Whetstone, George · published 1578 · first performed or written 1578 [1576-1579] (Annals) comedy · Unacted T40 Sin, guilt and violent loss within famil typicality 0.80 · 527 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T40: brother, death, life, die, heaven, sin, live, father, blood, soul.
And law even with the worst, awards them punishment: And sith that rigorous law adjudged him to die, Your glory will be much the more, in showing him mercy. The world will think, how the you do, but grant him grace on cause, And where cause is, there mercy should abate the force of laws. Cassandra in thy brother's half, thou hast said what may be And for thy sake, it is, if I do set Andrugio free: Short tale to make, thy beauty hath, surprised me with love, That maugre wit, I turn my thoughts, as blind affections move. And quite subdued by Cupid's might, need makes me sue for grace To thee Cassandra, which dost hold, my freedom in a lace. Yield to my will, and then command, even what thou wilt of me, Thy brother's life, and all that else, may with thy liking 'gree. And may it be, a judge himself, the self same fault should use: For which he domes, an others death, O crime without excuse. Renowned Lord, you use this speech (I hope) your thrall to try, If otherwise, my brother's life, so dear I will not buy. Fair Dame my outward looks, my inward thoughts bewray, If you mistrust, to search my heart, would God you had a kaye. If that you love (as so you say) the force of love you know, Which felt, in conscience you should, my brother favour show. In doubtful war, one prisoner still, doth set another free. What so war seeks, love unto war, contrary is, you see. Hate fostreth war, love cannot hate, then may it covet force. The Lover oft sues to his foe, and findeth no remorse: Then if he hap to have a help, to win his froward foe, Too kind a fool, I will him hold, that lets such vantage go. Well, to be short, myself will die, ere I my honour stain, You know my mind, leave off to tempt, your offers are in vain. Bethink yourself, at price enough I purchase sweet your love, Andrugio's life sufficed alone, your strangeness to remove: The which I grant, with any wealth that else you will require, Who buyeth love at such a rate, pays well for his desire. Not Promos, not, honour never at value may be sold, Honour far dearer is than life, which passeth price of gold: To bnie this jewel at the full, my wife I may thee make: For unsure hope, that peerless pearl, I never will forsake: These suits seems strange at first I see, where modesty bears sway, I therefore will set down my will, & for her answer stay. Fair Cassandra, the jewel of my joy, How so in show, my tale, seems strange to thee: The same well weighed, thou needest not be so coy, Yet for to give thee respite to agreed. I will two days hope still of thy consent, Which if thou grant (to clear my clouds of care) Clothed like a Page (suspect for to prevent.) Unto my Court, some night, sweet wench repair. Till than adieu, thou these my words, in works performed shalt found.
seed 43: T37 · seed 44: T36 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
And lawe euen with the worſt, awardes them puniſhment: And ſith that rigorous lawe adiudgd him to dye, Your glorie will be much the more, in ſhowing him mercie. The world wil think, how ye you do, but graūt him grace on cauſe, And where cauſe is, there mercy ſhould abate the force of lawes. Caſſandra in thy brothers halfe, thou haſt ſayde what may be And for thy ſake, it is, if I doe ſet Andrugio frée: Short tale to make, thy beauty hath, ſurpryſed mee with loue, That maugre wit, I turne my thoughts, as blynd affections moue. And quite ſubdude by Cupids might, néede makes mée ſue for grace To thée Caſſandra, which doeſt holde, my fréedome in a lace. Yéelde to my will, and then commaund, euen what thou wilt of mée, Thy brothers life, and all that elſe, may with thy liking grée. And may it be, a Iudge himſelf, the ſelfe ſame fault ſhould vſe: For which he domes, an others death, O crime without excuſe. Renowned Lorde, you vſe this ſpeach (I hope) your thrall to trye, If otherwiſe, my brothers life, ſo deare I will not bye. Faire Dame my outward looks, my inward thoughts bewray, If you miſtruſt, to ſearch my harte, would God you had a kaye. If that you loue (as ſo you ſaye) the force of loue you know, Which fealt, in conſcience you ſhould, my brother fauour ſhow. In doubtfull warre, one priſoner ſtill, doth ſet another frée. VVhat ſo warre ſéekes, loue vnto warre, contrary is, you ſée. Hate foſtreth warre, loue cannot hate, then maye it couet force. The Louer ofte ſues to his foe, and findeth no remorſe: Then if he hap to haue a helpe, to wyn his frowarde foe, Too kinde a foole, I will him holde, that lets ſuch vantage goe. Well, to be ſhort, my ſelfe wyll dye, ere I my honor ſtaine, You know my minde, leaue off to tempt, your offers are in vaine. Bethink your ſelf, at price inough I purchaſe ſweet your loue, Andrugios life ſuffiſ'd alone, your ſtraungenes to remoue: The which I graunt, with any wealth that elſe you wyll require, Who buyeth loue at ſuch a rate, payes well for his deſire. No Promos, no, honor neuer at value maye be ſolde, Honor farre dearer is then life, which paſſeth price of golde: To bnie this Iuell at the full, my wife I may thée make: For vnſure hope, that péereles pearle, I neuer will forſake: Theſe ſutes ſeemes ſtrange at firſt I ſee, wher modeſty beares ſway, I therfore wil ſet down my wyll, & for hir anſwer ſtaye. Fayre Caſſandra, the iuell of my ioye, Howe ſo in showe, my tale, ſeemes ſtraunge to thee: The ſame well waide, thou need'ſt not be ſo coye, Yet for to giue thee reſpite to agree. I wyll two daies hope ſtyll of thy conſent, VVhich if thou graunt (to cleare my clowdes of care) Cloth'd like a Page (ſuſpect for to preuent.) Vnto my Court, ſome night, ſweet wenche repaire. Tyl then adue, thou theſe my words, in works perform'd ſhalt find.