Rutter, Joseph · published 1635 · first performed or written 1634 [1633-1635] (Annals) pastoral · Queen Henrietta Maria's Men · before the Court T22 Shepherds, flocks and Pan typicality 0.83 · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T22: shepherd, pan, shepherds, love, sheep, flocks, fair, shepherdess, swain, away.
'tis strange, but Madam, though in that disguise, How could you hope, a stranger, to be loved Of him you held so dear? I feigned myself Of Smyrna, and from thence some Goats I had, And Sheep, with them a rich commodity. Near him I bought me land to feed them; he Seemed glad of it, and thinking me a stranger, Used me with such civility and friendship, As one would little look for of a shepherd; And did defend me from the avarice Of the old shepherds, which did think to make A prey of what I had. At length I saw, He did address himself with fear to me, Still gazing on me: knowing my love to him, I easily believed he loved me too: For love, alas, is ever credulous. And though I was resolved, having my end, (Which was no more, than to discourse with him) Never to let him know what flame I felt: Yet when I saw his tears, and heard his vows, (Persuasive speakers for affection) I could not choose but open to his view My loving heart; yet with this caution, That he should ever bear respect unto My honour, and my virgin chastity: Which than he vowed, and his ambition Never was more than to attain a kiss, Which yet he hardly got: thou seest, sweet Delia, How willingly I dwell upon this Theme. But canst thou help me now, that I have opened My wound unto thee. Alas, I would I could Invent the way to cure you; I should soon Apply my help: yet stay, this day it is The shepherds come to Court. 'Tis true, they come; But what is that to me, if Thyrsis come not? Or if he come, how shall he know me his, Or I enjoy his company? Let me alone To work out that. Thou dreamest, thou canst not do it. I'll undertake it, but how shall I know him Without inquiring, which must breed suspicion. True, and beware thou ask; the Majesty Which sits upon his brow, will say 'tis he, Thyrsis my love; but yet perhaps at this time, If I myself not flatter, thou shalt know him, By his eyes cast down, and folding of his arms, And often sighs, that interrupt his words. For if his sorrow wears the liveries, Which mine does for his absence, by these signs Thou shalt descry him. These are silent marks: Yet will I not despair to find him out. But when thou hast, what wilt thou say to him? Give me but leave to use my mother wit, You would be gone together, would you not? Thou speak'st my thoughts: do this, and I will crown Thy faith, thou shalt be Queen instead of me. If you could crown me with your virtue's Madam, I should be a Queen indeed; in the mean time, As I am Delia, I'll do this business.
nodes 1005–1068 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 17 of 39 in this edition
Length
490 words · 633 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T22 — Shepherds, flocks and Pancross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.829 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T24 · seed 44: T25 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Tis ſtrange, but Madam, though in that diſguiſe, How could you hope, a ſtranger, to be lov'd Of him you held ſo deare? I fain'd my ſelfe Of Smyrna, and from thence ſome Goats I had, And Sheepe, with them a rich commoditie. Neare him I bought me land to feed them; he Seem'd glad of it, and thinking me a ſtranger, Us'd me with ſuch civilitie and friendſhip, As one would little looke for of a ſhepheard; And did defend me from the avarice Of the old ſhepheards, which did thinke to make A prey of what I had. At length I ſaw, He did addreſſe himſelfe with feare to me, Still gazing on me: knowing my love to him, I eaſily beleev'd he lov'd me too: For love, alas, is ever credulous. And though I was reſolv'd, having my end, (Which was no more, then to diſcourſe with him) Nevr to let him know what flame I felt: Yet when I ſaw his teares, and heard his vowes, (Perſwaſive ſpeakers for affection) I could not chooſe but open to his view My loving heart; yet with this caution, That he ſhould ever beare reſpect unto My honor, and my virgin chaſtitie: Which then he vow'd, and his ambition Never was more then to attaine a kiſſe, Which yet he hardly got: thou ſeeſt, ſweete Delia, How willingly I dwell upon this Theame. But canſt thou helpe me now, that I have open'd My wound unto thee. Alas, I would I could Invent the way to cure you; I ſhould ſoone Apply my helpe: yet ſtay, this day it is The ſhepheards come to Court. 'Tis true, they come; But what is that to me, if Thyrſis come not? Or if he come, how ſhall he know me his, Or I injoy his companie? Let me alone To worke out that. Thou dreamſt, thou canſt not do it. Ile undertake it, but how ſhall I know him Without inquiring, which muſt breede ſuſpition. True, and beware thou aske; the Majeſtie Which ſits upon his brow, will ſay 'tis he, Thyrſis my love; but yet perhaps at this time, If I my ſelfe not flatter, thou ſhalt know him, By his eies caſt downe, and folding of his armes, And often ſighs, that interrupt his words. For if his ſorrow weares the liveries, Which mine does for his abſence, by theſe ſignes Thou ſhalt deſcrie him. Theſe are ſilent markes: Yet will I not deſpaire to finde him out. But when thou haſt, what wilt thou ſay to him? Give me but leave to uſe my mother wit, You would be gone together, would you not? Thou ſpeak'ſt my thoughts: do this, and I will crowne Thy faith, thou ſhalt be Queene in ſteed of me. If you could crowne me with your vertues Madam, I ſhould be a Queene indeed; in the meane time, As I am Delia, Ile do this buſines.