Middleton, Thomas · published 1608 · first performed or written 1606 [1604-1607] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) T49 Wooing a mistress: suitors, go-betweens typicality 0.87 · 469 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
Mistress Harebrain, give my wit thanks hereafter, your wishes are in sight, your opportunity spacious. Will you but hear a word from me? Whooh— My husband himself brought me toth' door, walks below for my return; jealousy is prick-eared, and will hear the waging of a hair. Pish, you're a faint-liver, trust yourself with your pleasure, and me with your security, go. The fullness of my wish. Of my desire. Beyond this sphere I never will aspire. I'll listen, now the flesh draws nigh her end, At such a time women exchange their secrets, And ransack the close corners of their hearts; What many years hath whelmed, this hour imparts. Pray sit down, there's a low stool, good Mistress Harebrain, this was kindly done; huh give me your hand; huh, alas how cold you are: e'en so is your husband, that worthy wise Gentleman; as comfortable a man to woman in my case, as ever trod— huh— shoe leather, love him, honour him, stick by him, he lets you want nothing, that's fit for a woman; and to be sure on't, he will see himself that you want it not. And so I do i'faith, 'tis right my humour. You live a Lady's life with him, go where you will, ride when you will, and do what you will. Not so, not so neither, she's better looked to. I know you do, you need not tell me that; 'twere e'en pity of your life i'faith, if ever you should wrong such an innocent gentleman; fie Mistress Harebrain, what do you mean? come you to discomfort me? nothing but weeping with you? she's weeping, t'as made her weep, my wife shows her good nature already. Still, still weeping? huff, huff, huff, why how now woman? heigh, hy, hy, for shame leave; suh, suh, she cannot answer me for snobbing. All this does her good, beshrew my heart and I pity her, let her shed tears till morning; I'll stay for her, she shall have enough on't by my good will; I'll not be her hindrance. O no, lay your hand here Mistress Harebrain: I there, Oh there, there lies my pain good gentlewoman: sore? Oh ay, I can scarce endure your hand upon't. Poor soul, how she's tormented. Yes, yes, I eat a cullis an hour since. There's some comfort in that yet, she may scape it. Oh it lies about my heart much. I'm sorry for that i'faith, she'll hardly scape it. Bound, no, no, I'd a very comfortable stool this morning. I'm glad of that i'faith, that's a good sign, I smell, she'll scape it now. Will you be going then? Fall back, she's coming. Thanks good Mistress Harebrain, welcome sweet Mistress Harebrain, pray commend me to the good gentleman your husband. I could do that myself now.
seed 43: T5 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Miſtris Harebraine, giue my wit thankes hereafter, your wiſhes are in ſight, your opportunity ſpatious. Will you but heare a word from mee? Whooh— My husband himſelfe brought mee to'th doore, walkes below for my returne; ielouſie is prick-eard, and will heare the waging of a haire. Piſh, y' are a faint-liuer, truſt your ſelfe with your pleaſure, and me with your ſecurity, go. The fulnes of my wiſh. Of my deſire. Beyond this ſphere I never will aſpire. Ile liſten, now the fleſh drawes nie her end, At ſuch a time women exchange their ſecrets, And ranſack the cloſe corners of their hearts; What many yeares hath whelm'd, this houre imparts. Pray ſit downe, there's a low ſtoole, good Miſtris Harebraine, this was kindly done; huh giue me your hand; huh, alas how cold you are: eu'n ſo is your husband, that worthy wiſe Gentleman; as comfortable a man to woman in my caſe, as euer trod—huh—ſhooe leather, loue him, honour him, ſticke by him, hee lets you want nothing, that's fit for a woman; and to be ſure on't, he wil ſee himſelfe that you want it not. And ſo I doe yfaith, tis right my humour. You liue a Ladies life with him, go where you will, ride when you will, and do what you will. Not ſo, not ſo neither, ſhee's better lookt to. I know you doe, you need not tell me that; t'were ee'n pity of your life yfaith, if euer you ſhould wrong ſuch an innocent gentleman; fie Miſtris Harebraine, what doe you meane? come you to diſcomfort mee? nothing but weeping with you? Shee's weeping, t'as made her weepe, my wife ſhewes her good nature already. Still, ſtill weeping? huff, huff, huff, why how now woman? hey, hy, hy, for ſhame leaue; ſuh, ſuh, ſhe cannot anſwere me for ſnobbing. All this do's her good, beſhrew my heart and I pity her, let her ſhed teares till morning; Ile ſtay for her, ſhe ſhall haue enough on't by my good will; Ile not be her hinderance. O no, lay your hand here Miſtris Harebraine: I there, Oh there, there lies my paine good gentlewoman: ſore? Oh I, I can ſcarce endure your hand vppon't. Poore ſoule, how ſhee's tormented. Yes, yes, I eate a Culliſſe an houre ſince. There's ſome comfort in that yet, ſhe may ſcape it. Oh it lies about my heart much. I'me ſory for that yfaith, ſhee'le hardly ſcape it. Bound, no, no, I'de a very comfortable ſtoole this morning. I'me glad of that yfaith, that's a good ſigne, I ſmell, ſhee'le ſcape it now. Will you be going then? Fall backe, ſhee's comming. Thanks good Miſtris Harebraine, welcome ſweet Miſtris Harebraine, pray commend me to the good gentleman your husband. I could do that my ſelfe now.