Middleton, Thomas · published 1608 · first performed or written 1605 (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) · before the Court T45 Widows, wooing and remarriage typicality 0.90 · 514 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T45: widow, widows, hoord, master, gentlemen, wife, randalls, wit, mistress, married.
Go too do't I say, thou shalt hear better from me. Is not this a better place than 5. Mark a year standing wages; say a man had but 3. such clients in a day, methinks he might make a poor living on't, beside I was never brought up with so little honesty, to refuse any man's money never; what gulls there are a this side the world, now know I the widows mind, none but my young master comes in her clutches, ha, ha, ha. Now my dear Gentlemen stand firmly to me, you know his follies, and my worth. we do sir. But Master Hoord, are you sure he is not i'th' house now? upon my honesty I chose this time, A purpose, fit, the spendthrift is abroad, Assist me: here she comes. now my sweet widow, youare welcome Master Hoord. Dispatch, sweet Gentlemen, dispatch, I am come widow, to prove those my words, Neither of envy Sprung nor of false tongues, But such as their deserts and Actions, Do merit and bring forth, all which these Gentlemen well known and better reputed will confess. I cannot tell, How my affections may dispose of me, But surely if they find him so desertless, They'll have that reason to withdraw themselves. And therefore Gentlemen I do entreat you, As you are fair in Reputation, And in appearing form so shine in truth; I am a widow and alas you know, Soon overthrown, 'tis a very small thing, That we withstand, our weakness is so great, Be partial unto neither, but deliver, Without affection your opinion, And that will drive it home, Nay I beseech your silence Master Hoord, You are a party. Widow? not a word! The better first to work you to belief, Know neither of us owe him flattery, Nor other malice, but unbribed censure, So help us our best fortunes. It suffices? That Wit-good is a riotous undone man, Imperfect both in fame and in estate: His debts wealthier than he, and executions In wait for his due body, we'll maintain With our best credit, and our dearest blood. Nor land, nor living say you, pray take heed you do not wrong the Gentleman? What we speak, Our lives and means are ready to make good. Alas, how soon are we poor souls beguiled! And for his Uncle.— Let that come to me, His Uncle a severe extortioner, A Tyrant at a forfeiture, greedy of others miseries, One that would undo his brother; nay swallow Up his father, if he can Within the fathoms of his conscience. Nay believe it widow, You had not only matched yourself to wants, But in an evil and unnatural stock. Follow hard, Gentlemen, follow hard? Is my love so deceived, before you all I do renounce him, on my knees I vow He near shall marry me,— Heaven knows he never meant it? There, take her at the bound,— Then with a new and pure affection, Behold you Gentleman, grave, kind and rich: A match worthy yourself, esteeming him, You do regard your state.
seed 43: T40 · seed 44: T40 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Go too do't I ſay, thou ſhalt heare better from me. Is not this a better place then 5. Marke a yeare ſtanding wages; ſay a man had but 3. ſuch clients in a day, me thinkes he might make a poore liuing ont, beſide I was neuer brought vp with ſo little honeſty, to refuſe any mans mony neuer; what glles there are a this ſide the world, now knowe I the widdowes minde, none but my yong maſter comes in her clutches, ha, ha, ha. Now my deere Gentlemen ſtand firmely to me, you know his follyes, and my worth. Wee doo ſir. But Maiſter Hoord, are you ſure he is not ith houſe now? vpon my honeſty▪ I choſe this time, A purpoſe, fit, the ſpend-thrift is abroad, Aſſiſt me: here ſhe comes▪ now my ſweete widdow, Y are wellcome Maiſter Hoord. Diſpatch, ſweet Gentlemen, diſpatch, I am come widdow, to proue thoſe my words, Neither of enuy Sprung nor of falſe tongs, But ſuch as their deſars and Actions, Doe merit and bring forth, all which theſe Gentlemen well knowne and better reputted will confeſſe. I cannot tell, How my affections may diſpoſe of me, But ſurely if they find him ſo deſartleſſe, Theyle haue that reaſon to with-draw them-ſelues. And therefore Gentlemen I doe entreat you, As you are faire in Reputation, And in appearing forme ſo ſhine in truth; I am a widdow and alaſſe you knowe, Soone ouerthowen, tis a very ſmall thing, That we with-ſtand, our weakenes is ſo great, Be partiall vnto neither, but deliuer, Without affection your opinion, And that will driue it home, Nay I beſecch your ſilence Maiſter Hoord, You are a party. Widdow? not a word! The better firſt to worke you to beleife, Know neither of vs owe him flattery, Nor tother malice, but vnbribed cenſure, So helpe vs our beſt fortunes. It ſuffizes? That Wit-good is a riotous vndon man, Imperfect both in fame and in eſtate: His debts welthier then he, and executions In waite for his due body, we'ele maintayne With our beſt credit, and our deereſt bloud. Nor land, nor liuing ſay you, pray take heede you do not wrong the Gentleman? What we ſpeake, Our liues and meanes are ready to make good. Alaſſe, how ſoone are wee poore ſoules beguild! And for his Vncle.— Let that come to me, His Vncle a ſeuere extortioner, A Tyrant at a forfeiture, greedy of others miſeries, One that would vndo his brother; nay ſwallowe Vp his father, if he can Within the fadomes of his conſcience. Nay beleeue it widdow, You had not onely matcht your ſelfe to wants, But in an euill and vnnaturall ſtocke. Follow hard, Gentlemen, follow hard? Is my loue ſo deceau'd, before you all I do renounce him, on my knees I vow He nere ſhall marry mee,— Heauen knowes hee neuer meant it? There, take her at the bound,— Then with a new and pure affection, Behold you Gentleman, graue, kinde and rich: A match worthy your ſelfe, eſteeming him, You do regard your ſtate.