Middleton, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1604 [1603-1604] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) · before the Court unassigned nearest T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds · 487 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
So ugly are thy crimes, Thine eye cannot endure 'em. And that thy face may stand perpetually Turned so from ours, and thy abhorred self, Neither to threaten wrack of state or credit, An everlasting banishment cease on thee. Oh Fiend! Thy life is such it is too bad to end. May thy Rule, life, and all that's in thee glad, Have as short time— as thy begetting had. Away, thy curse is idle, the rest are under reformation, and therefore under pardon. Our duties shall turn edge upon our crimes. 'Slid I was afraid of nothing, but that for my thievery, and bawdry I should have been turned to an Innkeeper: my daughter, I am ashamed her worship should see me. Who would not love a friend at Court? what fine Galleries and rooms am I brought through? I had thought my knight durst not have shown his face here, I. Now mother of pride, and daughter of lust, which is your friend now? Ah me! I'm sure you are not so unprovided to be without a friend here, you'll pay enough for him first. This is the worst room that ever I came in. I am your servant Mistress, know you not me! Your worship is to great for me to know: I'm but a small timbred-woman when I'm out of my apparel, and dare not venture upon greatness. Do you deny me then? know you this purse? That purse? O death has the Knight served me so? given away my Favours? Stand forth— thou one of those, for whose close lusts the plague never leaves the City. Thou worse than common: private, subtle harlot, That dost deceive Three with one feigned lip, Thy husband, the world's eye, and the laws whip. Thy zeal is hot, for 'tis to lust and fraud, And dost not dread to make thy book thy Bawd, Thou'rt curse enough to husbands ill-got gains, For whom the Court rejects, his gold maintains: How dear and rare was Freedom wont to be, Now few but are by their wives copies free, And brought to such a head that now we see, City and Suburbs wear one livery. 'tis long of those, an't like your grace, that come in upon us, & will never leave marrying of our widows till they make 'em all as free as their first husbands. I perceive you can shift a point well. Let me have pardon I beseech your grace, and I'll peach 'em all, all the close women that are, and upon my knowledge there's above five thousand within the walls and the liberties. A band? they shall be sent against the Turk, Infidels against Infidels. I will hereafter live so modestly, I will not lie with mine own husband, nor come near a man in the way of honesty. I'll be her warrant my Lord. You are deceived, you think you're still a justice.
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)
So vgly are thy crimes, Thine eye cannot endure 'em. And that thy face may ſtand perpetually Turn'd ſo from ours, and thy abhorred ſelfe, Neither to threaten wracke of ſtate or credite, An euerlaſting baniſhment ceaze on thee. Oh Fiend! Thy life is ſuch it is too bad to end. May thy Rule, life, and all that's in thee glad, Haue as ſhort time—as thy begetting had. Away, thy curſe is idle, the reſt are vnder reformation, and therefore vnder pardon. Our duties ſhall turne edge vpon our crimes. S'lid I was afraid of nothing, but that for my theeuerie, and bawderie I ſhould haue beene turnd to an Inkeeper: my daughter, I am aſham'd her worſhip ſhould ſee mee. Who would not loue a friend at Court? what fine Galleries and roomes am I brought through? I had thoght my knight durſt not haue ſhown his face here, I. Now mother of pride, and daughter of luſt, which is your friend now? Ah me! I'me ſure you are not ſo vnprouided to be without a friend here, you'le pay enough for him firſt. This is the worſt roome that euer I came in. I am your ſeruant Miſtris, know you not me! Your worſhip is to great for me to know: I'me but a ſmall timbred-woman when I'me out of my apparell, and dare not venture vpon greatnes. Doe you denie me then? know you this purſe? That purſe? O death has the Knight ſeru'd me ſo? giuen away my Fauours? Stand forth—thou one of thoſe, for whoſe cloſe luſts the plague neuer leaues the Citie. Thou worſe then common: priuate, ſubtill harlot, That doſt deceiue Three with one faigned lip, Thy husband, the worlds eye, and the lawes whip. Thy zeale is hot, for tis to luſt and frawde, And doſt not dread to make thy booke thy Bawde, Thou'rt curſſe enough to husbands il-got gaines, For whom the Court reiects, his gold maintaines: How deere and rare was Freedome wont to be, Now few but are by their wiues copies free, And brought to ſuch a head that now we ſee, Citie and Suburbs weare one liuerie. Tis long of thoſe, an't like your grace, that come in vpon vs, & wil neuer leaue marrying of our widdows till they make 'em all as free as their firſt husbands. I perceiue you can ſhift a point well. Let me haue pardon I beſeech your grace, and Ile peach 'em all, all the cloſe women that are, and vpon my knowledge there's aboue fiue thouſand within the walls and the liberties. A band▪ they ſhall be ſent againſt the Turke, Infidels againſt Infidels. I will hereafter liue ſo modeſtly, I will not lie with mine owne husband, nor come neere a man in the way of honeſtie. Ile be her warrant my Lord. You are deceiu'd, you thinke y' are ſtil a Iuſtice.