The Puritan, or The Widow of Watling Street (The Puritan Widow) · chunk 15 of 37
Middleton, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1606 (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) unassigned nearest T33 Fathers, daughters and marriage negotiat · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T33: daughter, marriage, father, love, davus, matter, son, chremes, wife, mother.
I can no more endure this. Nor I widow Endure to flatter. Is this all your business with me? No, Lady, 'tis but the induction to't't, You may believe my strains, I strike all true? And if your conscience would leap up to your tongue, yourself would affirm it, and that you shall perceive I know of things to come; as well as I do of what is present, a Brother of your husband's shall shortly have a loss! A loss, marry heaven forfend, Sir Godfrey, my brother! Nay keep in your wonders, till I have told you the fortunes of you all; which are more fearful, if not happily prevented— for your part & your daughters, if there be not once this day some bloodshed before your door, whereof the humane creature dies? two of you the elder shall run mad? Oh. That's not I yet! And with most impudent prostitution show your naked bodies to the view of all beholders! Our naked bodies? fie for shame: Attend me: and your younger daughter be strucken dumb? Dumb? out alas: 'tis the worst pain of all for a Woman, I'd rather be mad, or run naked, or any thing: dumb? Give ear? ere the evening fall upon, Hill Bog, and Meadow, this my speech shall have past probation, and then shall I be believed accordingly. If this be true, we are all shamed, all undone? Dumb? I'll speak as much as ever I can possible before evening? But if it so come to pass (as for your fair sakes I wish it may) that this presage of your strange fortunes be prevented by that accident of death & bloodshedding which I before told you off: take heed upon your lives; that two of you which have vowed never to marry, seek you out husbands with all present speed and you the third that have such a desire to outstrip chastity, look you meddle not with a husband. A double torment. The breach of this keeps your father in Purgatory, and the punishments that shall follow you in this world, would with horror kill the Ear should hear 'em related. Marry? why I vowed never to marry. And so did I. And I vowed never to be such an Ass, but to marry. what a cross Fortune's this? Ladies, though I be a Fortune-teller, I cannot better Fortunes, you have 'em from me as they are revealed to me: I would they were to your tempers, and fellows with your bloods, that's all the bitterness I would you. Oh 'tis a just vengeance, for my husband's hard purchases. I wish you to bethink yourselves, and leav'em. I'll to Sir Godfrey my Brother, and acquaint him with these fearful presages. For Mother they portend losses to him. Oh ay, they do, they do, If any happy issue crown thy words, I will reward thy cunning. 'Tis enough Lady, I wish no higher. Dumb, and not marry, worse, Neither to speak, nor kiss, a double curse?
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)
I can no more endure this. Nor I widdow Endure to flatter. Is this all your businesse with me? No, Lady, tis but the induction too'te, You may beleiue my straines, I strike all true? And if your conscience would leap vp to your tongue, your selfe would affirme it, and that you shall perceiue I knowe of things to come; as well as I doe of what is present, a Brother of your husbands shall shortly haue a losse! A losse, marry heauen for-fend, Sir Godfrey, my brother! Nay keepe in your wonders, till I haue told you the fortunes of you all; which are more fearefull, if not happily preuented—for your part & your daughters, if there be not once this day some bloud-shed befoe your dore, wheerof the humaine creature dies? two of you the elder shall run mad? Oh. That's not I yet! And with most impudent prostitution show your naked bodies to the veiw of all beholders! Our naked bodies? sie for shame: Attend mee: and your yonger daughter bee srocken dumbe? Dumbe? out alasse: tis the worst paine of all for a Woman, Ide rather bee madde, or runne naked, or any thing: dumbe? Giue eare? ere the euening fall vpon, Hill Bogge, and Meadow, this my speech shal haue past probation, and then shal I be belieued accordingly. If this bee true, wee are all sham'de, all vndon? Dumbe? Ile speake as much as euer I can possible before euening? But if it so come to passe (as for your faire sakes I wish it may) that this presage of your strange fortūes be preuēted by that accidēt of death & bloud-shedding which I before told you off: take heed vpō your liues; that two of you which haue vow'd neer to marry, seeke you out husbands with all present speede and you the third that haue such a desire to out-strip chastitie, looke you meddle not with a husband. A double torment. The breach of this keepes your father in Purgatorie, and the punishments that shall follow you in this world, would with horror kill the Eare should heare 'e related. Marry? why I vowd neuer to marry. And so did I. And I vowde neuer to be such an Asse, but to marry. what a crosse Fortune's this? Ladies, tho I bee a Fortune-teller, I cannot better Fortunes, you haue 'em frō me as they are reueald to me: I would they were to your tempers, and fellowes with your blouds, that's all the bitternesse I would you. Oh 'tis a iust vengeance, for my husbands hard purchases. I wish you to be-thinke your selues, and leauem. Ile to Sir Godfrey my Brother, and acquaint him with these fearefull presages. For Mother they portend losses to him. Oh I, they doe, they doe, If any happy issue crowne thy words, I will reward thy cunning. 'Tis enough Lady, I wish no higher. Dumbe, and not marry, worse, Neither to speake, nor kisse, a double curse?