Shakespeare, William / Middleton, Thomas · published 1623 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.78 · 487 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Hold you there: farewell: Provost, a word with you. What's your will (father?) That now you are come, you will be gone: leave me a while with the Maid, my mind promises with my habit, no loss shall touch her by my company. In good time. The hand that hath made you fair, hath made you good: the goodness that is cheap in beauty, makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace being the soul of your complexion, shall keep the body of it ever fair: the assault that Angelo hath made to you, Fortune hath conveyed to my understanding; and but that frailty hath examples for his falling, I should wonder at Angelo: how will you do to content this Substitute, and to save your Brother? I am now going to resolve him: I had rather my brother die by the Law, than my son should be unlawfully borne. But (oh) how much is the good Duke deceived in Angelo: if ever he return, and I can speak to him, I will open my lips in vain, or discover his government. That shall not be much amiss: yet, as the matter now stands, he will avoid your accusation: he made trial of you only. Therefore fasten your ear on my advise, to the love I have in doing good; a remedy presents itself. I do make myself believe that you may most uprighteously do a poor wronged Lady a merited benefit; redeem your brother from the angry Law; do no stain to your own gracious person, and much please the absent Duke, if peradventure he shall ever return to have hearing of this business. Let me hear you speak farther; I have spirit to do any thing that appears not fowl in the truth of my spirit. Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful: Have you not heard speak of Mariana the sister of Frederick the great Soldier, who miscarried at Sea? I have heard of the Lady, and good words went with her name. She should this Angelo have married: was affianced to her oath, and the nuptial appointed: between which time of the contract, and limit of the solemnity, her brother Frederick was wracked at Sea, having in that perished vessel, the dowry of his sister: but mark how heavily this befell to the poor Gentlewoman, there she lost a noble and renowned brother, in his love toward her, ever most kind and natural: with him the portion and sinew of her fortune, her marriage dowry: with both, her combynate-husband, this well-seeming Angelo. Can this be so? did Angelo so leave her? Left her in her tears, & dried not one of them with his comfort: swallowed his vows whole, pretending in her, discoveries of dishonour: in few, bestowed her on her own lamentation, which she yet wears for his sake: and he, a marble to her tears, is washed with them, but relents not.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Hold you there: farewell: Prouoſt, a word with you. What's your will (father?) That now you are come, you wil be gone: leaue me a while with the Maid, my minde promiſes with my habit, no loſſe ſhall touch her by my company. In good time. The hand that hath made you faire, hath made you good: the goodnes that is cheape in beauty, makes beauty briefe in goodnes; but grace being the ſoule of your complexion, ſhall keepe the body of it euer faire: the aſſault that Angelo hath made to you, Fortune hath conuaid to my vnderſtanding; and but that frailty hath examples for his falling, I ſhould wonder at Angelo: how will you doe to content this Subſtitute, and to ſaue your Brother? I am now going to reſolue him: I had rather my brother die by the Law, then my ſonne ſhould be vnlawfullie borne. But (oh) how much is the good Duke deceiu'd in Angelo: if euer he returne, and I can ſpeake to him, I will open my lips in vaine, or diſcouer his gouernment. That ſhall not be much amiſſe: yet, as the matter now ſtands, he will auoid your accuſation: he made triall of you onelie. Therefore faſten your eare on my aduiſings, to the loue I haue in doing good; a remedie preſents it ſelfe. I doe make my ſelfe beleeue that you may moſt vprighteouſly do a poor wronged Lady a merited benefit; redeem your brother from the angry Law; doe no ſtaine to your owne gracious perſon, and much pleaſe the abſent Duke, if peraduenture he ſhall euer returne to haue hearing of this buſineſſe. Let me heare you ſpeake farther; I haue ſpirit to do any thing that appeares not fowle in the truth of my ſpirit. Vertue is bold, and goodnes neuer fearefull: Haue you not heard ſpeake of Mariana the ſiſter of Fredericke the great Souldier, who miſcarried at Sea? I haue heard of the Lady, and good words went with her name. Shee ſhould this Angelo haue married: was affianced to her oath, and the nuptiall appointed: between which time of the contract, and limit of the ſolemnitie, her brother Fredericke was wrackt at Sea, hauing in that periſhed veſſell, the dowry of his ſiſter: but marke how heauily this befell to the poore Gentlewoman, there ſhe loſt a noble and renowned brother, in his loue toward her, euer moſt kinde and naturall: with him the portion and ſinew of her fortune, her marriage dowry: with both, her combynate-husband, this well-ſeeming Angelo. Can this be ſo? did Angelo ſo leaue her? Left her in her teares, & dried not one of them with his comfort: ſwallowed his vowes whole, pretending in her, diſcoueries of diſhonor: in few, beſtow'd her on her owne lamentation, which ſhe yet weares for his ſake: and he, a marble to her teares, is waſhed with them, but relents not.