How a Man May Choose a Good Wife from a Bad · chunk 19 of 43
Anonymous · published 1602 · first performed or written 1602 [c.1601-1602] (Annals) comedy · Worcester's Men unassigned nearest T49 Wooing a mistress: suitors, go-betweens · 515 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
That thou shalt. My mistress in an humour had protested, That above all the world she loved me best, Saying with suitors she was oft molested, And she had lodged her heart within my breast: And swore (but me) both by her mask & fan, She never would so much as name a man. Not name a man quoth I, yet be advised, Not love a man but me, let it be so: You shall not think quoth she my thoughts disguised, In flattering language, or dissembling show: I say again, and I know what I do, I will not name a man alive but you. Into her house I came at unaware, Her back was to me and I was not seen, I stole behind her till I had her fair, Then with my hands I closed both her eyen, She blinded thus, beginneth to bethink her Which of her Loves it was that did hoodwink her, First she begins to guess & name a man That I well knew, but she had known far better. The next I never did suspect till than: Still of my name I could not hear a letter, Then mad, she did name Robin, and then Iames, Till she had reckoned up some twenty names, At length when she had counted up her score, As one among the rest she hit on me: I asked her if she could not reckon more, And plucked away my hands to let her see. But when she looked back and saw me behind her She blushed, and asked if it were I did blind her? And since I swore both by her mask and fan, To trust no she tongue, that can name a man. Your great oath hath some exceptions: But to our former purpose, you is Mistress Arthur, We will attempt another kind of wooing, And make her hate her husband if we can. But not a word of passion or of love. Have at her now to try her patience, God save you mistress. You are welcome sir. I pray you where's your husband? Not within. Who M. Arthur? him I saw even now At mistress Mary's the brave Courtesans. Wrong not my husband's reputation so, I neither can nor will believe you sir. Poor gentlewoman how much I pity you, Your husband is become her only guest: He lodges there, and daily diets there, He riots, revels, and doth all things, Nay he is held the M. of misrule, 'mongst a most loathed and abhorred Crew: And can you being a woman suffer this? Sir, sir, I understand you well enough, Admit my husband doth frequent that house Of such dishonest usage, I suppose He doth it but in zeal to bring them home By his good counsel, from that course of sin: And like a Christian, seeing them astray In the broad path that to damnation leads, He useth thither to direct their feet Into the narrow way that guides to heaven. Was ever woman gulled so palpably? But Mistress Arthur think you as you say?
seed 43: T5 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
That thou shalt. My mistris in an humor had protested, That aboue all the world she lou'd me best, Saying with sutors she was oft molested, And she had lodg'd her hart within my brest: And sware (but me) both by her maske & fan, She neuer would so much as name a man. Not name a man quoth I, yet be aduisde, Not loue a man but me, let it be so: You shall not think quoth she my thoughts disguisde, In flattring language, or dissembling show: I say againe, and I know what I do, I will not name a man aliue but you. Into her house I came at vnaware, Her backe was to me and I was not seene, I stole behind her till I had her faire, Then with my hands I closed both her eyne, She blinded thus, beginneth to bethinke her Which of her Loues it was that did hood-winck her, First she begins to guesse & name a man That I well knew, but she had knowne far better. The next I neuer did suspect till than: Still of my name I could not heare a letter, Then mad, she did name Robin, and then Iames, Till she had reckoned vp some twentie names, At length when she had counted vp her score, As one among the rest she hit on mee: I askt her if she could not recken more, And pluckt away my hands to let her see. But when she lookt back and saw me behind her She blusht, and askt if it were I did blind her? And since I sware both by her maske and fan, To trust no she tongue, that can name a man. Your great oath hath some exceptions: But to our former purpose, you is Mistris Arthur, We will attempt another kind of wooing, And make her hate her husband if we can. But not a word of passion or of loue. Haue at her now to trie her patience, God saue you mistris. You are welcome sir. I pray you wheres your husband? Not within. Who M. Arthur? him I saw euen now At mistris Maries the braue Curtizans. Wrong not my husbands reputatiō so, I neither can nor will beleeue you sir. Poore gentlewoman how much I pittie you, Your husband is become her only guest: He lodges there, and daily diets there, He riots, reuels, and doth all things, Nay he is held the M. of misrule, Mongst a most loathed and abhorred Crew: And can you being a woman suffer this? Sir, sir, I vnderstand you well inough, Admit my husband doth frequent that house Of such dishonest vsage, I suppose He doth it but in zeale to bring them home By his good counsell, from that course of sinne: And like a Christian, seeing them astray In the broad path that to damnation leades, He vseth thither to direct their feete Into the narrow way that guides to heauen. Was euer woman guld so palpably? But Mistris Arthur thinke you as you say?