The Ladies' Privilege (The Lady's Privilege) · chunk 10 of 31
Glapthorne, Henry · published 1640 · first performed or written 1637 [1637-1640] (Annals) not in BritDrama · before the Court T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.90 · 477 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
But suppose my fancy Should oversway my judgement, to affect Vitelli; sure your manners would allow me, By willing resignation of your choice, The privilege of my birthright. Would you urge A claim so justly mine, because you viewed The light two years before me: no Chrisea. Love's an unlimited passion, that admits No Ceremonious difference: this prerogative Should Queens endeavour, their unvalued Dowries Are not of worth to purchase: and though here As it befits me, I observe the distance Due to your birth; yet in love's sacred Court, My place is high as yours, and there we may Walk hand in hand together. Do not flatter Your fancy with this vain conceit: Vitelli Must be no more yours; Know I have enjoined The General Doria to engage his friend, To embrace my proffered love to him. You strive, Because you think my young and timorous flame Unapt t'encounter brave Vitellis heat; As cunning Nurses do with froward Babes, Fright them into an appetite: but say All this were real, think you Doria would So easily be persuaded to renounce His proper interest, and enthrall his friend To an unwilling slavery? By truth he has impawned his honour to endeavour What I have uttered, gentle Girl consider Loves unresisted violence, and believe I would not have a rival to usurp A corner in the Kingdom of that heart Of which i'm sovereign, so farewell dear soul, Consider out. Consider out, why this is such an act, Done by a cruel sister, as shall taint That holy name with such a black reproach That should a thousand pious Virgins weep, Rivers of tears, their most immaculate drops Would not wash white her scandal hapless girl, That in love's tempests wert but lately tossed; And now recovered in a calm art lost,— Madam the Duke entreats your instant company. I shall attend his pleasure, good Lactantio. If you can meet my Cosen Bonivet, Desire him visit me. Noble Lactantio, You're happily encountered, I expected My friend Vitelli here, this is his hour, I wonder he is tardy. Your Lordship prevents the time with speed, or else Vitelli Has some impediment by business, sir. You're opportunely welcome to deliver Your own excuse, I was about to stretch My invention for you. Noble friend, your enemy had you engaged your faith To any personal meeting could expect you, But at the minute, reason may dispense Twixt us with such a nicety. Now your friends Arrived, I must beg licence to depart, I have some urgent business. Good Lactantio your time's your own. I kiss your Lordship's hand. Friend now we're alone, I safely may Speak my conjecture, I have read your looks, And in their pensive Characters find secret, Strange signs of sadness. I am sad indeed, When my remembrance tells me I have only Verbal assurance of your friendship.
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)
But suppose my fancy Should over-sway my judgement, to affect Vitelli; sure your manners would allow me, By willing resignation of your choyce, The priviledge of my birth-right. Would you urge A claime so justly mine, because you view'd The light two yeares before me: no Chrisea. Love's an unlimited passion, that admits No Ceremonious difference: this prerogative Should Queenes endevour, their unvalued Dowries Are not of worth to purchase: and tho here As it befits me, I observe the distance Due to your birth; yet in loves sacred Court, My place is high as yours, and there we may Walke hand in hand together. Doe not flatter Your fancy with this vaine conceite: Vitelli Must be no more yours; Know I have enjoyn'd The Generall Doria to engage his friend, To imbrace my proffer'd love to him. You strive, Because you thinke my young and timerous flame Unapt t'incounter brave Vitellis heat; As cunning Nurses doe with froward Babes, Fright them into an appetite: but say All this were reall, thinke you Doria would So easily be perswaded to renownce His proper interest, and inthrall his friend To an unwilling slavery? By truth he has impawn'd his honour to endeavor What I have utter'd, gentle Girle consider Loves unresisted violence, and beleeve I would not have a rivall to usurpe A corner in the Kingdome of that heart Of which i'me soveraigne, so farewell deere soule, Consider out. Consider out, why this is such an act, Done by a cruell sister, as shall taint That holy name with such a blacke reproach That should a thousand pious Virgins weepe, Rivers of teares, their most immaculate drops Would not wash white her scandall haplesse girle, That in loves tempests wert but lately tost; And now recoverd in a calme art lost,— Madam the Duke intreats your instant company. I shall attend his pleasure, good Lactantio. If you can meet my Cosen Bonivet, Desire him visite me. Noble Lactantio, Y'are happily encounterd, I expected My friend Vitelli here, this is his houre, I wonder he is tardie. Your Lordship prevents the time with speed, or else Vitelli Has some impediment by businesse, sir. Y'are opportunely welcome to deliver Your owne excuse, I was about to stretch My invention for you. Noble friend, your enemy had you ingagd your faith To any personall meeting could expect you, But at the minute, reason may dispense Twixt us with such a nicety. Now your friends Arriv'd, I must beg licence to depart, I have some vrgent businesse. Good Lactantio your time's your owne. I kisse your Lordships hand. Friend now wee're alone, I safely may Speake my conjecture, I have read your lookes, And in their pensive Characters finde secret, Strange signes of sadnesse. I am sad indeed, When my remembrance tells me I have only Verball assurance of your friendship.