Freeman, Ralph · published 1639 · first performed or written 1639 (Annals) not in BritDrama unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 514 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
A fort cannot be thought Impregnable, that offers frequent parleys. Yet that (as I have heard) is often done To gain advantage and delude the foe. Can it beseem a Virgin or a Wife To play with all th' allurements of desire; And think her honour's safe, if she abstain From the bare act, the duller part of lust. They do but imitate those Chariot drivers That you were wont to read of, whose praise was To come as near as might be, and not touch; Love hath ordained by an antique law Newly revived, that every place and room In Venus' palace, be allowed for sport, Except her cabinet, that, must not be Opened nor touched, at least not willingly. Thou wilt be waggish still, But hark who knocks? This wench that never felt the fire of love Thinks like a wanton Child, it may be played with, But she will one day find it far more raging Than that which fierce Medea did convey Into Creusa's robe: how now? who is't? A stranger, with a letter, which he says He must present to your own hand. Admit him; If it be from my Doria, I fear Some unexpected accident, wherein His honour is concerned, retards his coming; But I must likewise arm myself for wiles: Such love as ours, cannot want envious plots. I Shall not be discovered by my voice, Italian Virgins are at distance wooed, And more by fame, then verbal courtship won: This speaks my errand, leaves no circumstance To be related by the messenger; See how her blood retires, to aid her heart, So looks bright Phoebe, when Thessalian charms Strike her with fear, or th'early Rose, whose beauty Nipped by a later frost, appears like snow: Now it returns, and settles in her cheeks, As if the news took no impression: Such orient beams when youthful day returns, By the bedewed Shepherd are beheld. I may suppose you, sir, not ignorant Of what you bring; and may believe y'have heard Some thing of young Prince Doria and me. Lady, I have; fame with her silver trumpet Hath blazed your constant loves. And are you not Strangely amazed to see me read these lines Without a shower of tears? If they relate Any disaster, you then imitate Those ancient Worthies, that had bravely learned To conquer passion at the first assault. You think young women very impatient To have their joys deferred: my lady's wise To bear it thus, so long as he is safe. he's dead, Nugella; the great. General Writes me, that he having the sole command Of an important place, forsook the same, And in his swift retreat, received a shot I'th' hinder part of's head. O doleful accident! Canst thou be so ingrateful to my Doria, To lend it such a serious belief As may deserve a tear? I would I durst Suspect what comes so to our woe confirmed. Were it confirmed by the unerring seal Of this wise State, it should not merit faith. Alas, he was not to be thought immortal.
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)
A fort cannot be thought Impregnable, that offers frequent parlies. Yet that (as I have heard) is often don To gaine advantage and delude the foe. Can it beſeeme a Virgin or a Wife To play with all th' allurements of deſire; And thinke her honour's ſafe, if ſhe abſtaine From the bare act, the duller part of luſt. They do but imitate thoſe Chariot drivers That you were wont to reade of, whoſe praiſe was To come as neere as might be, and not touch; Love hath ordainedby an antique lawe Newly reviv'd, that every place and roome In Ʋenus pallace, be alow'd for ſport, Except her cabinet, that, muſt not be Open'd nor touch't, at leaſt not willingly. Thou wilt be waggiſh ſtill, But hark who knocks? This wench that never felt the fire of love Thinks like a wanton Child, it may be plaid with, But ſhe will one day finde it far more raging Than that which fierce Medaea did convey Into Creuſas robe: how now? who is't? A ſtranger, with a letter, which he ſaies He muſt preſent to your owne hand. Admit him; If it be from my Doria, I feare Some unexpected accident, wherein His honour is concern'd, retards his comming; But I muſt likewiſe arme my ſelfe for wiles: Such love as ours, cannot want envious plots. I Shall not be diſcover'd by my voyce, Italian Virgins are at diſtance woed, And more by fame, then verball courtſhip won: This ſpeakes my errand, leaves no circumſtance To be related by the meſſenger; See how her bloud retires, to ayde her heart, So lookes bright Phoebe, when Theſſalian charmes Strike her with feare, or th'early Roſe, whoſe beauty Nipt by a later froſt, appeares like ſnow: Now it returnes, and ſettles in her cheekes, As if the newes tooke no impreſſion: Such orient beames when youthfull day returnes, By the bedewed Shepheard are beheld. I may ſuppoſe you, ſir, not ignorant Of what you bring; and may beleeve y'have heard Some thing of yong Prince Doria and me. Lady, I have; fame with her ſilver trumpet Hath blaz'd your conſtant loves. And are you not Strangely amaz'ed to ſee me reade theſe lines Without a ſhower of teares? If they relate Any diſaſter, you then imitate Thoſe ancient Worthies, that had bravely learn'd To conquer paſſion at the firſt aſſault. You think yong women very impatient To have their joyes defer'd: my Ladie's wiſe To beare it thus, ſo long as he is ſafe. Hee's dead, Nugella; the great. Generall Writes me, that he having the ſole command Of an important place, forſooke the ſame, And in his ſwift retrait, receiv'd a ſhot I'th hinder part of's head. O dolefull accident! Canſt thou be ſo ingratefull to my Doria, To lend it ſuch a ſerious beliefe As may deſerve a teare? I would I durſt Suſpect what comes ſo to our woe confirm'd. Were it confirm'd by the unerring ſeale Of this wiſe State, it ſhould not merit faith. Alas, he was not to be thought immortall.