The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the Garland · chunk 22 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 T1 Death, grief and revenge · 532 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
If I were sure that breath should be my last, You should not then entreat me; but receive it, Hoping you will be merciful, and kill me. There is a Gentleman, named Dorilus, That loved me 'fore you saw me, and I him, Although I never gave him any hope: Upon the Wedding day he met me here, And looked so like a man that meant to perish, That I was willing to restore some comfort; Whereon I wished him get me such a Garland, Made of all Flowers that the World contains, Not thinking such a thing could have been done, And for Requital promised him— I cannot Utter no more, nor should have thought so much. Is this all? All? would you more? would you we should proceed? Grow impudent in sin, till Thunder rent us? Why, but such promises may be dispensed with. Though you had sealed it with a Vow. I did Sir, and a great one: nor left there, But added two or three to that; the least was, The blasting of this Beauty he adored. I know not how to doubt, yet this may be A Cunning; I will try her. Let it not trouble thee, Dear Dorigene; thou shalt perform thy Vow; I'll be the Sufferer, and take the sin on me. But the damnation must be mine, my Lord, And if I pull it on me, t'shall be this way, Rather then wronging you. Why so thou wrong'st me worst, And wilt deprive me of all the joys in this World. Thou wilt teach me by ill example, how to follow thee. Sweet, let me kiss thee, I will beg for that, Which all men else do labour to avoid; It is but one hours loss of thee, I prithee Make no more scruple of't then other Women: It is a Crime, that not one Night i'the year, But somewhere or other such a Fault is made, Nor looks the Wife the next day worse for it. No more Sir. Thou wilt consent? I will. Why I thank thee. I have bestowed some pains to beg myself into an Order. O Dorigene, if thou be'st false, the Serpent parted with his Subtlety, and closed it in the Fruit he gave thy Sex. I know not whether I am greater blessed, Or cursed in such a Husband: Fate thou hast thy ends, And I have mine. Come Dorilus, and take me Now whilst I have Obedience: Give me not respite, to enter into Considerations, Lest I do worse then perform my Vow. He comes— Welcome my Dorilus, be merry man, And look upon me as a Lover should, That has obtained his Mistress: I am thine, And for the time free, as I am the Dukes. Be bold man in approaching, there's no fear Of Spies upon us; we are free, as people That know no Laws, or do command the Laws: I have the Duke's consent for what I do, Nay, his entreaty: he does like to have A rival in the thing he loves, and is Not different from the common sort of men, That do esteem them most, that most abuse 'em.
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)
If I were sure that breath shud be my last, You shud not then entreat me; but receiue it, Hoping you will be mercifull, and kill me. There is a Gentleman, named Dorilus, That lou'd me 'fore you saw me, and I him, Although I neuer gaue him any hope: Vpon the VVedding day he met me here, And lookt so like a man that meant to perish, That I was willing to restore some comfort; VVhereon I wisht him get me such a Garland, Made of all Flowers that the World contaynes, Not thinking such a thing could haue bin done, And for Requitall promis'd him—I cannot Vtter no more, nor shud haue thought so much. Is this all? All? wud you more? wud you we should proceed? Grow impudent in sinne, till Thunder rent vs? Why, but such promises may be dispens'd with. Though you had seal'd it with a Vow. I did Sir, and a great one: nor left there, But added two or three to that; the least was, The blasting of this Beautie he ador'd. I know not how to doubt, yet this may be A Cunning; I will try her. Let it not trouble thee, Deare Dorigene; thou shalt performe thy Vow; Ile be the Sufferer, and take the sinne on me. But the damnation must be mine, my Lord, And if I pull it on me, t'shalbe this way, Rather then wronging you. Why so thou wrong'st me worst, And wut depriue me of all the ioyes in this World. Thou wilt teach me by ill example, how to follow thee. Sweet, let me kisse thee, I will beg for that, Which all men else doe labour to auoid; It is but one houres losse of thee, I prythy Make no more scruple of't then other Women: It is a Cryme, that not one Night i'the yeere, But some where or other such a Fault is made, Nor lookes the Wife the next day worse for it. No more Sir. Thou wilt consent? I wil. Why I thanke thee. I haue bestow'd some paines to begge my selfe into an Order. O Dorigene, if thou beest false, the Serpent parted with his Subtletie, and clos'd it in the Fruit he gaue thy Sex. I know not whether I am greater blest▪ Or curst in such a Husband: Fate thou hast thy ends, And I haue mine. Come Dorilus, and take me Now whilest I haue Obedience: Giue me not respite, to enter into Considerations, Lest I doe▪ worser then performe my Vow. He comes—Welcome my Dorilus, be merry man, And looke vpon me as a Louer should, That ha's obtain'd his Mistris: I am thine, And for the time free, as I am the Dukes. Be bold man in approaching, there's no feare Of Spyes vpon vs; we are free, as people That know no Lawes, or doe command the Lawes: I haue the Dukes consent for what I doe, Nay, his entreatie: he does like to haue A Ryuall in the thing he loues, and is Not different from the common sort of men, That doe esteeme them most, that most abuse 'hem.