Shirley, James · published 1632 · first performed or written 1632 [licensed for stage, Jan 10] (Annals) comedy · King's Revels Company (?); Prince Charles's Men (second) (?) · Salisbury Court T49 Wooing a mistress: suitors, go-betweens typicality 0.86 · 479 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
What Gentlewoman? Eugenia, that wrote the Letter to me, I mean her. For what? I ha' considered better, & do mean To make her satisfaction. 'Tis too late: You might have done this earlier, your love Will appear now unseasonable, I assure you. Pray give me a reason. D'ye not blush to ask it? I told her what you said, and now we are Resolved; you cannot blame her, she was covetous To embrace you; but your answer being returned So peremptorily in her neglect, we both agreed. You both? Why what was that to you? That doubt will clear itself when we are married. Why, did you love her? And deserve her best Of all the world: and yet she'd give me no Assurance till she knew your resolution, Which I was able to inform her, and 'Tis now a bargain; upon Monday next.— Your wedding day. Right. In very good time. You wear a sword. What then? I'll only try how you can fence, I must not lose her so. You lose her? you despised her, would not see her, Not to recover her from death. D'ye not Remember such a saying, In the Town Were many younger brothers, that might be Content to marry her; let her use her fortune, For your own part, you were engaged, there was No wrestling with your fate: Was it not so? 'Tis all one for that, my mind is altered, I'm of another humour now, and will Maintain, I love her better than you dare. Then I must tell you. Tell me no tellings: Either resign her to me again, or— Resolve me, pray, can you affect her heartily? Else let me perish on your sword. I heard You court another Mistress, that did answer it with entertainment. She was a very Gipsie. You were no sooner parted, but she used me Basely; 'tis true, I did sufficiently Deserve it, for my breach of vow to her I now alone do honour, and for whom, (Changed into honesty) I will rather die Than live without her. Heaven does hear all this. I make no doubt, and while my heart to her Is reconciled, cannot despair of mercy. You shall have her. Shall I? then I'll love thee too. And know, she has no thought but to be yours, There has no obligation passed betwixt us two: I came for this: yet I must tell you, Sir, I love her too, and shall do ever. How? not when She is my wife, I hope. Yes then. If you have cut her up, and left her cold meat, I shall lose my stomach. With a holy flame, Her virtue keeps a Vestal fire within me, But she affects not me, yet I might challenge her: Nor can you ever, but in right of me, Glory yourself possessed; I have bought her.
seed 43: T56 · 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 Gentlewoman? Eugenia, that wrote the Letter to me, I meane her. For what? I ha' considered better, & doe meane To make her satisfaction. 'Tis too late: You might have done this earlier, your love Will appeare now unseasonable, I assure you. Pray give me a reason. D'ye not blush to aske it? I told her what you said, and now we are Resolv'd; you cannot blame her, she was covetous To embrace you; but your answer being return'd So peremptorily in her neglect, we both agreed. You both? Why what was that to you? That doubt will cleere it selfe when we are married. Why, did you love her? And deserve her best Of all the world: and yet shee'd give me no Assurance till she knew your resolution, Which I was able to informe her, and 'Tis now a bargaine; upon munday next.— Your wedding day. Right. In very good time. You weare a sword. What then? Ile only try how you can fence, I must not lose her so. You lose her? you despis'd her, wo'd not see her, Not to recover her from death. D'yee not Remember such a saying, In the Towne Were many yonger brothers, that might be Content to marry her; let her use her fortune, For your owne part, you were engag'd, there was No wrestling with your fate: Was it not so? 'Tis all one for that, my mind is altred, I'm of another humour now, and will Maintaine, I love her better than you dare. Then I must tell you. Tell me no tellings: Either resigne her to me againe, or— Resolve me, pray, can you affect her heartily? Else let me perish on your sword. I heard You court another Mistris, that did answer it with entertainment. She was a very Gipsie. You were no sooner parted, but she us'd me Basely; 'tis true, I did sufficiently Deserve it, for my breach of vow to her I now alone doe honour, and for whom, (Chang'd into honesty) I will rather dye Than live without her. Heaven do's heare all this. I make no doubt, and while my heart to her Is reconcil'd, cannot despaire of mercie. You shall have her. Shall I? then Ile love thee too. And know, she ha's no thought but to be yours, There ha's no obligation past betwixt us two: I came for this: yet I must tell you, Sir, I love her too, and shall doe ever. How? not when She is my wife, I hope. Yes then. If you have cut her up, and left her cold meat, I shall lose my stomacke. With a holy flame, Her vertue keeps a Vestall fire within me, But she affects not me, yet I might challenge her: Nor can you ever, but in right of me, Glory your selfe possest; I have bought her.