The Devil's Law Case (When Women Go to Law the Devil Is Full of Business) · chunk 18 of 45
Webster, John · published 1623 · first performed or written 1619 [1617-1621] (Annals) tragicomedy · Queen Anne's Men unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 501 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
These are crimes that either must make work For speedy repentance, or for the Devil. I have much compassion on him, For sin and shame are ever tyde together, With gordian knots, of such a strong thread spun, They cannot without violence be undone. Well sir, now I must claim your promise, To reveal to me the cause why you live thus clouded. Sir, the King of Spain Suspects, that your Romelio here, the Merchant Has discovered some Gold-mine to his own use, In the West Indies, and for that employs me, To discover in what part of Christendom He vents this I reassure: Besides, he is informed What mad tricks has been played of late by Ladies. Most true, and I am glad the King has heard on't: Why they use their Lords, as if they were their Wards; And as your Dutchwomen in the Low-Countries, Take all and pay all, and do keep their Husbands So silly all their lives of their own estates, That when they are sick, and come to make their Will, They know not precisely what to give away From their wives, because they know not what they are So here should I repeat what factions, (worth: What Bat-fowling for Offices, As you must conceive their Game is all i'th' night, What calling in question one another's honesties Withal what sway they bear i'th' viceroy's Court, You'd wonder at it: 'twill do well shortly, can we keep them off From being of our Council of War. Well, I have vowed, That I will never sit upon the Bench more, Unless it be to curb the insolences. Of these women. Well, take it on my word then, Your place will not long be empty. Excellently well habited, why methinks, That I could play with mine own shadow now, And be a rare Italienated Iew; To have as many several change of faces, As I have seen carved upon on cherry-stone; To wind about a man like rotten ivy, Eat into him like Quicksilver, poison a friend with pulling but a loose hair from's beard, or give a drench, He should singer of't nine years, and ne'er complain, But in the Spring and Fall, and so the cause Imputed to the disease natural, for sleight villainies, As to coin money, corrupt ladies' Honours, Betray a Town toth' Turk, or make a Bonfire A'th' Christian Navy, I could settle to't, As if I had eat a Politician, And digested him to nothing but pure blood. But stay, I lose myself, this is the house. Within there. Now sir. You are the men of Art, that as I hear, Have the Lord Contarino under cure. Yes sir, we are his Surgeons, But he is past all Cure. Why, is he dead? He is speechless sir, and we do find his wound So festered near the vitals, all our Art By warm drinks, cannot clear th'impostumation, And he's so weak, to make By the orifice were present death to him.
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)
These are crimes that either must make worke For speedy repentance, or for the Deuill. I haue much compassion on him, For sinne and shame are euer tyde together, With Gordion knots, of such a strong threed spun, They cannot without violence be vndone. Well sir, now I must claime your promise, To reueale to me the cause why you liue thus clouded. Sir, the King of Spaine Suspects, that your Romelio here, the Merchant Has discouer'd some Gold-myne to his owne vse, In the West Indies, and for that employes me, To discouer in what part of Christendome He vents this I reasure: Besides, he is informed What mad tricks has bin plaid of late by Ladies. Most true, and I am glad the King has heard on't: Why they vse their Lords, as if they were their Wards; And as your Dutchwomen in the Low-Countries, Take all and pay all, and doe keepe their Husbands So silly all their liues of their owne estates, That when they are sicke, and come to make their Will, They know not precisely what to giue away From their wiues, because they know not what they are So heare should I repeat what factions, (worth: What Bat-fowling for Offices, As you must conceiue their Game is all i'thnight, What calling in question one anothers honesties Withall what sway they beare i'th Viceroyes Court, You'd wonder at it: Twill doe well shortly, can we keepe them off From being of our Councell of Warre. Well, I haue vowed, That I will neuer sit vpon the Bench more, Vnlesse it be to curbe the insolencies. Of these women. Well, take it on my word then, Your place will not long be emptie. Excellently well habited, why me thinks, That I could play with mine owne shaddow now, And be a rare Italienated Iew; To haue as many seuerall change of faces, As I haue seene caru'd vpon on Cherrystone; To winde about a man like rotten Iuie, Eate into him like Quicksiluer, poyson a friend with pulling but a loose haire frō's beard, or giue a drēch, He should singer of't nine yeares, and nere complaine, But in the Spring and Fall, and so the cause Imputed to the disease naturall, for sleight villanies, As to coyne money, corrupt Ladies Honours, Betray a Towne to'th Turke, or make a Bonefire A'th Christian Nauy, I could settle too't, As if I had eate a Politician, And disgested him to nothing but pure blood. But stay, I loose my selfe, this is the house. Within there. Now sir. You are the men of Art, that as I heare, Haue the Lord Contarino vnder cure. Yes sir, we are his Surgeons, But he is past all Cure. Why, is he dead? He is speechlesse sir, and we doe find his wound So fester'd neere the vitals, all our Art By warme drinks, cannot cleare th'impostumation, And hee's so weake, to make By the Orifix were present death to him.