Peele, George · published 1584 · first performed or written 1581 [c.1581-1584] (Annals) pastoral · Children of the Chapel (first) (Oxford's Boys) · before the Court T12 Olympian gods: Jupiter, Juno, Venus and typicality 0.77 · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T12: iupiter, saturn, iuno, venus, gods, mars, earth, titan, love, fair.
Venus, that favour is denied him flatly, He is a man and therefore by out laws, himself, without his aid, must plead his cause. Then bash not, shepherd, in so good a case, And friends thou hast as well as foes in place. Why, Mercurie, why do ye not indite him. Soft gentle, Iuno, I pray you do not bite him. Nay, gods, I trow you are like to have great silence, Unless this parrot be commanded hence. Venus, forbear, be still: speak, Mercurie. If Iuno jangle Venus will reply. Paris, king Priam's son, thou art arraigned of partiality, Of sentence partial and unjust, for that without indifferency, Beyond desert or merit far, as thine accusers say, From them, to Lady Venus here, thou gavest the prize away. What is thine answer? Sacred and just, thou great and dreadful Ioue, And you thrice reverend powers, whom love nor hate, May wrest awry, if this to me a man, This fortune fatal be, that I must plead, For safe excusal of my guiltless thought, The honour more makes my mishap the less, That I a man must plead before the gods, Gracious forbearers of the worlds amiss, For her, whose beauty how it hath enticet, This heavenly senate may with me aver. But sith nor that, nor this may do me boot, And for myself, myself must speaker be, A mortal man, amidst this heavenly presence; Let me not shape a longe defence, to them, That been beholders of my guiltless thoughts. Then for the deed, that I may not deny, Wherein consists the full of mine offence, I did upon command: if then I erred, I did no more than to a man belonged. And if in verdict of their forms divine, My dazzled eye did swerve or surfeit more On Iunus face, than any face of theirs: It was no partial fault, but fault of his Belike, whose eyesight not so perfect was, As might decern the brightness of toe rest. And if it were permitted unto men (Ye gods) to parley with your secret thoughts, There been that sit upon that sacred seat, That would with Paris err in Venus' praise. But let me cease to speak of error here: Sith what my hand, the organ of my heart, Did give with good agreement of mine eye, My tongue is void with process to maintain. A jolly shepherd, wise and eloquent. First then arraigned of partiality. Paris replies unguilty of the fact▪ His reason is, because he knew no more Fair Venus' Ceston, than dame Juno's mace, Nor never saw wise Pallas crystal shield. Then as I looked I loved and liked at once, And as it was referred from them to me, To give the prize to her, whose beauty best My fancy did commend, so did I praise And judge as might my dazzled eye decern. A piece of art, that, cunningly pardie, Refers the blame to weakness of his eye.
seed 43: T28 · seed 44: T22 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Venus, that fauou is denyed him flatlie, He is a man and therefore by out lawes, Him selfe, without his ayd, must plead his cause. Then bashe not, sheepeherde, in so good a case, And friendes thou hast as well as foes in place. Why, Mercurie, why doe yee not indite him. Softe gentle, Iuno, I pray you do not bite him. Nay, gods, I troe you are like to haue great silence, Vnles this parrot be commaunded hence. Venus, forbeare, be still: speake, Mercurie. If Iuno iangle Venus will replie. Paris, king Priams sonne, thou art araygned of parciallitie, Of sentence partiall and vniust, for that without indifferencie, Beyonde desert or merit far, as thine accusers say, From them, to Lady Venus here, thou gauest the pryze away. What is thine answere? Sacred and iust, thou great and dreadfull Ioue, And you thrise reuerende powers, whom loue nor hate, May wrest awry, if this to me a man, This fortune fatall bee, that I must pleade, For safe excusall of my giltles thought, The honour more makes my mishap the lesse, That I a man must pleade before the gods, Gratious forbearers of the worldes amisse, For her, whose beautie how it hath enticet, This heauenly senate may with me auer. But sith nor that, nor this may doe me boote, And for my selfe, my selfe must speaker bee, A mortall man, amidst this heauenlie presence▪ Let me not shape a longe defence, to them, That ben beholders of my giltles thoughtes. Then for the deede, that I may not denie, Wherein consists the full of myne offence, I did vpon commaunde: if then I erde, I did no more then to a man belong'd. And if in verdit of their formes deuine, My dazled eye did swarue or surfet more On nus face, then anie face of their: It was no partiall fault, but fault of his Belike, whose eysight not so perfect was, As might decerne the brightnes of toe rest. And if it were permitted vnto men (Ye gods) to parle with your secret thoughtes, There ben that sit vpon that sacred seate, That woulde with Paris erre in Venus prayse. But let me cease to speake of errour here: Sith what my hande, the organ of my harte, Did giue with good agreement of myne eye, My tongue is voyde with processe to maintane. A iolly sheepeherde, wise and eloquent. First then arraign'de of parciallitie. Paris replyes vnguiltie of the fact▪ His reason is, because he knewe no more Faire Venus Ceston, then dame Iunoes mace, Nor neuer sawe wise Pallas cristall shielde. Then as I looked I loued and likte attonce, And as it was referd from them to me, To giue the pryze to her, whose beautie best My fancie did commend, so did I prayse And iudge as might my dazled eye decerne. A peece of art, that, cunninglie pardie, Refers the blame to weakenes of his eye.