Chapman, George · published 1605 · first performed or written 1601 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · before the Court T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim typicality 0.75 · 476 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T16: lady, madam, gentleman, lordship, ladies, honour, mistress, sweet, court, servant.
And who shall watch the keepers? To be sure of that, be you her keeper. Well said, and share the horns yourself: For that's the keeper's fee. But say I am gone out of town, & must trust others; how shall I know if those I trust be trusty to me? Mary, sir, by a singular instinct, given naturally to all you married men, that if your wives play legerdeheel, though you be a hundred miles off, yet you shall be sure instantly to find it in your foreheads. Sound doctrine I warrant you: I am resolved i'faith. Then give me leave to speak, sir, that hath all this while been silent: I have heard you with extreme patience, now therefore prick up your ears, and vouchsafe me audience. Go boy, a mine honour. Pray what are you, sir? I am here, for default of better, of counsel with the fair Gazetta, and though herself had been best able to defend herself, if she had been here, and would have pleased to put forth the Buckler, which Nature hath given all women, I mean her tongue. Excellent good boy. Yet since she either vouchsafes it not, or thinks her innocence a sufficient shield against your jealous accusations, I will presume to undertake the defence of that absent & honourable Lady, whose sworn Knight I am; and in her of all that name (for Lady is grown a common name to their whole sex) which sex I have ever loved from my youth, and shall never cease to love, till I want wit to admire. An excellent spoken boy. Give ear, Cornelio, here is a young Mercurio sent to persuade thee. Well, sir, let him say on. It is a heavy case, to see how this light sex is tumbled and tossed from post to pillar, under the unsavoury breath of every humourous Peasant: Gazetta, you said, is unchaste, disloyal, and I wot not what; Alas, is it her fault? is she not a woman? did she not suck it (as others of her sex do) from her mother's breast? and will you condemn that, as her fault, which is her Nature? Alas, sir, you must consider, a woman is an unfinished Creature, delivered hastily to the world, before Nature had set to that seal which should have made them perfect. Faults they have (no doubt) but are we free? Turn your eye into yourself (good signior Cornelio) and weigh your own imperfections with hers: If she be wanton abroad, are not you wanting at home? if she be amorous, are not you jealous? If she be high set, are not you taken down? If she be a Courtesan, are not you a Cuckold? Out you rogue. On with thy speech boy. You do not well, Cornelio, to discourage the bashful youth. Forth, boy, I warrant thee.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T44 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
And who shall watch the keepers? To be sure of that, be you her keeper. Well sayd, and share the hornes your selfe: For that's the keepers fee. But say I am gone out of town, & must trust others; how shall I know if those I trust be trusty to me? Mary, sir, by a singular instinct, giuen naturally to all you maryed men, that if your wiues play legerdeheele, though you bee a hundred miles off, yet you shall be sure instantly to find it in your forheads. Sound doctrine I warrant you: I am resolu'd ifaith. Then giue me leaue to speak, sir, that hath all this while bene silent: I haue heard you with extreme patience, now therefore pricke vp your , and vouchsafe me audience. Go boy, a mine honour. Pray what are you, sir? I am here, for default of better, of counsel with the fayre Gazetta, and though her selfe had bene best able to defend her selfe, if she had bin here, and would haue pleasd to put forth the Buckler, which Nature hath giuen all women, I meane her tongue. Excellent good boy. Yet since he either vouchsafes it not, or thinks her innocence a sufficient shield against your ielous accusations, I wil presume to vndertake the defence of that absent & honorable Lady, whose sworne Knight I am; and her of all that name (for Lady is growne a common name to their whole sex) which sex I haue euer loued frō my youth, and shall neuer cease to loue, till I want wit to admire. An excellent spoken boy. Giue re, Cornelo, heer is a yong sent to perswade thee. Well, sir, let him say on. It is a heay case, to see how this light sex is tūbled and tost from post to piller, vnder the vnuory breath of euery humourous Peasant: Gaz, you sayd, is vnchaste, distoyall, and I wot not what; Alas, is it her fault? is shee not a woman▪ did she not suck it (as others of her sex doe) from her mothers brest? and will you condemne that, as her fault, which is her Nature? Alas, sir, you must consider, a woman is an vnfinisht Creature, deliuered hastyly to the world, before Nature had set to that which should haue made them perct. Faultes they haue (no doubt) but are wee free? Turne your eye into your selfe (good Signeur Cor ) and weygh your owne imperfection with hers: If shee be wanton abroad, are not you wanting at home? if she be , are not you ? If she be high set, are not you taken downe? If she b a Courtizan, are not you a Cuckold? Out you rogue. On with thy speech boy. You doe not well, Cornelio, to disurage the bashfull youth. Forth, boy, I warrant thee.