Jonson, Ben · published 1631 · first performed or written 1616 [Oct-Nov (?)] (Annals) comedy · King's Men T49 Wooing a mistress: suitors, go-betweens typicality 0.87 · 478 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
Mistress, it is, but first, let me assure The excellence, of Mistresses, I am, Although my Master's man, my Mistress slave, The servant of her secrets, and sweet turns, And know, what fitly will conduce to either. What's this? I pray you come to yourself and think What your part is: to make an answer. Tell, Who is it at the door? The Gentleman, Mrs, Who was at the cloak-charge to speak with you, This morning, who expects only to take Some small commandments from you, what you please, Worthy your form, he says, and gentlest manners. O! you'll anon prove his hired man, I fear, What has he given you, for this message? Sir, Bid him put of his hopes of straw, and leave To spread his nets, in view, thus. Though they take Master Fitz-dottrel, I am no such foul, Nor fair one, tell him, will be had with stalking. And wish him to forbear his acting to me, At the Gentleman's chamber-window in Lincolns-inn there, That opens to my gallery: else, I swear T' acquaint my husband with his folly, and leave him To the just rage of his offended jealousy. Or if your Master's sense be not so quick To right me, tell him, I shall find a friend That will repair me. Say, I will be quiet. In mine own house? Pray you, in those words give it him. This is some fool turned! If he be the Master, Now, of that state and wit, which I allow him; Sure, he will understand me: I durst not Be more direct. For this officious fellow, My husband's new groom, is a spy upon me, I find already. Yet, if he but tell him This in my words, he cannot but conceive Himself both apprehended, and requited. I would not have him think he met a statue: Or spoke to one, not there, though I were silent. How now? ha you told him? Yes. And what says he? Says he? That which myself would say to you, if I durst. That you are proud, sweet Mistress? and withal, A little ignorant, to entertain The good that's proffered; and (by your beauty's leave) Not all so wise, as some true politic wife Would be: who having matched with such a Nupson (I speak it with my Master's peace) whose face Hath left t' accuse him, now, for it doth confess him, What you can make him; will yet (out of scruple, And a spiced conscience) defraud the poor Gentleman, At lest delay him in the thing he longs for, And makes it his whole study, how to compass, Only a title. Can but he writ Cuckold, He had his ends. For, look you— This can be None but my husbands wit. My precious Mrs. It creaks his Engine: The groom never durst Be, else, so saucy—
seed 43: T5 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Miſtreſſe, it is, but firſt, let me aſſure The excellence, of Miſtreſſes, I am, Although my Maſters man, my Miſtreſſe ſlaue, The ſeruant of her ſecrets, and ſweete turnes, And know, what fitly will conduce to either. What's this? I pray you come to your ſelfe and thinke What your part is: to make an anſwer. Tell, Who is it at the doore? The Gentleman, Mrs, Who was at the cloake-charge to ſpeake with you, This morning, who expects onely to take Some ſmall command'ments from you, what you pleaſe, Worthy your forme, hee ſaies, and gentleſt manners. O! you'll anon proue his hyr'd man, I feare, What has he giu'n you, for this meſſage? Sir, Bid him put off his hopes of ſtraw, and leaue To ſpread his nets, in view, thus. Though they take Maſter Fitz-dottrel, I am no ſuch foule, Nor faire one, tell him, will be had with ſtalking. And wiſh him to for-beare his acting to mee, At the Gentlemans chamber-window in Lincolnes-Inne there, That opens to my gallery: elſe, I ſweare T' acquaint my husband with his folly, and leaue him To the iuſt rage of his offended iealouſie. Or if your Maſters ſenſe be not ſo quicke To right mee, tell him, I ſhall finde a friend That will repaire mee. Say, I will be quiet. In mine owne houſe? Pray you, in thoſe words giue it him. This is ſome foole turn'd! If he be the Maſter, Now, of that ſtate and wit, which I allow him; Sure, hee will vnderſtand mee: I durſt not Be more direct. For this officious fellow, My husbands new groome, is a ſpie vpon me, I finde already. Yet, if he but tell him This in my words, hee cannot but conceiue Himſelfe both apprehended, and requited. I would not haue him thinke hee met a ſtatue: Or ſpoke to one, not there, though I were ſilent. How now? ha' you told him? Yes. And what ſaies he? Sayes he? That which my ſelf would ſay to you, if I durſt. That you are proude, ſweet Miſtreſſe? and with-all, A little ignorant, to entertaine The good that's proffer'd; and (by your beauties leaue) Not all ſo wiſe, as ſome true politique wife Would be: who hauing match'd with ſuch a Nupſon (I ſpeake it with my Maſters peace) whoſe face Hath left t' accuſe him, now, for 't doth confeſſe him, What you can make him; will yet (out of ſcruple, And a ſpic'd conſcience) defraud the poore Gentleman, At leaſt delay him in the thing he longs for, And makes it hs whole ſtudy, how to compaſſe, Onely a title. Could but he write Cuckold, He had his ends. For, looke you— This can be None but my husbands wit. My pretious Mrs. It creaks his Ingine: The groome neuer durſt Be, elſe, ſo ſaucy—