The Devil's Law Case (When Women Go to Law the Devil Is Full of Business) · chunk 21 of 45
Webster, John · published 1623 · first performed or written 1619 [1617-1621] (Annals) tragicomedy · Queen Anne's Men unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 491 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Ha! come hither, note a strange accident: His Steel has lighted in the former wound, And made free passage for the congealed blood; Observe in what abundance it delivers the putrefaction. methinks he fetches his breath very lively. The hand of heaven is in't, That his intent to kill him should become The very direct way to save his life Why this is like one I have heard of in England, Was cured a'th' Gout, by being racked i'th' Tower. Well, if we can recover him, here's reward On both sides: howsoever we must be secret. We are tyde to't, When we cure Gentlemen of foul diseases, They give us so much for the cure, and twice as much, That we do not blab on't. Come let's to work roundly, Heat the Lotion, and bring the Searing. Why do you grieve thus? take a looking-glass, And see if this sorrow become you; that pale face Will make men think you used some Art before, Some odious painting: Contarino's dead. Oh that he should die so soon. Why, I pray tell me, Is not the shortest fever the best? and are not bad Plays The worse for their length? Add not toth' ill you'ave done An odious slander; he stuck i'th' eyes a'th' Court, As the most choice jewel there. Oh be not angry; Indeed the Court to well composed nature Adds much to perfection: for it is or should be, As a bright Crystal, Mirror to the world, To dress itself; but I must tell you sister, If th' excellency of the place could have wrought salvation, The Devil had ne'er fall'n from heaven; he was proud, Leave us, leave us? Come, take your seat again, I have a plot, If you will listen to it seriously, That goes beyond example, it shall breed Out of the death of these two Noble men, The advancement of our House. Oh take heed, a grave is a rotten foundation. Nay, nay, hear me. 'tis somewhat indirectly, I confess: But there is much advancement in the world, That comes in indirectly. I pray mind me: You are already made by absolute Will, Contarino's heir: now, if it can be proved, That you have issue by Lord Ercole, I will make you inherit his Land too. How's this? issue by him, he dead, and I a Virgin! I know you would wonder how it could be done, But I have laid the case so radically, Not all the Lawyers in Christendom, Shall find any the least flaw in't: I have a Mistress Of the Order of Saint Clare, a beauteous Nun, Who being cloistered ere she knew the heat, Her blood would arrive to, had only time enough To repent, and idleness sufficient To fall in love with me; and to be short, I have so much disordered the holy Order, I have got this Nun with child. Excellent work made for a dumb Midwife.
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)
Ha! come hither, note a strange accident: His Steele has lighted in the former wound, And made free passage for the congealed blood; Obserue in what abundance it deliuers the putrifaction. Me thinks he fetches his breath very liuely. The hand of heauen is in't, That his entent to kill him should become The very direct way to saue his life Why this is like one I haue heard of in England, Was cured a'th Gowt, by being rackt i'th Tower. Well, if we can recouer him, here's reward On both sides: howsoeuer we must be secret. We are tyde too't, When we cure Gentlemen of foule diseases, They giue vs so much for the cure, and twice as much, That we doe not blab on't. Come lets to worke roundly, Heat the Lotion, and bring the Searing. Why do you grieue thus? take a Looking-glasse, And see if this sorrow become you; that pale face Will make men thinke you vsde some Art before, Some odious painting: Contarino's dead. Oh that he should dye so soone. Why, I pray tell me, Is not the shortest feuer the best? and are not bad Playes The worse for their length? Adde not to'th ill y'aue done An odious slander; he stuck i'th eyes a'th Court, As the most choyce iewell there. Oh be not angry; Indeed the Court to well composed nature Addes much to perfection: for it is or should be, As a bright Christall, Mirrour to the world, To dresse it selfe; but I must tell you sister, If th' excellency of the place could haue wroght saluation, The Deuill had nere falne from heauen; he was proud, Leaue vs, leaue vs? Come, take your seat agen, I haue a plot, If you will listen to it seriously, That goes beyond example, it shall breed Out of the death of these two Noble men, The aduancement of our House. Oh take heed, a graue is a rotten foundation. Nay, nay, heare me. Tis somewhat indirectly, I confesse: But there is much aduauncement in the world, That comes in indirectly. I pray mind me: You are already made by absolute Will, Contarino's heyre: now, if it can be prooued, That you haue issue by Lord Ercole, I will make you inherite his Land too. How's this? issue by him, he dead, and I a Virgin! I know you would wonder how it could be done, But I haue layd the case so radically, Not all the Lawyers in Christendome, Shall finde any the least slaw in't: I haue a Mistris Of the Order of Saint Clare, a beautious Nun, Who being cloystred ere she knew the heat, Her blood would arriue to, had onely time enough To repent, and idlenesse sufficient To fall in loue with mee; and to be short, I haue so much disordered the holy Order, I haue got this Nun with child. Excellent worke made for a dumbe Mid-wife.