Anonymous · published 1600 · first performed or written 1600 [1599-1600] (Annals) pastoral; romance · Children of Paul's (second) unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
If neither tears nor innocency move, Yet think there is a heavenly power above. A done, and stand not preaching here all day. Then since there is no remedy, I pray Yet good my masters, do but stay so long Till I have ta'en my farewell with a song, Of him whom I shall never see again. We will afford that respite to your pain. But least the fear of death appall my mind, Sweet gentlemen let me this favour find. That you will vale mine eyesight with this scarf: That when the fatal stroke is aimed at me, I may not start, but suffer patiently. Agreed, give me, I'll shadow ye from fear, If this may do it. Oh I would it might, But shadows want the power to do that right. Ye sacred Fires, and powers above, Forge of desires working love, Cast down your eye, cast down your eye Upon a Maid in misery. My sacrifice is lovers blood: And from eyes salt tears a flood: All which I spend, all which I spend For thee Ascanio, my dear friend: And though this hour I must feel The bitter sour of pricking steel, Yet ill or well, yet ill or well To thee Ascanio still farewell. What means Phylander? Oh forbear thy stroke, Her piteous moan and gesture might provoke Hard flints to ruth. Hast thou forgot thy oath? Forgot it? no. Then wherefore dost thou interrupt me so? A sudden terror overcomes my thought. Then suffer me, that stands in fear of nought. Oh hold Orestes, hear my reason first. Is all religion of thy vow forgot? Do as thou wilt, but I forget it not. Orestes, if thou standst upon thine oath, Let me alone, to answer for us both. What answer canst thou give? I will not stay. Nay villain, than my sword shall make me way. Wilt thou in this, against thy conscience strive? I will defend a woman while I live. A virgin, and an innocent beside, Therefore put up, or else thy chance abide. I'll never sheathe my sword, unless thou show, Our oath reserved, we may let her go. That will I do, if truth may be of force. And then will I be pleased to grant remorse. Little thought & when out of door I went, That thus my life should stand on argument. A lawful oath in an unlawful cause, Is first dispensed withal, by reasons laws: Then next, respect must to the end be had, Because th'intent, doth make it good or bad. Now here th'intent is murder as thou seest, Which to perform, thou on thy oath reliest: But since the cause is wicked and unjust, Th'effect must likewise be held odious. We swore to kill, and God forbids to kill: Shall we be ruled by him, or by man's will? Beside it is a woman is condemned: And what is he that is a man indeed, That can endure to see a woman bleed?
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T1 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
If neither teares nor innocency moue, Yet thinke there is a heauenly power aboue. A done, and ſtand not preaching here all day. Then ſince there is no remedie, I pray Yet good my maiſters, do but ſtay ſo long Till I haue tane my farewell with a ſong, Of him whom I ſhall neuer ſee againe. We will affoord that reſpit to your paine. But leaſt the feare of death appall my mind, Sweet gentlemen let me this fauour find. That you wil vale mine eye-ſight with this ſcarfe: That when the fatall ſtroke is aymde at me, I may not ſtart, but ſuffer patiently. Agreed, giue me, Ile ſhadow ye from feare, If this may do it. Oh I would it might, But ſhadowes want the power to do that right. Ye ſacred Fyres, and powers aboue, Forge of deſires working loue, Caſt downe your eye, caſt downe your eye Vpon a Mayde in miſerie. My ſacrifice is louers blood: And from eyes ſalt teares a flood: All which I ſpend, all which I ſpend For thee Aſcanio, my deare friend: And though this houre I muſt feele The bitter ſower of pricking ſteele, Yet ill or well, yet ill or well To thee Aſcanio ſtill farewell. What meanes Phylander? Oh forbeare thy ſtroke, Her pitious mone and geſture might prouoke Hard flints to ruthe. Haſt thou forgot thy oath? Forgot it? no. Then wherfore doeſt thou interrupt me ſo? A ſudden terror ouercomes my thought. Thē ſuffer me, that ſtands in fear of nought. Oh hold Oreſtes, heare my reaſon firſt. Is all religion of thy vowe forgot? Do as thou wilt, but I forget it not. Oreſtes, if thou ſtandſt vpon thine oath, Let me alone, to anſwere for vs both. What anſwer canſt thou giue? I wil not ſtay. Nay villain, then my ſword ſhall make me way. Wilt thou in this, againſt thy conſcience ſtriue? I will defend a woman while I liue. A virgin, and an innocent beſide, Therefore put vp, or elſe thy chaunce abide. Ile neuer ſheath my ſword, vnles thou ſhow, Our oath reſerued, we may let her go. That will I do, if truth may be of force. And then wil I be pleaſd to graunt remorſe. Litle thought & when out of doore I went, That thus my life ſhould ſtand on argument. A lawfull oath in an vnlawfull cauſe, Is firſt diſpenc't withall, by reaſons lawes: Then next, reſpect muſt to the end be had, Becauſe th'intent, doth make it good or bad. Now here th'intent is murder as thou ſeeſt, Which to performe, thou on thy oath relieſt: But ſince the cauſe is wicked and vniuſt, Th'effect muſt likewiſe be held odious. We ſwore to kill, and God forbids to kill: Shall we be rulde by him, or by mans will? Beſide it is a woman is condemde: And what is he that is a man indeed, That can endure to ſee a woman bleed?