Lyly, John · published 1591 · first performed or written 1588 [Feb 2(?)] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (first) · before the Court unassigned nearest T56 Magic, spells and conjuring · 507 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T56: magic, faustus, charms, charm, conjure, spirits, skill, ho, power, spells.
One night? thou hast here slept forty years, by what Enchantress as yet it is not known: and behold the twig to which thou laidst thy head, is now become a tree, callest thou not Eumenides to remembrance? Thy name I do remember by the sound, but thy favour I do not yet call to mind, only divine Cynthia, to whom time, fortune, destiny, & death, are subject, I see and remember, and in all humility, I regard and reverence. You have good cause to remember Eumenides, who hath for thy safety forsaken his own solace. Am I that Endymion, who was wont in Court to lead my life, and in Jousts, tourneys, and arms to exercise my youth? am I that Endymion? Thou art that Endymion and I Eumenides, wilt thou not yet call me to remembrance? Ah sweet Eumenides, I now perceive thou art he, and that myself have the name of Endymion, but that this should be my body I doubt: for how could my curled locks be turned to grey hairs, and my strong body to a dying weakness, having waxed old, and not knowing it. Well Endymion arise, a while sit down, for that thy limbs are stiff, and not able to stay thee, and tell what hast thou seen in thy sleep all this while? What dreams, visions, thoughts, and fortunes? For it is impossible, but in so long time, thou shouldest see things strange. Fair Cynthia I will rehearse what I have seen, humbly desiring, that when I exceed in length, you give me warning, that I may end: for to utter all I have to speak would be troublesome, although happily the strangeness may somewhat abate the tediousness. Well Endymion begin. methought I saw a Lady passing fair, but very mischievous, who in the one hand carried a knife, with which she offered to cut my throat: and in the other a looking-glass, wherein seeing how ill anger became Ladies, she refrained from intended violence. She was accompanied with other Damsels, one of which with a stern countenance, & as it were with a settled malice engraven in her eyes, provoked her to execute mischief: another with visage sad and constant only in sorrow, with her arms crossed, and watery eyes, seemed to lament my fortune, but durst not offer to prevent the force. I started in my sleep, feeling my very veins to swell, and my sinews to stretch with fear, and such a cold sweat bedewed all my body, that death itself could not be so terrible, as the vision. A strange sight. Gyptes at our better leisure shall expound it. After long debating with herself, mercy overcame anger, and there appeared in her heavenly face such a divine Majesty, mingled with a sweet mildness, that I was ravished with the sight above measure, and wished that I might have enjoyed the sight without end, and so she departed with the other Ladies, of which the one retained still an unmovable cruelty, the other a constant pity.
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)
One night? thou hast heere slept fortie yeeres, by what Enchauntresse as yet it is not knowne: and behold the twig to which thou laiedst thy head, is now become a tree, callest thou not Eumenides to remembrance? Thy name I doo remember by the sounde, but thy fauour I doe not yet call to minde, onely diuine Cynthia, to whom time, fortune, destinie, & death, are subiect, I see and remember, and in all humilitie, I regard and reuerence. You haue good cause to remember Eumenides, who hath for thy safetie forsaken his owne solace. Am I that Endimion, who was wont in Court to leade my life, and in Iustes, turneys, and armes to exercise my youth? am I that Endimion? Thou art that Endimion and I Eumenides, wilt thou not yet call me to remembrance? Ah sweete Eumenides, I now perceiue thou art hee, and that my selfe haue the name of Endimion, but that this should bee my bodie I doubt: for howe coulde my curled lockes bee turned to gray haires, and my stronge bodie to a dying weaknesse, hauing waxed olde, and not kowing it. Well Endimion arise, a while sit downe, for that thy limmes are stiffe, and not able to stay thee, and tell what hast thou seene in thy sleepe all this while? What dreames, visions, thoughts, and fortunes? For it is impossible, but in so long time, thou shouldest see things straunge. Fayre Cynthia I will rehearse what I haue seene, humblie desiring, that when I exceede in length, you giue me warning, that I may ende: for to vtter all I haue to speake would bee troublesome, although happilie the straungenesse may somewhat abate the tediousnesse. Well Endimion begin. Me thought I sawe a Ladie passing faire, but verie mischeeuous, who in the one hande carryed a knife, with which shee offered to cut my throte: and in the other a looking-glasse, wherein seeing how ill anger became Ladies, shee refrained from intended violence. She was accompanied with other Damsels, one of which with a sterne countenance, & as it were with a setled malice engrauen in her eyes, prouoked her to execute mischeefe: an other with visage sad and constant onelie in sorrow, with her armes crossed, and watery eyes, seemed to lament my fortune, but durst not offer to preuent the force. I started in my sleepe, feeling my verie veines to swell, and my sinewes to stretch with feare, and such a colde sweate bedewed all my bodie, that death it selfe could not be so terrible, as the vision. A straunge sight. Giptes at our better leysure shall expound it. After long debating with her selfe, mercie ouercame anger, and there appeared in her heauenly face such a diuine Maiestie, mingled with a sweete mildenes, that I was rauished with the sight aboue measure, and wished that I might haue enioied the sight without end, and so she departed with the other Ladyes, of which the one retained still an vnmoueable crueltie, the other a constant pittie.