Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 10 (earine, jarbus, alack, vapours, mishap, hapless…). Matches are highlighted.
wish What I do now enjoy. It is, and now thy sisters husband. Thou shalt hear that Some other time. Long ago. Oh me unfortunate; what shall I say? Merda plays with babes clouts. Unhappy wretch! what shall I answer him? Nay good Sir stay, I'll tell you: o how I tremble— Lest this robustious Clown Should hale me before my Uncle in
Full speech
Placenta. But have you dressed the Boy in my apparel? Well, I come. Placenta, you do see how much I trust you, That put mine honour thus into your hands. Lead you this picture of mine into my chamber, And there instruct him how he should behave Himself, that no suspicion of my flight Be nourished by my Uncle, till I be Passed his recalling. So farewell good midwife. All in vain: I am resolved either to find my Cleopes, Or else to sleep with death closed in mine arms. Exit Constan. Oh me! why do I live and hear that name? I am too bade for hell, they'll not receive me, They are afraid I should infect those souls, Those virtuous souls which do inhabit there. Oh my Cleopes! O I shall die again if I see him. My Cleopes? grant me some respite joy Before thou killest me — O my Cleopes! Whom do I embrace? into whose arms am I fallen? But how shall I hereafter Give any credit to my senses? Oh Placenta, courteous Midwife, pray thee tell me, Where am I now? in heaven? And so happily, As I have called it impudence to wish What I do now enjoy. It is, and now thy sisters husband. Thou shalt hear that Some other time. Long ago. Oh me unfortunate; what shall I say? Merda plays with babes clouts. Unhappy wretch! what shall I answer him? Nay good Sir stay, I'll tell you: o how I tremble— Lest this robustious Clown Should hale me before my Uncle in this habit. Not far from hence I had both friends and parents. (Howsoever how I want) but cruel Fates Have envied them their lives, and me my friends. Alas I doubt he knows me His eyes so dwell upon me. Thanks to my stars; He knows me not. No, I will dwell with this old Gentleman. But on this condition, That you will use me Like a Gentleman Of quality and worth, for I must tell you With tears, how ever my Fortune's are dejected Now, I do come of no mean house nor blood. But I do hope aside That some kind God or other will find out Some means for my escape; if not (I've said it) This hand shall make a passage for my soul To leave this body. I come. Placenta, ah Placenta. Shall I disclose my self? I am ashamed. [They put up their swords.] What have I to do With light or heaven? I will not live. My better Genius, you shall hear within The story whole, it is too tedious To be told here. Thy sisters body now has God a soul. (Oh my sweet Cleopes! ) most welcome brother. Unhappy Constantina! to whom Fate Neither permits to live, nor yet to die. Ah Cleopes! she revives Where art thou Cleopes? You cannot.
Plot summary
Plot — The Rival Friends
With Placenta’s help, Constantina disguises herself as a boy and leaves her father’s house in search of her missing love, Cleopes; she leaves a former boy-actor in her place. The friends Neander and Lucius both love Pandora, but she cannot decide between them. Each asks old Lively to help him win her love, not for himself but for his friend. Favouring Lucius, Lively plans to arrange a bogus wedding that will remove Neander from the rivalry, leaving Pandora for Lucius, without being subsequently binding. The ‘boy’ whom Lively selects to pose as Neander’s bride is actually Constantina; but he allows the wedding to go ahead even after discovering her identity. Meanwhile Placenta advises Pandora to make her lovers jealous by pretending interest in someone else, so she woos the page Endymion. When she learns that Neander is married, and when Lucius claims to be a eunuch, she transfers her affections to Endymion in earnest. It emerges that Lucius has jilted Endymion’s sister Isabella, who subsequently disappeared. Constantina is brought in apparently dead, killed by Neander, and her brother Love-All recognizes her. In fact, she is only injured, and revives, calling for Cleopes. Neander admits that he is Cleopes: he had wooed her, but became more interested in Pandora, and feigned a voyage overseas; he then returned with a new identity to pursue Pandora. Love-All wants to know who was pretending to be his sister while Constantina has been out of the house; the ‘boy’ is brought in, and is recognized as the absent Isabella. Lucius agrees to marry her, waiving a dowry, and Pandora is allowed to marry Endymion. In one sub-plot, Lively’s house, a parsonage, will revert to the church upon his death. Pandora’s father, Justice Hook, has the living in his gift, and has promised it to whoever marries his other daughter, the deformed Ursely. Suitors flock to Hook’s house, but Lively intends to outlive them. While Hook is interviewing the candidates, Lively feigns death and names Hook his heir, but comes back to life when Hook rushes off to take possession of the property. Ursely herself wants to marry the misogynistic Anteros, and Anteros overhears Hook acceding to her wishes. To win the compliance of Anteros’ father Terpander, Hook surrenders a mortgage on his lands, which Anteros destroys. Placenta then reveals that the marriage cannot take place: Ursely is Anteros’ sister, given up at birth by her mother to simulate the results of a phantom pregnancy to Hook’s wife.…