The Queen's Entertainment at Woodstock · chunk 13 of 17
Anonymous · published 1585 · first performed or written 1575 [Sep] (Annals) entertainment; royal entertainment or entry unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 500 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
Yet Contarenus think what is in you, if virtues worth and weight in you be great, And such as none but blind can disallow, why should persuasions then us two defeat, As who say, any else might better seem. than you and I to rule so great a realm, Birth bears me out, and virtue bears up you, and why should any then thereof mislike? As certain proof shall still prevail I trow, before that is uncertain how to like. You are to choose my friend, make answer so as you do not procure us endless woe. The choice is hard in midst of such extremes, my Lord and Prince pretending Countries good, On th'other side affections dazzling beams, which still will shine though eclipsed with a cloud, Layeth in mine eye my lady's due desert, which nought but death can sever from my heart. What flashing flames did she at first abide, whenas on me her love she did bestow? What constance still in her wrought on my side, to keep that love whereto my life I owe? What grief did then consume her careful heart, whenas my Lord willed me from Court depart? What was the zeal that made her so forsake, the bliss which princely Court to her could bring, And for my Love such passing pains to take, to find me out where bruit of me should ring. Now should I swerve whom she so long hath sought? death were too small did I but fault in thought. How can I leave her thus and not deserve, to be enrolled with those infamous men, Whom Love, because they did from him so swerve, hath painted out by poet's public pen: In hell to have their well deserving hire, for so defrauding love of just desire? Yet pardon me Madam for weighing both, if any harm do rise, the grief is mine, You to displease the god, know I am loath, for whom my heart disdains not any pine. Set love aside till reason hath found out, what is the best in that we go about. Against our Love our Countries good is laid, for whose avail we ought not death refuse, Than death for love in country's cause bewrayed, aught to rejoice and seek no other 'scuse: Yet leaving Love for country's cause I die, who will not weep such hap on me to lie. Because my Lord your father may well know that virtue is the link of this our Love, And not affection blind which leads us so, as being bent we cannot once remove: Mark Madam what I say, and yield consent, it is your love that causeth me relent. Without my Lord your parents free good will, at home with him what can his child enjoy? And thus to live in state a wanderer still, as you do now, what more may breed annoy? Good Madam though I love as no man more, yield yet to him, withstand him not so sore.
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)
Yet Contarenus think what is in you, if vertues worth and waight in you be great, And such as none but blind can disallow, why should perswasions then vs two defeate, As who say, any els might better seeme. then you and I to rule so great a realme, Birth beares me out, and vertue beares vp you, and why should any then therof mislike? As certaine proofe shal stil preuaile I trow, before that is vncertein how to like. You are to choose my friend, make answere so as you do not procure vs endles wo. The choise is hard in midst of such extreames, my Lord and Prince pretending Countries good, On th'other side affections dazeling beames, which stil wil shine though clypsed with a cloude, Layeth in myne eye my Ladies due desart, which nought but death can seuer from my heart. What flashing flames did she at first abide, when as on me her loue she did bestow? What constance stil in her wrought on my side, to keepe that loue whereto my life I owe? What griefe did then consume her careful heart, when as my Lord wil'd me from Court depart? What was the zeale that made her so forsake, the blisse which princely Court to her could bring, And for my Loue such passing paines to take, to find me out where bruite of me shoulde ring. Now should I swerue whom she so long hath sought? death were too smal did I but fault in thought. How can I leaue her thus and not deserue, to be enrould with those infamous men, Whom Loue, because they did from him so swerue, hath painted out by Poets publike pen: In hel to haue their wel deseruing hire, for so defrauding loue of iust desire? Yet pardon me Madam for waighing both, if any harme do rise, the griefe is mine, You to displease the god, knowe I am loth, for whom my heart disdaines not any pine. Set loue aside til reason hath found out, what is the best in that we goe about. Against our Loue our Countries good is laid, for whose auaile we ought not death refuse, Then death for loue in Countries cause bewraid, ought to reioyce and seeke no other scuce: Yet leauing Loue for countries cause I die, who wil not weep such happe on me to lie. Because my Lord your father may well know that vertue is the linke of this our Loue, And not affection blind which leades vs so, as being bent we cannot once remoue: Marke Madam what I say, and yeeld consent, it is your loue that causeth me relent. Without my Lord your parents free good wil, at home with him what can his child enioy? And thus to liue in state a wanderer stil, as you do now, what more may breed annoy? Good Madam though I loue as no man more, yeeld yet to him, withstand him not so sore.