Middleton, Thomas · published 1608 · first performed or written 1606 [1604-1607] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (second) unassigned nearest T49 Wooing a mistress: suitors, go-betweens · 488 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
Sir Bounteous Progress sir, Invites you and my mistress to a feast, On Tuesday next; his man attends without— Return both with our willingness and thanks. I will entreat you sir, to be my guest. Who I sir. Faith you shall. Well, i'll break strife. A friend's so rare, i'll sooner part from life. What so coy, so strict, come, come. Pray change your opinion sir, I am not for that use. Will you but hear me? I shall hear that I would not. 'sfoot this is strange, I've seldom seen a wench Stand upon stricter points, life she will not endure to be courted, does she ere think to prosper? I'll near believe that Tree can bring forth fruit, that never bears a blossom, Courtships a blossom, and often brings forth fruit in forty weeks; 'twere a mad part in me, now to turn over: if ever there were any hope on't, 'tis at this instant, shall I be madder now than ever I have been? I'm in the way i'faith. Man's never at high height of madness full, Until he love and prove a woman's gull; I do protest in earnest I near knew At which end to begin to affect a woman, Till this bewitching minute, I near saw Face worth my object, till mine eye met hers, I should laugh and I were caught i'faith, I'll see her again that's certain, whate'er comes on't, by your favour Ladies. You're welcome sir. Know you the young gentlewoman that went in lately? I have best cause to know her, I'm her mother sir. Oh in good time, I like the gentlewoman well, a pretty contrived beauty, ay, nature has done her part sir. But she has one uncomely quality. What's that sir? 'sfoot she's afraid of a man. A lass, impute that to her bashful spirit, she's fearful of her honour. Of her honour? slid I'm sure I cannot get her maiden head with breathing upon her, nor can she lose her honour in her tongue. True, and I have often told her so, but what would you have of a foolish virgin sir, a wilful virgin, I tell you sir, I need not have been in that solitary estate that I am, had she had grace and boldness to have put herself forward, always timorsome, always backward, ah that same peevish honour of hers, has undone her and me both good gentleman: the suitors, the jewels, the jointures that has been offered her, we had been made women for ever, but what was her fashion? she could not endure the sight of a man for sooth, but run and hole herself presently, so choice of her honour, I am persuaded, when ere she has husband, she will e'en be a precedent for all married wives, how to direct their actions, and their lives. Have you not so much power with her, to command her presence.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Sir Bounteous Progreſſe ſir, Inuites you and my miſtriſſe to a feaſt, On Tueſday next; his man attends without— Returne both with our willingneſſe and thanks. I will intreate you ſir, to be my gueſt. Who I ſir. Faith you ſhall. Well, ile break ſtrife. A friend's ſo rare, ile ſooner part from life. What ſo coy, ſo ſtrickt, come, come. Pray change your opinion ſir, I am not for that vſe. Will you but heare me? I ſhall heare that I would not. Sfoote this is ſtrange, I'ue ſeldome ſeene a wench Stand vpon ſtricter points, life ſhe will not endure to be courted, do's ſhe ere thinke to proſper? Ile nere beleeue that Tree can bring foorth fruit, that neuer beares a bloſſome, Courtſhips a bloſſome, and often brings foorth fruit in forty weeks; Twere a mad part in me, now to turne ouer: if euer there were any hope on't, tis at this inſtant, ſhall I be madder now then euer I haue beene? 'ime in the way ifaith. Mans neuer at hie height of madnes full, Vntill he loue and proue a womans gull; I doe proteſt in earneſt I nere knew At which end to begin to affect a woman, Till this bewitching minute, I nere ſaw Face worth my obiect, till mine eie met hers, I ſhould laugh and I were caught yfaith, Ile ſee her agen thats certaine, what Ere comes ont, by your fauour Ladies. You'r welcome ſir. Know you the yong gentlewoman that went in lateley? I haue beſt cauſe to know her, 'ime her mother ſir. Oh in good time, I like the gentlewoman well, a prety contriu'd beauty, I, nature has done her part ſir. But ſhe has one vncomely quality. Whats that ſir? Sfoote ſhe's afraid of a man. A laſſe, impute that to her baſhfull ſpirit, ſhe's fearfull of her honour. Of her honour? ſlid 'ime ſure I cannot get her maiden head with breathing vpon her, nor can ſhe looſe her honour in her tongue. True, and I haue often told her ſo, but what would you haue of a fooliſh virgine ſir, a wilfull virgine, I tell you ſir, I neede not haue beene in that ſolitarie eſtate that I am, had ſhe had grace and boldnes to haue put her ſelfe forward, alwaies timorſome, alwaies backward, ah that ſame peeuiſh honour of hers, has vndone her and me both good gentlemā: the ſuitors, the iewels, the ioynters that has beene offerd her, wee had beene made women for euer, but what was her faſhion? ſhe could not indure the ſight of a man for ſooth, but run and hole her ſelfe preſently, ſo choice of her honour, I am perſwaded, when ere ſhe has husband, ſhe wil eene be a preſident for all married wiues, how to direct their actions, and their liues. Haue you not ſo much power with her, to commād her preſence.