Whetstone, George · published 1578 · first performed or written 1578 [1576-1579] (Annals) comedy · Unacted T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint typicality 0.81 · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
Well met Phallax. I long have wysht to show. A cause to thee which none but I yet know. Say on my Lord, a happy man wear I: If any way, your wish I could supply: feign would I speak, but o, a chilling fear, (The case is such) makes me from speech forbear. These words my Lord (whom ever have been just) Now makes, me think, that you my truth mistrust. But cease suspect, my will with yours shall 'gree, What so (or against whom) your dealing be. Against a wight of small account it is, And yet I fear, I shall my purpose miss: Fear not my Lord, the old Proverb doth say. Faint hearts doth steal fair Ladies seld away. Fair Ladies O, no Lady is my love, And yet the sure, as coy as they will prove. I thought as much, love did torment you so. But what is she that dare say Promos Noah? Do what one can. fire will break forth I see, My words unwares, hath shown what grieveth me: My wound is such, as love must be my leech. Which cure will bringing Gravity in speech, For what may be, a folly of more note, Then for to see, a man grey beard to dote. No my Lord, Amor omnia vincit. And Ovid saith, Forma numen habet. And for to prove, loves service seems the wise, Set Sallomon and Samson, before your eyes: For wit, and strength, who won the chiefest prize. And both lived by the laws love did devise, Which proves in love, a certain godhead lies. And Gods rule yearly, by wisdom from the skies: Whose wills (think I) are wrought best by the wise. In deed divine, I think loves working is, From reason's use, in that my senses swerve, In pleasure pain, in pain I find a bliss, On woe I feed, in sight of food I stearue: These strange effects, by love are lodged in me, My thoughts are bound, yet I myself am free. Well my Good Lord, I axe (with pardon sought) Who she may be, that hath your thrauldome wrought? The example is such, as I sigh to show, Sister she is, to damned Andrugio. All the better for you the game doth go. The proverb saith, that kit will unto kind, If it be true this comfort, than I find: Cassandra's flesh is as her brothers, frail, Then will she stoop, (in chief) when Lords assail. The contrary (through fear) doth work my pain, For in her face, such modesty doth reign, As cuts of loving suits, with chaste disdain. What love will not, necessity shall gain, Her brother's life, will make her glad and fain. What is it best, Andrugio free to set, Ere I am sure, his sisters love to get? My loving Lord, your servant means not so. But if you will, elsewhere in secret go: To work your will assist I hope to show.
seed 43: T2 · seed 44: T3 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Well mette Phallax. I long haue wyſht to ſhowe. A cauſe to thee which none but I yet know. Say on my Lord, a happy man weare I: If any way, your wiſh I could ſupply: Faine would I ſpeake, but oh, a chylling feare, (The caſe is ſuch) makes mee from ſpeech forbeare. Theſe wordes my Lord (whome euer haue bene iuſt) Now makes, me thinke, that you my truth miſtruſt. But ceaſe ſuſpect, my wyll with yours ſhall gree, What ſo (or againſt whome) your dealing be. Againſt a wight of ſmall account it is, And yet I feare, I ſhall my purpoſe mys: Feare not my Lorde, the olde Prouerbe doth ſaye. Faynt harts doth ſteale fayre Ladyes ſeld away. Fayre Ladyes O, no Lady is my loue, And yet the ſure, as coye as they wyl proue. I thought as much, loue dyd torment you ſo. But what is ſhe that dare ſaye Promos noe? Doe what one can. fyre wyll breake forth I ſée, My words vnwares, hath ſhowen what gréeueth mee: My wound is ſuch, as loue muſt be my leache. Which cure wyll brynging Grauity in ſpéeche, For what maye be, a folly of more note, Then for to ſee, a man gray beard to dote. No my Lorde, Amor omnia vincit. And Ouid ſayth, Forma numen habet. And for to proue, loues ſeruice ſéemes the wiſe, Set Sallomon and Sampſon, before your eyes: For wyt, and ſtrength, who wonne the cheefeſt priſe. And both lyu'd by the lawes loue did deuiſe, Which proues in loue, a certaine godhed lyes. And Goddes rule yearely, by wiſdome from the ſkyes: Whoſe wyls (thinke I) are wrought beſt by the wiſe. In déede diuine, I thinke loues working is, From reaſons vſe, in that my ſences ſwarue, In pleaſure paine, in payne I fynde a blyſſe, On woe I féede, in ſight of foode I ſtearue: Theſe ſtrange effects, by loue are lodgd in mée, My thoughts are bound, yet I my ſelfe am free. Well my Good Lord, I axe (with pardon ſought) Who ſhe may be, that hath your thrauldome wrought? The example is ſuch, as I ſygh to ſhowe, Syſter ſhe is, to dampned Andrugio. All the better for you the game doth goe. The prouerbe ſayth, that kyt wyll vnto kinde, If it be true this comfort, then I fynde: Caſſandras fleſh is as her brothers, frayle, Then wyll ſhée ſtoupe, (in chéefe) when Lords aſſayle. The contrary (through feare) doth worke my payne, For in her face, ſuch modeſty doth raigne, As cuttes of louing ſutes, with chaſte diſdayne. What loue wyll not, neceſſity ſhall gayne, Her brothers lyfe, will make her glad and fayne. What is it beſt, Andrugio frée to ſet, Ere I am ſure, his ſyſters loue to gette? My louyng Lord, your ſeruaunt meanes not ſo. But if you will, elſewhere in ſecret goe: To worke your wyll aſſiſt I hope to ſhowe.