A New Wonder, A Woman Never Vexed · chunk 23 of 45
Heywood, Thomas / Rowley, William · published 1632 · first performed or written 1611 [1611-1614] (Annals) comedy · Unknown unassigned nearest T52 Prodigals, portions and poor kin · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T52: brother, father, uncle, cousin, son, poor, bread, old, given, master.
Content thee, Sweet, those days are gone, ay, even from my memory; I have forgot that e'er I had such follies, And I'll not call 'em back: my ears are bent To keep your state, and give you all content. Roger, go, call your fellow-servants up to me, And to my Chamber bring all books of debt; I will o'erlook, and cast up all accounts, That I may know the weight of all my cares, And once a year give up my stewardship. Now you may see what hasty matching is; You had thought to have been vexed, and now You cannot: You have married a husband, That, Sir reverence of the title, now being my Master in law, I do think he'll prove the miserablest, covetous Rascal, that ever beat beggar from his gate. But 'Tis no matter; time was when you were fairly Offered, if you would have took it; you might have had Other matches i'faith, if it had pleased you; and those That would have crossed you; I would have sold away All that ever you had had; have kept two or three Whores at livery under your nose; have turned you out In your smock, and have used you like a woman; where As now, if you'd hang yourself, you can have none of These blessings: but 'tis well enough, now you must Take what follows. I'm new to seek for crosses, the hopes I meant Turn to despair, and smoother in content. O Nephew are you come: The welcom'st wish That my heart has; This is my kinsman, Sweet. Let him be largely texted in your love, That all the City may read it fairly; You cannot remember me, and him forget. We were alike to you in poverty. I should have begged that bounty of your love, Though you had scanted me to have given't him; For we are one, I an Uncle Nephew, He an Nephew Uncle. But my Sweet self, My slow request you have anticipated With proffered kindness; and I thank you for it. But how, kind cousin, does your father use you? Is your name found again within his books? Can he read son there? 'Tis now blotted quite: for by the violent instigation Of my cruel Stepmother, his Vows and Oaths Are stamped against me, ne'er to acknowledge me, ne'er to call, or bless me as a child; But in his brow, his bounty, and behaviour I read it almost plainly. cousin, grieve not at it; that father lost at home, You shall find here; and with the loss of his inheritance, You meet another amply proffered you; Be my adopted son, no more my kinsman; So that this borrowed bounty do not stray From your consent. Call it not borrowed, Sir, 'tis all your own; Here 'fore this reverent man I make it known, Thou art our child as free by adoption, As derived from us by conception, birth, and Propinquity; Inheritor to our full substance.
seed 43: T52 · seed 44: T52 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Content thee, Sweete, those daies are gone, I, even from my memorie; I have forgot that e'r I had such follies, And I'l not call 'm backe: my eares are bent To keepe your state, and give you all content. Roger, goe, call your fellow-servants up to me, And to my Chamber bring all bookes of debt; I will o're-looke, and cast up all accounts, That I may know the weight of all my cares, And once a yeere give up my stewardship. Now you may see what hastie matching is; You had thought to have bin vext, and now You cannot: You have marryed a husband, That, Sir reverence of the title, now being my Master in law, I doe thinke hee'l proove the miserablest, covetous Rascall, that ever beate beggar from his gate. But 'Tis no matter; time was when you were fairely Offered, if you would have tooke it; you might have had Other matches y'faith, if it had pleas'd you; and those That would have crost you; I would have sold away All that ever you had had; have kept two or three Whores at liverie under your nose; have turn'd you out In your smocke, and have us'd you like a woman; where As now, if you'd hang your selfe, you can have none of These blessings: but 'tis well enough, now you must Take what followes. I'm new to seeke for crosses, the hopes I meant Turne to despaire, and smoother in content. O Nephew are you come: The welcom'st wish That my heart has; This is my hinsman, Sweete. Let him be largely texted in your love, That all the Citty may reade it fairely; You cannot remember me, and him forget. We were alike to you in poverty. I should have beg'd that bounty of your love, Though you had scanted me to have given't him; For we are one, I an Vncle Nephew, He an Nephew Vncle, but my Sweete selfe, My slow request you have anticipated With proffer'd kindenesse; and I thanke you for it. But how, kinde Cozin, does your father use you? Is your name found againe within his bookes? Can he reade son there? 'Tis now blotted quite: for by the violent instigation Of my cruell Stepmother, his Vowes and Othes Are stampt against me, ne'r to acknowledge me, Ne'r to call, or blesse me as a childe; But in his brow, his bounty, and behaviour I reade it almost plainelie. Cozin, grieve not at it; that father lost at home, You shall finde here; and with the losse of his inheritance, You meete another amply profferd you; Be my adopted son, no more my kinsman; So that this borrowed bounty doe not stray From your consent. Call it not borrowed, Sir, 'tis all your owne; Here 'fore this reverent man I make it knowne, Thou art our childe as free by adoption, As deriv'd from us by conception, birth, and Propinquitie; Inheritour to our full substance.