Whetstone, George · published 1578 · first performed or written 1578 [1576-1579] (Annals) comedy · Unacted T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint typicality 0.82 · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
Iesus save me, I am cast, for a purse with three halfpence. Dispatch prating knave, and he hanged, that we were jogging hence. Our secret thoughts, thou Christ dost know, Whom the world, doth hate in thrall. Yet hope we that, thou wilt not so, On whom alone, we thus do call. Forsake us not, in this distress, Which unto thee, our sins confess, Forsake us not, etc. Do what I can, no reason cools desire, The more I strive, my fond affects to fame: The hotter (o) I feel, a burning fire Within my breast, vain thoughts to forge and frame. O straying effects, of blind affected Love, From wisdoms paths, which doth astray our wits: Which makes us haunt, that which our harms doth move, A sickness like, the Fever Etticke fits: Which shakes with cold, when we do burn like fire. Even so in Love, we freeze, through chilling fear, When as our hearts, doth fry with hot desire: What said I? like to Etticke fits, nothing near: In sourest Love, some sweet is ever sucked. The Lover findeth peace, in wrangling strife, So that if pain, were from his pleasure plucked, There were no Heaven, like to the lovers life. But why stand I to plead, their joy or woe? And rest unsure of her I wish to have. I know not if Cassandra love, or no? But yet admit, she grant not what I crave, If I benyce, to her brother life to give: Her brother's life, too much will make her yield, A promise then, to let her brother live: Hath force enough, to make her fly the field. Thus though suit fail, necessity shall win, Of Lordly rule, the conquering power is such: But (o sweet sight) see where she enters in, Both hope and dread, at once my heart doth touch. I see two thralls, sweet seems a little joy, For fancies free, Andrugio's breast hath scope: But lest detract, doth raise a new annoy, I now will seek to turn, to hap his hope. See, as I wished, Lord Promos is in place, Now in my suits, God grant I may find grace. Renowned Lord, whilst life in me doth last, In homage bonds, I bind myself to thee: And though I did thy goodness lately taste, Yet once again, on knees I mercy seek: In his behalf, that hangs between death and life; Who still is priest, if you the mends do leek: His lawless love, to make his lawful wife. Fair Dame, I well have weighed thy suit, & wish to do thee good, But all in vain, all things conclude, to have thy brother's blood: The strictness of the law condempnes, an ignorant abuse, Then wilful faults are hardly helped, or cloaked with excuse: And what may be more wilful, than a Maid to violate. The force was small, when with her will, he wretch the conquest gate. Law ever at the worst, doth construe evil intent.
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)
Ieſus ſaue me, I am caſt, for a purſe with three halfepence. Diſpatch prating knaue, and he hangd, yt we were iogging hēce. ❧ Our ſecrete thoughts, thou Chriſt doſt knowe, VVhome the worlde, doth hate in thrall. Yet hope we that, thou wilt not ſoe, On whome alone, we thus do call. Forſake vs not, in this diſtreſſe, VVhich vnto thee, our ſinnes confeſſe, Forſake vs not, &c. Do what I can, no reaſon cooles deſire, The more I ſtriue, my fonde affectes to fame: The hotter (oh) I feele, a burning fire Within my breaſt, vaine thoughts to forge and frame. O ſtraying effectes, of blinde affected Loue, From wiſdomes pathes, which doth aſtraye our wittes: Which makes vs haunt, that which our harmes doth moue, A ſickneſſe lyke, the Feuer Etticke fittes: Which ſhakes with colde, when we do burne like fire. Euen ſo in Loue, we freeſe, through chilling feare, When as our hartes, doth frye with hote deſire: What ſaide I? lyke to Etticke fittes, nothing neare: In ſowreſt Loue, ſome ſweete is euer ſuckt. The Louer findeth peace, in wrangling ſtrife, So that if paine, were from his pleaſure pluckt, There were no Heauen, like to the Louers life. But why ſtande I to pleade, their ioye or woe? And reſt vnſure of hir I wiſh to haue. I knowe not if Caſſandra loue, or no? But yet admytte, ſhe graunt not what I craue, If I benyce, to hir brother lyfe to giue: Hir brothers life, too much wyll make hir yeelde, A promiſe then, to let hir brother lyue: Hath force inough, to make hir flie the fielde. Thus though ſute fayle, neceſſitie ſhall wyn, Of Lordlie rule, the conquering power is ſuch: But (oh ſweete ſight) ſee where ſhe enters in, Both hope and dreade, at once my harte doth tuch. I ſee two thralles, ſweete ſeemes a lytle ioye, For fancies free, Andrugios breaſt hath ſcope: But leaſt detract, doth rayſe a new annoye, I nowe will ſeeke to turne, to happe his hope. See, as I wiſht, Lord Promos is in place, Nowe in my ſuts, God graunt I maye finde grace. ¶ Renowned Lorde, whylſt life in me doth laſt, In homage bondes, I binde my ſelfe to thee: And though I did thy goodneſſe latelie taſte, Yet once againe, on knees I mercie ſeeke: In his behalfe, that hanges twene death and life; Who ſtyll is preaſt, if you the mendes do leeke: His lawles loue, to make his lawfull wife. Faire Dame, I wel haue wayd thy ſute, & wiſh to do thée good, But all in vaine, al things conclude, to haue thy brothers blood: The ſtricknes of the lawe condempnes, an ignoraunt abuſe, Then wylfull faultes are hardlie helpt, or cloked with excuſe: And what maye be more wylfull, then a Maide to violate. The force was ſmal, when with hir wyl, he wretch ye conqueſt gate. Lawe euer at the worſt, doth conſter euyl intent.