Marston, John · published 1606 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T14 Royal love, favour and dynastic relation · 467 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T14: prince, princess, love, king, lord, queen, madam, grace, lady, life.
Now heaven bless me, as it is pity that every knave is not a fool, so it is shame, that every old man is not, and resteth not a widower. They say in China, when women are passed childbearing, they are all burnt to make gunpowder. I wonder what men should be done withal, when they are past child-getting, yet upon my love Philocalia (which with Ladies is often above their honour) I do even dote upon the best part of the Duke. What's that? His son, yes soothe, and so love him, that I must marie him. And wherefore love him, so to marry him. Because I love him, and because he his virtuous, I love to marry. His virtues. ay, with him his virtues. I with him, alas sweet Princes, love or virtue are not of the essence of marriage. A jest upon your understanding, i'll maintain that wisdom in a woman is most foolish quality: A Lady of a good complexion, naturally well witted, perfectly bred and well exercised, in discourse of the best men, shall make fools of a thousand of these book thinking creatures, I speak it by way of justification, I tell thee, (look that nobody eavesdrop us.) I tell thee I am truly learned, for I proteigrance and wise, for I love myself, and virtuous enough for a Lady of fifteen. How virtuous? Shall I speak like a creature of a good healthful blood and not like one of these weak green sickness, leave tissick, starvelings: First for the virtue of magnanimity, I am very valiant, for there is no heroic action so particularly noble & glorious to our sex, as not to fall to action, the greatest deed we can do is not to do. (look that nobody listen) Then am I full of patience, and can bear more than a Sumpter horse, for (to speak sensibly) what burden is there so heavy to a porter's back, as Virginity to a well complexioned young lady's thoughts? (look nobody hearken) By this hand the noblest vow is that of Virginity, because the hardest, I will have the Prince. But by what means sweet Madam? Oh Philocalia, in heavy sadness & unwanton phrase there lies all the brain work, by what means I could fall into a miserable blank verse presently. But dear madam your reason of loving him. Faith only a woman's reason, because I was expressly forbidden to love him, at the first view I liked him, and no sooner had my father's wisdom mistrusted my liking, but I grew loath his judgement should err. I pitied he should prove a fool in his old age, and without cause mistrust me? But when you saw no means of manifesting your affection to him, why did not your hopes perish?
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)
Now heauen blesse me, as it is pittie that euerie knaue is not a foole, so it is shame, that euerie old man is not, and resteth not a widdower. They say in China, when women are past child-bearing, they are all burnt to make gun-powder. I wonder what men should bee done withall, when they are past child-getting, yet vpon my loue Philocalia (which with Ladies is often aboue their honour) I do euen dote vpon the best part of the Duke. VVhats that? His sonne, yes sooth, and so loue him, that I must marie him. And wherefore loue him, so to marrie him. Because I loue him, and because he his vertuous, I loue to marrie. His vertues. I, with him his vertues. I with him, alas sweete Princes, loue or vertue are not of the essence of marriage. A iest vpon your vnderstanding, ile maintaine that wisdome in a woman is most foolish qualitie: A Ladie of a good complection, naturally well witted, perfectlie bred and well exercised, in discourse of the best men, shall make fooles of a thousand of these booke thinking creatures, I speake it by way of iustification, I tell thee, (looke that no body eauesdroppe vs.) I tell thee I am truelie learned, for I proteigrance and wise, for I loue my selfe▪ and vertuous enough for a Lady of fifteene. How vertuous? Shall I speake like a creatur of a good healthful blood and not like one of these weake greene sicknesse, leaue tisicke, staruelinges: First for the vertue of magnanimity, I am very valiant, for there is no heroicke action so particularly noble & glorious to our sexe, as not to fall to action, the greatest deede wee can do is not to doe▪ (looke that no body listen) Then am I full of patience, and can beare more then a Sumpter horse, for (to speake sensibly) what burthen is there so heauy to a Porters backe, as Virginity to a well complectioned young Ladies thoughts? (looke no body hearken) By this hand the noblest vow is that of Virginity, because the hardest, I will haue the Prince. But by what meanes sweete Madam? Oh Philocalia, in heauy sadnes & vnwanton phrase there lies all the braine worke, by what meanes I coulde fall into a miserable blanke verse presently. But deare madam your reason of louing him. Faith onely a womans reason, because I was expresly forbidden to loue him, at the first view I likte him, and no sooner had my fathers wisdom mistrusted my liking, but I grew loth his iudgement should erre. I pittied hee shoulde proue a foole in his old age, and without cause mistrust me? But when you saw no meanes of manifesting your affection to him, why did not your hopes perish?