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 0.76 · 518 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T12: iupiter, saturn, iuno, venus, gods, mars, earth, titan, love, fair.
Now (for I must add reason for my deed) Why Venus rather pleased me of the three: First, in the entrails of my mortal ears, The question standing upon beauty's blaze, The name of her that height the queen of love, My thought in beauty should not be excelled. Had it been destined to majesty, (Yet will I not rob Venus of her grace,) Then stately Iuno might have borne the ball. Had it to wisdom been entitled, My humane wit had given it Pallas then. But sith unto the fairest of the three, That power, that threw it for my father ill, Did dedicate this ball: and safest durst My shepherd's skill adventure, as I thought, To judge of form and beauty, rather than Of Juno's state, or Pallas worthiness, That learned to ken the fairest of the flock, And praised beauty but by nature's aim: Behold to Venus Paris gave this fruit, A dayman chosen there by full consent, And heavenly powers should not repent their deeds. Where it is said, beyond desert of hers, I honoured Venus with this golden prize: (Ye gods) alas what can a mortal man Decern, betwixt the sacred gifts of heaven. Or, if I may with reverence reason thus: Suppose I gave, and judged corruptly then, For hope of that, that best did please my thought, This apple not for beauty's praise alone: I might offend, sith I was pardoned, And tempted, more than ever creature was, With wealth, with beauty and with chivalry: And so preferred beauty before them all, The thing that hath enchanted heaven itself. And for the one, contentment is my wealth: A shell of salt will serve a shepherd swain, A slender banquet in a homely skrip, And water running from the silver spring. For arms, they dread no foes that sit so low, A thorn can keep the wind from off my back, A sheepcoat thatched, a shepherd's palace height. Of tragic Muses shepherds con no skill, Enough is them, if Cupid been displeased, To sing his praise on slender oaten pipe. And thus, thrice reverend, have I told my tale, And crave the torment of my guiltless soul To be measured by my faultless thought. If warlike Pallas, or the queen of heaven Sue to reverse my sentence by appeal, Be it as please your majesties divine, The wrong, the hurt not mine, if any be, But hers whose beauty claimed the prize of me. Venus, withdraw your shepherd for a space, Till he again be called for into place. Iuno, what will ye after this reply But doom with sentence of indifferency. And if you will but justice in the cause, The man must quited be by heavens laws. Yea gentle Ioue, when Juno's suits are moved, Then heaven may see how well she is beloved. But, Madam, fits it majesty divine, In any sort from justice to decline? Whether the man be guilty yea or Noah, That doth not hinder our appeal, I trow? Phoebus, I wot, amid this heavenly crew, There be that have to say as well as you
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)
Now (for I must adde reason for my deede) Why Venus rather pleased me of the three: Fst, in the intrayles of my mortall eares, The question standing vpon beauties blaze, The name of her that height the queene of loue, My thought in beautie should not be exceld. Had it bene destyned to maiestie, (Yet will I not rob Venus of her grace,) Then stately Iuno might haue borne the ball. Had it to wisedome bine entituled, My humaine wit had giuen it Pallas then. But sith vnto the fayrest of the three, That power, that threw it for my father ill, Did dedicate this ball: and safest durst My sheepeherdes skill aduenture, as I thought, To iudge of forme and beautie, rather then Of Iunos state, or Pallas worthynes, That learnd to ken the fayrest of the flocke, And praysed beautie but by natures ayme: Behold to Venus Paris gaue this fruite, A dayesman chosen there by full consent, And heauenly powers should not repnt their deedes. Where it is sayde, beyonde desert of hers, I honoured Venus with this golden prize: (Yee gods) alas what can a mortall man Decerne, betwixt the sacred guiftes of heauen. Or, if I may with reuerence reason thus: Suppose I gaue, and iudgd corruptly then, For hope of that, that best did please my thought, This apple not for beauties prayse alone: I might offende, sithe I was pardoned, And tempted, more then euer creature was, With wealth, with beautie and with chiualrie: And so preferred beautie before them all, The thing that hath enchaunted heaun it selfe. And for the one, contentment is my wealth: A shell of salte will serue a sheepede swayne, A slender banquet in a homely skrip, And water running from the siluer spring. For armes, they dreade no foes that sit so lowe, A thorne can keepe the wind from off my backe, A sheepe-coate thatcht, a sheepeherdes pallace high ▪ Of tragicke Muses sheepeherdes on no skill, Enough is them, if Cupid ben displeased, To sing his prayse on slender oten pipe. And thus, thryse reuerend, haue I tolde my tale, And craue the torment of my guiltles soule To be measured by my faultles thought. If warlicke Pallas, or the queene of heauen Sue to reuerse my sentence by appeale, Be it as please your maiesties deuine, The wronge, the hurte not mine, if anie be, But hers whose beautie claymed the prize of me. Venus, withdrawe your sheepeherde for a space, Till he againe be called for into place. Iuno, what will ye after this reply Bt doome with sentence of indifferencie. And if you will but iustice in the cause, The man must quited be by heauens lawes. Yea gentle Ioue, when Iunoes sutes are mooued, Then heauen may see how well shee is beloued. But, Madam, fits it maiestie deuine, In anie sorte from iustice to decline? Whether the man be guiltie yea or noe, That doth not hinder our appeale, I troe? Phoebus, I wot, amid this heauenly crue, There be that haue to say as well as you