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 · 485 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T48: lady, love, heart, fair, eyes, la, lord, tears, fie, face.
My Lord I have no playfellow but fancy, being barred of all company I must question with myself, and make my thoughts my friends. I would you would account my thoughts also your friends, for they be such as are only busied in wondering at your beauty, & wisdom: & some such as have esteemed your fortune too hard, and divers of that kind that offer to set you free, if you will set them free There are no colours so contrary as white and black, nor Elements so disagreeing as fire and water, nor any thing so opposite as men's thoughts & their words. He that gave Cassandra the gift of prophesying with the curse, that spoke she never so true, she should never be believed, hath I think poisoned the fortune of men, that uttering the extremities of their inward passions, are always suspected of outward perjuries. Well Corsites I will flatter myself, and believe you. What would you do to enjoy my love? Set all the Ladies of the Castle free, and make you the pleasure of my life: more I cannot do, less I will not. These be great words, and fit your calling: for Captains must promise things impossible. But will you do one thing for all. Any thing sweet Tellus, that am ready for all. You know that on the Lunary bank sleepeth Endymion. I know it. If you will remove him from that place by force, and convey him into some obscure cave by policy, I give you here the faith of an unspotted virgin, that you only shall possess me as a lover, and in spite of malice, have me for a wife. Remove him Tellus? Yes Tellus, he shall be removed, and that so soon, as thou shalt as much commend my diligence as my force. I go. Stay, will yourself attempt it? I Tellus: as I would have none partaker of my sweet love, so shall none be partners of my labours: but I pray thee go at your best leisure, for Cynthia beginneth to rise, and if she discover our love we both perish, for nothing pleaseth her but the fairness of virginity. All things must be not only without lust, but without suspicion of lightness. I will depart, and go you to Endymion. I fly Tellus, being of all men the most fortunate. Simple Corsites, I have set thee about a task being but a man, that the gods themselves cannot perform: for little dost thou know how heavy his head lies, how hard his fortune: but such shifts must women have to deceive men, and under colour of things easy, entreat that which is impossible: otherwise we should be cumbered with importunities, oaths, sighs, letters, and all implements of love, which to one resolved to the contrary, are most loathsome. I will in and laugh with the other Ladies at Corsites sweating.
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)
My Lord I haue no play-fellow but fancy, being barred of all companie I must question with my selfe, and make my thoughts my frindes. I would you would account my thoughtes also your friends, for they be such as are only busied in wondering at your beautie, & wisdome: & some such as haue esteemed your fortune too hard, and diuers of that kind that offer to set you free, if you will set them free There are no colours so contrarie as white and blacke, nor Elements so disagreeing as fire and water, nor any thing so opposite as mens thoughts & their words. He that gaue Cassandra the gift of prophecying with the curse, that spake shee neuer so true, shee should neuer be beleeued, hath I think poysoned the fortune of men, that vttering the extremities of their inward passions, are alwayes suspected of outward periuries. Well Corsites I will flatter my selfe, and beleeue you. What would you doe to enioy my loue? Sette all the Ladies of the Castle free, and make you the pleasure of my life: more I cannot doe, lesse I will not. These be great wordes, and fit your calling: for Captaines must promise things impossible. But wil you doe one thing for all. Any thing sweet Tellus, that am ready for all. You knowe that on the Lunary bancke sleepeth Endimion. I knowe it. If you will remoue him from that place by force, and conuey him into some obscure caue by pollicie, I giue you here the faith of an vnspotted virgine, that you onelie shall possesse me as a louer, and in spight of malice, haue mee for a wife. Remooue him Tellus? Yes Tellus, hee shall bee remooued, and that so soone, as thou shalt as much commend my dilligence as my force. I goe. Stay, will your selfe attempt it? I Tellus: as I would haue none partaker of my sweete loue, so shall none be partners of my labours: but I pray thee goe at your best leysure, for Cynthia beginneth to rise, and if she discouer our loue we both perish, for nothing pleaseth her but the fairenesse of virginitie. All thinges must bee not onely without lust, but without suspicion of lightnes. I will depart, and goe you to Endimion. I flye Tellus, beeing of all men the most fortunate. Simple Corsites, I haue set thee about a taske being but a man, yt the gods thēselues cannot performe: for little doost thou knowe howe heauie his head lies, howe hard his fortune: but such shiftes must women haue to deceiue men, and vnder colour of things easie, intreat that which is imposible: otherwise we should be cūbred with importunities, oathes, sighes, letters, and all implements of loue, which to one resolued to the contrary, are most lothsome. I will in and laugh with the other Ladies at Corsites sweating.