Gascoigne, George / Ariosto, Ludovico · published 1575 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) comedy unassigned nearest T49 Wooing a mistress: suitors, go-betweens · 509 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
I promise' you of my honesty, say on. Well hear you me then: this young man whom you have always taken for Dulipo, is a noble borne Sicilian, his right name Erostrato, son to Philogano, one of the worthiest men in that country. How Erostrato? is it not our neighbour, which? Hold thy talking nurse, and hearken to me, that I may explain the whole case unto thee. The man whom to this day you have supposed to be Dulipo, is (as I say) Erostrato, a gentleman that came from Sicilia to study in this City, & even at his first arrival met me in the street, fell enamoured of me, & of such vehement force were the passions he suffered, that immediately he cast aside both long gown and books, & determined on me only to apply his study. And to the end he might the more commodiously both see me and talk with me, he exchanged both name, habit, clothes and credit with his servant Dulipo (whom only he brought with him out of Sicilia) and so with the turning of a hand, of Erostrato a gentleman, he become Dulipo a serving man, and soon after sought service of my father, and obtained it. Are you sure of this? Yea out of doubt: on the other side Dulipo took upon him the name of Erostrato his master, the habit, the credit, books, and all things needful to a studente, and in short space profited very much, and is now esteemed as you see. Are there no other Sicilians here: nor none that pass this way, which may discover them? Very few that pass this way, and few or none that tarry here any time. This hath been a strange adventure: but I pray you how hung these things together? that the studente whom you say to be the servant, and not the master, is become an earnest suitor to you, and requireth you of your father in marriage? That is a policy devised between them, to put Doctor Dotipole out of conceit: the old dotard, he that so instantly doth lie upon my father for me. But look where he comes, as God help me it is he, out upon him, what a lusty younker is this? yet I had rather be a Noon a thousand times, than be cumbered with such a Coistrel. Daughter you have reason, but let us go in before he come any nearer. WEre these dames here, or did mine eyes dazzle? Nay sir here were Polinesta and her nurse. Was my Polinesta here? alas I knew her not. He must have better eyesight that should marry your Polinesta, or else he may chance to oversee the best point in his tables sometimes. Sir it is no marvel, the air is very misty too day: I myself knew her better by her apparel than by her face. In good faith and I thank God I have mine eye sight good and perfect, little worse than when I was but twenty years old.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I promiſe you of my honeſtie, ſay on. Well heare you me then: this yong man whome you haue alwayes taken for Dulipo, is a noble borne Sicilian, his right name Eroſtrato, ſonne to Philogano, one of the worthieſt men in that countrey. How Eroſtrato? is it not our neighbour, whiche? Holde thy talking nourſe, and harken to me, that I may explane the whole caſe vnto thée. The man whome to this day you haue ſuppoſed to be Dulipo, is (as I ſay) Eroſtrato, a gentleman that came from Sicilia to ſtudie in this Citie, & euen at his firſt arriuall met me in the ſtréet, fel enamored of me, & of ſuche vehement force were the paſſions he ſuffred, that immediatly he caſt aſide both long gowne and bookes, & determined on me only to apply his ſtudy. And to the end he might the more cōmodiouſly bothe ſée me and talke with me, he exchanged both name, habite, clothes and credite with his ſeruāt Dulipo (whom only he brought with him out of Sicilia) and ſo with the turning of a hand, of Eroſtrato a gentleman, he became Dulipo a ſeruing man, and ſoone after ſought ſeruice of my father, and obteyned it. Are you ſure of this? Yea out of doubt: on the other ſide Dulippo tooke vppon him the name of Eroſtrato his maiſter, the habite, the credite, bookes, and all things néedefull to a ſtudente, and in ſhorte ſpace profited very muche, and is nowe eſtéemed as you ſée. Are there no other Sicylians héere: nor none that paſſe this way, which may diſcouer them? Very fewe that paſſe this way, and fewe or none that tarrie héere any time. This hath béen a ſtraunge aduenture: but I pray you howe hang theſe thinges togither? that the ſtudente whome you ſay to be the ſeruant, and not the maiſter, is become an earneſt ſuter to you, and requireth you of your father in mariage? That is a pollicie deuiſed betwéene them, to put Doctor Dotipole out of conceite: the olde dotarde, he that ſo inſtantly dothe lye vpon my father for me. But looke where he comes, as God helpe me it is he, out vpon him, what a luſkie yonker is this? yet I had rather be a Noone a thouſande times, than be combred with ſuche a Coyſtrell. Daughter you haue reaſon, but let vs go in before he come any néerer. WEre theſe dames héere, or did mine eyes dazil? Nay ſyr héere were Polyneſta and hir nourſe. Was my Polyneſta héere? alas I knewe hir not. He muſte haue better eyeſight that ſhoulde marry your Polyneſta, or elſe he may chaunce to ouerſée the beſt poynt in his tables ſometimes. Syr it is no maruell, the ayre is very miſtie too day: I my ſelfe knew hir better by hir apparell than by hir face. In good fayth and I thanke God I haue mine eye ſighte good and perfit, little worſe than when I was but twentie yeres olde.