Ford, John · published 1633 · first performed or written 1630 [c.1630-1633] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 489 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
Do not waste The span of this stolen time (sent by the gods For precious use) in niceness! Bright Euphrania, Should I repeat old vows, or study new, For purchase of belief to my desires— Desires? My service, my integrity— That's better. I should but repeat a lesson Oft conned without a prompter; but thine eyes, My Love is honourable— So was mine To my Penthea: chastely honourable. Nor wants there more addition to my wish Of happiness, then having thee a wife, Already sure of Ithocles a friend, Firm, and unalterable. But a brother More cruel than the grave. What can you look for In answer to your noble protestations, From an unskilful maid, but language suited To a divided mind? Hold out Euphranea. Know Prophilus, I never undervalved (From the first time you mentioned worthy love) Your merit, means, or person: It had been A fault of judgement in me, and a dulness In my affections, not to weigh and thank My better Stars, that offered me the grace Of so much blissfulness. For to speak truth, The law of my desires kept equal pace With yours, nor have I left that resolution; But only in a word, whatever choice Lives nearest in my heart, must first procure Consent, both from my father, and my brother, ere he can own me his. She is forsworn else. Leave me that task. My brother ere he parted To Athens, had my oath. Yes, yes, 'a had sure. I doubt not with the means the Court supplies, But to prevail at pleasure. Very likely. Mean tims best, dearest, I may build my hopes On the foundation of thy constant sufferance In any opposition. Death shall sooner Divorce life, and the joys I have in living, Than my chaste vows from truth. On thy fair hand I seal the like. There is no faith in woman— Passion? o be contained: my very heart strings Are on the Tenters. Sir, we are overheard; Cupid protect us: 'twas a stirring (Sir) Of some one near. Your fears are needless, Lady; None have access into these private pleasures, Except some near in Court, or bosom Student From Tecnicus his Oratory; granted By special favour lately from the King Unto the grave Philosopher. methinks I hear one talking to himself: I see him. 'Tis a poor Scholar, as I told you Lady. I am discovered— Say it: is it possible With a smooth tongue, a leering countenance, Flattery, or force of reason (— I come t'ee Sir) To turn, or to appease the raging Sea? Answer to that,— your Art? what Art to catch And hold fast in a net the sun's small atoms? No, no; they'll out, they'll out; ye may as easily Outrun a Cloud, driven by a Northern blast, As fiddle-faddle so. Peace, or speak sense. Call you this thing a Scholar? 'las he's lunatic. Observe him (sweet) 'tis but his recreation.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Doe not wast The span of this stolne time (sent by the gods For precious vse) in nicenesse! Bright Euphrania, Should I repeat old vowes, or study new, For purchase of beleefe to my desires — Dsires? My seruice, my integrity — That's better. I should but repeat a lesson Oft conn'd without a prompter; but thine eyes, My Loue is honourable — So was mine To my Penthea: chastly honourable. Nor wants there more addition to my wish Of happinesse, then hauing thee a wife, Already sure of Ithoclas a friend, Firme, and vn-alterable. But a brother More cruell then the graue. What can you looke for In answer to your noble protestations, From an vnskilfull mayd, but language suited To a diuided minde? Hold out Euphranc. Know Prophilus, I neuer vnder-valued (From the first time you mentioned worthy loue) Your merit, meanes, or person: It had beene A fault of iudgement in me, and a dulnesse In my affections, not to weigh and thanke My better Starres, that offered me the grace Of so much blisfulnesse. For to speake truth, The law of my desires kept equall pace With yours, nor haue I left that resolution; But onely in a word, what-euer choyce Liues nearest in my heart, must first procure Consent, both from my father, and my brother, E're he can owne me his. She is forsworne else. Leaue me that taske. My brother e're he pared To Athens, had my oath. Yes, yes, a had sure. I doubt not with the meanes the Court supplies, But to preuaile at pleasure. Very likely. Meane time best, dearest, I may build my hopes On the foundation of thy constant suffrance In any opposition. Death shall sooner Diuorce life, and the ioyes I haue in liuing, Then my chast vowes from truth. On thy faire hand I seale the like. There is no faith in woman — Passion? ô be contain'd: my very heart strings Are on the Tenters. Sir, we are over-heard; Cupid protect vs: 'twas a stirring (Sir) Of some one neere. Your feares are needlesse, Lady; None haue accesse into these priuate pleasures, Except some neere in Court, or bosome Student From Tecnicus his Oratory; granted By speciall fauour lately from the King Vnto the graue Philosopher. Me thinkes I heare one talking to himselfe: I see him. 'Tis a poore Scholler, as I told you Lady. I am discouered — Say it: is it possible With a smooth tongue, a leering countenance, Flattery, or force of reason (— I come t'ee Sir) To turne, or to appease the raging Sea? Answer to that, — your Art? what Art to catch And hold fast in a net the Sunnes small Atomes? No, no; they'll out, they'll out; ye may as easily Out-run a Cloud, driuen by a Northerne blast, As fiddle faddle so. Peace, or speake sense. Call you this thing a Scholler? 'las hee's lunaticke. Obserue him (sweet) 'tis but his recreation.