Carlell, Lodowick · published 1629 · first performed or written 1629 [c.1622-1629] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men · before the Court T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.85 · 500 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Clarinda, you have long been silent, What is it you consider of? if it be my words, You must needs find them full of reason. I'll seem as base as he would have me, And so find out whether he speaks this from His heart or no. I must confess that this which you have spoken Stands with good reason; and reason is the rule By which we ought to square our actions: Dare I believe that you would counsel me To any thing, but that which will be most For my content, and for the Duke, will it not be Far less to his content, not to enjoy at all Me whom he loves, then if he should possess me, And yet you have a share with him in my embracings: For what is that husband worse, whose wife abuses him, If she have but the wit to keep it from his knowledge. It is true the Duke is so noble, and doth withal So truly love you, that it will quite banish All base distrust, so that we might with all security Enjoy our loves. Leave, leave. Or if he should find out our craft, How soon might we dispatch him by poison? There have been such things done. You do overact your part, I see the end you aim at, your virtue shows itself Quite through that mask of vice, which love to me And to my Father made you put on; you thought If you could have given me a belief Of your unworthiness, that then I would have given Consent to have married with the Duke: Leave your dissembling then, since you're discovered, Lest you offend the Gods; I only seemed To give applause to what you said, to find Your craft. I see my heart lies open to you, You have spoken my very thoughts, indeed This was my end. Lysander, I perceive that your affection Is altogether governed by your reason, For which if it be possible, I love you more, Because it well becomes a man to do so: But I should hate myself, if I should love According to your rule, which I will manifest; For here I take the heavens to witness, That if within three days you do not marry me, I'll kill myself, speak quickly; for if you do not Love me, it is a greater mercy to tell me so, (That I may die) then to persuade me To love another, that being impossible, But death is easy. Clarinda, you have overcome by this rash oath My resolution: for I perceive the fates Had foreordained we should enjoy each other, After such real testimonies, to make our love the firmer. I do with joy embrace what you compel Me to by your rash oath; and if your Father Wilfully will stay, and not fly with us, Rather than I will ever draw tears From those bright eyes. I so dearly love, we'll leave him to the danger.
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)
Clarinda, you haue long beene ſilent, What is it you conſider of? if it bee my words, You muſt needs find them full of reaſon. Ile ſeeme as baſe as he would haue me, And ſo find out whether he ſpeaks this from His heart or no. I muſt confeſſe that this which you haue ſpoken Stands with good reaſon; and reaſon is the rule By which we ought to ſquare our actions: Dare I belieue that you would counſell me To any thing, but that which will be moſt For my content, and for the Duke, will it not be Farre leſſe to his content, not to enioy at all Me whom he loues, then if he ſhould poſſeſſe me, And yet you haue a ſhare with him in my embracings: For what is that husband worſe, whoſe wife abuſes him, If ſhe haue but the wit to keepe it from his knowledge. It is true the Duke is ſo noble, and doth withall So truely loue you, that it will quite baniſh All baſe diſtruſt, ſo that we might with all ſecurity Inioy our loues. Leaue, leaue. Or if he ſhould find out our craft, How ſoone might we diſpatch him by poyſon? There haue beene ſuch things done. You doe ouer-act your part, I ſee the end you ayme at, your vertue ſhewes it ſelfe Quite through that maske of vice, which loue to me And to my Father made you put on; you thought If you could haue giuen me a beliefe Of your vnworthines, that then I would haue giuen Conſent to haue married with the Duke: Leaue your diſſembling then, ſince y'are diſcouerd, Leſt you offend the Gods; I only ſeem'd To giue applauſe to what you ſaid, to finde Your crafte. I ſee my heart lies open to you, You haue ſpoken my very thoughts, indeed This was my end. Lyſander, I perceiue that your affection Is altogether gouern'd by your reaſon, For which if it be poſſible, I loue you more, Becauſe it well becomes a man to doe ſo: But I ſhould hate my ſelfe, if I ſhould loue According to your rule, which I will manifeſt; For here I take the heauens to witneſſe, That if within three dayes you do not marry me, Ile kill my ſelfe, ſpeake quickly; for if you do not Loue me, it is a greater mercy to tell me ſo, (That I may dye) then to perſwade me To loue another, that being impoſſible, But death is eaſie. Clarinda, you haue ouercome by this raſh oath My reſolution: for I perceiue the fates Had fore-ordain'd we ſhould enioy each other, After ſuch reall teſtimonies, to make our loue the firmer. I doe with ioy embrace what you compell Me to by your raſh oath; and if your Father Wilfully will ſtay, and not flye with vs, Rather then I will euer draw teares From thoſe bright eyes. I ſo dearly loue, wee'l leaue him to the danger.