2 The Honest Whore (2 The Converted Courtesan) · chunk 18 of 47
Dekker, Thomas · published 1630 · first performed or written 1605 [1604-c.1605] (Annals) comedy · Prince Henry's Men unassigned nearest T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T16: lady, madam, gentleman, lordship, ladies, honour, mistress, sweet, court, servant.
What would she have me do in this? No more, Madam, but what one woman should do for another in such a case. My Honourable Lord, your Husband would do any thing in her behalf, but she had rather put herself into your hands, because you (a woman) may do more with the Duke your Father. Where lies this Land? Within a stone's cast of this place; my Mistress, I think, would be content to let him enjoy it after her decease, if that would serve his turn, so my Master would yield too: but she cannot abide to hear that the Lord should meddle with it in her life time. Is she then married? why stirs not her Husband in it? Her Husband stirs in it under hand: but because the other is a great rich man, my Master is loath to be seen in it too much. Let her in writing draw the cause at large: And I will move the Duke. 'Tis set down, Madam, here in black and white already: work it so, Madam, that she may keep her own without disturbance, grievance, molestation, or meddling of any other; and she bestows this purse of gold on your Ladyship. Old man, I'll plead for her, but take no fees: Give Lawyers them, I swim not in that flood, I'll touch no gold, till I have done her good. I would all Proctors Clerks were of your mind, I should law more amongst them than I do then; here, Madam, is the survey, not only of the Manor itself, but of the Grange house, with every Meadow pasture, Ploughland, coney-burrow, Fishpond, hedge, ditch, and bush that stands in it. My husband's name, and hand and seal at arms to a Love-letter? Where hadst thou this writing? From the foresaid party, Madam, that would keep the foresaid Land out of the foresaid Lords fingers. My Lord turned Ranger now? Y'are a good Huntress, Lady, you ha' found your Game already; your Lord would fain be a Ranger, but my Mistress requests you to let him run a course in your own Park, if you'll not do't for love, than do't for money; she has no white money, but there's gold, or else she prays you to ring him by this token, and so you shall be sure his nose will not be rooting other men's pastures. This very purse was woven with mine own hands, This Diamond on that very night, when he Untied my Virgin girdle, gave I him: And must a common Harlot share in mine? Old man, to quit thy pains, take thou the gold. Not I, Madam, old serving-men want no money. Cupid himself was sure his Secretary, These lines are even the Arrows Love let flies, The very Ink dropped out of Venus' eyes. I do not think, Madam, but he fetched off some Poet or other for those lines, for they are perilous Hawks to fly at wenches.
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)
What would she haue me doe in this? No more, Madam, but what one woman should doe for another in such a case. My Honourable Lord, your Husband would doe any thing in her behalfe, but shee had rather put her selfe into your hands, because you (a woman) may doe more with the Duke your Father. Where lyes this Land? Within a stones cast of this place; my Mistris, I think, would be content to let him enioy it after her decease, if that would serue his turne, so my Master would yeeld too: but she cannot abide to heare that the Lord should meddle with it in her life time. Is she then married? why stirres not her Husband in it? Her Husband stirres in it vnder hand: but because the other is a great rich man, my Master is loth to be seene in it too much. Let her in writing draw the cause at large: And I will moue the Duke. 'Tis set downe, Madam, here in blacke and white already: worke it so, Madam, that she may keepe her owne without disturbance, grieuance, molestation, or medling of any other; and she bestowes this purse of gold on your Ladyship. Old man, Ile pleade for her, but take no fees: Giue Lawyers them, I swim not in that flood, Ile touch no gold, till I haue done her good. I would all Proctors Clearkes were of your minde, I should law more amongst them then I doe then; here, Madam, is the suruey, not onely of the Mannor it selfe, but of the Grange house, with euery Medow pasture, Plough-land, Cony-borough, Fish-pond, hedge, ditch, and bush that stands in it. My Husbands name, and hand and seale at armes to a Loue-letter? Where hadst thou this writing? From the foresaid party, Madam, that would keepe the foresaid Land out of the foresaid Lords fingers. My Lord turnd Ranger now? Y'are a good Huntresse, Lady, you ha found your Game already; your Lord would faine be a Ranger, but my Mistris requests you to let him runne a course in your owne Parke, if you'll not doo't for loue, then doo't for money; she has no white money, but there's gold, or else she praies you to ring him by this token, and so you shall be sure his nose will not be rooting other mens pastures. This very purse was wouen with mine owne hands, This Diamond on that very night, when he Vntyed my Virgin girdle, gaue I him: And must a common Harlot share in mine? Od man, to quit thy paines, take thou the gold. Not I, Madam, old Seruingmen want no money. Cupid himselfe was sure his Secretary, These nes are euen the Arrowes Loue let flies, The very Incke dropt out of Uenus eyes. I doe not thinke, Madam, but hee fetcht off some Poet or other for those lines, for they are parlous Hawkes to flie at wenches.