Middleton, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1606 [1605-1606] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.88 · 478 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
madam? your Grace so private. My duty on your hand. Upon my hand sir, troth I think you'd fear, To kiss my hand too if my lip stood there, Witness I would not Madam. 'tis a wonder, For ceremony has made many fools, It is as easy way unto a Duchess, As to a Hatted-dame, (if her love answer) But that by timorous honours, pale respects, Idle degrees of fear, men make their ways Hard of themselves— what have you thought of me? Madam I ever think of you, in duty, Regard and— Puh, upon my love I mean. I would 'twere love, but' tus a fouler name Than lust; you are my father's wife, your Grace may guess now, What I could call it. Why thouart his son but falsely, 'tis a hard question whether he begot thee. i'faith 'tis true too; I'm an uncertain man, Of more uncertain woman; may be his groom o'th' stable begot me, you know I know not, he could ride a horse well, a shroud suspicion marry— he was wondrous tall, he had his length i'faith, for peeping over half shut holiday windows, Men would desire him light, when he was a foot, He made a goodly show under a Penthouse, And when he rid, his Hat would check the signs, and clatter barber's basins. Nay set you a horse back once, You'll near light off. Indeed I am a beggar. That's more the sign thouart Great— but to our love. Let it stand firm both in thought and mind, That the Duke was thy Father, as no doubt then He bid fair for't, thy injury is the more, For had he cut thee a right Diamond, Thou hadst been next set in the dukedom's Ring, When his worn self like Ages easy slave, Had dropped out of the Collet into th' Grave; What wrong can equal this? canst thou be tame And think upon't. No mad and think upon't. Who would not be revenged of such a father, E'en in the worst way? I would thank that sin, That could most injury him, and be in league with it, Oh what a grief 'tis, that a man should live But once i'th' world, and then to live a Bastard, The curse a'the womb, the thief of Nature, Begot against the seventh commandment, Half damned in the conception, by the justice Of that unbribed everlasting law. Oh I'd a hot-backed Devil to my father. Would not this mad e'en patience, make blood rough? Who but an Eunuch would not sin? his bed By one false minute disinherited. ay, there's the vengeance that my birth was wrapped in, I'll be revenged for all, now hate begin, I'll call foul Incest but a Venial sin. Cold still: in vain then must a Duchess woo? Madam I blush to say what I will do.
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)
Madame? your Grace so priuate. My duety on your hand. Vpon my hand sir, troth I thinke youde feare, To kisse my hand too if my lip stood there, Witnesse I would not Madam. Tis a wonder, For ceremonie ha's made many fooles, It is as easie way vnto a Dutchesse, As to a Hatted-dame, (if her loue answer) But that by timorous honors, pale respects, Idle degrees of feare, men make their wayes Hard of themselues—what haue you thought of me? Madam I euer thinke of you, in duty, Regard and— Puh, vpon my loue I meane. I would 'twere loue, but 'tus a fowler name Then lust; you are my fathers wife, your Grace may gesse now, What I could call it. Why th'art his sonne but falsly, Tis a hard question whether he begot thee. Ifaith 'tis true too; Ime an vncertaine man, Of more vncertaine woman; may be his groome 'ath stable begot me, you know I know not, hee could ride a horse well, a shrowd suspition marry—hee was wondrous tall, hee had his length yfaith, for peeping ouer halfe shut holy-day windowes, Men would desire him light, when he was a foote, He made a goodly show vnder a Pent-house, And when he rid, his Hatt would check the signes, and clatter Barbers Basons. Nay set you a horse back once, Youle nere light off. Indeed I am a beggar. That's more the signe thou'art Great—but to our loue. Let it stand firme both in thought and minde, That the Duke was thy Father, as no doubt then Hee bid faire fort, thy iniurie is the more, For had hee cut thee a right Diamond, Thou hadst beene next set in the Duke-doomes Ring, When his worne selfe like Ages easie slaue, Had dropt out of the Collet into th' Graue; What wrong can equall this? canst thou be tame And thinke vppon't. No mad and thinke vpon't. Who would not be reuengd of such a father, E'en in the worst way? I would thanke that sinne, That could most iniury him, and bee in league with it, Oh what a griefe 'tis, that a man should liue But once ith world, and then to liue a Bastard, The curse a'the wombe, the theefe of Nature, Begot against the seauenth commandement, Halfe dambd in the conception, by the iustice Of that vnbribed euerlasting law. Oh Ide a hot-backt Diuill to my father. Would not this mad e'en patience, make bloud rough? Who but an Eunuch would not sinne? his bed By one false minute disinherited. I, there's the vengeance that my birth was wrapt in, Ile be reuengd for all, now hate begin, Ile call foule Incest but a Veniall sinne. Cold still: in vaine then must a Dutchesse woo? Madam I blush to say what I will doo.