Nabbes, Thomas · published 1640 · first performed or written 1640 (Annals) not in BritDrama · Unacted T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.86 · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Melissa, you Have made my age conceive as many hopes As ever father did to make him happy. Kill not their issue by a rash neglect, And voluntary loss of that which perfect And ordered judgements do call happiness; Above th'enjoying of a course desire; Confined to a mean person too: if greatness Were not a relative to all that's good, And glorious in the general speculation Of things that do affect us, not in sense, But the bright part of reason; emulous man Would not through danger manage actions So full of wonder, nor employ his faculties In high designs: but like a heavy lump That only by its weight moves to its centre, And there sleeps, so should we: leave no? so much As the Record of any memorable And brave achievement, for a monument That such men once had being. To be Duchess Will not impair your virtues; they would take More luster from the title. Now Melissa I'd have you quench that low and common flame That burns towards Fidelio; and embrace Those high desires I point you to: my policy Hath ordered the success, and your obedience By your subjecting of it to my will, Shall crown you with full blessings. Honoured Sir, The duty which I owe you, and which ought not Be mentioned without reverence, humbles me Thus to express it. If I could new mould My frame and temper fit for such great honours. I should embrace them with the entertainment Of my most ready will. My constitution Is of too course a matter to receive Such nice impressions. Those whom Heaven hath Ordained for Princes, are of purer earth Then common mortals sure; and by instinct Both know, and order their high difference, To make it fit for greatness. If I were The Duchess sir, my thoughts would still betray Me to myself; and such imperfect actions Receive their ordering from my weak abilities, They'd render me a scorn to those, that otherwise Would pay me reverence. Your unwillingness Plays with illusions that are vain and empty. In what are you defective but your will, That's regulated by a childish humour? Let your consideration weigh th' events Are incident to both: when you are Duchess You'll be above the danger of your fortune; And awe that weak necessity to which The other may be subject. Sure your father Saith right sweet Lady; there's much difference Betwixt the Duchess and a subject's wife; Betwixt a chair of State, and a thrummed couch; A Ward robe that would furnish a Jews Lumbre, And one embroidered petticoat for Sundaies; And that perhaps not paid for too. Be wise, Obey your father Lady and be Duchess: 'Twill be the better choice. Content abounds In riches, when the owners of crammed Treasuries Unsatisfied are beggars. Sir, the Duke Having refused me, how can I affect him? And where love is enforced. Why there's your privilege, Great Ladies ought not love: their husbands more Than in a just proportion of state.
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Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Melissa, you Have made my age conceive as many hopes As ever father did to make him happy. Kill not their issue by a rash neglect, And voluntary losse of that which perfect And order'd judgements doe call happinesse; Above th'enjoying of a course desire; Confin'd to a meane person too: if greatnesse Were not a relative to all that's good, And glorious in the generall speculation Of things that doe affect us, not in sence, But the bright part of reason; emulous man Would not through danger mannage actions So full of wonder, nor imploy his faculties In high designes: but like a heavy lumpe▪ That onely by its weight moves to its center, And there sleepes, so should we: leave no? so much As the Record of any memorable And brave atchievement, for a monument That such men once had being. To be Dutchesse Will not impaire your vertues; they would take More luster from the title. Now Melissa I'ld have you quench that low and common flame That burnes towards Fidelio; and embrace Those high desires I point you to: my pollicy Hath order'd the successe, and your obedience By your subjecting of it to my will, Shall crowne you with full blessings. Honour'd Sir, The duty which I owe you, and which ought not Be mention'd without reverence, humbles me Thus to expresse it. If I could new mould My frame and temper fit for such great honours. I should embrace them with the entertainement Of my most ready will. My constitution Is of too course a matter to receive Such nice impressions. Those whom Heaven hath Ordain'd for Princes, are of purer earth Then common mortals sure; and by instinct Both know, and order their high difference, To make it fit for greatnesse. If I were The Dutchesse sir, my thoughts would still betray Me to my selfe; and such imperfect actions Receive their ordering from my weake abilities, They'ld render me a scorne to those, that otherwise Would pay me reverence. Your unwillingnesse Playes with illusions that are vaine and empty. In what are you defective but your will, That's regulated by a childish humour? Let your consideration weigh th' events Are incident to both: when you are Dutchesse You'l be above the danger of your fortune; And awe that weake necessity to which The other may be subject. Sure your father Saith right sweet Lady; there's much difference Betwixt the Dutchesse and a subjects wife; Betwixt a chaire of State, and a thrum'd couch; A Ward robe that would furnish a Iewes Lumbre, And one embroydred petty-coate for Sundaies; And that perhaps not paid for too. Be wise, Obey your father Lady and be Dutchesse: 'Twill be the better choice. Content abounds In riches, when the owners of cramb'd Treasuries Unsatisfi'd are beggers. Sir, the Duke Having refus'd me, how can I affect him? And where love is enforc'd. Why there's your priviledge, Great Ladies ought not love: their husbands more Then in a just proportion of state.