Ford, John · published 1633 · first performed or written 1632 [1632-1633] (Annals) tragedy · Queen Henrietta Maria's Men · Phoenix/Cockpit T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.87 · 502 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Duke, do not shame thy manhood to lay hands On that most innocent Lady. Yet again: Confine him to his Chamber. Leave us all; None stay, not one, shut up the doors. Now show thyself my brother, brave Caraffa. Woman, stand forth before me,— wretched whore. What canst thou hope for? Death; I wish no less: You told me you had dreamt; and, gentle Duke, Unless you be mistook, you are now awaked. Strumpet I am, and in my hand hold up The edge that must uncut thy twist of life. Dost thou not shake? For what? to see a weak Faint trembling arm advance a leaden blade? Alas good man, put up, put up; thine eyes Are likelier much to weep, than arms to strike: What would you do now, pray? What! shameless harlot; Rip up the Cradle of thy cursed womb, In which the mixture of that traitor's lust Impostumes for a birth of Bastardy: Yet come, and if thou think'st thou canst deserve One mite of mercy, ere the boundless spleen Of just-consuming wrath o'erswell my reason, Tell me, bad woman, tell me what could move Thy heart to crave variety of youth? I tell ye, if you needs would be resolved, I held Fernando much the properer man. Shameless intolerable whore. What ails you? Can you imagine, Sir, the name of Duke Could make a crooked leg, a scambling foot. A tolerable face, a wearish hand, A bloodless lip, or such an untrimmed beard As yours, fit for a Lady's pleasure, no: I wonder you could think 'twere possible, When I had once but looked on your Fernando, I ever could love you again? Fie, fie, Now by my life, I thought that long ago Y' had known it; and been glad you had a friend: Your wife did think so well of. O my stars! Here's impudence above all history: Why thou detested Reprobate in virtue; Durst thou, without a blush, before mine eyes, Speak such immodest language? Dare? yes faith, You see I dare: I know what you would say now; You would fain tell me how exceeding much I am beholding to you, that vouchsafed Me, from a simple Gentlewoman's place, The honour of your bed: 'tis true, you did; But why? 'twas but because you thought I had A spark of beauty more than you had seen. To answer this, my reason is the like, The self same appetite which led you on To marry me, led me to love your friend: O he's a gallant man! if ever yet Mine eyes beheld a miracle, composed Of flesh and blood, Fernando has my voice. I must confess, my Lord, that for a Prince, Handsome enough you are, and no more: But to compare yourself with him, trust me You are too much in fault: shall I advise you? Hark in your ear; thank heaven he was so slow As not to wrong your sheets; for as I live, The fault was his, not mine.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Duke, doe not shame thy manhood to lay hands On that most innocent Lady. Yet againe: Confine him to his Chamber. Leaue vs all; None stay, not one, shut vp the dores. Now shew thy my brother, braue Caraffa. Woman, stand forth before me,—wretched whore. What canst thou hope for? Death; I wish no lesse: You told me you had dreamt; and, gentle Duke, Vnlesse you be mistooke, you are now awak'd. Strumpet I am, and in my hand hold vp The edge that must vncut thy twist of life. Dost thou not shake? For what? to see a weake Faint tremblng arme aduance a leaden blade? Alas good man, put vp, put vp; thine eyes Are likelier much to weepe, then armes to strike: What wud you doe now, pray? What! shamelesse harlot; Rip vp the Cradle of thy cursed wombe, In which the mixture of that Traytors lust Impostumes for a birth of Bastardy: Yet come, and if thou think'st thou canst deserue One mite of mercy, e're the boundlesse spleene Of just-consuming wrath ore-swell my reason, Tell me, bad woman, tell me what could moue Thy heart to crae variety of youth? I tell yee, if you needs would be resolu'd, I held Fernando much the properer man. Shamelesse intolerable whoore. What ayles you? Can you imagine, Sir, the name of Duke Could make a crooked leg, a scambling foot. A tolerable face, a wearish hand, A bloodlesse lip, or such an vntrimm'd beard As yours, fit for a Ladies pleasure, no: I wonder you could thinke 'twere possible, When I had once but look'd on your Fernando, I euer could loue you againe? Fye, fie, Now by my life, I thought that long agoe had knowne it; and beene glad you had a friend: Your wife did thinke so well of. O my starres! Here's impudence aboue all history: Why thou detested Reprobate in vertue; Durst thou, without a blush, before mine eyes, Speake such immodest language? Dare? yes faith, You see I dare: I know what you would say now; You would faine tell me how exceeding much I am beholding to you, that vouchsaf'd Me, from a simple Gentlewomans place, The honour of your bed: 'tis true, you did; But why? 'twas but because you thought I had A sparke of beauty more then you had seene. To answer this, my reason is the like, The selfe same appetite which led you on To marry me, led me to loue your friend: O hee's a gallant man! if euer yet Mine eyes beheld a miracle, compos'd Of flesh and blood, Fernando has my voyce. I must confesse, my Lord, that for a Prince, Handsome enough you are, and no more: But to compare your selfe with him, trust me You are too much in fault: shall I aduise you? Harke in your eare; thanke heauen he was so slow As not to wrong your sheets; for as I liue, The fault was his, not mine.