Shirley, James · published 1638 · first performed or written 1637 [licensed for stage, Apr 23, 1638] (Annals) not in BritDrama · St. Werburgh Street, Dublin T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.78 · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
You prepare me For wonder, if it be an act of Friendship To me, it will become me to reward it, Not thanks, nor pardon. But all truths meet not With charitable ears; there is a descant That pleases not sometimes though the best art Present it, if our sense be indisposed To patience and calm hearing. Do not doubt me. 'twill not become me so much as in thought To inquire how long, or with what firm devotion, You affect the Princess, Theodosia; But Naples is more conscious, then to doubt You bring a welcome treaty in your person, And every voice and heart is busy with The expectation of your marriage; Whilst every eye bright with your flame is able To light a Torch to Hymen; Virgins have No other care then with what flowers sweet As your own name to adorn the smiling altars. You promised Sir a secret. It will come To fast upon your knowledge; have you never Looked from the prospect of your Palace window, When some fair sky courted your eye to read The beauties of a day, the glorious Sun Enriching so the bosom of the earth That trees and flowers appeared but like so much Enamel upon gold; the wanton birds And every creature but the drudging ant Despising providence, and at play and all That world you measure with your eye, so gay And proud, as winter were no more to shake His Icy Locks upon 'em, but the breath Of gentle Zephire to perfume their growth, And walk eternally upon the Springs; When from a coast you see not, comes a cloud Creeping as overladen with a storm: Dark as the womb of night, and with her wings Surprising all the glories you beheld; Leaves not your frighted eyes a light to see The ruins of that flattering day. This Language Carries both mystery and horror; pray My Lord convey your meaning to my knowledge. I shall, I had in vain prepared you thus else; Pardon again the story; Theodosia, More beautiful than the day I figured by her, Is quite o'ercast and looks through an Eclipse Upon your love: she has no heart, but what Another is possessed of. Ha. I know It cannot but afflict your thoughts that all Your expectation ripe and courted, to The enjoying such a treasure as she is, Must finish in embracing of a shadow, Invited to a fable, not a bride That should with joy dwell in your princely arms; For Theodosia without sacrilege Cannot be yours; she is contracted. How? The King of Naples must not Sir engage Florence to such a mockery. 'tis my duty To clear his honour in't he has a pure Intention to make his sister yours; her close Though honourable love's designed without His knowledge, and you will but waste your rage Upon her destiny which will bury her In her own ruins, if your anger make The King her enemy.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
You prepare me For wonder▪ if it be an act of Friendship To me, it will become me to reward it, Not thankes, nor pardon. But all truthes meet not With charitable eares; there is a descant That pleases not sometimes though the best art Present it, if our sense be indispos'd To patience and calme hearing. Doe not doubt me. Twill not become me so much as in thought To enquire how long, or with what firme devotion, You affect the Princesse, Theodosia; But Naples is more conscious, then to doubt You bring a welcome treaty in your person, And every voie and heart is busie with The expectation of your marriage; Whilst every eye bright with your stame is able To light a Torch to Hymen; Virgins have No other care then with what flowers sweet As your owne name to adorne the smiling altars. You promis'd Sir a secret. It will come To fast upon your knowledge; have you never Look'd from the prospect of your Pallace window▪ When some faire sky courted your eye to reade The beauties of a day, the glorious Sunne Enriching so the bosome of the earth That trees and flowers appear'd but like so much Enamell upon gold; the wanton birds And every creature but the drudging Ante Despising providence, and at play and all That world you measure with your eye, so gay And proud, as winter were no more to shake His Icy Lockes upon 'em, but the breath Of gentle Zephire to perfume their growth, And walke eternally upon the Springs; When from a coast you see not, comes a cloud Creeping as overladen with a storme▪ Darke as the wombe of night, and with her wings Surprising all the glories you beheld; Leaves not your frighted eyes a light to see The rines of that flattering day. This Language Carries both mystery and horror; pray My Lord convey your meaning to my knowledge. I shall▪ I had in vaine prepard you thus else; Pardon againe the story; Theodosia, More beautifull then the day I figur'd by her, Is quite orecast and lookes through an Ecclipse Vpon your love: shee has no heart, but what Another is possest of. Ha. I know It cannot but afflict your thoughts that all Your expectation ripe and courted, to The enjoying such a treasure as shee is, Must finish in embracing of a shaddow, Invited to a fable, not a bride That should with joy dwell in your princely armes▪ For Theodosia without sacriledge Cannot be yours; shee is contracted. How? The King of Naples must not Sir ingage Florence to such a mockery. Tis my duty To cleare his honour in't he has a pure Intention to make his sister yours; her close Though honorable love's designd without His knowledge, and you will but waste your rage Vpon her destiny which will bury her In her owne ruines, if your anger make The King her enemie.