Brome, Richard · published 1632 · first performed or written 1629 [licensed for stage, Jul 29] (Annals) comedy · King's Men · Blackfriars T49 Wooing a mistress: suitors, go-betweens typicality 0.75 · 498 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
A subtle question! This woman is not brainless. Love of him Lady? If this can be love, To seek to cross him, in so great a hope, As your enjoying; being all the means, Or possibility he has to live on; If it be love to him, to let you know How lewd and dissolute of life he is, By which his fortunes being sunk, he is grown The scorn of his acquaintance, his friends trouble, Being the common borrower of the Town. A Gallant lights not a Tobacco Pipe, But with his borrowing letters (she's not moved) And if you put him off a fortnight longer, he'll be laid up for moneys he took up To buy his Knighthood; besides his deep engagements To Goldsmith, Silkman, tailor, milliner, Sempster, Shoemaker, Spurrier, Vintner, Tapster, (All stirs her not, she stands as if prepared To hear as much of truth and bear with it.) Men of all Trades, and Occupations, From his Mercer downward to his Waterman, Have ventured the last sixpence on his Credit; And all but wait to pay themselves from you. And I may well imagine how't would grieve A woman of your wealth, to disburse all, To save a Knight out of his Ward i'th' Counter; And lack with all his company at home; While he frequents youthful society To make more charge for Nurseries abroad: For I have heard him say you are old; and that It is your wealth he marries, and not you. If this be love to him, that I discover (The means to save you to be his undoing,) Let no man take a friend's help in his wooing. And how this should proceed from care of me Falls not into my understanding Sir. Consider Lady— Sir I have considered Before, and in your speech, and since; and cannot By all that can be said remove a thought. I loved him not for words: Nor will I use Words against yours: 'twere poor expression Of love to boast it. 'tis enough I know it. Boasters of love, how can we Lovers call, When most of such love one no more than all. Sure, I was much mistaken in this woman. Nor would I have you to expect a railing, To say you basely wrong the Gentleman: A way so common, common women use it. But this Sir I will say, I were too blame If I should think your love to him were less Than the great care of me, you seem to urge, As you pretend it is. She will discover me. You are his Kinsman nearly; and reputed, By his own mouth, his best of chosen friends; myself an utter stranger, one from whom You never had, or can expect least good. And why you should, for a respect so contrary, Call my poor wit in question to believe you, Is most unconscionable. methink I stand Like a false witness 'gainst another's life, Ready to take his punishment.
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)
A subtill question! This woman is not brainelesse. Loue of him Lady? If this can be loue, To seeke to crosse him, in so great a hope, As your inioying; being all the meanes, Or possibility he has to liue on; If it be loue to him, to let you know How lewd and dissolute of life he is, By which his fortunes being sunke, he is growne The scorne of his acquaintance, his friends trouble, Bing the common borrower of the Towne. A Gallant lights not a Iobacco Pipe, But with his borowing letters (shee's not mou'd) And if you put him off a fortnight longer, Heel be layd vp for moneys he tooke vp To buy his Knighthood; besides his deepe ingagements To Goldsmith, Silkman, Taylor, Millener, Sempster, Shoomaker, Spurrier, Vintner, Tapster, (All stirres her not, shee stands as if prepar'd To heare as much of truth and beare with it.) Men of all Trades, and Occupations, From his Mercer downward to his Waterman, Haue venter'd the last sixpence on his Credit; And all but wayt to pay themselues from you. And I may well imagine how't would grieue A woman of your wealth, to disburse all, To saue a Knight out of his Ward i'th' Counter; And lack with all his company at home; While he frequents youthfull society To make more charge for Nurseries abroad: For I haue heard him say you are old; and that It is your wealth he marries, d not you. If this be loue to him, that I discouer (The meanes to saue you to be his vndoing,) Let no man take a friends help in hi wooing. And how this should proceed from care of me Falls not into my vnderstanding Sir. Considr Lady— Sir I haue consider'd Before, and in your speech, and since; and cannot By all that can be said remoue a thought. I lou'd him not for words: Nor will I vse Words against yours: 'twere poore expression Of loue to boast it. Tis enough I know it. Boasters of loue, how can we Louers call, When most of such loue one no more then all. Sure, I was much mistaken in this woman. Nor would I haue you to expect a rayling, To say you basely wrong the Gentleman: A way so common, common women vse it. But this Sir I will say, I were too blame If I should thinke your loue to him were lesse Then the great care of me, you seeme to vrge, As you pretend it is. Shee will discouer me. You are his Kinseman nearly; and reputed, By his owne mouth, his best of chosen friends; My selse an vtter stranger, one from whom You neuer had, or can expect least good. And why you should, for a respect so contrary, Call my poore wit in question to beleeue you, Is most vnconscionable. Me thinke I stand Like a false witnes 'gainst anothers life, Ready to take his punishment.