How a Man May Choose a Good Wife from a Bad · chunk 39 of 43
Anonymous · published 1602 · first performed or written 1602 [c.1601-1602] (Annals) comedy · Worcester's Men unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 492 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Why weep you Mistress? if you had the heart Of her whom you resemble in your face, But she is dead, and for her death, The sponge of either eye, Shall weep red tears till every vain is dry. Why weep you friend, your rainy drops keep Repentance wipes away the drops of sin. Yet tell me friend, he did exceeding ill, A wife that loved and honoured him, to kill. Yet say one like her, far more chaste than fair, Bids him be of good comfort, not despair. Her soul's appeased with her repentant tears, Wishing he may survive her many years. fain would I give him money to supply His present wants, but fearing he should fly, And getting over to some foreign shore, These rainy eyes should never see him more. My heart is full, I can no longer stay, But what I am my love must needs bewray. Farewell good fellow, and take this to spend, Say one like her commends her to your friend. No friend of mine, I was my own soul's foe To murder my chaste wife, that loved me so. In life she loved me dearer than her life, What husband here, but would wish such a wife. I hear the Officers with hue and cry, She saved my life but now, and now I die. And welcome death, I will not stir from hence, Death I deserved, I'll die for this offence. Here is the murderer, and reason's man You have the warrant: Sirs lay hands on him, Attach the slave, and lead him bound to death. No by my faith M. Brabo, you have the better heart, at least you should have: I am sure you have more Iron and steel, than I have, do you lay hands upon him, I promise you I dare not. Constables forward, forward Officers, I will not thrust my finger in the fire. Lay hands on him I say, why step you back? I mean to be the hindmost, least that any Should run away and leave the rest in peril: Stand forward, are you not ashamed to fear? Nay never strive, behold I yield myself, I must commend your resolution, That being so many and so weaponed, Dare not adventure on a man unarmed. Now lead me to what prison you think best, Yet use me well, I am a Gentleman. Truly M. Arthur we will use you as well as heart can think, the justices sit today, and my Mistress is chief, you shall command me. What hath he yielded? if he had withstood us, This Curtle-axe of mine had cleft his head: Resist he durst not when he once spied me. Come lead him hence, how likest thou this sweet witch? This fellows death will make our mistress is rich. I say I care not whose dead or alive, So by their lives or deaths, we two may thrive. Come bear him away.
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)
Why weep you Mistris? if you had the heart Of her whom you resemble in your face, But she is dead, and for her death, The spuage of either eye, Shall weepe red teares till euerie vaine is drie. Why weep you friend, your rainie drops keepe Repentance wipes away the drops of sin. Yet tell me friend, he did exceeding ill, A wife that lou'd and hononr'd him, to kill. Yet say one like her, farre more chaste then faire, Bids him be of good comfort, not despaire. Her soule's appeasd with her repentant teares, Wishing he may suruiue her many yeares. Faine would I giue him mony to supply His present wants, but fearing he should flie, And getting ouer to some forrain shore, These rainy eyes should neuer see him more. My hart is full, I can no longer stay, But what I am my loue must needs bewray. Farewell good fellow, and take this to spend, Say one like her commends her to your friend. No friend of mine, I was my owne soules foe To murther my chast wife, that lou'd me so. In life she lou'd me dearer then her life, What husband here, but would wish such a wife. I heare the Officers with hue and crie, She sau'd my life but now, and now I die. And welcome death, I will not stir from hence, Death I deseru'd, Ile die for this offence. Here is the murtherer, and Reasons man You haue the warrant: Sirs laie hands on him, Attach the slaue, and lead him bound to death. No by my faith M. Brabo, you haue the better hart, at least you should haue: I am sure you haue more Iron and steele, then I haue, do you laie hands vpon him, I promise you I dare not. Constables forward, forward Officers, I will not thrust my finger in the fire. Laie hands on him I say, why step you backe? I meane to be the hindmost, least that any Should runne away and leaue the rest in perill: Stand forward, are you not asham'd to feare? Nay neuer striue, behold I yeeld my selfe, I must commend your resolution, That being so many and so weapond, Dare not aduenture on a man vnarmd. Now lead me to what prison you thinke best, Yet vse me well, I am a Gentleman. Truly M. Arthur we will vse you as well as heart can thinke, the Iustices sit to day, and my Mistris is chiefo, you shall commaund me. What hath he yeelded? if he had withstood vs, This Curtelax of mine had cleft his head: Resist he durst not when he once spied me. Come lead him hence, how likest thou this sweet witch? This fellowes death will make our mistris is rich. I say I care not whose dead or aliue, So by their liues or deaths, we two may thriue. Come beare him away.