Fair Em, the Miller's Daughter of Manchester · chunk 2 of 23
Anonymous · published 1591 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1589-1591] (Annals) comedy · Derby's (Strange's) Men unassigned nearest T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Ah marquess, thy words bring heaven unto my soul, And had I heaven to give for thy reward: Thou shouldst be throned in no unworthy place. But let my uttermost wealth suffice thy worth, Which here I vow, and to aspire the bliss That hangs on quick achievement of my love, thyself and I will travail in disguise, To bring this Lady to our Britain Court. Let William but bethink what may avail, And let me die if I deny my aid. Then thus the Duke Dirot and th'earl Dimarch Will I leave substitutes to rule my Realm, While mighty love forbids my being here, And in the name of Sir Robert of Windsor Will go with thee unto the Danish Court. Keep William's secrets marquess if thou love him. Bright Blaunch I come, sweet fortune favour me, And I will laud thy name eternally. Come daughter we must learn to shake off pomp, To leave the state that erst beseemed a Knight And gentleman of no mean descent, To undertake this homely miller's trade: Thus must we mask to save our wretched lives, Threatened by Conquest of this hapless Isle: Whose sad invasions by the Conqueror, Have made a number such as we subject Their gentle necks unto their stubborn yoke, Of drudging labour and base peasantry. Sir Thomas Godard now old Goddard is Goddard the miller of fair Manchester. Why should not I content me with this state? As good Sir Edmund Trofferd did the file. And thou sweet Em must stoop to high estate. To join with mine that thus we may protect Our harmless lives, which led in greater port Would be an envious object to our foes, That seek to root all Britain's Gentry From bearing countenance against their tyranny. Good Father let my full resolved thoughts, With settled patience to support this chance Be some poor comfort to your aged soul: For therein rests the height of my estate, That you are pleased with this dejection, And that all toils my hands may undertake, May serve to work your worthiness content. Thanks my dear Daughter: these thy pleasant words Transfer my soul into a second heaven: And in thy settled mind, my joys consist, My state revived and I in former plight. Although our outward pomp be thus abased, And thralled to drudging, stayless of the world, Let us retain those honourable minds That lately governed our superior state. Wherein true gentry is the only mean That makes us differ from base millers borne: Though we expect no knightly delicates, Nor thirst in soul for former sovereignty. Yet may our minds as highly scorn to stoop To base desires of vulgars' worldliness, As if we were in our precedent way. And lovely daughter, since thy youthful years Must needs admit as young affections: And that sweet love unpartial perceives Her dainty subjects thorough every part, In chief receive these lessons from my lips. The true discoverers of a virgin's due Now requisite, now that I know thy mind
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)
Ah Marques, thy wordes bring heauen vnto my soule, And had I heauen to giue for thy reward: Thou shouldst be thronde in no vnworthie place. But let my vttermost wealth suffice thy worth, Which here I vowe, and to aspire the blisse That hangs on quicke atchiuement of my loue, Thy selfe and I will traueile in disguise, To bring this Ladie to our Brittaine Court. Let VVilliam but bethinke what may auayle, And let me die if I denie my ayde. Then thus the Duke Dirot and Therle Dimach Will I leaue substitutes to rule my Realme, While mightie loue forbids my being here, And in the name of Sir Robert of VVindsor Will goe with thee vnto the Danish Court. Keepe VVilliams secretes Marques if thou loue him. Bright Blaunch I come, sweete fortune fauour me, And I will laud thy name eternally. Come daughter we must learne to shake of pomp, To leaue the state that carst beseemd a Knight And gentleman of no meane discent, To vndertake this homelie millers trade: Thus must we maske to saue our wred liues, Threatned by Conquest of this haplesse Yle: Whose sad inuasions by the Conqueror, Haue made a number such as we subiect Their gentle neckes vnto their stubborne yoke, Of drudging labour and base pesantrie. Sir Thomas Godard now old Goddard is Goddard the miller of faire Manchester. Why should not I content me with this state? As good Sir Edmund Trofferd did the file. And thou sweete Em must stoope to high estate. To ioyne with mine that thus we may protect Our harmeles liues, which ledd in greater port Would be an enuious obiect to our foes, That seeke to roote all Britaines Gentrie From bearing countenance against their tyrannie. Good Father let my full resolued thoughts, Wih setled paiens to support this chaunce Be some poore comfort to your aged soule: For therein restes the height of my estate, That you are pleased with this deiection, And that all toyles my hands may vndertake, May serue to worke your worthines content. Thankes my deere Daughter: these thy plesant words Transferre my soule into a second heauen: And in thy setled minde, my ioyes consist, My state reuyued and I in former plight. Although our outward pomp be thus abased, And thralde to drudging, stay lesse of the world, Let vs retaine those honorable mindes Thar lately gouerned our superior state. Wherein true gentrie is the only meane That makes vs differ from base millers borne: Though we expect no knightly delicates, Nor thirst in soule for former soueraintie. Yet may our myndes as highly scorne to stoope To base desires of vulgars worldlynes, As if we were in our presedent way. And louely daughter, since thy youthfull yeares Must needes admit as yong affections: And that sweete loue vnpartiall perceiues Her daintie subiects through euery part, In chiefe receiue these lessons from my lippes. The true discouerers of a Virgins due Now requisite, now that I know thy mynde