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 0.89 · 516 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T45: widow, widows, hoord, master, gentlemen, wife, randalls, wit, mistress, married.
I'll make her a jointure say. He can join land to land, and will possess you of what you can desire. Come widow come. The world is so deceitful? There 'tis deceitful, Where flattery, want, and imperfection lies: But none of these in him? push— Pray sir. Come you widows are ever most backward, when you should do yourselves most good, but were it to marry a chin not worth a hair now, than you would be forward enough? come, clap hands, a match. With all my heart widow, thanks Gentlemen, I will deserve your labour, and thy love. Alas, you love not widows but for wealth, I promise you I ha' nothing sir, Well said, widow, well said, thy Love is all I seek, before these Gentlemen. Now I must hope the best, My joys are such they want to be expressed, But Master Hoord, one thing I must remember you of before these gentlemen your friends, how shall I suddenly avoid the loathed soliciting of that perjured Wit-good, and his Tedious— dissembling Uncle, who this very very day hath appointed a meeting for the same purpose too, where had not truth come forth I had been undone, utterly undone. What think you of that Gentlemen. 'twas well devised. Hark thee widow, train out young Wit-good single, hasten him thither with thee, somewhat before the hour where at the place appointed these Gentlemen and myself will wait the opportunity, when by some sleight removing him from thee we'll suddenly enter and surprise thee, carry thee away by boat to Coale-harbour, have a Priest ready and there Clap it up instantly, how lik'st it widow? In that it pleaseth you, it likes me well. I'll kiss thee for those words, come. Gentlemen, Still must I live a Suitor to your favours, Still to your aid beholding. We're engaged sir. 'tis for our credits now to see't well ended. 'tis for your honours Gentlemen; nay look to't, Not only in joy, but I in wealth excel, No more sweet widow, but sweet wife, farewell. Farewell sir.— Oh for more scope, I could laugh eternally, Give you joy Mistress Hoord, I promise your fortune was good forsooth, you'ave fell upon wealth enough, and there's young Gentlemen enough can help you to the rest; now it requires our wits: carry thyself but heedfully now, and we are both— Master Wit-good your Uncle— Cuds me, remove thyself a while, i'll serve for him? Nephew, good morrow, Nephew? The same to you kind Uncle. How fares the widow, does the meeting hold? Oh no question of that sir? I'll strike the stroke then for thee, no more days. The sooner the better Uncle, oh she's mightily followed,— And yet so little rumoured. Mightily? here comes one old Gentleman, and he'll make her a jointure of three hundred a year forsooth, another wealthy suitor will estate his son in his life time, and make him weigh down the widow, here a Merchant's son will possess, her with no less than three goodly Lordships at once, which were all pawns to his Father.
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)
Ile make her a ioynture ſay. Hee can ioyne land to land, and will poſſeſſe you of what you can deſire. Come widdow come. The world is ſo deceitfull? There tis deceitfull, Where flattery, want, and imperfection lies: But none of theſe in him? puſh — Pray ſir. Come you widdowes are euer moſt back-ward, when you ſhould doe your ſelues moſt good, but were it to marry a chin not worth a haire now, then you would bee forward ynough? come, clap hands, a match. Withall my heart widdow, thankes Gentlemen, I will deſerue your labour, and thy loue. Alaſſe, you loue not widdowes but for wealth, I promiſe you I ha nothing ſir, Well ſaid, widdowe, well ſaid, thy Loue is all I ſeeke, before theſe Gentlemen. Now I muſt hope the beſt, My ioyes are ſuch they want to be expreſt, But Maiſter Hoord, one thing I muſ remember you of before theſe gentlemen your friends, how ſhall I ſuddainly auoyde the loathed Solleciting of that periurd Wit-good, and his Tedious—diſſembling Vncle, who this very uery day hath appointed a meeting for the ſame purpoſe too, where had not truth come forth I had beene vndon, vtterly vndon. What thinke you of that Gentlemen. Twas well deuized. Harke thee widdow, trayne out yong Wit-good ſingle, haſten him thether with thee, ſomewhat before the hower where at the place appointed theſe Gentlemen and my ſelfe wil waite the opportunty, when by ſome ſlieght remouing him from thee we'le ſuddenly enter and ſurpriſe thee, carry thee away by boate to Coale-harbour, haue a Prieſt ready and there Clap it vp inſtantly, how lik'ſt it widdow? In that it pleaſeth you, it likes me well. Ile kiſſe thee for thoſe words, come▪ Gentlemen, Still muſt I liue a Suiter to your fauours, Still to your aide beholding. We're engade ſir. Tis for our credits now to ſee't well ended. Tis for your honors Gentlemen; nay looke toote, Not onely in ioy, but I in wealth excell, No more ſweet widdow, but ſweete wife, farwell. Farwell ſir.— Oh for more ſcope, I could laugh eternally, Giue you ioye Miſtres Hoord, I promiſe your fortune was good forſooth, y'aue fell vpon wealth ynough, and there's young Gentlemen enow can helpe you to the reſt; now it requires our wits: carry thy ſelfe but heedfully now, and wee are both— Maiſter Wit-good your Vncle— Cuds me, remoue thy ſelfe a while, ile ſerue for him? Nephew, good morrow, Nephew? The ſame to you kinde Vncle. How fares the widdow, do's the meeting hold? Oh no queſtion of that ſir? Ile ſtrike the ſtroake then for thee, no more daies. The ſooner the better Vncle, oh ſhee's mightily followed, — And yet ſo little rumourd. Mightily? here comes one old Gentleman, and heele make her a ioynture of three hundred a yeare forſooth, another welthy ſuiter wil eſtate his ſonne in his life time, and make him weigh downe the widdow, here a Merchants ſonne wil poſſeſſe, her with no leſſe then three goodly Lordſhips at once, which were all pawnes to his Father.