Lyly, John · published 1594 · first performed or written 1591 [1587-1591] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (first) T11 Siblings, kin and confidants typicality 0.82 · 493 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T11: sister, brother, love, friend, heart, father, mother, woman, lord, hear.
Who would think that my hop on my thumb, Halfpenny, scarce so high as a pint pot, would reason the matter; but he learned his leer of my son, his young master, whom I have brought up at Oxford, and I think must learn here in Kent at Ashford. Why what said he? He boldly rapt it out, Sine Cree & Baccho friget Venus, without wine and sugar his veins would wax cold. They were all in a pleasant vain, but I must be gone, and take account of my boy's business, farewell neighbours, God knows when we shall meet again, yet I have discovered nothing, my wine hath been my wits friend, I long to hear what Dromio hath done. I cannot stay, but this good fellowship shall cost me the setting on at our next meeting, I am glad I blabbed nothing of the marriage, now I hope to compass it, I know my boy hath been bungling about it. Let us all go, for I must to my clothes that hang on the tenters, my boy shall hang with them, if he answer me not his days work. If all be gone I'll not stay, Halfpenny I am sure hath done me a penny worth of good, else I'll spend his body in buying a rod. Sweet sister, I know not how it cometh to pass, but I find in myself passions more than brotherly. And I dear brother find my thoughts entangled with affections beyond nature, which so flame into my distempered head, that I can neither without danger smother the fire, nor without modesty disclose my fury. Our parents are poor, our love unnatural, what can then happen to make us happy? Only to be content with our father's mean estate, to combat against our own intemperate desires, and yield to the success of fortune, who though she hath framed us miserable, cannot make us monstrous. It is good counsel fair sister, if the necessity of love could be relieved by counsel, yet this is our comfort, that these unnatural heats have stretched themselves no further than thoughts, unhappy me that they should stretch so. That which nature warranteth laws forbid, strange it seemeth in sense, that because thou art mine, therefore thou must not be mine. So it is Serena, the nearer we are in blood, the further we must be from love, and the greater the kindred is, the less the kindness must be, so that between brothers & sister's superstition hath made affection cold, between stranger's custom hath bred love exquisite. They say there is hard by an old cunning woman, who can tell fortunes, expound dreams, tell of things that be lost, and divine of accidents to come, she is called the good woman, who yet never did hurt. Nor any good I think Serena, yet to satisfy thy mind we will see what she can say. Good brother let us. who is within?
nodes 295–312 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 15 of 34 in this edition
Length
493 words · 607 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T11 — Siblings, kin and confidantscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.818 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T15 · seed 44: T12 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Who woulde thinke that my hoppe on my thumbe, Halfpenie, scarse so high as a pint pot, wold reason the matter; but hee learnde his leere of my sonne, his young master, whom I haue brought vp at Oxford, and I thinke must learne heere in Kent at Ashford. Why what sayd he▪ Hee boldly rapt it out, Sine Cere & Baccho friget Venus, without wine and sugar his veins wold waxe colde. They were all in a pleasant vaine, but I must be gone, and take account of my boyes businesse, farewell neighbours, God knowes when we shall meete againe, yet I haue discouered nothing, my wine hath beene my wittes friende, I longe to heare what Dromio hath done. I cannot staie, but this good fellowshippe shall cost mee the setting on at our next meeting, I am gladde I blabd nothing of the marriage, now I hope to compas it, I know my boy hath bin bungling about it. Let vs all goe, for I must to my clothes that hang on the tenters, my boy shall hang with them, if hee aunswere mee not his dayes worke. If all bee gone Ile not staie, Halfepenie I am sure hath done mee a pennie woorth of good, else Ile spend his bodie in buying a rod. Sweet sister, I know not how it commeth to passe, but I finde in my selfe passions more than brotherly. And I deare brother finde my thoughts intangled with affections beyonde nature, which so flame into my distempered head, that I can neither without danger smother the fire, nor without modestie disclose my furie. Our parents are pore, our loue vnnaturall, what can then happen to make vs happie? Onely to be content with our fathers mean estate, to comhat against our own intemperate desires, and yeld to the succes of fortune, who though she hath framd vs miserable, cannot make vs monstrous. It is good counsel faire sister, if the necessitie of loue could be releeued by counsell, yet this is our comfort, that these vnnaturall heates haue stretched themselues no further than thoughts, vnhappie me that they should stretch so. That which nature warranteth laws forbid, straunge it seemeth in sense, that because thou art mine, therefore thou must not be mine. So it is Serena, the neerer we are in bloud, the further wee must be from loue, and the greater the kindred is, the lesse the kindnes must be, so that between brothers & sisters superstition hath made affection cold, between strangers custome hath bred loue exquisite. They say there is hard by an old cunning woman, who can tell fortunes, expound dreames, tell of things that be lost, and deuine of accidents to come, she is called the good woman, who yet neuer did hurt. Nor anie good I thinke Serena, yet to satisfie thy minde we will see what she can saie. Good brother let vs. who is within?