Field, Nathan · published 1618 · first performed or written 1611 [c.1610-1611] (Annals) comedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T23 Husbands, wives and jealousy · 498 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T23: wife, husband, cuckold, jealousy, woman, jealous, mistress, love, house, honest.
Oh most sweet friend the World's so vicious, That had I with such familiarity Frequented you since you were married, Possessed and used your fortunes as before, As in like manner you commanded mine, The depraved thoughts of men would have proclaimed Some scandalous rumours from this love of ours, As saying, mine reflected on your Lady, And what a wound had that been to our souls? When only friendship should have been the ground To hurt her Honour, and your confident peace, Spite of mine own approved integrity. Wife, kiss him, bid him welcome pox o'th' World, Come, come you shall not part from me in haste, I do command thee use this Gentleman In all things like myself, if I should die I would bequeath him in my will to thee. Sir, you are most welcome, & let scandalous tongues No more deter you, I dare use you Sir, With all the right belonging to a friend, And what I dare, I dare let all man see My conscience rather, than men's thoughts be free. Will you look in? we'll follow you. Now friend What think you of this Lady? Why sweet friend, That you are happy in her, she is fair, Witty and virtuous, and was rich to you, Can there be an addition to a wife? Yes, constancy, for 'tis not chastity That lives remote from all attempers free, But there, t's strong and pure where all that woo It doth resist, and turns them virtuous too; Therefore dear friend, by this, loves masculine kiss, By all our mutual engagements passed, By all the hopes of amity to come, Be you the settler of my jealous thoughts, And make me kill my fond suspect of her, By assurance that she is loyal, otherwise That she is false, and then, as she's past cure, My soul shall ever after be past care. That you are fittest for this enterprise You must needs understand, since prove she true (In this your trial) you my dearest friend, (Whom only, rather than the World beside I would have satisfied of her virtue) shall be, And best conceal my folly, prove she weak, 'tis better you should know't than any man, Who can reform her, and do me no wrong, Chemical metals, and bright gold itself By sight are not distinguished, but byth' test, Thought makes good wives, but trial makes the best: To the unskilful owner's eyes, alike The Bristol sparkles as the Diamond, But by a Lapidary the truth is found, Come you shall not deny me. Do not wrong So fair a wife (friend) and so virtuous, Whose good name is a theme unto the World, Make not a wound with searching where was none, Misfortune still such projects doth pursue, He makes a false wife, that suspects a true; Yet since you so importune, give me leave To ruminate a while, and I will straight Follow and give you an answer. You must do it.
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)
Oh most sweet friend the World's so vicious, That had I with such familiaritie Frequented you since you were married, Possess'd and vs'd your fortunes as before, As in like maner you commanded mine, The deprau'd thoughts of men would haue proclaim'd Some scandalous rumors from this loue of ours, As saying, mine reflected on your Ladie, And what a wound had that beene to our soules? When only friend-ship should haue beene the ground To hurt her Honor, and your confident peace, Spight of mine owne approu'd integritie. Wife, kisse him, bid him welcome poxo'th World, Come, come you shall not part from me in hast, I doe command thee vse this Gentle-man In all things like my selfe, if I should die I would be queath him in my will to thee. Sir, you are most welcome, & let scandalous tongues No more deterre you, I dare vse you Sir, With all the right belonging to a friend, And what I dare, I dare let all man see My conscience rather, then mens thoughts be free. Will you looke in? Wee'le follow you. Now friend What thinke you of this Ladie? Why sweet friend, That you are happie in her, shee is faire, Wittie and vertuous, and was rich to you, Can there be an addition to a wife? Yes, constancie, for t'is not chastitie That liues remote from all attempters free, But there, ti's strong and pure where all that wooe It doth resist, and turnes them vertuous too; Therefore deere friend, by this, loues masculine kisse, By all our mutuall engagements past, By all the hopes of amitie to come, Be you the setler of my jealous thoughts, And make me kill my fond suspect of her, By assurance that shee is loyall, otherwise That shee is false, and then, as shee's past cure, My soule shall euer after be past care. That you are fittest for this enterprize You must needs vnderstand, since prooue shee true (In this your tryall) you my dearest friend, (Whom onely, rather than the World besides I would haue satisfied of her vertue) shall be, And best conceale my folly, proue shee weake, T'is better you should know't than any man, Who can reforme her, and doe me no wrong, Chimicall metals, and bright gold it selfe By sight are not distinguisht, but by'th test, Thought makes good wiues, but triall makes the best: To the vnskilfull owners eies, alike The Bristow sparkles as the Diamond, But by a Lapidarie the truth is found, Come you shall not denie me. Doe not wrong So aire a wife (friend) and so vertuous, Whose good name is a theame vnto the World, Make not a wound with searching where was none, Misfortune still such projects doth pursue, He makes a false wife, that suspects a true; Yet since you so importune, giue me leaue To ruminate a while, and I will straight Follow and giue you an answer. You must do it.