Shakespeare, William / Middleton, Thomas · published 1623 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men T40 Sin, guilt and violent loss within famil typicality 0.93 · 512 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T40: brother, death, life, die, heaven, sin, live, father, blood, soul.
And 'twere the cheaper way: Better it were a brother died at once, Then that a sister, by redeeming him Should die for ever. Were not you then as cruel as the Sentence, That you have slandered so? Ignomy in ransom, and free pardon Are of two houses: lawful mercy, Is nothing kin to fowl redemption. You seemed of late to make the Law a tyrant, And rather proved the sliding of your brother A merriment, than a vice. Oh pardon me my Lord, it oft falls out To have, what we would have, We speak not what we mean; I something do excuse the thing I hate, For his advantage that I dearly love. We are all frail. Else let my brother die, If not a fedarie but only he Own, and succeed thy weakness. Nay, women are frail too. I, as the glasses where they view themselves, Which are as easy broke as they make forms: Women? Help heaven; men their creation mar In profiting by them: Nay, call us ten times frail, For we are soft, as our complexions are, And credulous to false prints. I think it well: And from this testimony of your own sex (Since I suppose we are made to be no stronger Than faults may shake our frames) let me be bold; I do arrest your words. Be that you are, That is a woman; if you be more, you're none. If you be one (as you are well expressed By all external warrants) show it now, By putting on the destined Livery. I have no tongue but one; gentle my Lord, Let me entreat you speak the former language. Plainly conceive I love you. My brother did love Iuliet, And you tell me that he shall die for't. He shall not Isabella if you give me love. I know your virtue hath a licence in't, Which seems a little fouler than it is, To pluck on others. Believe me on mine Honour, My words express my purpose. Ha'? Little honour, to be much believed, And most pernicious purpose: Seeming, seeming. I will proclaim thee Angelo, look for't. Sign me a present pardon for my brother, Or with an outstretched throat I'll tell the world aloud What man thou art. Who will believe thee Isabella? My vnsoild name, th' austeerenesse of my life, My vouch against you, and my place i' th' State, Will so your accusation over-weigh, That you shall stifle in your own report, And smell of calumny. I have begun, And now I give my sensual race, the rain, Fit thy consent to my sharp appetite, Lay by all nicety, and prolixious blushes That banish what they sue for: Redeem thy brother, By yielding up thy body to my will, Or else he must not only die the death, But thy unkindness shall his death draw out To lingering sufferance: Answer me to morrow, Or by the affection that now guides me most, I'll prove a Tyrant to him. As for you, Say what you can; my false, oreweighs your true.
seed 43: T37 · seed 44: T36 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
And 'twer the cheaper way: Better it were a brother dide at once, Then that a ſiſter, by redeeming him Should die for euer. Were not you then as cruell as the Sentence, That you haue ſlander'd ſo? Ignomie in ranſome, and free pardon Are of two houſes: lawfull mercie, Is nothing kin to fowle redemption. You ſeem'd of late to make the Law a tirant, And rather prou'd the ſliding of your brother A merriment, then a vice. Oh pardon me my Lord, it oft fals out To haue, what we would haue, We ſpeake not what vve meane; I ſomething do excuſe the thing I hate, For his aduantage that I dearely loue. We are all fraile. Elſe let my brother die, If not a fedarie but onely he Owe, and ſucceed thy weakneſſe. Nay, women are fraile too. I, as the glaſſes where they view themſelues, Which are as eaſie broke as they make formes: Women? Helpe heauen; men their creation marre In profiting by them: Nay, call vs ten times fraile, For we are ſoft, as our complexions are, And credulous to falſe prints. I thinke it well: And from this teſtimonie of your owne ſex (Since I ſuppoſe we are made to be no ſtronger Then faults may ſhake our frames) let me be bold; I do arreſt your words. Be that you are, That is a woman; if you be more, you'r none. If you be one (as you are well expreſt By all externall warrants) ſhew it now, By putting on the deſtin'd Liuerie. I haue no tongue but one; gentle my Lord, Let me entreate you ſpeake the former language. Plainlie conceiue I loue you. My brother did loue Iuliet, And you tell me that he ſhall die for't. He ſhall not Iſabell if you giue me loue. I know your vertue hath a licence in't, Which ſeemes a little fouler then it is, To plucke on others. Beleeue me on mine Honor, My words expreſſe my purpoſe. Ha? Little honor, to be much beleeu'd, And moſt pernitious purpoſe: Seeming, ſeeming. I will proclaime thee Angelo, looke for't. Signe me a preſent pardon for my brother, Or with an out-ſtretcht throate Ile tell the world aloud What man thou art. Who will beleeue thee Iſabell? My vnſoild name, th' auſteereneſſe of my life, My vouch againſt you, and my place i' th State, Will ſo your accuſation ouer-weigh, That you ſhall ſtifle in your owne report, And ſmell of calumnie. I haue begun, And now I giue my ſenſuall race, the reine, Fit thy conſent to my ſharpe appetite, Lay by all nicetie, and prolixious bluſhes That baniſh what they ſue for: Redeeme thy brother, By yeelding vp thy bodie to my will, Or elſe he muſt not onelie die the death, But thy vnkindneſſe ſhall his death draw out To lingring ſufferance: Anſwer me to morrow, Or by the affection that now guides me moſt, Ile proue a Tirant to him. As for you, Say what you can; my falſe, ore-weighs your true.