Cowley, Abraham · published 1638 · first performed or written 1633 [c.1633-1636] (Annals) pastoral T22 Shepherds, flocks and Pan typicality 0.83 · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T22: shepherd, pan, shepherds, love, sheep, flocks, fair, shepherdess, swain, away.
ay, there's a villain now; oh! that I had him here. Oh! say not so: The crimes which Lovers for their Mistress act Bear both the weight and stamp of piety. Come girl; go on, go on. His wild lust— What sudden fear shook me, you may imagine, What should I do? you both were out of town, And most of the servants at that time gone with you. I on the sudden found a corner out, And hid myself, till they wearied with searching, Quit the house, but fearing lest they should Attempt the same again ere your return, I took with me money and other necessaries; And in a suit my Brother left behind Disguised myself, thus to the woods I went, Where meeting with an honest merry Swain, I by his help was furnished, and made Shepherd. Nay, I must needs say for her, she was always A witty wench. Pish, pish: And made a Shepherd— It happened that this gentle Shepherdess, (I can attribute it to nought in me Deserved so much) began to love me. Why so did all besides I'll warrant you, Nor can I blame them, though they were my rival. Another Shepherd with as much desire Wooed her in vain, as she in vain wooed me, Who seeing that no hope was left for him, Whilst I enjoyed this life t'enjoy his Bellula, (For by that name she's known) sought to take me Out of the way as a partition Betwixt his love and him, whilst in the fields we two were struggling, (him his strength defending. And me my innocence.) I am ashamed to look upon their faces. What shall I say? my guilt's above excuse. Philistus; as if the Gods had all agreed To make him mine, just at the nick came in And parted us, with sudden joy I sounded, Which Bellula perceiving (for even then She came to seek me) sudden grief did force The same effect from her, which joy from me. Hither they brought us both, in this amazement, Where being straight recovered to ourselves, I found you here, and you your dutiful Daughter. The Gods be thanked. Go on. Nay, you have all Sir. Where's that Shepherd? Here. Here, where? Here, your unhappy son's the man; for her I put on Sylvan weeds, for her fair sake I would have stained my innocent hands in blood, Forgive me all, 'twas not a sin of malice, 'Twas not begot by lust, but sacred love; The cause must be the excuse for the effect. You should have used some other means, Florellus. Alas! 'twas the God's will Sir, without that I had been undiscovered yet; Philistus Wandered too far, my Brother yet a Shepherd, You groaning for our loss, upon this wheel All our felicity is turned. Alas! you have forgot the power of love, sweetheart. Be patient Son, and temper your desire, You shall not want a wife that will perhaps Please you as well, I'm sure befit you better.
nodes 2387–2453 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 37 of 41 in this edition
Length
504 words · 663 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T22 — Shepherds, flocks and Pancross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.833 (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)
I, there's a villaine now; oh! that I had him here. Oh! say not so: The crymes which Lovers for their Mistris act Beare both the weight aud stampe of piety. Come girle; goe on, goe on. His wild lust— What sudden feare shooke me, you may imagine, What should I doe? you both were out of towne, And most of the servants at that time gone with you. I on the sudden found a corner out, And hid my selfe, till they wearied with searching, Quitted the house, but fearing lest they should Attempt the same againe ere your returne, I tooke with me money and other necessaries; And in a sute my Brother left behind Disguis'd my selfe, thus to the woods I went, Where meeting with an honest merry Swaine, I by his helpe was furnisht, and made Shepheard. Nay, I must needs say for her, she was alwayes A witty wench. Pish, pish: And made a Shepheard— It hapned that this gentle Shepheatdesse, (I can attribute it to nought in me Deserv'd so much) began to love me. Why so did all besides Ile warrant you, Nor can I blame them, though they were my rivall. Another Shepheard with as much desire Wooed her in vaine, as she in vaine wooed me, Who seeing that no hope was left for him, Whilst I enjoy'd this life t'enjoy his Bellula, (For by that name she's knowne) sought to take me Out of the way as a partition Betwixt his love and him, whilst in the fields Wee two were strugling, (him his strength defending. And me my innocence.) I am asham'd to looke upon their faces. What shall I say? my guilt's above excuse. Philistus; as if the Gods had all agreed To make him mine, just at the nick came in And parted us, with sudden joy I sounded, Which Bellula perceiving (for even then Shee came to seeke me) sudden griefe did force The same effect from her, which joy from me. Hither they brought us both, in this amazement, Where being straight recover'd to our selves, I found you here, and you your dutifull Daughter. The Gods be thankt. Goe on. Nay, you have all Sir. Where's that Shepheard? Here. Here, where? Here, your unhappy sonne's the man; for her I put on Sylvan weeds, for her faire sake I would have stayn'd my innocent hands in bloud, Forgive me all, 'twas not a sin of malice, 'Twas not begot by lust, but sacred love; The cause must be the excuse for the effect. You should have us'd some other meanes, Florellus. Alas! 'twas the Gods will Sir, without that I had beene undiscovered yet; Philistus Wandred too farre, my Brother yet a Shepheard, You groaning for our losse, upon this wheele All our felicity is turn'd. Alas! you have forgot the power of love, sweet-heart. Be patient Son, and temper your desire, You shall not want a wife that will perhaps Please you as well, I'me sure befit you better.