Lyly, John · published 1584 · first performed or written c.1583 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (first) (Oxford's Boys) · before the Court unassigned nearest T21 Cupid, Venus and the nymphs · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T21: cupid, venus, love, ceres, diana, fair, nymphs, goddess, bow, damon.
Then to the purpose. Choose such times to break thy suit, as thy Lady is pleasant. The wooden horse entered Troy, when the soldiers were quaffing, and Penelope forsooth, whom fables make so coy, among the pots wrong her wooers by the fists, when she lowered on their faces. Grapes are mind glasses. Venus worketh in Bacchus' press, & bloweth fire upon his liquor. When thou talkest with her, let thy speech be pleasant, but not incredible. Choose such words as may (as many may) melt her mind. Honey rankleth, when it is eaten for pleasure and fair words wound, when they are heard for love. Write, and persist in writing, they read more than is written to them, & write less than they think. In conceit study to be pleasant in attire brave, but not too curious, when she smileth laugh outright, if rise, stand up, if sit, lie down. Loose all thy time to keep time with her. Can you sing, show your cunning, can you dance, use your legs, can you play upon any instrument, practise your fingers to please her fancy, seek out qualities. If she seem at the first cruel, be not discouraged. I tell the a strange thing, women strive, because they would be overcome, force they call it: but such a welcome force they account it, that continually, they study to be enforced. To fair words join sweet kisses, which if they gently receive, I say no more, they will gently receive. But be not pinned always on her sleeves, strangers have green rushes, when daily guests are not worth a rush. Look pale, and learn to be lean, that who so seeth thee, may say, the Gentleman is in love. Use no sorcery to hasten thy success, wit is a witch, Ulysses was not fair, but wise, not cunning in charms, but sweet in speech, whose filed tongue made those enamoured that sought to have him enchanted. Be not coy, bear, sooth, swear, die to please thy Lady, these are rules for poor lovers, to others I am no mistress. He hath wit enough, that can give enough. Dumb men are eloquent, if they be liberal. Believe me great gifts are little Gods. When thy mistress doth bend her brow, do not thou bend thy fist. Camokes must be bowed with sleight, not strength, water to be trained with pipes, not stopped with sluices, fire to be quenched with dust, not with swords. If thou have a rival, be patient, art must wind him out not malice: time, not might, her change, and thy constancy. Whatsoever she weareth: swear it becomes her. In thy louce be secret. Venus' coffers, though they be hollow, never sound, & when they seem emptiest, they are fullest. Old fool that I am, to do thee good, I begin to dote, & counsel that, which I would have concealed. Thus Phao have I given thee certain regards, no rules, only to set thee in the way, not to bring thee home.
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)
Then to the purpose. Chuse such times to break thy suite, as thy Lady is pleasant. The wooden horse entred Troy, when the soldiers were quaffyng, and Penelope forsooth, whome fables make so coy, among the pottes wrong her wooers by the fists, when she lowred on their faces. Grapes are minde glasses. Venus worketh in Bacchus presse, & bloweth fire vpon his lycour. When thon talkest with her, let thy speach be pleasant, but not incredible. Chuse such words as may (as many may) melt her minde. Honney ranckleth, when it is eaten for pleasure and faire words wound, when they are hearde for loue. Write, and persist in writing, they read more then is written to them, & write lesse then they thinke. In cō ceite studie to be pleasaunt in attire braue, but not too curious, when she smileth laugh outright, if rise, stande vp, if sit, lye downe. Loose al thy time to keepe time with her. Can you sing, shew your cunning, can you daunce, vse your legges, can you play vppō any instrument, practise your fingers to please her fancy, seeke out qualyties. If she seeme at the first cruell, be not discouraged. I tell the a straung thing, womenne striue, because they would be ouercome, force they call it: but such a welcome force they account it, that continually, they study to be enforced. To faire words ioyne sweet kisses, which if they gently receiue, I say no more, they wil gently receiue. But be not pinned alwaies on her sleeues, straungers haue greene rushes, whē daily guests are not worth a rushe. Looke pale, and learne to be leane, that who so seeth thee, may say, the Gentleman is in loue. Vse no forcerie to hasten thy successe, wit is a witch, Vlysses was not faire, but wise, not cunning in charmes, but sweete in speach, whose filed tōgue made those inamoured that sought to haue him inchaūted. Be not coy, beare, sooth, sweare, die to please thy Lady, these are rules for poore louers, to others I am no mistresse. He hath wit ynough, that can giue ynough. Dumbe men are eloquent, if they be liberall. Beleeue me great gifts are little Gods. When thy mistresse doth bend her brow, do not thou bend thy fiste. Camokes must be bowed with sleight, not strēgth, water to be trained with pipes, not stopped with sluses, fire to be quenched with dust, not with swordes. If thou haue a ryuall, be pacient, arte muste winde him out not malice: time, not might, her chaunge, and thy constancie. Whatsoeuer she weareth: sweare it becomes her. In thy louce be secrete. Venus cofers, though they bee hollow, neuer sound, & when they seeme emptiest, they are fullest. Old foole that I am, to doe thee good, I beginne to doate, & counsell that, which I woulde haue concealed. Thus Phao haue I giuen thee certeine regardes, no rules, only to set thee in the way, not to bring thee hōe.