Whetstone, George · published 1578 · first performed or written 1578 [1576-1579] (Annals) comedy · Unacted unassigned nearest T23 Husbands, wives and jealousy · 531 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T23: wife, husband, cuckold, jealousy, woman, jealous, mistress, love, house, honest.
Unhappy wretch, I blush myself to see, appareled thus monstrous to my kind: But o, my weeds, will with my fault agree, When I have pleased, lewd Promos fleshly mind. What shall I do, go proffer what he sought? Or on more suit, shall I give my consent? The best is sure, since this must needs be wrought: I go, and show, need makes me to his bent. My floods of tears, from true intent which flow. May quench his lust, or ope his muzzled eyen, To see that I deserve to be his wife: Though now constrained to be his Concubine. But so, or not, I must the vent ere give, No danger fears the wight, pricked forth by need: And thus like one more glad to die, then live, I forward set, God grant me well to speed. With my Mistress, the world is changed well, She feared of late, of whipping cheer to smell: And now again, both gallant, fresh and gay. Who in Iulio flauntes it out, like Lamia? A lucky friend (yea, one that beareth sway) Is now become, a prop, of such a stay▪ To her good name, as who is he dare say: That Lamia doth offend, now any way? This, her good friend, will be her Jest this night, And that he may in his welcome delight. To market I in haste, am sent to buy, The best cheer, that, I fasten on my eye. By proof I find, no reason cools desire, Cassandra's suit, sufficed to remove My lewd request, but contrary, the fire, Her tears inflamed, of lust, and filthy love. And having thus, the conquest in my hands, No prayer served to work restraint in me: But needs I would untie the precious bands, Of this fair Dames spotless Virginity. The spoil was sweet, and won even as I would, And yet ungainde, till I had given my troth, To marry her, and that her brother should Be free from death, all which I bound with oath: It resteth now (unless I wrong her much) I keep my vow: and shall Andrugio live? Such grace would me, with unindifferencie tuch. To pardon him, that did commit a Rape, To set him free, I to Cassandra swore: But no man else, is privy to the same, And rage of Love, for thousand oaths nill spare, Moore than are kept, when gotten is the game. Well, what I said, than Lover like I said, Now reason says, unto thy credit look: And having well, the circumstances weighed, I find I must, unswear the oath I took: But double wrong, I so should do Cassandra. No force for that, my might, commandeth right, Her privy man, her open cries will stay: Or if not so, my frowning will her fright, And thus shall rule, conceal my filthy deed. Now forthwith, I will to the Jailor send, That secretly Andrugio he behead, Whose head he shall, with these same words commend. Andrugio, as you love our lives, forthwith post you away. For God's sake to no living friend, your safety yet bewray: The proverb saith, two may keep counsel if that one be gone.
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)
Vnhappy wretche, I bluſh my ſelfe to ſée, Apparelled thus monſtrous to my kinde: But oh, my weedes, wyll with my fault agrée, When I haue pleaſde, lewde Promos fleſhlie minde. What ſhall I doo, go proffer what he ſought? Or on more ſute, ſhall I giue my conſent? The beſt is ſure, ſince this muſt néedes be wrought: I go, and ſhowe, neede makes me to his bent. My fluddes of teares, from true intent which floe. Maye quenche his luſt, or ope his muſled eyen, To ſée that I deſerue to be his wife: Though now conſtrainde to be his Concubine. But ſo, or no, I muſt the vent er giue, No daunger feares the wight, prickt foorth by néede: And thus lyke one more glad to dye, then lyue, I forewarde ſet, God graunt me well to ſpeede. With my Miſtreſſe, the worlde is chaunged well, She fearde of late, of whipping cheere to ſmell: And nowe againe, both gallant, freſh and gaye. Who in Iulio flauntes it out, lyke Lamia? A luckie friende (yea, one that beareth ſwaye) Is nowe become, a proppe, of ſuch a ſtaye▪ To hir good name, as who is he dare ſaye: That Lamia doeth offende, nowe any waye? This, hir good friende, wyll be hir Geaſt this night, And that he maye in his welcome delyght. To market I. in haſte, am ſent to buye, The beſt cheare, that, I faſten on my eye. By proofe I finde, no reaſon cooles deſire, Caſſandraes ſute, ſuffiſed to remoue My lewde requeſt, but contrarie, the fire, Hir teares inflam'd, of luſt, and filthy Loue. And hauing thus, the conqueſt in my handes, No prayer ſeru'de to worke reſtraint in mee: But needes I woulde vntye the precious bandes, Of this fayre Dames ſpotles Virginitie. The ſpoyle was ſweete, and wonne euen as I woulde, And yet vngainde, tyll I had giuen my trothe, To marie hir, and that hir brother ſhoulde Be free from death, all which I bounde with oathe: It reſteth nowe (vnleſſe I wrong hir much) I keepe my vowe: and ſhall Andrugio lyue? Such grace woulde mee, with vnindifferencie tuch. To pardon him, that dyd commit a Rape, To ſet him free, I to Caſſandra ſware: But no man elſe, is priuie to the ſame, And rage of Loue, for thouſande oathes nyll ſpare, More then are kept, when gotten is the game. Well, what I ſayde, then Louer like I ſayde, Nowe reaſon ſayes, vnto thy credite looke: And hauing well, the circumſtaunces wayde, I finde I muſt, vnſweare the oathe I tooke: But double wrong, I ſo ſhould do Caſſandra. No force for that, my might, commaundeth right, Hir preuie manne, hir open cryes will ſtaye: Or if not ſo, my frowning will hir fright, And thus ſhall rule, conceale my filthy deede. Nowe foorthwith, I wyll to the Gayler ſende, That ſecretelie Andrugio he behead, Whoſe head he ſhall, with theſe ſame wordes commend. Andrugio, as you loue our liues, forthwith poſt you away. For Gods ſake to no lyuing friend, your ſafety yet bewraye: The prouerbe ſayth, two may kéepe counſell if that one be gone.