's Commonplace book [portions]: containing first known manuscript quotations from Shakespeare's plays

Editorial note: In this transcription, marginal headings appear as their own line, preceeding the line of associated body text. As a result, the line of body text following a heading may include content associated with the previous heading.

[fol. 41r]

                         Plays    shakespeare Iohnson
                         Merchannt of Venice Shakspear.
Luster    
Theil not shew vier teeth in way of smile tho nestor ^swear the rest bee laughable
Peeuish  
Creepe into the Iaundics by beeing peeuishe. To bee drest in an opinion of &c.
Protests  
my best meanes ly all vnlocked to your occasions. what warmth in        
                                                                                                 ^{your affection towardes.}
Laws      
The braine may devise lawes for thee blood, but a hot temper leaps ore a cold ^decree
"..o         
Doate on his absence. To supply the rype wants of &c. dwel in nesessity
Loue      
O that I had a tytle good inough to keep his name companye.
intreats past all saying nay. An vnwearied spirit in doing good.
season      
many thinges by season seasond are to their right prais & true perfection
simile     
Hee knowes mee as the blynd man knows the cucko by my bad voice
                                                              

                                              Irus
humor     
The faultes of many are bueried in their humour. To drinke
to one is meant what health the wyne doth worke shalbe empl=
Drink= 
ing to
one   
oyed, to their command & proper vse. this the first intent of drinking to one
your hart is greater then your person. Dearer then the poungranet of my ey
"Coming out of his moueables
Anger      
An angry man ys lyke one that is troubled with the govt so tender
                 that he cryes out before hee bee toucht.

                             Euery man out of his humor . Iohnson .
Intrusion  
Not to Intrude till others affections or our own desertes do worthily invyte vs &c.
raysing     
The modest paper lookes pale for greef, to bee staind with such a blacke &
Criminall inscription.              To marc himself
Patient      
Oft taking phisicke makes a man a very patient creature.
worth        
one whos lowest condicion beares the stamp of a great spirit.
Dronkenes
"A tauern token swallowed. wraggle into acquaintaince.
“your dearth of Iudgment. To stale himself in all societies.
Lust          
Beware when mutuall pleasure sways the appetite & in the pride of blood
foolish:     
his iudgment burnt the ear for a rouge then etc. Inimitable.
Inconst:    
That thought is lyke the moone in the last quarter it will change.
Agull        
Lyke a barbars virginalles &c. Smooth forheaded.

                     C.I.M a pair royall of nobles

[fol. 41v]

                                     Plays   Marston . Iohnson
                         Antonio & Mellida . ipart . Marston .
Affectacion 
Greedily Champing what any other wel valued iudgment had chewed
A flatter      
A supple chapt flatterer with most obsequious sleek-brow’d intertaine
"Husht obseraunce. A cheek not ^as yet  wan’d. with an intentiue thought
An eye        
"A smart speaking ey. Keele your mouth it runs ouer.
"Eloquence begins to grope him already.
                                    2 part of A:M.
Partiality    
"your ffauor will giue crutches to our ffaultes. hony me with fluent speech
Painting     
ffayrer then natures faire ys foulest vyce . Clingd in sensuallity.
Ignorance   
he that speakes he knows not what neuer sins against his own conscience
Plaines       
The clapper of his mouth is not glibd with court oyle swil not strike on
Lust            
both sydes yet. The least soyle of lust smeeres pure loue.
“Tronges of thoughtes crowd for passage. Lysen it       exit
Resolved
Steele the point of thy resolue that it turn not edg in execucion
“I affect with vnbounded zeale. And old man will seru for picking mait.
Patien.        
Patience hoop my sydes with steeled ribbes least I do burst my brestes
with strugling passions. unapparell your Dear beauties bl
"Statesmen that cleaue through knottes of Craggie pollicies
statistes
vse men lyke wedges one ^to stryke out an other till &c.
Flattery      
A Burre that stickes vppon mapp of greatnes.

                                         Poestaster.
Enuy    
The envyous haue Basiliske eys & forked tonges steept in
venom as their hartes in gall.  They haue salt in them and
                                                                          ^{will brooke the ayre.} 
Ignoranc  
The spawne of ignorance may bestime his name &c.
                                                    Distorted faces & dudgeon censures
Co:Law      
O that I studie not the tedious lawes, & prostitute my voic in eny cause
“Enuy, the liuing not the dead doth byte. for after death all men receiu their ryght.
Selfwill      
Let not your ears bee dammd vp to all good counsell.
“The tyme was once when wit drownd we^lth:but now your only barba=
“rism's, to haue witt & want. No matter now who in
“vertue excells, be that hath coyn hath all perfection else
“yt wold haue crackt our sinews shrunk our vains, & made our very hart
"strings iar &c . ffulsome to mee in euery thing &c.
“moues as mightelye. A man born vpon little legges is always a gentleman borne

[fol. 86v]
                       PLays Loues metamorphosis   Lilly & Alexander  & campasbe his
                               Titus Andronicus          Romeo & Iuliet
"The next blowe hittes the tale out of his mowth : her eys sunke so farre into
“her head that she looketh out of the nape of her neck: where continu=
Loue
virginity
all warre that betweene loue & vertue there ^must bee some parlies
& continuall perilles. Cupid was neuer conquered & therefore must bee
flattered, virginity hath & therefore must bee humble The Causes
Loue    
of loue witt & Idlenes, the meanes oportunity & Importunitye
ffor an other to put thoughtes into my head were to pull the brains out of my head
Poets make their wreathes of lawrell adyes of sunndry flowers.
Merchandise
A Merchant who knowes no other good then gold unles it bee falseye
wearing by a god to get golde.
beleef
my thoughtes are bound prentises to your wordes &c.
Alexander  
& Campasbe
A quipp ys a short saying of a sharp witt with a bitter sence in a sweet wo^rde
Let her past. Response. so she shall for the fayrest in death.
“So light a body harth eaten nothing this seunnight but Cork & ffeatheres
Excues
“vsuall excuses the swearing Cometh of a whot mettle lying of a
“quick witt: fflattery of a flowing toung: vndecent talk of a mery disposicion /.
plaines
To be beleeved whet your toung on your hart.
“down with arms & vp with &c.
                     Titus Andronicus .
Mercye
Yf thou wilt draw neuer the nature of the godes, bee mercifull &c.
“Shall flyle & trim our devises
“had I but seene thy picture in this plight, yt wold &c.
                                                       Romeo & Iuliet
Loue
ffeather of lead, bright smoake cold fyer, sicke health, still waking sleep &c.
“If I see one passing fair, yt is to mee but as a note wher I read
“who past that passing faire.
Tut man one fyre burnes out anotheres burninge one paine ys less=
ened by anotheres anguish, turne giddy & be holy by backwarde
turninge: Take you som new infection to thy eye & the rank poson of the old will dye.
I care not what curious eye doth cote deformityes.
"when good manneres shall lye all in one or 2 mens handes & they
"vnwasht too, tis a foule thinge. the whyte vpturned wondring eys
Beauty
O she doth teach the torches to burne bright she hanges vppon the cheek
of night lyke a ruh Iewell in an Ethiops eare: Two of the fayrest starres
in all the heauen hauing som buesines do intreat her eys to twinke in
their spheeres ^till they returne. my eares haue not yet dronk a 100 wordes
of that tounges vtterance, yet I shold know it
Loue  
Loue goes toward Loue as schoole boyes from thier bookes
but Loue from Loue towards schoole with heauvy Lookes