The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the Garland · chunk 19 of 54
Cumber, John · published 1620 · first performed or written 1619 [1619-1620] (Annals) comedy · Red Bull (Revels) Company (first) · before the Court T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.83 · 468 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Away my Lord, I am bound to stop mine ears; the Syrens sing in you. Why let 'em sing, Song is but Song, no more then talk's but Talk; yet Talk does well, where Talk is well regarded, otherwise 'tis lost: And I have been a Talker in my time, and will be so again, to give content to such a Lady as doth love to talk, or knows what talk is, and can talk herself; else 'tis much better for to hold one's peace: For I have heretofore been a great Talker, and foolish Ladies that understood me not, have prayed me hold my peace, and they would love me; just as you now, on the contrary, pray me to talk, and not to hold my peace, and then you'd love me. I will maintain this in him, to make him talk his Lungs our.— Oh,— What is the matter? Would I had never heard this Tongue of yours: But I was cursed to hear it, more to provoke it. Why do you say so? For this Tongue of mine shall be pulled out, and thrown unto the Dogs, or to the Hawks, before it shall offend your dainty Ears, that love to hear a Tongue talk as a Tongue should do, of Wit and Beauty, and Beauty and Wit, which do abound in you. Fie, fie, fie, this is not to be endured. Believe it Lady, but it is; 'tis fit that you should hear, and I should talk, the Subject being You, and I the Talker. Wherefore have Ladies Beauty, and Men Eyes and Tongues, but to behold that Beauty, and then talk of it. I do proclaim him here a Dunce, a Sot, that has a Tongue, and cannot talk of you: nay, though he had ne'er a Tongue, yet he might think a talk; and that, though not as good, might serve for talk. The Duchess; good my Lord leave until another time. ay, another time, and then we'll talk four or five hours together. By this hand Wench I'll keep touch. Touch and take my Lord, else no meddling. Go, you are a Fool, Farewell; Expect me. Sister duchess, how dost? I thank thee for my Lordship. I knew thou wert borne to make us all, advance us to the third Region. How does my Brother Duke deal with thee? Dost thou Burgeon? Shall we have Bonfires, and the Bells rung out, for joy thou hast made an Uncle? How now Iulia? what's thy Title? Lady of Honour, and Principal Secretary to my Sister, is't not? who breaks the best jests now? My Lord. My Lord; no, my Lady by all means. Fie Brother, understand yourself; and as you have taken on Dignity, so put on Gravity, or you will prove ridiculous.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Away my Lord, I am bound to stop mine eares; the Syrens sing in you. VVhy let 'hem sing, Song is but Song, no more then Talke's but Talke; yet Talke does well, where Talke is well regarded, otherwise 'tis lost: And I haue bin a Talker in my time, and will be so againe, to giue content to such a Lady as doth loue to talke, or knowes what talke is, and can talke her selfe; else 'tis much better for to hold ones peace: For I haue heretofore bin a great Talker, and foolish Ladyes that vnderstood me not, haue pray'd me hold my peace, and they wud loue me; iust as you now, on the contrary, pray me to talke, and not to hold my peace, and then you'd loue me. I will maintaine this in him, to make him talke his Lungs our.—Oh,—Oh. VVhat is the matter? VVud I had neuer heard this Tongue of yours: But I was curst to heare it, more to prouoke it. VVhy doe you say so? For this Tongue of mine shall be pull'd out, and throwne vnto the Dogges, or to the Hawkes, before it shall offend your daintie Eares, that loue to heare a Tongue talke as a Tongue should doe, of VVit and Beautie, and Beautie and VVit, which doe abound in you. Fie, fie, fie, this is not to be endur'd. Beleeue it Lady, but it is; 'tis fit that you shud heare, and I shud talke, the Subiect being You, and I the Talker. Wherefore haue Ladyes Beautie, and Men Eyes and Tongues, but to behold that Beautie, and then talke of it. I doe proclayme him here a Dunce, a Sot, that ha's a Tongue, and cannot talke of you: nay, though he had ne're a Tongue, yet he might thinke a talke; and that, though not as good, might serue for talke. The Duchesse; good my Lord leaue vntill another time. I, another time, and then weele talke foure or fiue houres together. By this hand Wench Ile keepe touch. Touch and take my Lord, else no meddling. Goe, you are a Foole, Farewell; Expect me. Sister Duchesse, how do'st? I thanke thee for my Lordship. I knew thou wert borne to make vs all, aduance vs to the third Region. How does my Brother Duke deale with thee? Do'st thou Burgeon? Shall we haue Bonfires, and the Bells rung out, for ioy thou hast made an Vnckle? How now Iulia? what's thy Title? Lady of Honor, and Principall Secretarie to my Sister, is't not? who breakes the best Iests now? My Lord. My Lord; no, my Lady by all meanes. Fie Brother, vnderstand your selfe; and as you haue taken on Dignitie, so put on Grauitie, or you will proue ridiculous.