Middleton, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1604 [1603-1604] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) · before the Court T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.76 · 488 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Who having had the honest charge of his Niece committed to his trust, by the last will and Testament of her deceased father, and with her all the power of his wealth, not only against faith and conscience detains her Dowry, but against Nature and humanity assays to abuse her body. I'm present to affirm it my loved Lord. How? what make I here? Either I must agree. To loathed lust, or despised beggary. Are you the plaintive here? I my good Lord, For fault of a better. Seldom comes a worse— and moreover not contained in this vice only, which is odious to much, but against the sacred use of justice, maintains three threeues to his men. Cuds me! Who only take Purses in their masters liberty, where if any one chance to be taken, he appears before him in a false Beard, and own of his own fellows takes his examination. By my troth as true as can be, but he shall not know on't. And in the end will execute justice so cruelly upon him, that he will not trust him in a prison, but commit him to his fellows chamber. Can a man do nothing i'the Country but 'tis told at Court? there's some busy informing knave abroad, a my life. That this is true, and these, and more my Lord. (Be it under pardon spoken for mine own) He the disease of justice, these of honour, And This of Loyalty and Reverence: The unswept venom of the Palace, Slave! Behold the Prince to approve it. Oh, where? Your Eyes keep with your Actions, both look wrong. An infernal to my spirit. My Lord the Prince: Tread me to dust, thou in whom wonder keeps, Behold the Serpent on his belly creeps. Rankle not my foot, away. Treason, we laugh at thy vain-labouring strings, Above the foot thou hast no power over Kings I cannot with sufficient joy receive thee, And yet my joy's too much, My royal Father, To whose unnatural murder I was hired, I thought it a more natural course of travail, And answering future expectation, To leave far Countries, and inquire mine own, To thee let Reverence all her powers engage, That art in youth a miracle to age. State is but blindness, ethou hadst piercing Art, We only saw the knee; but thou the heart. To thee then power and Dukedom we resign, he's fit to reign, whose knowledge can refine: Forbid it my obedience. Our word's not vain, I know thee wise canst both obey and reign, The rest of life we dedicate to heaven. A happy and safe reign to our new Duke. Without your prayers safer, & happier: Fidelio. My royal Lord. Here take this Diamond: You know the virtue on't, it can fetch vice: Madam Castiza: She attends my Lord. Place a guard near us. Know you you fellow Lady? My honours evil. Torment again?
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Who hauing had the honeſt charge of his Neece committed to his truſt, by the laſt will and Teſtament of her deceaſed father, and with her all the power of his wealth, not onely againſt faith and conſcience detaines her Dowrie, but againſt Nature and humanity aſſaies to abuſe her body. I'me preſent to affirme it my lou'd Lord. How? what make I heere? Eyther I muſt agree. To loathed luſt, or deſpiſde beggery. Are you the plaintiue here? I my good Lord, For fault of a better. Sildome comes a worſe—and moreouer not containde in this vice onelye, which is odious to much, but againſt the ſacred vſe of Iuſtice, maintaines three threeues to his men. Cuds me! Who onely take Purſſes in their Maiſters libertie, where if any one chance to be taken, he appeares before him in a falſe Beard, and owne of his owne fellows takes his examination. By my troth as true as can be, but hee ſhall not knowe on't. And in the end will execute Iuſtice ſo cruellye vpon him, that hee will not truſt him in a priſon, but commit him to his fellowes chamber. Can a man doe nothing i'the Countrey but tis told at Court? there's ſome buſie informing knaue abroad, a my life. That this is true, and theſe, and more my Lord. (Be it vnder pardon ſpoken for mine owne) Hee the diſeaſe of Iuſtice, theſe of honour, And This of Loyaltie and Reuerence: The vnſwept venome of the Pallace, Slaue! Behold the Prince to approoue it. Oh, where? Your Eyes keep with your Actions, both looke wrong. An infernall to my ſpirit. My Lord the Prince: Tread me to duſt, thou in whō wonder keepes, Behold the Serpent on his bellie creepes. Ranckle not my foote, away. Treaſon, we laugh at thy vain-labouring ſtrings, Aboue the foote thou haſt no power ore Kings I cannot with ſufficient ioy receiue thee, And yet my ioye's too much, My royall Father, To whoſe vnnaturall murther I was hir'd, I thought it a more naturall courſe of trauaile, And anſwering future expectation, To leaue farre Countryes, and enquire mine owne, To thee let Reuerence all her powers engage, That art in youth a myracle to age. State is but blindneſſ, ethou hadſt piercing Art, We onely ſaw the knee; but thou the heart. To thee then power and Dukedome we reſigne, ▪Hee's fit to raign, whoſe knowledge can refine: Forbid it my obedience. Our word's not vaine, I know thee wiſe can'ſt both obey and raigne, The reſt of life we dedicate to heauen. A happy and ſafe raigne to our new Duke. Without your praiers ſafer, & happier: Fidelio. My royall Lord. Here take this Diamond: You know the vertue on't, it can fetch vice: Madam Caſtiza: She attends my Lord. Place a guard neare vs. Know you you fellow Ladie? My honours euill. Torment agen?