Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 1 (nony, tailors, butler, mall, jesu, massinissa…). Matches are highlighted.
I have her for you sir. Young, beautiful and plump.—a delicate piece of sin. O a Gentlewoman of a great house. She newly came out of a Bairn; yet too good for a Tooth-drawers son. That which is dantiest, Maid A wife sir, why?
Full speech
I have her for you sir. Young, beautiful and plump.—a delicate piece of sin. O a Gentlewoman of a great house. She newly came out of a Bairn; yet too good for a Tooth-drawers son. That which is dantiest, Maid A wife sir, why? Diseases gnaw thy bones. I think she has deserved to be a wife sir. Her firstlinge shall be mine. Swine look but for the husks, the meat be thine. You talk of and alteration, here's the thing it self, what base birth does not raiment make glorious? and what glorious births do not agges make infamous? why should not a woman confess what she is now? fince the finest are but deluding shadows, begotten between Tyre omen and Tay lors? for instance, behold their Parents. Who would think now this fine Sophisticated squal came out of the Bosom of a Bairn, and the loins of a Hay tosser. Excellent, already the true phrase and style of a strum pet, stay, a little more of the read, and then I take my leave of your Cheek for four & twenty hours—Do you not think it impossible that her own Father should know her now, if he saw her? I protest I have bestowed much labour about it, and in fit Time, good news I hope. If my opinion might rule over you— Sir, you put up too much indignity, bring company to cut your own throat, the fire is not yet so hight, that you need two Screens before it, 'tis but new kindled yet, if it risse to a flame, I could not blame you the ̄ to put others before you but alas all the heat yet is comfortable a cher risher, not a defacer. Idem feign have him quarrel, fight, and be assuredly killed, that I might beg his place: for there's never a one void yet. 'Tis right. Come, leave your puling and sighing. Why? to thy better advancement, wouldst thou a pretty beautiful—Juicy squall, live in a poor thrumbd house i'th cun try in such servile—habiliments, and may well pass for a gentle woman i'th City, do's not 5 hundred do so thinkest thou, and with worse faces, o, now in these latter days, the Devil reigning 'tis and age for cloven creatures? but why sad now? yet indeed 'tis the fashion of any Courtesan to be seasick i'th first Voyage, but at next she proclaims open wars, Like a beaten soldier: why Nor thampton-shire Lass dost dream of virginity now? remember a loose-bodied Gown wench, & let it go, wires, & tires, bents and bums, felts and falls, thou that shalt deceive the world, that Gentle women indeed shall not be known from others; I have a master to whom I must prefer thee, after the aforesaid decking, Lethe by name, a man of one most admired property, he can both love thee and for thy better advancement be thy Pandar himself, and ex lent spark of humility. Why I do acknowledge it, and I think I do you a pleasure in't. Bound? nay and you prove a harlot, yowl be lose enough. Nay thats certain, nor a 1000. more of you, I know, you are all chased enough, till one thing or other tempt you deny a Satin gown and you dare now? True they will not, most dissembler. Why, therefore take heart, faint not at all, Women never rise, but when they fallen, Let a man break, he's gone, blown up, A woman's breaking sets her up, Virginity is no City—Trade, You're out a'th Freedom, when you're a maid, Down with the lattis 'tis but thin, Let courser beauty's work within: Whom the light mocks, thou art fair and fresh, The guilded flies, will light upon thy flesh. How easily soft women are undone: So farewell wholesome weeds where treasure pants, And welcome silks, where lies disease and wants: Come wench, now flow thy Fortune's in to bless thee, I'll bring thee where thou shalt be taught to dress thee! Most certain, no more a woman. I'll say so too And work out mine own safety, Such was his vow at first, indeed my Lord, How ere his mood has changed him?
Plot summary
Plot — Michaelmas Term
Rearage and Andrew Lethe are rivals for the hand of Quomodo’s daughter: her mother favours Rearage and her father Lethe. Lethe has assumed gentry status, and is concerned when his plebeian mother arrives from the country; but she does not recognize him, and he employs her as a go-between. Hellgill brings a country wench to London, promising to pass her off as a gentlewoman. He dresses her up and she begins to attract gallants, including Lethe. Her father comes looking for her, and, not recognizing him, she takes him on as a servant. A third visitor from the country is Richard Easy, who is entrapped by Shortyard and Falselight, the agents of Ephestian Quomodo. Shortyard gambles with Easy, persuading him to keep on betting in the hope of breaking his losing streak. In consequence, he needs money to fund his social life, and seeks to borrow it from Quomodo. He is induced to take the loan in cloth, which he can sell on to realize the money; ===== PAGE 155 ===== 1604 posing as the fictitious ‘Blastfield’, Shortyard also signs the bond. Quomodo and his accomplices engineer a downturn in the market: the cloth has to be sold for less than half its true value. When the bond falls due for repayment a month later, Blastfield cannot be found, and Easy is arrested. Quomodo’s accomplices pose as wealthy citizens and stand bail for Easy, so long as he signs over all his possessions to them. When Blastfield still cannot be found, the bailsmen give Quomodo Easy’s lands in lieu of the bail they owe him. Easy is ruined, but Quomodo’s wife Thomasine, who has witnessed the cozenage, takes pity on him and lends him money. Concerned about his son Sim’s possible prodigality, Quomodo feigns his own death to see how people will take it. He attends his own funeral disguised as a beadle, but nobody has a good word to say about him. Thomasine quickly marries Easy, who learns how he was duped. Shortyard cozens Sim of Easy’s lands, but is forced to restore them to Easy to cover himself; but Easy still has him arrested. Still in disguise, Quomodo collects his fee for attending the funeral; Thomasine has him sign a document renouncing any further claim on the household, and for a joke he signs his own name. When this is noticed, he reveals his identity and institutes legal proceedings against Thomasine and Easy. On the day of his marriage to Susan, Lethe is arrested for lewd behaviour with the country wench. All the cases come before a judge, who will only accept Quomodo’s identity when…