Middleton, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1606 [1604-1606] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 525 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
Though I be poor, 'tis my glory to live honest. I prithee do not leave me. To be bawd. Hell has not such an office, I thought at first your mind had been preserved, In virtue and in modesty of blood, that such a face had not been made to please the unsettled Appetites of several men, Those eyes turned up through prayer, not through lust, But you are wicked, and my thoughts unjust. Why thou art an unreasonable fellow i'faith, do not all Trades live by their ware, and yet called honest Livers? do they not thrive best, when they utter most, and make it away by the great? is not wholesale the chiefest merchandise? do you think some Merchants could keep their wives so brave but for their wholesale? you're foully deceived and you think so. You are so glued to punishment and shame, Your words e'en deserve whipping— to bear the habit of a Gentlewoman, and be in mind so distant. Why you fool you, are not Gentlewomen Sinners? and there's no courageous Sinner amongst us, but was a Gentlewoman by the Mother's side I warrant you: beside, we are not always bound to think those our fathers that marry our Mothers, but those that lie with our Mothers, and they may be Gentlemen borne & born again for aught we know, you know. True: corruption may well be Generations first, we're bad by nature, but by custom worst. Oh my Husband. My Father, O my Father. My sweet Master, dead! Run boy, bid 'em ring out, he's dead, he's gone. Then is as arrant a knave gone, as ere was called upon. The happiest good that ever Shortyard felt, I want to be expressed, my mirth is such, To be struck now e'en when his joys were high, Men only kiss their knaveries, and so die, I've often marked it. He was a famous cozener while he lived, And now his Son shall reap it, i'll ha' the lands, Let him Study law after, 'tis no labour to undo him for ever: but for easy, Only good confidence did make him foolish, And not the lack of Sense, that was not it, 'tis worldly craft beats down a scholars wit, For this our Son and heir now, he From his conception was entailed an Ass, And he has kept it well, twenty five years now, Than the slightest art will do't, the lands lie fair, No Sin to beggar a deceivers heir. Here Winifred, here, here, here, I have always found thee secret. You shall always find me so Mistress. Take this letter and this Ring. Yes forsooth. Oh how all the parts about me shake,— inquire for one Master Easy at his old lodging i'th' the Blackfriars, I will indeed forsooth. Tell him the party that sent him a hundred pound other day to comfort his heart, has likewise sent him this Letter and this Ring, which has that virtue to recover him again for ever say— name nobody Winifrid. Not so much as you forsooth. Good Girl, thou shalt have a mourning Gown at the burial of mine honesty.
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)
Tho I be poore, tis my glorie to liue honeſt. I prethee doe not leaue me. To be bawde. Hell has not ſuch an office, I thought at firſt your minde had beene preſeru'd, In vertue and in modeſtie of bloud, that ſuch a face had not bene made to pleaſe the vnſetled Appetites of ſeuerall men, Thoſe eyes turn'd vp through prayer, not through luſt, But you are wicked, and my thoughts vniuſt. Why thou art an vnreaſonable fellow yfaith, doe not al Trades liue by their ware, and yet cald honeſt Liuers? doe they not thriue beſt, when they vtter moſte, and make it away by the great? is not hole-ſale the chiefeſt marchandize? doe you thinke ſome Merchants could keepe their wiues ſo braue but for their hole-ſale? you'r fowly deceiu'd and you thinke ſo. You are ſo glewde to puniſhent and ſhame, Your wordes ee'n deſerue whipping—to beare the habit of a Gentlewoman, and be in minde ſo diſtant. Why you foole you, are not Gentlewomen Sinners? and there's no coragious Sinner amongſt vs, but was a Gentlewoman by the Mothers ſide I warrant you: beſides, wee are not alwaies bound to thinke thoſe our fathers that marrie our Mothers, but thoſe that lye with our Mothers, and they may be Gentlemen borne & born agen for ought we know, you knowe. True: corruption may well be Generatious firſt, Wee're bad by nature, but by cuſtome worſt. Oh my Husband. My Father, O my Father. My ſweete Maiſter, dead! Runne boy, bid 'em ring out, hee's dead, hee's gne. Then is as arrant a knaue gone, as ere was cal'd vppon. The happyeſt good that euer Shortyard felt, I want to be expreſt, my mirth is ſuch, To bee ſtruck now eene when his ioyes were hye, Men onely kiſſe their knaueries, and ſo dye, Iu'e often markt it. Hee was a famous Coozner while he liu'd, And now his Sonne ſhall reape it, ile ha the lands, Let him Studye law after, tis no labour to vndoe him for euer: but for Eaſie, Onely good confidence did make him fooliſh, And not the lack of Sence, that was not it, Tis worldly craft beates downe a Schollars wit, For this our Sonne and heyre now, hee From his conception was entayl'd an Aſſe, And hee ha's kept it well, twentie fiue yeares now, Then the ſleighteſt art will doo't, the landes lye faire, No Sinne to begger a deceiuers heyre. Heere Wenefride, heere, heere, heere, I haue alwaies found thee ſecret. You ſhall alwaies finde me ſo Miſtris. Take this letter and this Ring. Yes forſooth. Oh how all the partes about me ſhake,—enquire for one Maiſter Eaſie at his olde lodging 'ith the Blackfryers, I will indeed forſooth. Tell him the partie that ſent him a hundred pound tother day to cōfort his heart, ha's likewiſe ſent him this Letter and this Ring, which has that vertue to recouer him agen for euer ſay—name no body Winifride. Not ſo much as you forſooth. Good Girle, thou ſhalt haue a mourning Gowne at the buryall of mine honeſtie.