The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the Garland · chunk 9 of 54
Cumber, John · published 1620 · first performed or written 1619 [1619-1620] (Annals) comedy · Red Bull (Revels) Company (first) · before the Court unassigned nearest T43 York and Lancaster: dynastic claims and · 511 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T43: henry, king, richard, warwick, york, edward, father, duke, crown, son.
Pish, that is needless, for thou'st not offended; Or if thou hadst, it were a poor one, that, For I do giv't to Thieves and Murderers: Ask me a Gift, that Time may talk of it, Being my first Bounty, which I would confer Bravely and worthily, and thou art borne for't. Hadst thou Birth equal unto Wit and Beauty, Thou wert a Wife for any Prince in Europe, And I myself would take thee to my Bed: But rise, and think, consider what thou ask'st; Yet thou art wise enough, I need not teach thee. How now— Your haste? Where is my Lord the Duke? Your business? The good old Earl of— is deceased, And the Earldom now conferred unto your Crown. 'Tis some Addition; but would he still had lived To have kept it still, he was so true a friend.— Hast thou Thought yet? Yes my Lord, I thank this Messenger. There is an Earldom now fall'n to your Crown. There is. Then that it is I crave, for him I owe All duty, all respect, and life unto. What's he? One not far off; my Father. Is he thy Father? Yes my dread Sovereign; I beseech your pardon, The Wench I think is frantic. Hadst not thou been her Father, thou hadst been so, To have uttered such a thought. Rise up Earl of— Thou hast thy PRINCE's word for't. Have I broke my brains, As these white hairs Do witness, for the safety of you, And of your Father before you, and the State, To have a private Gentleman, my Neighbour, Merely for getting of a handsome Wench, Raised above me— it will not be digested, For I will break the neck of these new Fortunes, Or they shall mine, and crush me, into nothing. Not any one beside myself beholds The Beauty of this Face, where two Suns move, Kindling new Fires to the God of Love. The Title of a Queen much better would Become thee, than a Beggar. Why didst not ask To be what Nature did intend thee for, And I would consummate, had not Fortune set thee So many steps below me in thy Birth? If I might not offend my gracious Prince, I would make bold to speak. I did and do entreat thee. And speak freely? With all liberty. I may I hope, without your courtier's scorn, Pronounce myself a Lady; and before This Honour was conferred upon me by you, There did run generous blood within these veins, And if not noble: but say there did not, And I had been borne the last of the last Rank of basest people; yet you have made me (Such is the power of Princes) truly noble: I am the daughter of an Earl, which is a Prince, And by that Title challenge Alliance With every other Prince of higher blood. And if the Emperor himself were here, He now would own me for his Kinswoman, For I stand in the Line of Royalty: And who denies it, knows not Heraldry.
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)
Pish, that is needlesse, for thou'st not offended; Or if thou hadst, it were a poore one, that, For I doe giu't to Theeues and Murtherers: Aske me a Gift, that Time may talke of it, Being my first Bountie, which I wud conferre Brauely and worthily, and thou art borne for't. Hadst thou Birth equall vnto Wit and Beautie, Thou wert a Wife for any Prince in Europe, And I my selfe wud take thee to my Bed: But rise, and thinke, consider what thou ask'st; Yet thou art wise enough, I need not teach thee. How now—Your haste? Where is my Lord the Duke? Your businesse? The good old Earle of—is deceased, And the Earledome now confer'd vnto your Crowne. 'Tis some Addition; but wud he still had liu'd To haue kept it still, he was so true a friend.— Hast thou Thought yet? Yes my Lord, I thanke this Messenger. There is an Earledome now falne to your Crowne. There is. Then that it is I craue, for him I owe All duty, all respect, and life vnto. What's he? One not farre off; my Father. Is he thy Father? Yes my dread Soueraign; I beseech your pardon, The Wench I thinke is frantike. Hadst not thou bin her Father, thou hadst bin so, To haue vtter'd such a thought. Rise vp Earle of— Thou hast thy Princes word for't. Haue I broke my braines, As these white haires Doe witnesse, for the safetie of you, And of your Father before you, and the State, To haue a priuate Gentleman, my Neighbor, Meerely for getting of a handsome VVench, Rais'd aboue me—it will not be digested, For I will breake the necke of these new Fortunes, Or they shall mine, and crush me, into nothing. Not any one beside my selfe beholds The Beautie of this Face, where two Sunnes moue, Kindling new Fires to the God of Loue. The Title of a Queene much better wud Become thee, then a Beggar. Why didst not aske To be what Nature did intend thee for, And I wud consummate, had not Fortune set thee So many steps below me in thy Birth? If I might not offend my gracious Prince, I wud make bold to speake. I did and doe entreat thee. And speake freely? With all libertie. I may I hope, without your Courtiers scorne, Pronounce my selfe a Lady; and before This Honor was confer'd vpon me by you, There did run generous bloud within these veines, And if not noble: but say there did not, And I had bin borne the last of the last Ranke of basest people; yet you haue made me (Such is the power of Princes) truly noble: I am the daughter of an Earle, which is a Prince, And by that Title challenge Alliance With euery other Prince of higher bloud. And if the Emperor himselfe were here, He now wud owne me for his Kinswoman, For I stand in the Line of Royaltie: And who denyes it, knowes not Heraldrie.