The Three Lords and Three Ladies of London · chunk 33 of 41
Wilson, Robert · published 1590 · first performed or written 1588 [1588-1590] (Annals) moral · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) T39 Profit, conscience and dishonest dealing typicality 0.73 · 494 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
Fair joy and Lady xx. thousand thanks. Fair Love, and Lady, twice as many thanks Fair and beloved Lucre, though I speak last, As kindly I thy welcome do accept, As heart can think, pen write, or tongue can tell. Now speak my Lords, how have ye sped? Right well: thanks unto him that gave the day to us, The pride of Spain was cloaked with Majesty, And Shame his page, (nicknamed) Modesty, Spanish Ambition, Honour would be called, And Treachery his page, termed Action. Their Tyranny was cleped Government, Terror his page, was (falsely) named Regard, But God above hath given them their reward. They with dishonour left their shields behind, The only prizes purchased by us now, And those (fair Ladies) we present to you, Love, this is thine, and he that gives it thee. In lieu whereof your gift and her I give Again to you, that merit more than both. The greatest gift and good could me befall. Fair lucre, lo, my present and myself. Which I with Nemo's licence gladly take. Take her Lord pomp, I give her unto thee, Wishing your good may ten times doubled be. the wished good this world could give to me. Of duty I (my dear) must give thee this, that art my comfort and my earthly bliss. Now Lords, I hope you are contented all, pomp with his Lucre, policy with Love: pleasure with Conscience, joy fall you from above: And thus to you my promise is performed, And I expect that yours as well be kept, That present preparation may be made to honour those with holy marriage rites, that I in presence of the world may give these as my daughters unto you my sons. By my consent one day shall serve us all, Which shall be kept for ever festival. And on that day in honour of these Dames, these shields in triumph shall be borne about. with pageants, plates, and what delights may be to entertain the time and company. So it please you Lordings, methinks it were meet, that the Ladies took care to provide their own toys. myself need to help them, who know their minds well, For I can keep women both quiet and constant. It pleaseth us well that you will take the pains. Fair ones, for a while we betake you to your business. Ladies, adieu. Beloved, farewell. It seems by this writing sir, you would serve me, Is your name Skill? whom did you serve last? An ill master, my Lord, I served none but myself. Have ye never served any heretofore? Yes, divers my Lord, both beyond sea and here with your patience, my good Lord, not offending the same, I think I am your poor kinsman, your Lordship, policy, and I Skill, if it like ye. You say very well, and it is very like, I will answer ye anon. Is your name fair semblance that wish to serve me.
seed 43: T41 · seed 44: T39 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Faire ioy and Lady xx. thousand thankes. Faire Loue, and Lady, twise as many thankes· Faire and beloued Lucre, though I speake last, As kindly I thy welcome do accept, As heart can thinke, pen write, or tongue can tell. Now speak my Lords, how haue ye sped? Right wel: thanks vnto him yt gaue the day to vs, The pride of Spaine was cloak'd with Maiestie, And Shame his page, (nicknamed) Modestie, Spanish Ambition, Honor would be cal'd, And Treacherie his page, term'd Action. Their Tyranny was cleped Gouernment, Terror his page, was (falsly) nam'd Regard, But God aboue hath giuen them their reward. They with dishonor left their shields behind, The onely prises purchast by vs now, And those (faire Ladies) we present to you, Loue, this is thine, and he that giues it thee. In lieu whereof your gift and her I giue Againe to you, that merite more than both. The greatest gift and good could me befall. Fair lucre, loe, my present and my self. Which I with Nemos license gladly take. Take her Lord pomp, I giue her vnto thee, Wishing your good may ten times doubled be. the wished good this world could giue to me. Of dutie I (my deere) must giue thee this, that art my comfort and my earthly blisse. Now Lords, I hpe you are contented all, pomp with his Lucre, pollicie with Loue: pleasure with Conscience, ioy fall you from aboue: And thus to you my promise is perfourm'd, And I expect that yours aswell be kept, That present preparation may be made to honour those with holy mariage rites, that I in presence of the world may giue these as my daughters vnto you my sonnes. By my consent one day shal serue vs all, Which shall be kept for euer festiuall. And on that day in honor of these Dames, these shields in triumph shall be borne about. with pageants, plates, and what delights may be to entertaine the time and companie. So it please you Lordings, me thinks it were méet, that the Ladies tooke care to prouide their owne toies. My selfe néede to helpe them, who know their mindes well, For I can kéepe women both quiet and constant. It pleaseth vs well that you wil take the paines. Faire ones, for a while we betake you to your busines. Ladies, adue. Beloued, farewel. It seemes by this writing sir, you would serue me, Is your name Skil? whom did you serue last? An ill maister, my Lord, I serued none but my selfe. Haue ye neuer serued any heretofore? Yes, diuers my Lord, both beyond sea and here with your patience, my good Lord, not offending the same, I thinke I am your poore kinsman, your Lordship, pollicy, and I Skil, if it like ye. You say verie well, and it is verie like, I will answere yee anon. Is your name faire semblance that wish to serue me.