The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the Garland · chunk 32 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 T48 Addressing a lady: love, desire and inti · 481 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T48: lady, love, heart, fair, eyes, la, lord, tears, fie, face.
I thank thee for the last speech, it was well, O that she now cud speak and clear herself. But proceed, give sentence, if she stay long, And I stand by a witness of her tears, she'll weep herself guiltless and innocent, Therefore go on. Stay. whose's that? I know not. Whence come that voice. Out of the clouds I think, For no man dares own it. Go forward and give sentence. Stay I say. It spoke again. It came by my Ear. The Court is troubled. Hear me ye ministers of justice, And thou Patron of it and Truth, That comes to you for succour, and for safety. Keep your places, for let it be the Devil I will hear him; and hearing shall determine Whether he be a spirit of Truth or Lies. The All preserver that guards Innocence, And often lets it pine, but never perish, Can raise a voice from stones, or trees, or winds, To plead the cause that needs no Eloquence. What hath this Lady done that here you bring her Unto a Bar of shame? It is't for being virtuous, Because she hath been constant to her Lord: But some have called her chastity in question, That never had a spark in their own Breasts, And have possessed the Duke from his own thoughts, That she must needs be bad because they are so. Has every woman so much wit to hide That fault especially? and had not she, Who is the mirror of of her sex for that, More than for Beauty? But she told the Duke She had offended in an idle promise, And that's objected to her for a crime; A piece of impudence unparallel. When had she meant to have wronged her royal Lord, She would have locked the secret in her heart, And set her face with smiles, beaten with kisses Suspicion from his bosom; but she discovered The gift, the giver, and the vow that bought it. Who is't not knows, dishonesty consisteth In the deed done, not in the spoken word? And she imagining the deed in which She employed the doer, never to be done, And so the wickedness. Let me not be thought tedious Nor be offensive, if I bring to mind The meeting of those two, how she revealed, That you great Duke consented to the fact, Encouraged her unto't, and led her on, If she had been a villain to her death. But he looking on her, and seeing in her eyes, The image of fair Virtue how it wept, Gave back her vows, and freed her from his heart, In that shape first she stood, but again placed her As his most roy all mistress, and your wife. Excellent voice go on, for I could stand A tedious winter but to hear thee talk. So could not I without a rug Gown.
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)
I thanke thee for the last speech, it was well, O that she now cud speake and cleere her selfe. But proceede, giue sentence, if she stay long, And I stand by a witnesse of her teares, Sheele weep her selfe guiltlesse and innocent, Therefore go on. Stay. Whose that? I know not. Whence come that voyce. Out of the clouds I thinke, For no man dares owne it. Go forward and giue sentence. Stay I say. It spoke againe. It came by my Eare. The Court is troubl'd. Heare me ye ministers of Iustice, And thou Patron of it and Truth, That comes to you for succour, and for safety. Keepe your places, for let it be the Diuell I will heare him; and hearing shall determine Whether he be a spirit of Truth or Lies. The All preseruer that guards Innocence, And often lets it pine, but neuer perish, Can raise a voice from stones, or trees, or windes, To pleade the cause that neds no Eloquence. What hath this Lady done that here you bring her Vnto a Barre of shame? It ist for being vertuous, Because she hath bin constant to her Lord: But some haue cald her chastitie in question, That neuer had a sparke in their owne Breasts, And haue possest the Duke from his owne thoughts, That she must needs be bad because they are so. Has euery woman so much wit to hide That fault especially? and had not shee, Who is the mirror of of her sexe for that, More then for Beauty? But she told the Duke She had offended in an idle promise, And that's obiected to her for a crime; A peece of impudence vnparalleld. When had she meant to haue wrong'd her royall Lord, She wud haue lockt the secret in her heart, And set her face with smiles, beaten with kisses Suspition from his bosome; but she discouered The guist, the giuer, and the vow that bought it. Who ist not knowes, dishonestie consisteth In the deed done, not in the spoken word? And she imagining the deed in which She imployed the doer, neuer to be done, And so the wickednesse. Let me not be thought tedions Nor be offensiue, if I bring to minde The meeting of those two, how she reuealed, That you great Duke consented to the fact, Encourag'd her vnto't, and led her on, If she had bin a villaine to her death. But he looking on her, and seeing in her eyes, The image of faire Vertue how it wept, Gaue backe her vowes, and freed her from his heart, In that shape first she stood, but againe plac'd her As his most roy all mistresse, and your wife. Excellent voyce go on, for I coud stand A tedious winter but to heare thee talke. So coud not I without a rug Gowne.