Jonson, Ben · published 1616 · first performed or written 1609 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Queen's Revels unassigned nearest T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T16: lady, madam, gentleman, lordship, ladies, honour, mistress, sweet, court, servant.
It is to them an acceptable violence, and has oft-times the place of the greatest courtesy. She that might have been forced, and you let her go free without touching, though she then seem to thank you, will ever hate you after: and glad i' the face, is assuredly sad at the heart. But all women are not to be taken always. 'Tis true. No more than all birds, or all fishes. If you appear learned to an ignorant wench, or jocund to a sad, or witty to a foolish, why she presently begins to mistrust herself. You must approach them i' their own height, their own line: for the contrary makes many that fear to commit themselves to noble and worthy fellows, run into the embraces of a rascal. If she love wit, give verses, though you borrow 'em of a friend, or buy 'em, to have good. If valour, talk of your sword, and be frequent in the mention of quarrels, though you be staunch in fighting. If activity, be seen o' your barbary often, or leaping over stools, for the credit of your back. If she love good clothes or dressing, have your learned counsel about you every morning, your french tailor, barber, linener, etc. Let your powder, your glass, and your comb, be your dearest acquaintance. Take more care for the ornament of your head, than the safety: and wish the commonwealth rather troubled, than a hair about you. That will take her. Then if she be covetous and craving, do you promise any thing, and perform sparingly: so shall you keep her in appetite still. Seem as you would give, but be like a barren field that yields little, or unlucky dice, to foolish, and hoping gamesters. Let your gifts be slight, and dainty, rather than precious. Let cunning be above cost. Give cherries at time of year, or apricocks; and say they were sent you out o' the country, though you bought 'em in Cheapside. Admire her tires; like her in all fashions; compare her in every habit to some deity; invent excellent dreams to slatter her, and riddles; or, if she be a great one, perform always the second parts to her: like what she likes, praise whom she praises, and fail not to make the household and servants yours, yea the whole family, and salute 'em by their names: ('tis but light cost if you can purchase 'em so) and make her physician your pensioner, and her chief woman. Nor will it be out of your gain to make love to her too, so she follow, no usher, her lady's pleasure. All blabbing is taken away, when she comes to be a part of the crime. On what courtly lap hast thou late slept, to come forth so sudden and absolute a courtling? Good faith, I should rather question you, that are so hearkening after these mysteries. I begin to suspect your diligence. DAUPHINE. Speak, art thou in love in earnest?
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)
It is to them an acceptable violence, and has oft-times the place of the greatest courtesie. Shee that might haue beene forc'd, and you let her goe free without touching, though shee then seeme to thanke you, will euer hate you after: and glad i' the face, is assuredly sad at the heart. But all women are not to be taken alwaies. 'Tis true. No more then all birds, or all fishes. If you appeare learned to an ignorant wench, or iocund to a sad, or witty to a foolish, why shee presently begins to mistrust her selfe. You must approch them i' their owne height, their owne line: for the contrary makes many that feare to commit themselues to noble and worthy fellowes, run into the imbraces of a rascall. If shee loue wit, giue verses, though you borrow 'hem of a friend, or buy 'hem, to haue good. If valour, talke of your sword, and be frequent in the mention of quarrels, though you be staunch in fighting. If actiuitie, be seene o' your barbary often, or leaping ouer stooles, for the credit of your back. If shee loue good clothes or dressing, haue your learned counsell about you euery morning, your french taylor, barber, linnener, &c. Let your poulder, your glasse, and your combe, be your dearest acquaintance. Take more care for the ornament of your head, then the safetie: and wish the common-wealth rather troubled, then a haire about you. That will take her. Then if shee be couetous and crauing, doe you promise any thing, and performe sparingly: so shall you keepe her in appetite still. Seeme as you would giue, but be like a barren field that yeelds little, or vnlucky dice, to foolish, and hoping gamesters. Let your gifts be slight, and daintie, rather then pretious. Let cunning be aboue cost. Giue cherries at time of yeere, or apricots; and say they were sent you out o' the countrey, though you bought 'hem in Cheap-side. Admire her tyres; like her in all fashions; compare her in euery habit to some deitie; inuent excellent dreames to slatter her, and riddles; or, if shee bee a great one, performe alwaies the second parts to her: like what shee likes, praise whom she praises, and faile not to make the houshold and seruants yours, yea the whole family, and salute 'hem by their names: ('tis but light cost if you can purchase 'hem so) and make her physitian your pensioner, and her chiefe woman. Nor will it bee out of your gaine to make loue to her too, so shee follow, no vsher, her ladies pleasure. All blabbing is taken away, when shee comes to be a part of the crime. On what courtly lap hast thou late slept, to come forth so sudden and absolute a courtling? Good faith, I should rather question you, that are so harkning after these mysteries. I begin to suspect your diligence. DAVPHINE. Speake, art thou in loue in earnest?