The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the Garland · chunk 36 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 0.75 · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Ah you old whoremaster is the sign in Scorpio with you. Thou seest my power, how with a breath I turn. And wind the Duke any way I please, In spite of all those words wasted in air: I plucked the Duchess from his arms again, The only star of court, more than a Duchess, Which is to be my Mistress. Say you so, I'll master you anon. Prithee look up and smile upon me. Pray away. Come I have word sufficient nor will any longer be kept of thus weary of delay, I mean to work you. Lay off your wicked hands. Adders and Scorpions shall as soon embrace me, Shall my dear mistress that equally laments: My adverse Fate, which here's if not about it. And in her tears lies bathed, breaking her sighs: Into as many pieces, as if she strived To number up her sins, which are no more, Then will make truth appear that she must sin, And shall I throw away all thought of her, That altogether thinks of Heaven and me, Whom hourly she solicits and ascends, And calls me along with her in her Prayers, Shall I forget this Lady, and to lust Prostrate myself to him that works her ruin. First, may Heaven point me out, his mark for vengeance. And I unable to avoid the stroke. Be rent and torn as Thunder doth an Oak, Stay— you are too wilful. Is that all? hear me—— I will speak what shallbe liking to thee. Prithee come back; so well I do perceive thou lov'st the Duchess, that her affliction's thine. They are. Canst thou cast off grief with her releasement? If I shall bring her sound unto the Duke, In every circumstance, and fix her sure: Nay set her one stair higher than she was, And make him honour what before he admired. Wilt thou then make a passage for my love, And open me away into thy heart? I will. Wilt thou give me a kiss upon the premises. I'll give you a kiss anon, in your good father the devil's name. I hold heaven in my arms, and all the joys: wilt thou be just to me? As you are unto me; for if you prove The master of your word, I willbe over mine the mistress, And though it be a jewel I esteem, I never saw how I could part with it better. Another kiss, and go and promise unto all thy friends, and to the Duchess self, her liberty. You are a villain. Ha. You are damned. What voice is that? I heard none. I will cut your throat. Cut my throat. ay, your Weasand pipe, your Gullet, this ungodly Gullet. Swoons it pinched me by the throat. Your best cry out murder. This is another voice allied to that which pleaded for the Duchess, but not the same, and it is merely Witchcraft. I fear thee not Diuell, or devil's mate, friend or acquaintance.
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)
Ah you old whooremaster is the signe in Scorpio with you. Thou seest my power, how with a breath I turne. And wind the Duke any way I please, In spight of all those words wasted in aire: I pluct the Dtchesse from his armes againe, The only starre of court, more then a Dutchesse, Which is to be my Mistresse. Say you so, Ile master you anon. Prithy looke vp and smile vpon me. Pray away. Come I haue word sufficient nor will any longer be kept of thus weary of delay, I meane to worke yu. Lay ofy our wicked hands. Adders and Scorpions shall as soone imbrace me, Shall my deare mistris that equally laments: My aduers Fate, which heeres if not about it. And in her teares lies bath'd, breaking her sigh: Into as many pieces, as if she striud To number vp her sins, which are no more, Then will make truth appeare that she must sin, And shall I throw away all thought of her, That altogether thinks of Heauen and me, Whom hourely she solicites and ascends, And calls me along with her in her Prayers, Shall I forget this Lady, and to lust Prostrate my selfe to him that workes her ruine. First, may Heauen point me out, his marke or veng ance. And I vnable to auoyd the stroake. Be rent and torne as Thunder doth an Oake, Stay—you are too wilfull. Is that all? Here me——I will speake what shalbe liking to thee. Prythy come backe; so well I doe perceiue thou lou'st the Duchesse, that her affliction's thine. They are. Canst thou cast off griefe with her releasement? If I shall bring her sound vnto the Duke, In euery circumstance, and fixe her sure: Nay set her one staire higher then she was, And make him honor what before he admir'd. Wilt thou then make a passage for my loue, And open me away into thy heart? I will. Wilt th giue me a kisse vpon the premisses. Ile giue you a kisse anon, in your good father the Diuels name. I hold heauen in my armes, and all the ioyes: Wut thou be iust to me? As you are vnto me; for if you proue The master of your word, I wilbe ouer mine the mistres, And though it be a iewell I esteeme, I neuer saw how I coud part with it better. Another kisse, and go and promise vnto all thy friends, and to the Duchesse selfe, her liberty. You are a villaine. Ha. You are damn'd. What voyce is that? I heard none. I will cut your throate. Cut my throate. I, your Weason pipe, your Gullet, this vngodly Gullet. Swoones it pincht me by the throate. Your best crie out murder. This is another voice allied to that which pleaded for the Duchesse, but not the same, and it is meerely Witchcraft. I feare thee not Dinell, or Diuels mate, friend or acquaintantance.