Anonymous · published 1607 · first performed or written 1602 [1601-1602] (Annals) comedy · Unknown T11 Siblings, kin and confidants typicality 0.81 · 514 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T11: sister, brother, love, friend, heart, father, mother, woman, lord, hear.
I have no means of private conference, So narrowly pursues my hinderer, No sooner am I entered the sweet court Of lovely rest, my loves rich mansion, But rival love to my affection Follows me, as a soon enforced straw, The drawing virtue of a sable jet: This therefore's my determination, Within the close womb of a sealed paper, Will I right down in bloody Characters, The burning zeal of my affection: And by some trusty messenger or other, Convey the same into my loves own hand; So shall I know her resolution, And how she fancies my affection. Yet subtle Fox, I may perchance to cross you: Brother, well met; whither away so fast? About affairs that do require some haste. 'tis well done brother, you seek still for gain. But you would reap the harvest of my pain: Farewell good brother, I must needs be gone, I have serious business now to think upon: Yet for I fear my brother Anthonie, I'll step aside and stand a while unseen, I may perchance descry which way he goes; Thus policy must work twixt friends and foes. So, he is gone, I scarcely trust him neither; For 'tis his custom, like a sneaking fool, To fetch a compass of a mile about, And creep where he would be; well, let him pass, I heard him say, that since by word of mouth He could not purchase his sweet mistress favour, He would endeavour what his wit might do By writing, and by tokens; O 'tis good Writing with ink; O no, but with his blood. Well, so much for that, now I know his mind I do intend not to be far behind: he'll send a letter, I will write another, Do what you can, i'll be before you brother; I'll intercept his letter by the way, And as time serves, the same I will bewray: Mine being made, a Porter I'll procure, That shall convey that heart-enticing lure; About it then, my letter shall be writ, Though not with blood, yet with a reaching wit. And shall it so, good brother Anthonie? Were you so near when we in secret talked? Wilt ne'er be otherwise? will you dog me still? Welcome sweet Frank; such news I have to tell, As cannot choose but like thee passing well: Thou knowest my love to Phillis? Brother, say on. Thou likewise art acquainted with my rival, And I do build upon your secrecy. 'sblood, and I thought you did not, I'd retire: Brother you know, I love you as my life. I dare profess as much, and thereupon Make bold to crave thy furtherance, in a thing Concerns me much. Out with it brother; If I shrink back, repose trust in some other. Then thus it is; my brother all in haste Is gone, to write a letter to my love, And thinks thereby to cross me in my suit, Sending it by a Porter to her hand; If ever therefore thou wilt aid thy brother, Help me in this, who seeks help from no other.
nodes 852–918 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 16 of 41 in this edition
Length
514 words · 657 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T11 — Siblings, kin and confidantscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.806 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T15 · seed 44: T12 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I haue no meanes of priuate conference, So narrowly pursues my hinderer, No sooner am I entred the sweet court Of louely rest, my loues rich mansion, But riuall loue to my affection Followes me, as a soone enforced strawe, The drawing vertue of a sable jeat: This therefore's my determination, Within the close wombe of a sealed paper, Will I right downe in bloody Characters, The burning zeale of my affection: And by some trusty messenger or other, Conuey the same into my loues owne hand; So shall I know her resolution, And how she fancies my affection. Yet subtill Fox, I may perchance to crosse you: Brother, well met; whither away so fast? About affaires that doe require some haste. Tis well done brother, you seeke still for gaine. But you would reape the haruest of my paine: Farewell good brother, I must needes be gone, I haue serious businesse now to thinke vpon: Yet for I feare my brother Anthonie, Ile step aside and stand a while vnseene, I may perchance discry which way he goes; Thus policie must worke twixt friends and foes. So, hee is gone, I scarsely trust him neither; For tis his custome, like a sneaking foole, To fetch a compasse of a mile about, And creepe where he would be; well, let him passe, I heard him say, that since by word of mouth He could not purchase his sweet mistresse fauour, He would endeuour what his wit might doe By writing, and by tokens; O tis good Writing with inke; O no, but with his blood. Well, so much for that, now I know his minde I doe intend not to be farre behinde: Heele send a letter, I will write another, Doe what you can, ile be before you brother; Ile entercept his letter by the way, And as time serues, the same I will bewray: Mine being made, a Porter Ile procure, That shall conuey that heart-inticing lure; About it then, my letter shall be writ, Though not with blood, yet with a reaching wit. And shall it so, good brother Anthonie? Were you so neere when we in secret talk'd? Wilt ne're be otherwise? will you dog me still? Welcome sweete Frank; such news I haue to tell, As cannot chuse but like thee passing well: Thou knowest my loue to Phillis? Brother, say on. Thou likewise art acquainted with my riuall, And I doe build vpon your secrecie. Sblood, and I thought you did not, Ide retire: Brother you know, I loue you as my life. I dare professe as much, and there-vpon Make bold to craue thy furtherance, in a thing Concernes me much. Out with it brother; If I shrinke backe, repose trust in some other. Then thus it is; my brother all in haste Is gone, to write a letter to my loue, And thinkes thereby to crosse me in my sute, Sending it by a Porter to her hand; If euer therefore thou wilt aid thy brother, Helpe me in this, who seekes helpe from no other.