The Entertainment in Suffolk and Norfolk (Royal Entry of Queen Elizabeth into Norwich) · chunk 6 of 13
Churchyard, Thomas · published 1578 · first performed or written 1578 [Aug] (Annals) entertainment; royal entertainment or entry · before the Court T21 Cupid, Venus and the nymphs typicality 0.83 · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T21: cupid, venus, love, ceres, diana, fair, nymphs, goddess, bow, damon.
For I am father of delight and pleasure everywhere. Without the help of whom, Dame Venus can not live, For unto Lust and Riot both, doth Venus honour give. And Lust is Riots joy, a sprite that pleads for place In every soil, since world began to boast of Adam's race. And now to tell you plain, from me, or from my stock, (An endless swarm of idle of folk, a merry careless flock) As prating Poets feign, at first did Venus spring, But Venus was no strumpet sure; she was some finer thing That always furthers Love, in French a Macreau plain, A better of good bargains oft, and root of fancies vain. Though Goddess were she not, yet fair and fine was she, As I have heard good Clerks report, and you in Books shall see Of her great stories made, and great account this day We make of Venus' darlings still, wherefore in brief to say, Both I and thousands more, with Venus needs must hold. 'twas she, to whom King Priam's son did give the apple of gold That cost so many lives: but read the siege of Troy, And you shall see what pretty pranks the mother and this boy Hath played in many parts, my knowledge is but small, I tell by hearsay many things, but am not learned at all Good Wantonness thou know'st, but pass o'er that awhile I could tell tales of Venus yet, would make the hearers smile. O speak no more, come comfort Cupid now, Let Venus go, that fate and saw with eye The order great, and all the manner how Dame Chastity did mount to Starry Sky With such a Coach, and such a noble spoil, As seldom hath in Heaven oft been seen. She said, when she had Cupid put to foil, She gave his bow and shafts unto a Queen. And Cupid straight came running unto me. I saw him bare, and sent him bare away, And as we are in deed but bore all three, So must we part as poorly as we may. No reasoning here with him that learned is, Philosophers knows more than wanton fools, If we had once been beaten well ere this And loud our Books, and truly plied our Schools, We had been learned, yea lived, and felt no lack, Where now our wealth is all upon our back. By sweet Saint Iohn we are in goodly weeds, To dance with bells a Morris through the Streets. If any here, three idle people needs, Call us in time, for we are fine for sheets: Yea, for a shift, to steal them from the hedge, And lay both sheets, and linen all to gauge. We are best be gone, lest some do hear allege We are but rogues, and clap us in the Cage. Come Cupid come, if thou wilt hear a song, Dame Chastity hath sent her Coach along, To comfort those, that daily lives in woe.
nodes 280–331 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 6 of 13 in this edition
Length
499 words · 628 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T21 — Cupid, Venus and the nymphscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.832 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T21 · seed 44: T24 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
For I am father of delight and pleasure euery where. VVithout the help of whome, Dame Ven can not liue, For vnto Lust and Riot both, doth Venus honor giue. And Lust is Riots ioy, a spright that pleades for place In euery soyle, since world began to boast of Adams race. And now to tell you playne, from me, or from my stocke, (An endlesse swarme of ydle of folke, a merrie carelesse flocke) As prating Poets fayne, at first did Vens spring, But Venus was no strumpet sure; she was some finer thing That alwayes furthers Loue, in French a playne, A beter of good bargynes oft, and roote of fancyes vayne. Though Goddesse were she not, yet faire and fine was she, As I haue heard good Clarkes report, and you in Bookes shal Of hir great Storyes made, and great accompt thys day VVe make of Venus darlings still, wherefore in briefe to say, Both I and thousands more, with needes must hold. Twas she, to whome King Pris sonn did giue the apple of golde That cost so many but rde the seege of Try, And you shall see what prettie pranckes the mother and this boy Hath playd in many partes, my knowledge is but small, I tell by heeresay many things, but am not learnd at all Good Wantonesse thou knowst, but psse ore that awhile I could tell tales of Ven yet, would make the hearers smile. O speake no more, come comfort Cupid now▪ Let Venus go, that ate and saw with eye The order great, and all the manner how Dame Castitie did mount to Starrie Skye VVith such a Coatch, and such a noble spoyle, As seldome hth in Heauen oft bin seene. She sayd, when she had Cupid put to foyle, She gaue his bowe and shaftes vnto a Queene. And Cupid streight came running vnto me. I saw him bare, ad sent him bare away, And as we are in deede but bare all three, So must we part as poorely as we may. No reasoning heere with him that learned is, Philosophers knowes more than wanton fooles, If we had once bin beaten well eare this And lovd our Bookes, and truely plyde our Scholes, VVe had bin learnd, yea livd, and felt no lacke, VVhere now our wealth is all vpon our backe. By sweete Sainct Iohn we are in goodly weede, To daunce with belles a Morric throuh the Streets. If any heere, three ydle people needs, Call vs in time, for we are finefor sheetes: Yea, for a shift, to steale them from the hedge, And lay both sheetes, and linnen all to gage. VVe are best be gone, least some do heare alledge VVe are but Roages, and clappe vs in the Cage. Come Cupid come, if thou wilt heare a song, Dame Chastti hath sent hir Coatch along, To comfort those, that dayly liues in wo.