Middleton, Thomas · published 1630 · first performed or written 1613 (Annals) comedy · Lady Elizabeth's Men · Swan unassigned nearest T23 Husbands, wives and jealousy · 517 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T23: wife, husband, cuckold, jealousy, woman, jealous, mistress, love, house, honest.
I would it might not Wife, the tediousness Will be the most part mine, that understand The blessings I have in thee, so to part That drives the torment to a knowing Heart, But as thou sayst, we must give way to need All live awhile asunder, our desires Are both too fruitful for our barren fortunes. How aduers runs the destiny of some Creatures, Some only can get riches and no Children, We only can get Children and no riches, Then 'tis the prudent's part to check our wills, And till our state rise, make our Bloods lie still. 'Life every year a Child, and some years two, Besides, drinkings abroad, that's never reckoned, This gear will not hold out. Sir for a time, I'll take the courtesy of my uncle's House If you be pleased to like on't, till prosperity Look with a friendly Eye upon our states. Honest Wife I thank thee, I ne'er knew The perfect treasure thou brought'st with thee more Than at this instant minute. A Man's happy When he's at poorest that has matched his Soul As rightly as his Body. Had I married A sensual Fool now, as 'tis hard to scape it 'Mongst Gentlewomen of our time, she would ha' hanged About my Neck, and never left her hold Till she had kissed me into wanton businesses, Which at the waking of my better judgement I should have cursed most bitterly, And laid a thicker vengeance on my act Then misery of the Birth, which were enough If it were borne to greatness, whereas mine Is sure of beggary, though it were got in Wine. Fullness of joy showeth the goodness in thee, Thou art a matchless Wife, Farewell my joy. I shall not want your sight? I'll see thee often, Talk in mirth, and play at kisses with thee, Any thing Wench but what may beget Beggars, There I give o'er the Set, throw down the Cards, And dare not take them up. Your will be mine Sir. This does not only make her honesty perfect, But her discretion, and approves her judgement. Had her desire been wanton, they'd been blameless In being lawful ever, but of all Creatures I hold that Wife a most unmatched treasure, That can unto her fortunes fix her pleasure, And not unto her Blood, this is like wedlock, The feast of marriage is not Lust but Love, And care of the estate, when I please Blood, Merely I sing, and suck out others, then 'Tis many a wiseman's fault, but of all Men I am the most unfortunate in that game That ever pleased both Genders, I ne'er played yet Under a Bastard, the poor Wenches curse me To the Pit where'er I come, they were ne'er served so, But used to have more words than one to a bargain, I have such a fatal Finger in such business I must forth with't, chiefly for Country Wenches, For every Harvest I shall hinder Hay-making, I had no less than seven lay in last Progress, Within three weeks of one another's time.
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)
I would it might not Wife, the tediouſneſſe Will be the moſt part mine, that vnderſtand The bleſſings I haue in thee, ſo to part That driues the torment to a knowing Heart, But as thou ſay'ſt, we muſt giue way to need All liue awhile aſunder, our deſires Are both too fruitfull for our barren fortunes. How aduers runs the deſteny of ſome Creatures, Some onely can get riches and no Children, We onely can get Children and no riches, Then 'tis the prudents part to checke our willes, And till our ſtate riſe, make our Bloods lye ſtill. 'Life euerie yeere a Child, and ſome yeeres two, Beſides, drinkings abroad, that's neuer reckon'd, This geere will not hold out. Sir for a time, I'le take the curteſie of my Vnkles Houſe If you be pleas'd to like on't, till proſperitie Looke with a friendly Eye vpon our ſtates. Honeſt Wife I thanke thee, I ne're knew The perfect treaſure thou brought'ſt with thee more Then at this inſtant minute. A Man's happy When he's at pooreſt that has match't his Soule As rightly as his Body. Had I married A ſenſuall Foole now, as 'tis hard to ſcape it 'Mongſt Gentlewomen of our time, ſhe would ha' hang'd About my Necke, and neuer left her hold Till ſhe had kiſt me into wanton buſineſſes, Which at the waking of my better Iudgement I ſhould haue curſt moſt bitterly, And layd a thicker vengance on my act Then miſerie of the Birth, which were enough If it were borne to greatneſſe, whereas mine Is ſure of beggerie, though it were got in Wine. Fulneſſe of Ioy ſheweth the goodneſſe in thee, Thou art a matchleſſe Wife, Farwell my Ioy. I ſhall not want your ſight? I'le ſee thee often, Talke in mirth, and play at kiſſes with thee, Any thing Wench but what may beget Beggers, There I giue o're the Set, throw downe the Cards, And dare not take them vp. Your will be mine Sir. This does not onely make her honeſtie perfect, But her diſcretion, and approues her Iudgement. Had her deſire beene wanton, they'd beene blameleſſe In being lawfull euer, but of all Creatures I hold that Wife a moſt vnmatched treaſure, That can vnto her fortunes fixe her pleaſure, And not vnto her Blood, this is like wedlocke, The feaſt of marriage is not Luſt but Loue, And care of the eſtate, when I pleaſe Blood, Meerely I ſing, and ſucke out others, then 'Tis many a wiſemans fault, but of all Men I am the moſt vnfortunate in that game That euer pleas'd both Genders, I ne're play'd yet Vnder a Baſtard, the poore Wenches curſſe me To the Pit where e're I come, they were ne're ſerued ſo, But vs'd to haue more words then one to a bargaine, I haue ſuch a fatall Finger in ſuch buſineſſe I muſt forth with't, chiefely for Countrey Wenches, For euerie Harueſt I ſhall hinder Hay-making, I had no leſſe then ſeuen lay in laſt Progreſſe, Within three weekes of one anothers time.