Chapman, George · published 1612 · first performed or written 1604 [1604-1605] (Annals) comedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T21 Cupid, Venus and the nymphs · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T21: cupid, venus, love, ceres, diana, fair, nymphs, goddess, bow, damon.
How's that? how's that? Brother, there is a certain Goddess called Confidence, that carries a main stroke in honourable preferments. Fortune waits upon her; Cupid is at her beck; she sends them both of errands. This Deity doth promise me much assistance in this business. But if this Deity should draw you up in a basket to your countess's window, and there let you hang for all the wits in the Town to shoot at: how then? If she do, let them shoot their bolts and spare not: I have a little Bird in a Cage here that sings me better comfort. What should be the bar? you'll say, I was Page to the Count her husband. What of that? I have there by one foot in her favour already; She has taken note of my spirit, and surveyed my good parts, and the picture of them lives in her eye: which sleep, I know, can not close, till she have embraced the substance. All this savours of the blind Goddess you speak of. Why should I despair, but that Cupid hath one dart in store for her great Ladyship, as well as for any other huge Lady, whom she hath made stoop Gallant, to kiss their worthy followers. In a word, I am assured of my speed. Such fair attempts led by a brave resolve, are evermore seconded by Fortune. But brother? have I not heard you say, your own ears have been witness to her vows, made solemnly to your late Lord; in memory of him, to preserve till death, the unstained honour of a widows bed. If nothing else, yet that might cool your confidence. Tush sister, suppose you should protest with solemn oath (as perhaps you have done, if ever Heaven hears your prayers, that you may live to see my Brother nobly interred) to feed only upon fish, and not endure the touch of flesh, during the wretched Lent of your miserable life; would you believe it Brother? I am therein most confident. Indeed, you had better believe it then try it: but pray Sister tell me, you are a woman: do not you wives nod your heads, and smile one upon another when ye meet abroad? Smile? why so? As who should say, are not we mad Wenches, that can lead our blind husbands thus by the noses? do you not brag amongst yourselves how grossly you abuse their honest credulities? how they adore you for Saints: and you believe it? while you adorn their temples, and they believe it not? how you vow Widowhood in their life time, and they believe you, when even in the sight of their breathless corpse, ere they be fully cold, you join embraces with his Groom, or his Physician, and perhaps his poisoner; or at least by the next Moon (if you can expect so long) solemnly plight new hymeneal bonds, with a wild, confident, untamed ruffian?
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)
How's that? how's that? Brother, there is a certaine Goddesse called Confidence, that carries a maine stroke in honourable preferments. Fortune waits vpon her; Cupid is at her becke; shee sends them both of errands. This Deitie doth promise me much assistance in this businesse. But if this Deitie should draw you vp in a basket to your Countesses window, and there let you hang for all the wits in the Towne to shoot at: how then? If shee doe, let them shoote their bolts and spare not: I haue a little Bird in a Cage here that sings me better comfort. What should be the barre? you'le say, I was Page to the Count her husband. What of that? I haue there by one foote in her fauour alreadie; Shee has taken note of my spirit, and suruaid my good parts, and the picture of them liues in her eie: which sleepe, I know, can not close, till shee haue embrac't the substance. All this sauors of the blind Goddesse you speake of. Why should I despaire, but that Cupid hath one dart in store for her great Ladiship, as well as for any other huge Ladie, whom she hath made stoope Gallant, to kisse their worthie followers. In a word, I am assured of my speede. Such faire attempts led by a braue resolue, are euermore seconded by Fortune. But brother? haue I not heard you say, your own eares haue been witnesse to her vowes, made solemnely to your late Lord; in memorie of him, to preserue till death, the vnstain'd honour of a Widdowes bed. If nothing else, yet that might coole your confidence. Tush sister, suppose you should protest with solemne oath (as perhaps you haue done, if euer Heauen heares your praiers, that you may liue to see my Brother nobly interred) to feede only vpon fish, and not endure the touch of flesh, during the wretched Lent of your miserable life; would you beleeue it Brother? I am therein most confident. Indeed, you had better beleeue it then trie it: but pray Sister tell me, you are a woman: doe not you wiues nod your heads, and smile one vpon an other when yee meete abroade? Smile? why so? As who should say, are not we mad Wenches, that can lead our blind husbands thus by the noses? do you not brag amongst your selues how grosly you abuse their honest credulities? how they adore you for Saints: and you beleeue it? while you adhorne their temples, and they beleeue it not? how you vow Widdow-hood in their life time, and they beleeue you, when euen in the sight of their breathlesse corse, ere they be fully cold, you ioine embraces with his Groome, or his Phisition, and perhaps his poisoner; or at least by the next Moone (if you can expect so long) solemnely plight new Hymineall bonds, with a wild, confident, vntamed Ruffine?