Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1593 [c.1593-1594] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men (?) unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Item, she can wash and scour. A special virtue: for than she need not be washed, and scoured. Item, she can spin. Then may I set the world on wheels, when she can spin for her living. Item, she hath many nameless virtues. That's as much as to say Bastard-vertues: that indeed know not their fathers; and therefore have no names. Here follow her vices. Close at the heels of her virtues. Item, she is not to be fasting in respect of her breath. Well: that fault may be mended with a breakfast: read on. Item, she hath a sweet mouth. That makes amends for her sour breath. Item, she doth talk in her sleep. It's no matter for that; so she sleep not in her talk. Item, she is slow in words. Oh villain, that set this down among her vices; To be slow in words, is a woman's only virtue: I pray thee out with't, and place it for her chief virtue. Item, she is proud. Out with that too: It was Eve's legacy, and cannot be taken from her. Item, she hath no teeth. I care not for that neither: because I love crusts. Item, she is cursed. Well: the best is, she hath no teeth to bite. Item, she will often praise her liquor. If her liquor be good, she shall: if she will not, I will; for good things should be praised. Item, she is too liberal. Of her tongue she cannot; for that's writ down she is slow of: of her purse, she shall not, for that i'll keep shut: Now, of another thing she may, and that cannot I help. Well, proceed. Item, she hath more hair than wit, and more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults. Stop there: I'll have her: she was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that last Article: rehearse that once more. Item, she hath more hair then wit. More hair than wit: it may be i'll prove it: The cover of the salt, hides the salt, and therefore it is more than the salt; the hair that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the greater hides the less: What's next? And more faults than hairs. That's monstrous: oh that that were out. And more wealth than faults. Why that word makes the faults gracious: Well, i'll have her: and if it be a match, as nothing is impossible. What then? Why then, will I tell thee, that thy Master stays for thee at the North gate. For me? For thee? I, who art thou? he hath stayed for a better man than thee. And must I go to him? Thou must run to him; for thou hast stayed so long, that going will scarce serve the turn. Why didst not tell me sooner?' pox of your love Letters. Now will he be swinged for reading my Letter; An unmannerly slave, that will thrust himself into secrets: I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correction.
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)
Item, ſhe can waſh and ſcoure. A ſpeciall vertue: for then ſhee neede not be waſh'd, and ſcowr'd. Item, ſhe can ſpin. Then may I ſet the world on wheeles, when ſhe can ſpin for her liuing. Item, ſhe hath many nameleſſe vertues. That's as much as to ſay Baſtard-vertues: that indeede know not their fathers; and therefore haue no names. Here follow her vices. Cloſe at the heeles of her vertues. Item, ſhee is not to be faſting in reſpect of her breath. Well: that fault may be mended with a breakfaſt: read on. Item, ſhe hath a ſweet mouth. That makes amends for her ſoure breath. Item, ſhe doth talke in her ſleepe. It's no matter for that; ſo ſhee ſleepe not in her talke. Item, ſhe is ſlow in words. Oh villaine, that ſet this downe among her vices; To be ſlow in words, is a womans onely vertue: I pray thee out with't, and place it for her chiefe vertue. Item, ſhe is proud. Out with that too: It was Eues legacie, and cannot be t'ane from her. Item, ſhe hath no teeth. I care not for that neither: becauſe I loue cruſts. Item, ſhe is curſt. Well: the beſt is, ſhe hath no teeth to bite. Item, ſhe will often praiſe her liquor. If her liquor be good, ſhe ſhall: if ſhe will not, I will; for good things ſhould be praiſed. Item, ſhe is too liberall. Of her tongue ſhe cannot; for that's writ downe ſhe is ſlow of: of her purſe, ſhee ſhall not, for that ile keepe ſhut: Now, of another thing ſhee may, and that cannot I helpe. Well, proceede. Item, ſhee hath more haire then wit, and more faults then haires, and more wealth then faults. Stop there: Ile haue her: ſhe was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that laſt Article: rehearſe that once more. Item, ſhe hath more haire then wit. More haire then wit: it may be ile proue it: The couer of the ſalt, hides the ſalt, and therefore it is more then the ſalt; the haire that couers the wit, is more then the wit; for the greater hides the leſſe: What's next? And more faults then haires. That's monſtrous: oh that that were out. And more wealth then faults. Why that word makes the faults gracious: Well, ile haue her: and if it be a match, as nothing is impoſſible. What then? Why then, will I tell thee, that thy Maſter ſtaies for thee at the North gate. For me? For thee? I, who art thou? he hath ſtaid for a better man then thee. And muſt I goe to him? Thou muſt run to him; for thou haſt ſtaid ſo long, that going will ſcarce ſerue the turne. Why didſt not tell me ſooner? 'pox of your loue Letters. Now will he be ſwing'd for reading my Letter; An vnmannerly ſlaue, that will thruſt himſelfe into ſecrets: Ile after, to reioyce in the boyes correctiō.