Field, Nathan · published 1618 · first performed or written 1611 [c.1610-1611] (Annals) comedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T45 Widows, wooing and remarriage · 440 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T45: widow, widows, hoord, master, gentlemen, wife, randalls, wit, mistress, married.
A Wife the happiest state? It cannot be. Yes, such a wife as I, that have a man As if myself had made him: such a one As I may justly say, I am the rib Belonging to his breast. Widow and Maid, Your lives compared to mine are miserable, Though wealth and beauty meet in each of you. Poor virgin, all thy sport is thought of love, And meditation of a man, the time And circumstance ere thou canst fix thy thoughts On one thy fancy will approve. That trouble already may be passed. Why if it be. The doubt, he will not hold his brittle faith, That he is not a compatible choice, And so your noble friends will cross the match, Doth make your happiness uncertain still: Or say you married him, what he would prove. Can you compare your state then to a Wife? Nay, all the freedom that a virgin hath Is much to be preferred. Who would endure The humours of so insolent a Thing As is a husband? Which of all the Herd Runs not possessed with some notorious vice, Drinking or whoring, fighting, jealousy, Even of a Page at twelve, or of a Groom, That rubs horse-heels? Is it not daily seen, Men take wives, but to dress their meat, to wash And starch their linen: for the other matter Of lying with them, that's but when they please: And whatsoe'er the joy be of the bed, The pangs that follow procreation Are hideous, or you wives have gulled your husbands With your loud shrikings, and your deathful throes. A Wife or Widow to a virgin's life? Why should the best of you think ye enjoy The rest and rule, that a free widow doth? I am mine own commander, and the bliss Of wooers, and of each variety Frequents me, as I were a maid. No Brother Have I to dice my patrimony away, as you My maiden madam may. No husband's death Stand I in doubt on: for thanks be to heaven (If mine were good) the grievous loss of him Is not to come; if he were bad, he's gone, And I no more embrace my injury. But be yours ill, you nightly clasp your hate; Or good, why he may die, or change his virtue. And thou (though single) haste a bedfellow As bad as the worst husband, thought of one, And what that is, men with their wives do do, And long expectance till the deed be done. " A wife is like a garment used and torn: A maid like one made up, but never worn.
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)
A Wife the happiest state? It cannot be. Yes, such a wife as I, that haue a man As if my selfe had made him: such a one As I may iustly say, I am the rib Belonging to his brest. Widow and Maide, Your liues compar'd to mine are miserable, Though weal and beautie meete in each of you. Poore virgin, all thy sport is thought of loue, And meditation of a man, the time And circumstance ere thou canst fixe thy thoughts On one thy fancy will approue. That trouble already may be past. Why if it be. The doubt, hee will not hold his brittle faith, That he is not a competible choise, And so your noble friends will crosse the match, Doth make your happinesse vncertaine still: Or say you marryed him, what hee would proue. Can you compare your state then to a Wife? Nay, all the freedome that a virgin hath Is much to be preferr'd. Who would endure The humours of so insolent a Thing As is a husband? Which of all the Heard Runs not possessed with some notorious vice, Drinking or whoring, fighting, Iealousie, Euen of a Page at twelue, or of a Groome, That rubs horse-heeles? Is it not daily seene, Men take wiues, but to dresse their meate, to wash And starch their linnen: for the other matter Of lying with them, that's but when they please: And whatsoere the ioy be of the bed, The pangs that follow procreation Are hideous, or you wiues haue guld your husbands With your loud shrikings, and your deathfull throes. A Wife or Widow to a Virgins life? Why should the best of you thinke yee inioy The rest and rule, that a free widow doth? I am mine owne commander, and the blisse Of wooers, and of each varietie Frequents me, as I were a maide. No Brother Haue I to dice my patrimony away, as you My maiden Madaine may. No husbands death Stand I in doubt on: for thankes be to heauen (If mine were good) the grieuous losse of him Is not to come; if hee were bad, hee's gone, And I no more embrace my iniury. But be yours ill, you nightly claspe your hate; Or good, why he may dye, or change his vertue. And thou (though single) hast a bedfellow As bad as the worst husband, thought of one, And what that is, men with their wiues do doe, And long expectance till the deed be done. " A wife is like a garment vsde and torne: " A maide like one made vp, but neuer worne.