Terence (Publius Terentius Afer)Kyffin, Maurice · published 1588 · first performed or written 1588 (Annals) comedy unassigned nearest T28 Marriage-making: weddings, brides and ma · 510 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T28: married, marriage, wedding, day, bride, father, wife, luce, love, husband.
IN good earnest Davus it is no time now to be slow and sluggish, so far as I perceived of late by the old man's speech touching the marriage: which if it be not cunningly provided for and prevented, will cast either me or my master clean under foot: And yet I wot not in the world what to do: whether I shall help Pamphilus, or else listen after the old man. If I leave him helpless, I fear me it will cost him his life: Contrariwise, if I aid and further him, than stand I in fear of the old man's threatening, whom it is a hard matter to beguile: for first and foremost, he knoweth certainly of this same love, and being at deadly feud with me, he watcheth lest I go about some guile to hinder the marriage: if he shall see any such matter by me, I am utterly undone: or if the Toy take him in the head, he will find some cause or other, and so be it right or wrong, he will tumble me headlong into the grinding house: Now over and besides these mischiefs, this comes also in the very nick: This same woman an of Andros whether she be wife to Pamphilus, or but his love, I know not, but great with child she is by him: And it is a world to hear their presumption: They fare as they were lunatic, and not love sick, for be it boy or girl that she shall be delivered of, they are determined to bring it * up. And now they fain betwixt themselves an odd piece of craft, that this Glycerie is a free borne woman of Athens: There was a good while since (say they) a certain old Merchant which suffered shipwreck at the isle of Andros, who afterward died there: and that she being then a small succourless child cast on the shore, should (forsooth) be fostered by Chrysis father: A trim fable. In good faith methinks it sounds nothing like troth, and yet this feigned device pleaseth them well. But lo where Mysis comes forth from her. Now will I go get me hence to the market place to meet with Pamphilus, lest his father come upon him unawares with this marriage matter. ARchillis, I heard you a pretty while since, bid that Lesbia should be brought hither: In very truth she is a drunken harebrained woman, and far unfit to take charge of a woman in travail of her first child: yet nevertheless I will bring her: See how earnest the old Trot is, to have her here, and all because she is a drinking Gossip of hers. God grant my Mistress safe and speedy deliverance, and that any other miscarry under the hands of the Tipsy Midwife, rather than she: But what is the matter that I see Pamphilus so much out of quiet, I fear me all is not well: I will stay, and know whither this his trouble of mind, bring not some heavy news.
seed 43: T6 · seed 44: T7 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
IN good earneſt Dauus it is no time now to be flow and fluggiſh, ſo far as I perceiued of late by the old mans ſpeech touching the marriage: which if it bee not cunningly prouided for and preuented, will caſt either me or my maiſter cleane vnder foote: And yet I wot not in the world what to doo: whether I ſhall helpe Pamphilus, or els liſten after the old man. Yf I leaue him helples, I feare me yt will coſt him his life: Contrariwiſe, if I ayd and further him, than ſtand I in feare of the old mans threatning, whom yt is a hard matter to beguyle: for firſt and formoſt, he knoweth certeynlie of this ſame loue, and beyng at deadly fewd with me, he watcheth leaſt I go about ſome guile to hinder the marriage: yf hée ſhall ſée any ſuch matter by mée, I am vtterly vndon: or if the Toy take him in the head, hée will finde ſome cauſe or other, and ſo bée it right or wrong, he will tumble me headlong into the grinding hous: Now ouer and beſides theſe miſcheeues, this comes alſo in the very icke: This ſame woman an of Andros whether ſhe be wife to Pamphilus, or but his loue, I knowe not, but great with childe ſhe is by him: And it is a world to heare their preſumption: They fare as they were lunaticke, and not loue ſicke, for be it boy or gyrle that ſhe ſhal be deliuered of, they are determined to bring it vp. And now they faine betwixt themſelues an od péece of craft, that this Glycerie is a free borne woman of Athens: Ther was a good while ſince (ſay they) a certaine old Marchant which ſuffred ſhipwracke at the Ile of Andros, who afterward died there: and that ſhée being then a ſmall ſuccourles childe caſt on the ſhore, ſhould (forſooth) bée foſtred by Chryſis father: A trim fable. In good faith me thinks it ſoundes nothing like troth, and yet this fayned deuiſe pleaſeth them well. But lo where Myſis comes furth from her. Now wil I go get me hence to the market place to méete with Pamphilus, leaſt his father come vpon him vnawares with this mariage matter. ARchillis, I heard you a prety while ſince, bid that Lesbia ſhould be brought hither: In very truth ſhe is a drunken harebraynd woman, and far vnfit to take charge of a woman in trauaile of her firſt child: yet neuertheleſſe I will bring her: See how erneſt the olde Trot is, to haue her here, and all becauſe ſhe is a drinking Goſſip of hers. God graunt my Miſtres ſafe and ſpéedy deliuerance, and that any other miſcarry vnder the handes of the Tipſie Midwiefe, rather than ſhée: But what is the matter that I ſée Pamphilus ſo much out of quiet, I feare me all is not well: I will ſtay, and know whither this his trooble of minde, bring not ſome heauy newes.