Anonymous · published 1600 · first performed or written 1600 [1599-1600] (Annals) pastoral; romance · Children of Paul's (second) unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Thou hast prevailed, Eurymine stand up, I will not touch thee for a world of gold. Why now thou seemst to be of human mould. But on our grant fair maid that you shall live, Will you to us your faithful promise give, Henceforth t'abandon this your Country quite, And never more return into the sight Of fierce Telemachus, the angry Duke, Whereby we may be void of all rebuke? Here do I plight my chaste unspotted hand, I will abjure this most accursed land: And vow henceforth what fortune ere betide, Within these woods and deserts to abide. Now wants there nothing, but a fit excuse, To soothe the Duke, in his conceived abuse: That he may be persuaded she is slain, And we our wonted favour still maintain. It shall be thus, within a Lawn hard by, Obscure with bushes, where no human eye, Can any way discover our deceit: There feeds a herd of Goats, and country neat. Some Kid, or other youngling, will we take, And with our swords dispatch it for her sake. And having slain it, rip his panting breast, And take the heart of the unguilty beast: Which to th'intent, our counterfeit report May seem more likely, we will bear to court: And there protest with bloody weapons drawn, It was her heart. Then likewise take this Lawn, Which well Telemachus did know she wore: And let it be all spotted too with gore. How say you mistress, will you spare that vale? That or what else, to verify your tale: And thanks Phylander, and Orestes both, That you preserve me from a tyrant's wroth. I would it were within my power, I wis, To do you greater courtesy than this: But what we cannot by our deeds express In heart we wish to ease your heaviness. A double debt, yet one word ere ye go, Commend me to my dear Ascanio: Whose loyal love, and presence to forego, Doth gall me more than all my other woe. Our lives shall never want to do him good. Nor yet our death, if he in danger stood: And mistress, so good fortune be your guide. And aught that may be fortunate beside. The like I wish unto yourselves again: And many happy days devoid of pain. And now Eurymine record thy state, So much dejected, and oppressed by fate: What hope remains? wherein hast thou to joy? Wherein to triumph, but thine own annoy? If ever wretch might tell of misery, Than I alas, poor I, am only she: Unknown of parents, destitute of friends, Hopeful of nought, but what misfortune sends. Banished, to live a fugitive alone, In uncouth paths, and regions never known. Behold Ascanio, for thy only sake, These tedious travels I must undertake: Nor do I grudge, the pain seems less to me, In that I suffer this distress for thee. Well met fair Nymph, or Goddess if ye be: 'tis strange methinks, that one of your degree Should walk these solitary groves alone.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Thou haſt preuaild, Eurymine ſtand vp, I will not touch thee for a world of gold. Why now thou ſeemſt to be of humane mould. But on our graunt faire mayd that you ſhall liue, Will you to vs your faithfull promiſe giue, Henceforth t'abandon this your Country quite, And neuer more returne into the ſight Of fierce Telemachus, the angry Duke, Whereby we may be voyd of all rebuke? Here do I plight my chaſte vnſpotted hand, I will abiure this moſt accurſed land: And vow henceforth what fortune ere betide, Within theſe woods and deſarts to abide. Now wants there nothing, but a fit excuſe, To ſooth the Duke, in his conceiu'd abuſe: That he may be perſwaded ſhe is ſlaine, And we our wonted fauour ſtill maintaine. It ſhall be thus, within a Lawne hard by, Obſcure with buſhes, where no humane eye, Can any way diſcouer our deceite: There feeds a heard of Goates, and country neate. Some Kidde, or other young ling, will we take, And with our ſwords diſpatch it for her ſake. And hauing ſlaine it, rip his panting breaſt, And take the heart of the vnguiltie beaſt: Which to th'intent, our counterfeit report May ſeeme more likely, we will beare to court: And there proteſt with bloody weapons drawne, It was her heart. Then likewiſe take this Lawne, Which well Telemachus did know ſhe wore: And let it be all ſpotted too with gore. How ſay you miſtreſſe, will you ſpare that vale? That or what elſe, to verifie your tale: And thankes Phylander, and Orestes both, That you preſerue me from a Tyrants wroth. I would it were within my power, I wis, To do you greater curteſie then this: But what we cannot by our deeds expreſſe In heart we wiſh to eaſe your heauineſſe. A double debt, yet one word ere ye go, Commmend me to my deare Aſcanio: Whoſe loyall loue, and preſence to forgoe, Doth gall me more then all my other woe. Our liues ſhall neuer want to do him good. Nor yet our death, if he in daunger ſtood: And miſtreſſe, ſo good fortune be your guide. And ought that may be fortunate beſide. The like I wiſh vnto your ſelues againe: And many happie dayes deuoyd of paine. And now Eurymine record thy ſtate, So much deiected, and oppreſt by fate: What hope remaines? wherein haſt thou to ioy? Wherein to tryumph, but thine owne annoy? If euer wretch might tell of miſerie, Then I alas, poore I, am only ſhe: Vnknowne of parents, deſtitute of friends, Hopefull of nought, but what misfortune ſends. Baniſht, to liue a fugitiue alone, In vncoth paths, and regions neuer knowne. Behold Aſcanio, for thy only ſake, Theſe tedious trauels I muſt vndertake: Nor do I grudge, the paine ſeemes leſſe to mee, In that I ſuffer this diſtreſſe for thee. Wel met fair Nymph, or Goddeſſe if ye bee: Tis ſtraunge me thinkes, that one of your degree Should walke theſe ſolitary groues alone.