Lyly, John · published 1591 · first performed or written 1588 [Feb 2(?)] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (first) · before the Court unassigned nearest T48 Addressing a lady: love, desire and inti · 482 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T48: lady, love, heart, fair, eyes, la, lord, tears, fie, face.
Behold Floscula, we have met with the Woman by chance that we sought for by travel; I will break my mind to her without ceremony or circumstance, lest we lose that time in advise, that should be spent in execution. Use your discretion, I will in this case, neither give counsel nor consent, for there cannot be a thing more monstrous, than to force affection by sorcery, neither do I imagine any thing more impossible. Tush Floscula, in obtaining of love, what impossibilities will I not try? and for the winning of Endymion, what impieties will I not practise? Dipsas, whom as many honour for age, as wonder at for cunning, listen in few words to my tale, & answer in one word to the purpose, for that neither my burning desire can afford long speech, nor the short time I have to stay many delays. Is it possible by herbs, stones, spells, incantation, enchantment, exorcisms, fire, metals, planets, or any practice to plant affection where it is not, and to supplant it where it is? Fair Lady, you may imagine that these hoary hears are not void of experience, nor the great name that goeth of my cunning to be without cause. I can darken the Sun by my skill, and remove the Moon out of her course; I can restore youth to the aged, and make hills without bottoms; there is nothing that I can not do, but that only which you would have me do, and therein I differ from the Gods, that I am not able to rule hearts, for were it in my power to place affection by appointment, I would make such evil appetites, such inordinate lusts, such cursed desires, as all the world should be filled both with superstitious heats, and extreme love. Unhappy Tellus, whose desires are so desperate, that they are neither to be conceived of any creature, nor to be cured by any art. This I can, breed slackness in love, though never root it out. What is he whom you love, & what she that he honoureth? Endymion, sweet Endymion is he that hath my heart, and Cynthia, too too fair Cynthia, the miracle of Nature, of time, of Fortune, is the Lady that he delights in, and dotes on every day, and dies for ten thousand times a day. Would you have his love, either by absence of sickness aslaked. Would you that Cynthia should mistrust him, or be jealous of him without colour? It is the only thing I crave, that seeing my love to Endymion unspotted, cannot be accepted, his truth to Cynthia (though it be unspeakable) may be suspected. I will undertake it, and overtake him, that all his love shall be doubted of, and therefore become desperate: but this will wear out with time, that treadeth all things down but truth. Let us go. I follow.
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)
Behold Floscula, we haue met with the Woman by chaunce that wee sought for by trauell; I will breake my minde to her without ceremonie or circumstance, least we loose that time in aduise, that should be spent in execution. Vse your discretion, I will in this case, neither giue counsell nor consent, for there cannot bee a thing more monstrous, then to force affection by sorcery, neither doe I imagin anie thing more impossible. Tush Floscula, in obtaining of loue, what impossibilities will I not try? and for the winning of Endimion, what impieties will I not practise? Dipsas, whom as many honour for age, as wonder at for cunning, listen in fewe words to my tale, & answere in one word to the purpose, for that neither my burning desire can afforde long speech, nor the short time I haue to stay manie delayes. Is it possible by hearbes, stones, spels, incantantation, enchauntment, exorcismes, fire, mettals, plannets, or any practise to plant affection where it is not, and to supplant it where it is? Faire Ladie, you may imagin that these horie heares are not void of experience, nor the great name that goeth of my cnning to bee without cause. I can darken the Sunne by my skil, and remooue the Moone out of her course; I can restore youth to the aged, and make hils without bottoms; there is nothing that I can not doe, but that onely which you would haue me doe, and therin I differ from the Gods, that I am not able to rule harts, for were it in my power to place affection by appointment, I would make such euill appetites, such inordinate lusts, such cursed desires, as all the worlde should be filled both with supersticious heates, and extreame loue. Vnhappie Tellus, whose desires are so desperate, that they are neither to be conceiued of any creature, nor to be cured by any arte. This I can, breede slacknes in loue, though neuer roote it out. What is he whom you loue, & what she that he honoureth? Endimion, sweet Endimion is he that hath my hart, and Cynthia, too too faire Cynthia, the myracle of Nature, of tyme, of Fortune, is the Ladie that hee delights in, and dotes on euery day, and dies for ten thousand times a day. Would you haue his loue, eyther by absence of sicknes aslaked. Would you that Cynthia should mistrust him, or be iealous of him without colour? It is the onelie thing I craue, that seeing my loue to Endimion vnspotted, cannot be accepted, hys trueth to Cynthia (though it be vnspeakeable) may bee suspected. I will vndertake it, and ouertake him, that all his loue shal be doubted of, and therefore become desperate: but this will weare out with time, that treadeth all things downe but trueth. Let vs goe. I follow.