Lyly, John · published 1591 · first performed or written 1588 [Feb 2(?)] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (first) · before the Court unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
I am come in sight of the Lunary bank, without doubt Tellus doteth upon me, and cunningly that I might not perceive her love, she hath set me to a task that is done before it is begun. Endymion, you must change your pillow, and if you be not weary of sleep, I will carry you where at ease you shall sleep your fill. It were good that without more ceremonies I took him, least being espied, I be entrapped, and so incur the displeasure of Cynthia, who commonly setteth watch that Endymion have no wrong. What now, is your Mastership so heavy? or are you nailed to the ground? Not stir one whit? then use all thy force though he feel it and wake. What stone still? turned I think to earth, with lying so long on the earth. Didst not thou Corsites before Cynthia pull up a tree, that forty years was fastened with roots and wreathed in knots to the ground? Didst not thou with main force pull open the iron Gates, which no Ram or Engine could move? Have my weak thoughts made brawn-fallen my strong arms? or is it the nature of love or the Quintessence of the mind to breed numbness, or litherness, or I know not what, languishing in my joints and sinews, being but the base strings of my body? Or doth the remembrance of Tellus so refine my spirits into a matter so subtle and divine, that the other fleshy parts cannot work whilst they muse? Rest thyself, rest thyself: nay rent thyself in pieces Corsites, and strive in spite of love, fortune and nature, to lift up this dulled body, heavier than dead, and more senseless than death. But what are these so fair fiends that cause my hairs to stand upright, and spirits to fall down? hags, out alas, Nymphs I crave pardon. ay me, out what do I here. You see Pythagoras what ridiculous opinions you hold, and I doubt not but you are now of another mind. Madam, I plainly perceive that the perfection of your brightness, hath pierced through the thickness that covered my mind; in so much that I am no less glad to be reformed, then ashamed to remember my grossness. They are thrice fortunate that live in your Palace, where Truth is not in colours but life, virtues not in imagination, but execution. I have always studied to have rather living virtues then painted Gods, the body of Truth, than the tomb. But let us walk to Endymion, it may be it lieth in your Arts to deliver him, as for Eumenides, I fear he is dead. I have alleged all the natural reasons I can for such a long sleep. I can do nothing till I see him. Coin Floscula, I am sure you are glad that you shall behold Endymion. I were blessed if I might have him recovered. Are you in love with his person.
seed 43: T2 · seed 44: T3 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I am come in sight of the Lunary bank, without doubt Tellus doteth vpon me, and cunningly that I might not perceiue her loue, shee hath sette mee to a taske that is done before it is begunne. Endimion, you must change your pillowe, and if you be not wearie of sleepe, I vvill carrie you where at ease you shall sleepe your fill. It were good that without more ceremonies I tooke him, least beeing espyed, I be intrapt, and so incurre the displeasure of Cynthia, who commonly setteth watch that Endimion haue no wrong. What nowe, is your Maistership so heuie? or are you nayld to the ground? Not styrre one whit? then vse all thy force though he feele it and wake. VVhat stone still? turnd I thinke to earth, with lying so long on the earth. Didst not thou Corsites before Cynthia pul vp a tree, that fortie yeeres was fastned with rootes and wrethed in knots to the grounde? Didst not thou with maine force pull open the yron Gates, which no Ram or Engine could moue? Haue my weak thoughts made braunfallen my strong armes? or is it the nature of loue or the Quintessence of the mind to breede numnesse, or lythernesse, or I knowe not what, languishing in my ioynts and sinewes, beeing but the base strings of my bodie? Or dooth the remembraunce of Tellus so refine my spirits into a matter so subtill and diuine, that the other fleshie parts cannot worke whilst they muse? Rest thy selfe, rest thy selfe: nay rent thy selfe in peeces Corsites, and striue in spight of loue, fortune and nature, to lift vppe this dulled bodie, heauier then deade, and more sencelesse then death. But what are these so fayre fiendes that cause my hayres to stand vpright, and spirits to fall downe? hags, out alas, Nymphes I craue pardon. Aye me, out what doe I heere. You see Pythagoras what ridiculous opinions you hold, and I doubt not but you are nowe of another minde. Madam, I plainlie perceiue that the perfection of your brightnesse, hath pearced through the thicknesse that couered my minde; in so much that I am no lesse gladde to be reformed, then ashamed to remember my grosenes. They are thrise fortunate that liue in your Pallace, where Trueth is not in colours but life, vertues not in imagination, but execution. I haue alwaies studied to haue rather liuing vertues then painted Gods, the bodie of Trueth, then the tombe. But let vs walke to Endimion, it may bee it lyeth in your Artes to deliuer him, as for Eumenides, I feare he is dead. I haue alledged all the naturall reasons I can for such a long sleepe. I can doe nothing till I see him. Coine Floscula, I am sure you are glad that you shall behold Endimion. I were blessed if I might haue him recouered. Are you in loue with his person.