How a Man May Choose a Good Wife from a Bad · chunk 8 of 43
Anonymous · published 1602 · first performed or written 1602 [c.1601-1602] (Annals) comedy · Worcester's Men T33 Fathers, daughters and marriage negotiat typicality 0.80 · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T33: daughter, marriage, father, love, davus, matter, son, chremes, wife, mother.
Nay if you say so, I'll not be against it; But sir you might have used my daughter better, Than to have beat her, spurned her, railed at her Before our faces. I therein son Arthur, Thou show'dst thyself no better than a knave. I mary did he, I will stand to it, To use my honest daughter in such sort, He showed himself no better than a knave. I say again I am an honest man, He wrongs me that shall say the contrary. I grant sir that you are an honest man, Nor will I say unto the contrary. But wherefore do you use my daughter thus? Can you accuse her of inchastity, Of loose demeanour, disobedience, or disloyalty? Speak what thou canst thou object against my daughter. Accuse her, here she stands, spit in her face If she be guilty in the least of these. O Father be more patient, if you wrong My honest husband, all the blame be mine, Because you do it only for my sake. I am his handmaid, since it is his pleasure To use me thus, I am content therewith, And bear his checks and crosses patiently. If in mine own house I can have no place, I'll seek it elsewhere, and frequent it less, Father I am now past one and twenty years, I am past my Father's pampering, I suck not: Nor am I dandled on my mother's knee: Then if you were my Father twenty times, You shall not choose but let me be myself. Do I come home so seldom, and that seldom Am I thus baited? Wife remember this. Father farewell, and Father in law adieu: Your son had rather fast, than feast with you. Well go too wild oats, spend thrift, prodigal, I'll cross thy name quite from my reckoning book: For these accounts, faith it shall scathe thee somewhat, I will not say what somewhat it shall be. And it shall scathe him somewhat of my purse, And daughter I will take thee home again, Since thus he hates thy fellowship, Be such an eyesore to his sight no more, I tell thee thou no more shalt trouble him. will you divorce whom God hath tied together? Or break that knot the sacred hand of heaven Made fast betwixt us? Have you never read What a great curse was laid upon his head That breaks the holy band of marriage, divorcing husbands from their chosen wives? Father I will not leave my Arthur so, Not all my friends can make me prove his foe. I could say somewhat in my sons reproof, Faith so could I. But till I meet him I will let it pass. Faith so will I. Daughter farewell, with weeping eyes I part, Witness these tears, thy grief sus near my heart. Weeps M. Arthur, nay then let me cry: His cheeks shall not be wet, and mine be dry.
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)
Nay if you say so, Ile not be against it; But sir you might haue vsde my daughter better, Then to haue beat her, spurnd her, raild at her Before our faces. I therein sonne Arthur, Thou shewdst thy selfe no better then a knaue. I mary did he, I will stand to it, To vse my honest daughter in such sort, He shewd himselfe no better then a knaue. I say againe I am an honest man, He wrongs me that shall say the contrary. I graunt sir that you are an honest man, Nor will I say vnto the contray. But wherfore do you vse my daughter thus? Can you accuse her of inchastitie, Of loose demeanor, disobedience, or disloialtie? Speak what thou canst thou obiect against my daughter. Accuse her, here she stands, spit in her face If she be guiltie in the least of these. O Father be more patient, if you wrong My honest husband, all the blame be mine, Because you do it only for my sake. I am his hand-maid, since it is his pleasure To vse me thus, I am content therewith, And beare his checks and crosses patiently. If in mine owne house I can haue no place, Ile seek it elsewhere, and frequent it lesse, Father I am now past one and twentie yeares, I am past my Fathers pampring, I suck not: Nor am I dandled on my mothers knee: Then if you were my Father twentie times, You shall not chuse but let me be my selfe. Do I come home so sildome, and that sildome Am I thus baited? Wife remember this. Father farewell, and Father in law adieu: Your sonne had rather fast, then feast with you. Well goe too wild oates, spend thrift, prodigall, Ile crosse thy name quite from my reckoning booke: For these accounts, faith it shall skathe thee somewhat, I will not say what somewhat it shall be. And it shall skathe him somewhat of my purse, And daughter I will take thee home againe, Since thus he hates thy fellowship, Be such an eye-sore to his sight no more, I tell thee thou no more shalt trouble him. Wil you diuorce whom God hath tied together? Or breake that knot the sacred hand of heauen Made fast betwixt vs? Haue you neuer read What a great curse was laid vpon his head That breakes the holy band of mariage, Diuorsing husbands from their chosen wiues? Father I will not leaue my Arther so, Not all my friends can make me proue his foe. I could say somewhat in my sonnes reproofe, Faith so could I. But till I meet him I will let it passe. Faith so will I. Daughter farewell, with weeping eyes I part, Witnesse these teares, thy griete sus neare my hart. Weepes M. Arthur, nay then let me crie: His cheekes shall not be wet, and mine be drie.