Webster, John · published 1623 · first performed or written 1614 [1612-1614; revised 1617-23(?)] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T23 Husbands, wives and jealousy · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T23: wife, husband, cuckold, jealousy, woman, jealous, mistress, love, house, honest.
Ambition (Madam) is a great man's madness, That is not kept in chains, and close-pent-rooms, But in fair lightsome lodgings, and is girt With the wild noise of prattling visitans, Which makes it lunatic, beyond all cure, Conceive not, I am so stupid, but I aim Whereto your favours tend: But he's a fool That (being a cold) would thrust his hands i'th' fire To warm them. So, now the ground's broke, You may discover what a wealthy Mine, I make you Lord off. Oh my unworthiness. You were ill to sell yourself, This darkening of your worth, is not like that Which tradesmen use i'th' City, their false lights Are to rid bad wares off: and I must tell you If you will know where breathes a complete man, (I speak it without flattery) turn your eyes, And progress through yourself. Were there nor heaven, nor hell, I should be honest: I have long served virtue, And ne'er ta'en wages of her. Now she pays it, The misery of us, that are borne great, We are forced to woo, because none dare woo us: And as a Tyrant doubles with his words, And fearfully equivocates: so we Are forced to express our violent passions In riddles, and in dreams, and leave the path Of simple virtue, which was never made To seem the thing it is not: Go, go brag You have left me heartless, mine is in your bosom, I hope 'twill multiply love there: You do tremble: Make not your heart so dead a piece of flesh To fear, more than to love me: Sir, be confident, What is't distracts you? This is flesh, and blood, (Sir,) 'Tis not the figure cut in alablaster Kneels at my husband's tomb: Awake, awake (man) I do here put of all vain ceremony, And only do appear to you, a young widow That claims you for her husband, and like a widow, I use but halfe a blush in't. Truth speak for me, I will remain the constant Sanctuary Of your good name. I thank you (gentle love) And 'cause you shall not come to me, in debt, (Being now my Steward) here upon your lips I sign your Quietus est: This you should have begged now, I have seen children oft eat sweetmeats thus, As fearful to devour them too soon. But for your Brothers? Do not think of them, All discord, without this circumference, Is only to be pitied, and not feared: Yet, should they know it, time will easily Scatter the tempest. These words should be mine, And all the parts you have spoke, if some part of it Would not have savoured flattery. Kneel. Hah? Be not amazed, this woman's of my Council, I have heard Lawyers say, a contract in a Chamber, (Per verba presenti) is absolute marriage: Bless (Heaven) this sacred Gordian, which, let violence Never untwine. And may our sweet affections, (like the Spheres) Be still in motion.
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)
Ambition (Madam) is a great mans madnes, That is not kept in chaines, and close-pent-roomes, But in faire lightsome lodgings, and is girt With the wild noyce of pratling visitans, Which makes it lunatique, beyond all cure, Conceiue not, I am so stupid, but I ayme Whereto your fauours tend: But he's a foole That (being a cold) would thrust his hands i'th'fire To warme them. So, now the ground's broake, You may discouer what a wealthy Mine, I make you Lord off. Oh my vnworthinesse. You were ill to sell your selfe, This darkning of your worth, is not like that Which trades-men vse i'th'City, their false lightes Are to rid bad wares off: and I must tell you If you will know where breathes a compleat man, (I speake it without flattery) turne your eyes, And progresse through your selfe. Were there nor heauen, nor hell, I should be honest: I haue long seru'd vertue, And neu'r tane wages of her. Now she paies it, The misery of vs, that are borne great, We are forc'd to woe, because none dare woe vs: And as a Tyrant doubles with his words, And fearefully equiuocates: so we Are forc'd to expresse our violent passions In ridles, and in dreames, and leaue the path Of simple vertue, which was neuer made To seeme the thing it is not: Goe, go brag You haue left me heartlesse, mine is in your bosome, I hope 'twill multiply loue there: You doe tremble: Make not your heart so dead a peece of flesh To feare, more then to loue me: Sir, be confident, What is't distracts you? This is flesh, and blood, (Sir,) 'Tis not the figure cut in Allablaster Kneeles at my husbands tombe: Awake, awake (man) I do here put of all vaine ceremony, And onely doe appeare to you, a yong widow That claimes you for her husband, and like a widow, I vse but halfe a blush in't. Truth speake for me, I will remaine the constant Sanctuary Of your good name. I thanke you (gentle loue) And 'cause you shall not come to me, in debt, (Being now my Steward) here vpon your lippes I signe your Quietus est: This you should haue beg'd now, I haue seene children oft eate sweete-meates thus, As fearefull to deuoure them too soone. But for your Brothers? Do not thinke of them, All discord, without this circumference, Is onely to be pittied, and not fear'd: Yet, should they know it, time will easily Scatter the tempest. These words should be mine, And a'l the parts you haue spoke, if some part of it Would not haue sauour'd flattery. Kneele. Hah? Be not amaz'd, this woman's of my Councell, I haue heard Lawyers say, a contract in a Chamber, (Per verba presenti) is absolute marriage: Blesse (Heauen) this sacred Gordian, which, let violence Neuer vntwine. And may our sweet affections, (like the Sphears) Be still in motion.