The Opportunity

Shirley, James, published 1640 · comedy · Adult Professional;Professional

36chunks

18,023words

3topics

8 %unassigned

Metadata

Title	The Opportunity
Author	Shirley, James
Publication year (edition)	1640
Genre (British Drama)	comedy
Genre group (comparison)	comedy — from the British Drama label · Annals: comedy
Play type	Adult Professional;Professional
Work / edition / TCP / DEEP	work 575 · edition 1128 · TCP A12148 · DEEP 950
Edition role	Representative edition — used in the analysis
First performance / composition (Annals)	1634 [licensed for stage, Nov 29]
First performance (BritDrama)	1634 [Nov]
Company (BritDrama)	Queen Henrietta Maria's Men
Company (Annals)	Queen Henrietta Maria's Men
Theater	Phoenix/Cockpit;Indoor Professional
Theater type	Indoor
Title-page company	Queen Henrietta Maria's Men
Printer	Cotes, Thomas
Format	Quarto
STC	22451
Greg	575a(*)
Genre (Annals)	Comedy
Genre (BritDrama)	Comedy
BritDrama no.	2455
Title page	THE OPPORTVNITIE A COMEDY,
Title-page performance note	As it was presented by her Majesties Servants, at the private House in Drury Lane.
Corpus build	corpus-v3-2026-09-08 · nodes 2522 · witness single

Topic composition (share of words)

T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour

86.2 %

unassigned

8.4 %

T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim

2.7 %

T11 Siblings, kin and confidants

2.7 %

Chunks in order

#	nodes	words	topic	typ.	opening
1	0–83	510	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.68	EXpect me an hour hence, my friend and I Will walk and see the City, make it your Care to get Supper ready. If…
2	84–168	507	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.69	He might as well ha' called me Bethlem Gabor; Let's walk on still. Ha Borgia, 'tis he, my noble friend returne…
3	169–247	495	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.78	Your pardon Sir That thus I steal upon you, I would hope My sister— Cornelia. Cornelia is in health. And will …
4	248–321	504	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.79	Thou art a fool, cannot I cast Borgia's skin off when I please, I must See my fair sister at a minute's warnin…
5	322–405	520	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.74	Though we pardon him We must put on a brow of some displeasure And chide his fault, he may be encouraged else …
6	406–479	525	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.78	Sir your father's Voice speaks in yours, you now command my destiny If you will make me happy. Noble Sir, I am…
7	480–515	515	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.79	Ursini, I have thought how to supply That place of Secretary that is vacant, see That Borgia be sworn, we appr…
8	516–563	498	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.77	What would this fellow have, no news of your master? Speak that word no more on thy allegiance, here go to bed…
9	564–626	504	unassigned		And you one of his servants, to whom with Your other fellow called Signior Aurelio, His person stands discover…
10	627–707	500	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.74	He preferred him First to her highness. Not with expectation To be supplanted, I make question If the humour h…
11	708–781	504	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.86	We shall all be Princes In time; but Gentlemen let's be more familiar We think so well of things, does he pres…
12	782–853	515	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.80	Strangely altered Since young Borgia took his leave and melancholy: Well, I suspect— What Madam? she'll scarce…
13	854–932	526	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.82	'tis the new ague Borgia That shakes the court, how confidently he talks To himself, a light strikes from the …
14	933–987	509	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.84	Is the Duchess gone? You well distinguish voices, yet she's gone. My joy of soul, dearest Cornelia. 'tis she t…
15	988–1018	511	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.80	Your own boy? take heed what you say, lest you be driven to justify it, you have no mind to wake my mother fro…
16	1019–1074	511	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.82	That's another matter, give me the t'other bottle— Now let all the Cantons of Swiss come. Which is the high Ge…
17	1075–1144	504	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.85	Preferment? 'tis too poor a word. You were best tell me too he may be Duke. He is i'th' road, I know not how h…
18	1145–1217	530	unassigned		I was About to say you're patient too, I see Something would make you angry, but return To your first temper, …
19	1218–1284	490	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.84	But tell me signior, nay we are pleased You should be free, upon what confidence Knowing your guilt, and dange…
20	1285–1362	495	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.78	The Duke of Ferrara with a glorious train Is come to Court, and as the loud voice is Given out by himself, to …
21	1363–1435	504	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.87	With your sister, I'll not suspect your love, since fair Cornelia Is not displeased to be directed by Her high…
22	1436–1508	483	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.86	Stay and take My keys, this opens to my gold, go home And take out ten bags. What to do Sir? To spend 'em, all…
23	1509–1576	487	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.81	About it then, I'll have My part i'th' interlude, lose no time boy, Thou shalt be Prince of Pigmyland for this…
24	1577–1649	487	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.83	How ere her grace be a little impudent I had been mad to justify the Duke In such a cause, she has no mind to …
25	1650–1705	487	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.84	Stand too't and say he is a counterfeit A mere impostor, be not beaten out on't. Are you Duke of Ferrara sirra…
26	1706–1781	493	T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim	0.89	You are mistaken Sir, he means somebody else, I have been kicked already. Madam you let fall. Let it reward yo…
27	1782–1856	497	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.83	Wisely preserve'em And rather chide your timorous understanding Then think us angry, had your sin been greater…
28	1857–1923	492	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.88	What Sir? Were you master of the world, Could you shoot death beyond a Basilisk, Or had you mischief in your b…
29	1924–1995	497	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.72	Best she will acknowledge Of all mankind. I have a letter to you, I will not doubt my pardon when you read it,…
30	1996–2068	494	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.80	I shall Madam; she's gone into the Garden, and commands I give access to none but Borgia; If he come, she has …
31	2069–2137	465	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.85	Are you Borgia. There's death in these delays, do not you know me? Or dare you not believe what I affirm Touch…
32	2138–2219	525	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.77	he's gone and I am like to suffer for't, By your highness' favour I will wait no longer To be chastised, but w…
33	2220–2288	480	T11 Siblings, kin and confidants	0.83	You have invention enough to furnish The Court with vice, howe'er you seem to have Care of my soul, pray give …
34	2289–2355	486	unassigned		It does concern my honour, 'tis done instantly, She may be cold ere morning, I'll not lose This opportunity, I…
35	2356–2434	483	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.79	You do not conclude me, if I obtained A favour from the Duchess to propound My wishes, and plead for me, I kno…
36	2435–2521	490	T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour	0.78	Do not vex thyself, come we're at large, our constitution Would ha'been troubled with a wife, we have The worl…

Grace · generated by 13_site.py from run runs_Qwen_Qwen3-Embedding-0.6B_masked_hdb10, seed 42. Texts: EEBO-TCP / EarlyPrint (CC BY-NC 3.0). Metadata: DEEP, Wiggins & Richardson.