Shirley, James · published 1638 · first performed or written 1637 [licensed for stage, Apr 23, 1638] (Annals) not in BritDrama · St. Werburgh Street, Dublin T14 Royal love, favour and dynastic relation typicality 0.83 · 476 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T14: prince, princess, love, king, lord, queen, madam, grace, lady, life.
Bless your grace from such a meaning. Can you be cruel to it? I ne'er had The confidence to look upon a wound; And such a bleeding object as your heart Would fright my senses. You are more ingenious Than not to understand that I mean love; I love you Madam, best of all your sex. You cannot Sir, you dare not. How? You dare not be so wicked I am am sure When you remember, what you are, a Prince. Is it a sin for Princes to love Madam? Or if you could dispense with so much passion To love me, and durst give me, what I tremble To think you promise, that, that very act In which you most advance affection to me, Would make me think you love me not. Be clearer. How should I think his courtship worth my trust, And meet him with a real change of hearts, Who in his very first attempt of love, Would blast my honour, and betray me to A shame, black as the tongue of infamy. Would I? And more; For you in this Would tempt me to an act, by which I should Not only wound myself to death of honour, But make me guilty of another's blood, And kill an innocent Lady, whose least tear Is worth a thousand lives of perjured men That make a scorn of virtue. What Lady? Have you forgot the Princess Sir? The Princess! In that name you'll find yourself again Lost in a mist of passions; oh think The fames and hopes of two rich countries are Engaged upon your faith; your highness' pardon, I find some blushes chide my too much boldness, And by a nearer view now of your goodness, I see my error to believe you meant Other than trial of me, or could fall To any thought beneath your birth and honour. But if Theodosia be made another's By her own gift, and I at large, with what Justice may I be thought then to address My passions hither. If the Princess, which I must not think, give your heart back again, And that you could quit all your ties with honour, My thoughts are all resigned to the Kings will; He must dispose of me, by my own vow, Without his free consent never to marry. The King; there 'tis; I thought she was his mistress; 'tis not possible the Princess now Can pardon my neglect; Montalto's practice Upon me, and his poisoning of her virtue Won't excuse my shame; I dare not see Whom I have injured, Theodosia; In am resolved, this night I'll steal from Naples. Nay do not hide your face my Lord; it will Appear as fresh and lovely to my eyes, As when it first presented me your smiles; I am Theodosia still. But I have been?
seed 43: T14 · seed 44: T9 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Blesse your grace from such a meaning. Can you be cruell to it? I ne're had The confidence to looke upon a wound; And such a bleeding object as your heart Would fright my senses. You are more ingenious Then not to understand that I meane love; I love you Madam, best of all your sex. You cannot Sir, you dare not. How? You dare not be so wicked I am am sure When you remember, what you are, a Prince. Is it a sinne for Princes to love Madam? Or if you could dispence with so much passion To love me, and durst give me, what I tremble To thinke you promise, that, that very act In which you most advance affection to me, Would make me thinke you love me not. Be clearer. How should I thinke his courtship worth my trust, And meete him with a reall change of hearts, Who in his very first attempt of love, Would blast my honour, and betray me to A shame, blacke as the tongue of infamy. Would I? And more; For you in this Would tempt me to an act, by which I should Not onely wound my selfe to death of honour, But make me guilty of anothers blood, And kill an innocent Lady, whose least teare Is worth a thousand lives of perjurd men That make a scorne of vertue. What Lady? Have you forgot the Princesse Sir? The Princesse! In that name youle finde your selfe agen Lost in a mist of passions; oh thinke The fames and hopes of two rich countries are Engag'd upon your faith; your highnesse pardon, I finde some blushes chide my too much boldnesse, And by a nearer view now of your goodnesse, I see my errour to beleeve you meant Other then trill of me, or could fall To any thought beneath your birth and honour. But if Theodosia be made anothers By her owne gift, and I at large, with what Justice may I be thought then to addresse My passions hither. If the Princesse, which I must not thinke, give your heart backe agen, And that you could quit all your tyes with honour, My thoughts are all resign'd to the Kings will; He must dispose of me, by my owne vow, Without his free conlent never to marry. The King; there tis; I thought shee was his mistresse; Tis not possible the Princesse now Can pardon my neglect; Montaltoes practise Vpon me, and his poysoning of her vertue Wo'not excuse my shame; I dare not see Whom I have injur'd, Theodosia; In am resolv'd, this ight Ile eae from Naples. Nay doe not hide your face my Lord; it will Appeare as fresh and lovely to my eyes, As when it first presented me your smiles; I am Theodosia still. But I have beene?