Rutter, Joseph · published 1635 · first performed or written 1634 [1633-1635] (Annals) pastoral · Queen Henrietta Maria's Men · before the Court unassigned nearest T22 Shepherds, flocks and Pan · 462 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T22: shepherd, pan, shepherds, love, sheep, flocks, fair, shepherdess, swain, away.
If you do this, You'll make me happy, it was this I looked for, My trivial acts of life, this of my death Will recompense with glory; I shall die To save my Princess, and what's more, to save The life of her life, her unspotted honour. Blessed Lady, though you are as innocent And chaste as purest Virgins, that have yet Seen nothing in a dream to warm their blood, Yet the malicious world, the censuring people, That haste to cast dirt on the fairest things, Will hardly spare you, if it once be known That we were here together: As for me, My life is nothing but variety Of grief and troubles, which with constancy I have borne yet: 'tis time that now I die, Before I do accuse the Gods that have Brought me to this, and so pull on my death A punishment. Will you be merciful, And end me quickly? Shepherd, know for this Thy resolution, which in noble bloods I scarce have found, I willingly would grant What thou desir'st. But something must be known Before that time either from you, or you. I know Cleander, it is me you aim at: I do confess this shepherd is my love; For his sake I did leave the Court, and thee, Unworthy as thou art, to be his Rival. Madam, my duty bids me speak to you, Not as a lover now; but as you are My Princess, and the daughter of my King. I would not for the world have those desires Which I had then; for sure my bolder love Would have transgressed the limits of all duty, And would have dared to tell you, that this shepherd Was not a match for great Arcadia's heir, Nor yet one fit for my Competitor. 'Tis not his outward feature, (which how fair It is I do not question) that can make him Noble, or wise: Whereas my birth, derived From ancient Kings, and years not far unsuiting Those of your own; to these my education (To you well known,) perhaps might make me worthy Of being your servant. Canst thou look on this, This piece Cleander, and not blush to boast Thy follies thus, seeking to take away From his full virtue, if but this one act Of his appear unto the world? (as know It shall; for I'll not shame to publish him, Though I die for it) will it not devour Thy empty glories, and thy puffed up nothings, And like a grave will bury all thy honours? Do, take his life, and glory in that act, But be thou sure, in him thou shalt kill two. What mean you, madam? Not to live a minute, After his death. That all the Gods forbid.
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)
If you do this, Youle make me happy, it was this I lookt for, My triviall acts of life, this of my death Will recompence with glory; I ſhall die To ſave my Princeſſe, and whats more, to ſave The life of her life, her unſpotted honor. Bleſt Lady, though you are as innocent And chaſte as pureſt Virgins, that have yet Seene nothing in a dreame to warme their blood, Yet the malicious world, the cenſuring people, That haſte to caſt durt on the faireſt things, Will hardly ſpare you, if it once be knowne That we were here together: As for me, My life is nothing but variety Of griefe and troubles, which with conſtancy I have borne yet: tis time that now I die, Before I do accuſe the Gods that have Brought me to this, and ſo pull on my death A puniſhment. Will you be mercifull, And end me quickly? Shepheard, know for this Thy reſolution, which in noble bloods I ſcarce have found, I willingly would grant What thou deſir'ſt. But ſomthing muſt be knowne Before that time either from you, or you. I know Cleander, it is me you aime at: I do confeſſe this ſhepheard is my love; For his ſake I did leave the Court, and thee, Unworthy as thou art, to be his Rivall. Madam, my duty bids me ſpeake to you, Not as a lover now; but as you are My Princeſſe, and the daughter of my King. I would not for the world have thoſe deſires Which I had then; for ſure my bolder love Would have tranſgreſt the limits of all duty, And would have dar'd to tell you, that this ſhepheard Was not a match for great Arcadias heire, Nor yet one fit for my Competitor. 'Tis not his outward feature, (which how faire It is I do not queſtion) that can make him Noble, or wiſe: Whereas my birth, deriv'd From ancient Kings, and yeares not far unſuiting Thoſe of your owne; to theſe my education (To you well knowne,) perhaps might make me worthy Of being your ſervant. Canſt thou looke on this, This piece Cleander, and not bluſh to boaſt Thy follies thus, ſeeking to take away From his full vertue, if but this one act Of his appeare unto the world? (as know It ſhall; for Ile not ſhame to publiſh him, Though I die for it) will it not devoure Thy empty glories, and thy puft up nothings, And like a grave will burie all thy honors? Do, take his life, and glory in that act, But be thou ſure, in him thou ſhalt kill two. What meane you, madam? Not to live a minute, After his death. That all the Gods forbid.