Middleton, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1606 [1605-1606] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.85 · 447 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
duke: royal lecher; go, grey haired adultery, And thou his son as impious steeped as he: And thou his bastard true-begot in evil: And thou his Duchess that will do with Devil, four exc'llent Characters— O that marrowless age, Would stuff the hollow Bones with damned desires, And stead of heat kindle infernal fires, Within the spendthrift veins of a dry Duke, A parched and juiceless luxur. O God! one That has scarce blood enough to live upon. And he to ryct it like a son and heir? O the thought of that Turns my abused heartstrings into fret. Thou sallow picture of my poisoned love, My study's ornament, thou shell of Death, Once the bright face of my betrothed Lady, When life and beauty naturally filled out These ragged imperfections; When two-heaven-pointed Diamonds were set In those unsightly Rings;— then 'twas a face So far beyond the artificial shine Of any woman's bought complexion That the uprightest man, (if such there be, That sin but seven times a day) broke custom And made up eight with looking after her, Oh she was able to ha' made a usurers son Melt all his patrimony in a kiss, And what his father fifty years told To have consumed, and yet his suit been cold: But oh accursed Palace! Thee when thou wert appareled in thy flesh, The old Duke poisoned, Because thy purer part would not consent Unto his palsy-lust, for old men lustful Do show like young men angry, eager violent, Outbid like their limited performances O ware an old man hot, and vicious Age as in gold in lust is covetous. Vengeance thou murders Quitrent, and whereby Thou showst thyself Tenant to Tragedy, Oh keep thy day, hour, minute, I beseech, For those thou hast determined: hum: who ere knew Murder unpaid, faith give Revenge her due Sha's kept touch hitherto— be merry, merry, Advance thee, O thou terror to fat folks To have their Costly three-piled flesh worn of As bare as this— for banquets: ease and laughter, Can make great men as greatness goes by clay, But wise men little are more great than they? Still sighing over death's vizard. Brother welcome, What comfort bringst thou? how go things at Court? In silk and silver brother: never braver. Puh, Thou play'st upon my meaning prithee say Has that bald Madam, Opportunity? Yet thought upon's, speak are we happy yet? Thy wrongs and mine are for one scabbard fit. It may prove happiness? What is't may prove? Give me to taste. Give me your hearing then, You know my place at Court. I; the Duke's Chamber But 'tis a marvel thou'rt not turned out yet!
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)
DVke: royall letcher; goe, gray hayrde adultery, And thou his sonne as impious steept as hee: And thou his bastard true-begott in euill: And thou his Dutchesse that will doe with Diuill, Foure exlent Characters—O that marrow-lesse age, Would stuffe the hollow Bones with dambd desires, And stead of heate kindle infernall fires, Within the spend-thrift veynes of a drye Duke, A parcht and iuicelesse luxur. O God! one That has scarce bloud inough to liue vpon. And hee to ryct it like a sonne and heyre? O the thought of that Turnes my abused heart-strings into fret. Thou sallow picture of my poysoned lcue, My studies ornament, thou shell of Death, Once the bright face of my betrothed Lady, When life and beauty naturally fild out These ragged imperfections; When two-heauen-pointed Diamonds were set In those vnsightly Rings;—then 'twas a face So farre beyond the artificiall shine Of any womans bought complexion That the vprightest man, (if such there be, That sinne but seauen times a day) broke custome And made vp eight with looking after her, Oh she was able to ha made a Vsurers sonne Melt all his patrimony in a kisse, And what his father fiftie yeares told To haue consumde, and yet his sute beene cold: But oh accursed Pallace! Thee when thou wert appareld in thy flesh, The old Duke poyson'd, Because thy purer part would not consent Vnto his palsey-lust, for old men lust-full Do show like young men angry, eager violent, Out-bid like their limited performances O ware an old man hot, and vicious Age as in gold in lust is couetous. Vengence thou murders Quit-rent, and whereby Thou shoust thy selfe Tennant to Tragedy, Oh keepe thy day, houre, minute, I beseech, For those thou hast determined: hum: who ere knew Murder vnpayd, faith giue Reuenge her due Sha's kept touch hetherto—be merry, merry, Aduance thee, O thou terror to fat folkes To haue their Costly three-pilde flesh worne of As bare as this—for banquets: ease and laughter, Can make great men as greatnesse goes by clay, But wise men little are more great then they? Still sighing ore deaths vizard. Brother welcome, What comfort bringst thou? how go things at Court? In silke and siluer brother: neuer brauer. Puh, Thou playst vpon my meaning pree-thee say Has that bald Madam, Opportunity? Yet thought vpon's, speake are we happy yet? Thy wrongs and mine are for one scabberd fit. It may proue happinesse? What ist may proue? Giue me to tast. Giue me your hearing then, You know my place at Court. I; the Dukes Chamber But tis a maruaile thourt not turnd out yet!