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 · 494 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
How say you my Lords to this matter? But what say you Endymion, hath Tellus told troth? madam in all things, but in that she said I loved her, and swore to honour her. Was there such a time whenas for my love thou didst vow thyself to death, and in respect of it loathed thy life? speak Endymion, I will not revenge it with hate. The time was Madam and is, and ever shall be that I honoured your highness above all the world, but to stretch it so far as to call it love, I never durst. There hath none pleased mine eye but Cynthia, none delighted mine ears but Cynthia, none possessed my heart but Cynthia. I have forsaken all other fortunes to follow Cynthia, and here I stand ready to die if it please Cynthia. Such a difference hath the Gods set between our states, that all must be duty, loyalty, and reverence, nothing (without it vouchsafe your highness) be termed love. My unspotted thoughts, my languishing body, my discontented life, let them obtain by princely favour that, which to challenge they must not presume, only wishing of impossibilities: with imagination of which, I will spend my spirits, and to myself that no creature may hear, softly call it love. And if any urge to utter what I whisper, then will I name it honour. From this sweet contemplation if I be not driven, I shall live of all men the most content, taking more pleasure in mine aged thoughts, then ever I did in my youthful actions. Endymion, this honourable respect of thine, shallbe christened love in thee, & my reward for it favour. Persever Endymion in loving me, & I account more strength in a true heart, then in a walled City. I have laboured to win all, and study to keep such as I have won, but those that neither my favour can move to continue constant, nor my offered benefits get to be faithful, the Gods shall either reduce to truth, or revenge their treacheries with justice. Endymion continue as thou hast begun, and thou shalt find that Cynthia shineth not on thee in vain. Your Highness hath blessed me, and your words have again restored my youth: methinks I feel my joints strong, and these mouldy hairs to moult, & all by your virtue Cynthia, into whose hands the Balance that weigheth time & fortune, are committed. What young again? than it is pity to punish Tellus. Ah Endymion, now I know thee and ask pardon of thee: suffer me still to wish thee well. Tellus, Cynthia must command what she will. Endymion, I rejoice to see thee in thy former estate. Good Floscula, to thee also am I in my former affections. Endymion, the comfort of my life, how am I ravished with a joy matchless, saving only the enjoying of my mistress. Endymion, you must now tell who Eumenides shrineth for his Saint.
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)
How say you my Lords to this matter? But what say you Endimion, hath Tellus tolde troth? Madame in all things, but in that shee saide I loued her, and swore to honour her. Was there such a time when as for my loue thou didst vowe thy selfe to death, and in respect of it loth'd thy life? speake Endimion, I will not reuenge it with hate. The time was Madam and is, and euer shall be that I honoured your highnesse aboue all the world, but to stretch it so far as to call it loue, I neuer durst. There hath none pleased mine eye but Cynthia, none delighted mine eares but Cynthia, none possessed my hart but Cynthia. I haue forsaken all other fortunes to followe Cynthia, and heere I stande ready to die if it please Cynthia. Such a difference hath the Gods sette between our states, that all must be dutie, loyaltie, and reuerence, nothing (without it vouchsafe your highnes) be termed loue. My vnspotted thoughts, my languishing bodie, my discontented life, let them obtaine by princelie fauour that, which to challenge they must not presume, onelie wishing of impossibilities: with imagination of which, I will spende my spirits, and to my selfe that no creature may heare, softlie call it loue. And if any vrge to vtter what I whisper, then will I name it honor. From this sweet contēplation if I be not drinen, I shall liue of al men the most content, taking more pleasure in mine aged thoughts, then euer I did in my youthful actions. Endimion, this honorable respect of thine, shalbe christned loue in thee, & my reward for it fauor. Perseuer Endimion in louing me, & I account more strength in a true hart, then in a walled Cittie. I haue laboured to win all, and studie to keepe such as I haue wonne, but those that neither my fauour can mooue to continue constant, nor my offered benefits gette to bee faithfull, the Gods shal eyther reduce to trueth, or reuenge their trecheries with iustice. Endimion continue as thou hast begun, and thou shalt finde that Cynthia shyneth not on thee in vaine. Your Highnesse hath blessed mee, and your wordes haue againe restored my youth: mee thinkes I feele my ioyntes stronge, and these mouldy haires to molt, & all by your vertue Cynthia, into whose hands the Ballance that weigheth time & fortune, are committed. What younge againe? then it is pittie to punish Tellus. Ah Endimion, now I know thee and aske pardon of thee: suffer mee still to wish thee well. Tellus, Cynthia must commaund what she will. Endimion, I reioyce to see thee in thy former estate. Good Floscula, to thee also am I in my former affections. Endimion, the comfort of my life, howe am I rauished with a ioy matchlesse, sauing onelie the enioying of my mistrisse. Endimion, you must nowe tell who Eumenides shrineth for his Saint.