Anonymous · published 1592 · first performed or written 1592 [c.1589-1592] (Annals) tragedy · Unknown T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint typicality 0.88 · 491 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
Well, now Erastus my heart's only joy Is come to join both hearts in union. And till I came whereas my love did dwell, My pleasure was but pain, my solace woe. What love means my Erastus, pray thee tell? Matchless Perseda, she that gave me strength, To win late conquest from many victors' hands, Thy name was conqueror, not my chivalry: Thy looks did arm me, not my coat of steel, Thy beauty did defend me, not my force. Thy favours bore me, not my light foot Steed, Therefore to thee I owe both love and life. But wherefore makes Perseda such a doubt, As if Erastus could forget himself: Which if I do, all vengeance light on me. ay me, how graceless are these wicked men? I can no longer hold my patience. Ah how thine eyes can forge alluring looks, And feign deep oaths to wound poor silly maids, Are there no honest drops in all thy cheeks, To check thy fraudful countenance with a blush: call'st thou me love, and lovest another better, If heavens were just, thy teeth would tear thy tongue, For this thy perjured false disloyalty. If heavens were just, men should have open breasts, That we therein might read their guileful thoughts. If heavens were just, that power that forceth love, Would never couple Wolves and Lambs together. Yes, heavens are just, but thou art so corrupt, That in thee, all their influence doth change. As in the Spider good things turn to poison. Ah false Erastus, how had I misdone? That thou shouldst pawn my true affection's pledge, To her whose worth will never equal mine. What, is Lucina's wealth exceeding mine? Yet mine sufficient to encounter thine. Is she more fair than I? that's not my fault, Nor her desert: what's beauty but a blast? Soon cropped with age, or with infirmities. Is she more wise? her years are more than mine, whate'er she be? my love was more than hers, And for her chastity let others judge. But what talk I of her? the fault is thine, If I were so disgracious in thine eye, That she must needs enjoy my interest, Why didst thou deck her with my ornament? Could nothing serve her but the Carcanet? Which as my life I gave to thee in charge, Couldst thou abuse my true simplicity? Whose greatest fault was over loving thee, I'll keep no tokens of thy perjury. Here give her this, Perseda now is free, And all my former love is turned to hate. Ah stay my sweet Perseda hear me speak. What are thy words? but Syrens guileful songs: That please the ear, but seek to spoil the heart. Then view my tears, that plead for innocence, What are thy tears? but Circe's magic seas, Where none scape wracked, but blindfold Mariners. If words & tears displease, then view my looks, That plead for mercy at thy rigorous hands.
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)
Well, now Erastus my hearts onely ioy Is come to ioyne both hearts in vnion. And till I came whereas my loue did dwell, My pleasure was but paine, my solace woe. What loue meanes my Erastus, pray thee tell? Matchlesse Perseda, she that gaue me strength, To win late conquest from many victors hands, Thy name was conquerour, not my chiualrie: Thy lookes did arme me, not my coate of steele, Thy beautie did defend me, not my force. Thy fauours bore me, not my light foote Steed, Therefore to thee I owe both loue and life. But wherefore makes Perseda such a doubt, As if Erastus could forget himselfe: Which if I do, all vengeance light on me. Aye me, how gracelesse are these wicked men? I can no longer hould my patience. Ah how thine eyes can forge alluring lookes, And faine deepe oathes to wound poore sillie maides, Are there no honest drops in all thy cheekes, To check thy fraudfull countenance with a blush: Calst thou me loue, and louest another better, If heauens were iust, thy teeth would teare thy tongue, For this thy periurde false disloialtie. If heauens were iust, men should haue open brests, That we therein might read their guilefull thoughts. If heauens were iust, that power that forceth loue, Would neuer couple Woolues and Lambes together. Yes, heauens are iust, but thou art so corrupt, That in thee, all their influence dooth change. As in the Spider good things turne to poyson. Ah false Erastus, how had I misdone? That thou shouldst pawne my true affections pledge, To her whose worth will neuer equall mine. What, is Lucinaes wealth exceeding mine? Yet mine sufficient to encounter thine. Is she more faire then I? thats not my fault, Nor her desart: whats beauty but a blast? Soone cropt with age, or with infirmities. Is she more wise? her yeares are more then mine, What ere she be? my loue was more then hers, And for her chastitie let others iudge. But what talke I of her? the fault is thine, If I were so disgratious in thine eye, That she must needes inioy my interest, Why didst thou deck her with my ornament? Could nothing serue her but the Carcanet? Which as my life I gaue to thee in charge, Couldst thou abuse my true simplicitie? Whose greatest fault was ouer louing thee, Ile keepe no tokens of thy periury. Heere giue her this, Perseda now is free, And all my former loue is turnd to hate. Ah stay my sweete Perseda heare me speake. What are thy words? but Syrens guilefull songs: That please the eare, but seeke to spoile the heart. Then view my teares, that plead for innocence, VVhat are thy teares? but Circes magike seas, VVhere none scape wrackt, but blindfould Marriners. If words & teares displease, then view my lookes, That plead for mercy at thy rigorous hands.