The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the Garland · chunk 43 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 0.87 · 472 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
What, what shall I pardon? good Raymond speak, I gather by thy speech thou wouldst unfold, something of consequence; you must not part thus with me, therefore good Raymond speak, borrow a little time of death, and I will pay it back out of my life: dear Raymond do not leave me thus unsatisfied, for if you do, I'll follow you to learn it. O I have wronged you. Never, never good Raymond. By that strong power which raises me I have, And lends me breath to utter it; and this Lady, Where is she and the Princess all of ye, For when you first began your jealousy, Upon a small presumption, I as apt. And sudden as yourself in fear to find, The issue of a Prince which Heaven advert, So basely bastardize, held up your thought, Told you of former and familiar tricks, In the like nature I had seen between them, Which I protest was then out of my care, That such a thing might be, rather than any crime, That ever I knew she was guilty of, Send for her therefore, and condemn your rash False suppositions, and pardon mine, That grew but out of yours, but once being grown, It spread into more branches than your own, What is thy purpose. Religious as the Churches which is, To clear all doubts and present Truth, In her own Garments, to protect innocence, And from her white hand lift her out of slanders, By which you would infer my Duchess honest By all the best hopes of a dying man, This being a time not to jest breath away. There does not live this day in Christedome, A Queen nor any woman through the world, More truly virtuous, and as I speak truth, So may I fail or find it. Whether my joys are sensual or immortal, I cannot say but surely I do feel, And stand on such a change as if my soul, Were melted into blood, or my blood turned. To soul which lights, me up fresh Tapers, Whose instructive beams direct me to the Heart Of my dear Duchess, where chastity I find, Hath built her temple— within there. My Lord. Here, take my Signet, deliver it to Lord Lodwick, command him bring the Duchess, And wait upon her hither, with all the speed And diligence his duty can perform. I shall my Lord, and as I'm one of the honest men I am glad to hear it. O noble Lady, how shall I look thy mistress i'the face, that blush at sight of thee? prithee stand by me, and embolden me, be my Genius, prompt me what I shall say, or the scene's spoilt; I shallbe out, my tongue doth falter for joy conceived of her great goodness, for grief of her much injury.
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)
What, what shal I pardon? good Raymond speake, I gather by thy speech thou wouldst vnfold, somthing of consequence; you must not part thus with me, therefore good Raymond speake, borrow a little time of death, and I will pay it back out of my life: deare Raymond donnot leaue me thus vnsatisfied, for if you doe, Ile follow you to learne it. O I haue wrong'd you. Neuer, neuer good Raymond. By that strong power which raises me I haue, And lends me breath to vtter it; and this Ladie, Where is she and the Princesse all of ye, For when you first began your iealousie, Vpon a small presumption, I as apt. And suddaine as your selfe in feare to find, The issue of a Prince which Heauen aduert, So basely bastardize, held vp your thought, Told you of former and familiar tricks, In the like nature I had seene betweene them, Which I protest was then out of my care, That such a thing might be, rather then any crime, That euer I knew she was guilty of, Send for her therefore, and condemne your rash False suppositions, and pardon mine, That grew but out of yours, but once being growne, It spred into more branches then your owne, What is thy purpose. Religious as the Churches which is, To cleare all doubts and present Truth, In her owne Garments, to protect innocence, And from her white hand lift her out of slanders, By which you wud inferre my Dutchesse honest By all the best hopes of a dying man, This being a time not to iest breath away. There does not liue this daie in Christedome, A Queene nor anie woman through the world, More trulie vertuous, and as I speake truth, So may I faile or find it. Whether my ioies are sensuall or immortall, I cannot say but surely I do feele, And stand on such a change as if my soule, Were melted into bloud, or my bloud turnd. To soule which lights, me vp fresh Tapers, Whose instructiue beames direct me to the Hart Of my deare Dutchesse, where chastity I find, Hath built her temple—within there. My Lord. Here, take my Signet, deliuer it to Lord Lodwicke, command him bring the Duchesse, And waite vpon her hither, withall the speed And diligence his dutie can performe. I shal my Lord, and as I'm one of the honest men I am glad to heare it. O noble Ladie, how shall I look thy mistres i'the face, that blush at sight of thee? prithie stand by me, and imbolden me, bee my Genius, prompt mee what I shall say, or the Scean's spoild; I shalbe out, my tongue doth falrer for ioy conceiu'd of her great goodnes, for griefe of her much iniurie.