Edwards, Richard · published 1571 · first performed or written 1564 [1564-1568] (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (first) (Oxford's Boys) · before the Court T48 Addressing a lady: love, desire and inti typicality 0.73 · 531 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T48: lady, love, heart, fair, eyes, la, lord, tears, fie, face.
Byr Lady, if I tarry long here, of the same sauce shall I taste, For my master sent me on an errand, and bade me make haste, Therefore we will depart together. Oft times I have heard, before I came hither, That no man can serve two masters together: A sentence so true, as most men do take it, At any time false, that no man can make it: And yet by their leave, that first have it spoken, How that may prove false, even here I will open: For I Stephano, lo, so named by my father, At this time serve two masters together: And love them a like, the one and the other, I duly obey, I can do no other, A bondman I am so nature hath wrought me, One Damon of Gréece, a gentleman bought me: To him I stand bond, yet serve I another, Whom Damon my Master loves, as his own brother: A Gentleman too, and Pythias he is named, Fraught with Virtue, whom vice never defamed: These two, since at School they fell acquainted, In mutual friendship, at no time have fainted: But loved so kindly, and friendly each other, As though they were Brothers by Father and Mother: Pithagoras learning, these two have embraced, Which both are in virtue so narrowly laced: That all their whole doings do fall to this issue, To have no respect, but only to virtue: All one in effect: all one in their going, All one in their study, all one in their doing: These Gentlemen both, being of one condition, Both alike of my service have all the fruition: Pythias is joyful, if Damon be pleased: If Pythias be served, than Damon is eased: Serve one, serve both: so near, who would win them? I think they have but one heart between them: In traveling Countries, we three have contrived, Full many a year: and this day arrived At SIRACUSAE in Sicilia that ancient Town, Where my Masters are lodged: and I up and down, Go seeking to learn what News here are walking, To hark of what things the people are talking. I like not this Soil: for as I go plodding, I mark there two, there three, their heads always nodding, In close secret wise, still whispering together: If I ask any question, no man doth answer: But shaking their heads, they go their ways speaking, I mark how with tears, their wet eyes are leaking: Some strangeness there is, that breedeth this musinge. Well: I will to my Masters, and tell of their using, That they may learn, and walk wisely together, I fear, we shall curse the time we came hither. Will, didst thou hear the Ladies so talk of me, What aileth them? from their nips shall I never be free? Good faith sir, all the Ladies in the Court, do plainly report, That without mention of them, you can make no sport: They are your Plain song to sing Descant upon, If they wear not, your mirth were gone, Therefore master, jest no more with women in any wise, If you do, by cock your are like to know the price.
seed 43: T31 · seed 44: T44 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
¶ Byr Lady, if I tary longe here, of the same sauce shall I tast, For my master sent me on an errand, and bad mée make haste, Therfore we wyll departe together. ¶Ofte times I haue heard, before I came hether, That no man can serue two maisters together: A sentence so true, as moste men doo take it, At any time false, that no man can make it: And yet by their leaue, that first haue it spoken, How that may proue false, euen here I wyll open: For I Stephano, loe, so named by my father, At this time serue two masters together: And loue them a lyke, the one and the other, I duely obey, I can doo no other, A bondman I am so nature hath wrought me, One Damon of Gréece, a gentleman bought me: To him I stand bond, yet serue I another, Whom Damon my Master loues, as his owne brother: A Gentleman too, and Pithias he is named, Fraught with Uertue, whom vice neuer defamed: These twoo, since at Schoole they fell acquainted, In mutuall friendship, at no time haue fainted: But loued so kindly, and friendly eche other, As thoughe they were Brothers by Father and Mother: Pihagoras learnynge, these two haue embrased, Whiche bothe are in vertue so narrowly laced: That all their whole dooynges do fall to this issue, To haue no respect, but onely to vertue: All one in effecte: all one in their goynge, All one in their study, all one in their doyng: These Gentlemen both, beyng of one condicion, Both alike of my seruice haue all the fruition: Pithias is ioyfull, if Damon be pleased: Yf Pithias be serued, then Damon is eased: Serue one, serue both: so neare, who would win them? I thinke they haue but one hart betwene them: In trauelyng Countreyes, we thrée haue contriued, Full many a yeare: and this day arriued At SIRACVSAE in Sicillia that auncient Towne, Where my Masters are lodged: and I vp and downe, Go séekyng to learne what Newes here are walkyng, To harke of what thynges the people are talkynge. I lyke not this Soyle: for as I go ploddynge, I marke there two, there thrée, their heades alwayes noddinge, In close secret wise, styll whisperyng together: If I aske any question, no man doth answer: But shakyng their heads, they go their wayes speakynge, I marke how with teares, their wet eyes are leakynge: Some strangenesse there is, that bréedeth this musinge. Well: I wyll to my Masters, and tell of their vsing, That they may learne, and walke wisely together, I feare, we shall curse the time we came hether. ¶Wyll, didst thou heare the Ladies so talke of mée, What ayleth them? from their nippes shall I neuer be frée? ¶Good faith sir, all the Ladies in the Courte, do plainl report, That without mencion of them, you can make no sporte: They are your Playne songe to singe Descant vpon, If they weare not, your mirth were gone, Therfore master, iest no more with women in any wise, If you doo, by cocke your are lyke to know the price.