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 0.90 · 485 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
You shall see straight what I can do sir. Would I might be hanged, if my love do not stretch to her deeper and deeper, those bashful maiden humours take me prisoner when their comes a restraint on't upon flesh, we are always most greedy upon't, & that makes your merchant's wife oftentimes pay so dear for a mouthful: give me a woman as she was made at first, simple of herself, without Sophistication, like this wench, I cannot abide them when they have tricks, set speeches & Artful entertainments, you shall have some so impudently aspected, they will outcry the forehead of a man, make him blush first, & talk him into silence, & this is counted manly in a woman, it may hold so, sure womanly it is not, no, If ere I love, or any thing move me, 'twill be a woman's simple modesty. Pray let me go, why mother what do you mean? I beseech you mother? is this your conquest now? great glory 'tis to overcome a poor and silly virgin. The wonder of our time sits in that brow, I near beheld a perfect man till now. Thou childish thing, more bashful than thou'rt wise, Why dost thou turn aside, and drown thine eyes? Look fearful fool, there's no temptation near thee, Art not ashamed that any flesh should fear thee, Why I durst pawn my life the gentleman means no other but honest and pure love to thee, how say you sir? By my faith not I Lady. Hark you there? what think you now forsooth? what grieves your honour now? Or what lascivious breath intends to rear Against that maiden Organ your chaste care? Are you resolved now better of men's hearts? Their faiths and their affections, with you none, Or at most, few whose tongues and minds are one. Repent you now of your opinion past, Men love as purely as you can be chaste: to her yourself sir, The ways broke before you, you have the easier passage, Fear not, come; erect thy happy graces in thy look; I am no curious wooer, but in faith I love thee honourably. How mean you that sir? 'sfoot as one loves a woman for a wife, Has the gentleman answered you, trow? I do confess it truly to you both, My estate is yet but sickly, but I've a Grandsire Will make me Lord of thousands at his death. I know your Grandsire well; she knows him better. Why then you know no fiction; my state then will be a long days journey 'bove the waist wench. Nay daughter he says true. And thou shalt often measure it in thy coach, And with the wheels tract make a griddle for't. Ah 'twill be a merry journey. What is't a match, if't be clap hands & lips; 'tis done, there's witness on't. Why then mother I salute you.
seed 43: T56 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
You ſhall ſee ſtraight what I can doe ſir. Would I might be hangd, if my loue do not ſtretch to her deeper and deeper, thoſe baſhfull maiden humors take me priſoner when their comes a reſtraint ont vpon fleſh, wee are alwaies moſt greedy vppont, & that makes your merchāts wife oftentimes pay ſo deare for a monthfull: giue me a woman as ſhe was made at firſt, ſimple of her ſelfe, without Sophiſtication, like this wench, I cannot abide them when they haue tricks, ſet ſpeeches & Artfull entertainments, you ſhall haue ſome ſo impudently aſpected, they will outcry the forehead of a man, make him bluſh firſt, & talke him into ſilence, & this is counted manly in a woman, it may hold ſo, ſure womanly it is not, no, If ere I loue, or any thing moue me, T will be a womans ſimple modeſty. Pray let me go, why mother what doe you meane? I beſeech you mother? is this your conqueſt now? great glory tis to ouercome a pore and ſilly virgine. The wonder of our time ſits in that browe, I nere beheld a perfit man till now. Thou childiſh thing, more baſhfull then thour't wiſe, Why doſt thou turne aſide, and drowne thine eies? Looke fearefull foole, theres no tēptation nere thee, Art not aſhamd that any fleſh ſhould feare thee, VVhy I durſt pawne my life the gentleman meanes no other but honeſt and pure loue to thee, how ſay you ſir? By my faith not I Lady. Harke you there? what think you now forſooth? what greeues your honour now? Or what laſciuious breath intends to reare Againſt that maiden Organ your chaſte care? Are you reſolu'd now better of mens harts? Their faiths and their affections, with you none, Or at moſt, fewe whoſe tongues and minds are one. Repent you now of your opinion paſt, Men loue as purely as you can be chaſte: to her your ſelfe ſir, The wayes broke before you, you haue the eaſier paſſage, Feare not, come; erect thy happy graces in thy looke; I am no curious wooer, but infaith I loue thee honourably. How meane you that ſir? Sfoot as one loues a woman for a wife, Has the gentleman anſwered you, tro? I do confeſſe it truely to you both, My eſtate is yet but ſickly, but I'ue a Grandſire Will make me Lord of thouſands at his death. I know your Grandſire well; ſhe knowes him better. Why then you know no fiction; my ſtate then will be a long dayes iourney 'boue the waſt wench. Nay daughter he ſayes true. And thou ſhalt often meaſure it in thy coache, And with the wheels tract make a gridle for't. Ah twilll be a merry iourny. What iſt a match, if't be clap hands & lips; Tis done, ther's witneſſe on't. Why then mother I ſalute you.