Shirley, James · published 1640 · first performed or written 1631 [licensed for stage, Nov 14] (Annals) tragedy · Queen Henrietta Maria's Men · Phoenix/Cockpit T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.82 · 489 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
I think I should not. And would you tempt me to do worse? Worse? To sell my honour basely for these vanities Vanities? Mere trifles. And you go to that Lady, that which you part withal for All these pleasures, is but a trifle What? Your maidenhead? where is it? whoever saw it? Is it a thing in nature? what marks has it? many have been lost you'd say, whoever found 'em'? and could say and justify, this is such or such a woman's maidenhead? a mere fiction, and yet you think you have such a jewel on't You cannot be so ignorant as you seem I tell you what I think. Is chastity and innocence no treasure? Are holy thoughts and virgin purity Of so small value? where is your religion? Were we created men and women to Have a command and empire o'er the creatures And shall we lose our privilege our charter And wilfully degrade ourselves of reason And piety, to live like beasts, nay be such? For what name else can we allow ourselves? Hath it been held in every age a virtue Rather to suffer death then stain our honour? Does every sin strike at the soul and wound it And shall not this, so foul as modesty Allows no name, affright us? can the Duke Whose wicked cause you plead, with justice punish Those by his laws that in this kind offend, And can he think me Innocent, or himself When he has played the foul adulterer? Princes are gods on earth and as their virtues Do shine more exemplary to the world So they strike more immediately at heaven When they offend. I did not trouble you with this divinity, I see you are a Gentleman he favours Be worthy of his trust, and counsel him To better ways, his shame is your dishonour; For every good man suffers with his prince: Put him in the memory of the holy vow, When he received his Sceptre He promised then protection to the innocent; Tell him the punishment in store for lust This were an angel's office. But I'll not do't for a hundred angels, thank you as much As though I did, that were the trick of a wise Courtier, tell The Prince of his faults If he have but the seeds of goodness in him he'll take it well He shall do when I take it upon me, I am not weary o'my place, thou Wouldst make a very fine Court Surgeon— well d'ee hear, you won't do this feat for the Duke then? I dare not. You won't you're resolved for his sake, why then prithee do't for mine, you told me once you loved me, I'll take it as a courtesy; I never loved your vicious ways; My ways, they sha'not trouble you, I'll take my own Course, meet him but tonight for my sake and twine with him.
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)
I thinke I should not. And would you tempt me to do worse? Worse? To sell my honor basely for these vanities Vanities? Meere trifles. And you go to that Lady, that which you part withall for All these pleasures, is but a trifle What? Your maidenhead? where is it? who ever saw it? Is it a thing in nature? what markes has it? many have beene lost you'ld say, who ever found em'? and could say and iustifie, this is such or such a womans maidenhead? a mere fiction, and yet you thinke you have such a iewell on't You cannot be so ignorant as you seeme I tell you what I thinke. Is chastity and innocence no treasure? Are holy thoughts and virgin puritie Of so small value? where is your religion? Were we created men and women to Have a command and empireore the creatures And shall we loose our priviledge our charter And wilfully degrad our selves of reason And piety, to live like beasts, nay be such? For what name else can we allow our selves? Hath it been held in every age a vertue Rather to suffer death then staine our honor? Does every sinne stricke at the soule and wound it And shall not this, so foule as modesty Allowes no name, affright us? can the Duke Whose wicked cause you plead, with justice punish Those by his lawes that in this kind offend, And can he thinke me Innocent, or himselfe When he has plaid the foule adulterer? Princes are gods on earth and as their virtues Doe shine more exemplary to the world So they stricke more immediately at heaven When they offend. I did not trouble you with this divinity, I see you are a Gentleman he favours Be worthy of his trust, and counsell him To better wayes, his shame is your dishonor; For every good man suffers with his prince: Put him in the memory of the holy vow, When he received his Septer He promis'd then protection to the innocent; Tell him the punishment in store for lust This were an Angels office. But Ile not doo't for a hundred angells, thanke you as much As though I did, that were the tricke of a wise Courtier, tell The Prince of his faults If he have but the seeds of goodnesse in him Hee'll take it well He shall doe when I take it upon me, I am not weary o'my place, thou wodst make a very fine Court Surgeon—well dee heare, you wo'not doe this feate for the Duke then? I dare not. You wonot y'are resolv'd for his sake, why then prethee doo't for mine, you told me once you lov'd me, Ile take it as a courtesie; I never lov'd your vicious wayes; My wayes, they shanot trouble you, Ile take my owne Course, meet him but to night for my sake and twine with him.