1 The Honest Whore (1 The Converted Courtesan) (The Patient Man and the Honest Whore) · chunk 17 of 48
Dekker, Thomas / Middleton, Thomas · published 1604 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) comedy · Prince Henry's Men unassigned nearest T49 Wooing a mistress: suitors, go-betweens · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
Is the gentleman (my friend) departed mistress? His back is but new-turned sir. Fare you well. I can direct you to him. Can you? pray. If you please stay, he'll not be absent long. I care not much. Pray sit forsooth. I'm hot. If may use your room, i'll rather walk. At your best pleasure-whew-some rubbers there. Indeed i'll none:- Indeed I will not: thanks. Pretty-fine-lodging. I perceive my friend Is old in your acquaintance. Troth sir, he comes As other gentlemen, to spend spare hours; If yourself like our roof (such as it is) Your own acquaintance may be as old as his. Say I did like; what welcome should I find? Such as my present fortunes can afford. But would you let me play Matheo's part? What part? Why embrace you: dally with you, kiss: Faith tell me, will you leave him, and love me? I am in bonds to no man sir. Why then, You're free for any man: if any, me. But I must tell you Lady, were you mine, You should be all mine: I could brook no sharers, I should be covetous, and sweep up all. I should be pleasures usurer: faith I should. O fate! Why sigh you Lady? may I know? 'thas never been my fortune yet to single Out that one man, whose love could fellow mine. As I have ever wished it: o my Stars! Had I but met with one kind gentleman, That would have entombed sin alone, to himself, For his own private use, although scarce proper: Indifferent handsome: meetly legged and thighed: And my allowance reasonable— i'faith, According to my body— by my troth, I would have been as true unto his pleasures, Yea, and as loyal to his afternoons, As ever a poor gentlewoman could be. This were well now, to one but newly fledged, And scarce a day old in this subtle world: 'twere pretty Art, good bird-lime, cunning net: But come, come, faith— confess: how many men Have drunk this self-same protestation, From that red 'ticing lip? Indeed not any. Indeed? and blush not! No, in truth not any. Indeed! in truth!-how warily you swear? 'tis well: if ill it be not: yet had I The ruffian in me, and were drawn before you But in light colours, I do know indeed, You could not swear indeed, But thunder oaths That should shake heaven, drown the harmonious spheres, And pierce a soul (that loved her maker's honour) With horror and amazement. Shall I swear? Will you believe me then? Worst than of all, Our sins by custom, seem (at last) but small. Were I but o'er your threshold, a next man, And after him a next, and then a fourth, Should have this golden hook, and lascivious bait, Thrown out to the full length, why let me tell you: I ha' seen letters sent from that white hand, Tuning such music to Matheo's ear.
seed 43: T56 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Is the gentleman (my friend) departed mistresse? His backe is but new-turnd syr. Fare you well. I can direct you to him. Can you? pray. If you please stay, heele not be absent long. I care not much. Pray sit forsooth. I'me hot. If may vse your roome, ile rather walke. At your best pleasure-whew-some rubbers there. Indeed ile non: -Indeed I will not: thanks. Pretty-fine-lodging. I perceiue my friend Is old in your acquaintance. Troth syr, he comes As other gentlemen, to spend spare howers; If your selfe like our roof (such as it is) Your owne acquaintance may be as old as his. Say I did like; what welcome should I find? Such as my present fortunes can afford. But would you let me play Mathaeos part? What part? Why imbrace you: dally with you, kisse: Faith tell me, will you leaue him, and loue me? I am in bondes to no man syr. Why then, Y'are free for any man: if any, me. But I must tell you Lady, were you mine, You should be all mine: I could brooke no sharers, I should be couetous, and sweepe vp all. I should be pleasures vsurer: faith I should. O fate! Why sigh you Lady? may I knowe? T'has neuer bin my fortune yet to single Out that one man, whose loue could fellow mine. As I haue euer wisht it: ô my Stars! Had I but met with one kind gentleman, That would haue purchacde sin alone, to himselfe, For his owne priuate vse, although scrce proper: Indifferent hansome: meetly legd and thyed: And my allowance reasonable-yfaith, According to my body-by my troth, I would haue bin as true vnto his pleasures, Yea, and as loyall to his afternoones, As euer a poore gentlewoman could be. This were well now, to one but newly ledg'd And scarce a day old in this suttle world: Twere prettie Art, good bird-lime, cunning net: But come, come, faith-confesse: how many men Haue drunke this selfe-same protestation, From that red tycing lip? Indeed not any. Indeed? and blush not! No, in truth not any. Indeed! in truth!-how warily you sweare? Tis well: if ill it be not: yet had I The ruffian in me, and were drawne before you But in light cullors, I doe know indeed, You could not sweare indeede, But thunder oathes That should shake heauen, drowne the harmonious sphers, And pierce a soule (that lou'd her makers honour) With horror and amazement. Shall I sweare? Will you beleeue me then? Worst then of all, Our sins by custome, seeme (at last) but small. Were I but o're your threshold, a next man, And after him a next, and then a fourth, Should haue this golden hooke, and lasciuious baite, Throwne out to the full length, why let me tell you: I ha seene letters sent from that white hand, Tuning such musike to Matheos eare.