Lyly, John · published 1601 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1588-1590] (Annals) pastoral; comedy · Children of Paul's (first) unassigned nearest T21 Cupid, Venus and the nymphs · 487 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T21: cupid, venus, love, ceres, diana, fair, nymphs, goddess, bow, damon.
Then Love, to thee I bring these white and spotless Doves, in token that my heart is as free from any thought of love, as these from any blemish, and as clear in virginity, as these perfect in whiteness. But that my Nymphs may know both thy power and thy laws, and neither err in ignorance nor pride; let me ask some questions to instruct them that they offend not those, whom resist they cannot. In virgins what dost thou chiefest desire? In those that are not in love, reverent thoughts of love, in those that be, faithful vows. What dost thou most hate in virgins? Pride in the beautiful, bitter taunts in the witty, incredulity in all. What may protect my virgins that they may never love? That they be never idle. Why didst thou so cruelly torment all Diana's Nymphs with love? Because they thought it impossible to love. What is the substance of love? Constancy and secrecy. What the signs? Sighs and tears. What the causes? Wit and idleness. What the means? Opportunity and Importunity. What the end? Happiness without end. What requirest thou of men? That only shall be known to men. What revenge for those that will not love? To be deceived when they do. Well, Cupid, entreat my Nymphs with favour and though to love it be no vice, yet spotless virginity is the only virtue: let me keep their thoughts as chaste as their bodies, than Ceres may be happy, & they praised. Why, Ceres, do you think that lust followeth love? Ceres, lovers are chaste: for what is love, divine love, but the quintessence of chastity, and affections binding by heavenly motions, thou cannot be undone by earthly means, 〈…〉 by any man? continual sacrifice, warm us with mild 〈…〉 we seem immodest 〈…〉 able like stocks. Ceres, 〈…〉 be light nor obstinacy, 〈…〉 and faithful; so shall your flames warm, but not burn, delight and never discomfort. How say you, my Nymphs, doth not Cupid speak like a god? Counsel you I will not to love, but conjure you I must that you be not disdainful, let us in, and see how Erisychthon speedeth; famine flieth swiftly, and hath already seized on his stomach. Stay, cruel Nisa, thou knowest not from whom thou fliest, and therefore fliest; I come not to offer violence, but that which is inviolable, my thoughts are as holy as thy vows, and I as constant in love as thou in cruelty: lust followeth not my love as shadows do bodies, but truth is woven into my love, as veins into bodies; let me touch this tender arm, and say my love is endless. And to no end. It is without spot. And shall be without hope. Dost thou disdain Love and his laws? I do not disdain that which I think is not, yet laugh at those that honour it if it be.
seed 43: T21 · seed 44: T24 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Then Loue, to thee I bring these white and spotlesse Doues, in token that my heart is as free from any thought of loue, as these from any blemish, and as cleare in virginitie, as these perfect in whitenesse. But that my Nymphes may know both thy power and thy lawes, and neither erre in ignorance nor pride; let me aske some questions to instruct them that they offend not th, whoe resist they cannot. In virgines what dost thou desire? In those that are not in loue, reuerent thoughts of loue, in those that be, faithfull vowes. What doest thou most hate in virgines? Pride in the beautifull, bitter taunts in the wittie, in all. What may protect my virgines that they ner loue? That they be neuer idle. Why didst thou so cruellie torment all Dianas Nymphe wit oue? Because they thought it impossible to loue. What is the substance of loue? Constancie and secrecie. What the signes? Sighes and teares. What the causes? Wit and idlenesse. What the meanes? Oportunitie and Importunitie. What the end? Happinesse without end. What require thou of men? That onely shall be knowne to men. What for those that will not loue? To be deceiued when they doe. Well, Cupid, intreate my Nymphes with fauour and though to loue it be no vice, yet spotlesse virginitie is the onely vertue: let me keepe their thoughtes as chast as their bodies, than Ceres may be happie, & they praised. Why, Ceres, doe you thinke that lust followeth loue? Ceres, louers are chast: for what is loue, diuine loue, but the quintescens of chastitie, and affections binding by heauenly motions, thou cannot bee vndone by earthly meanes, by any man? continuall sacrifice, warme vs with mild wee seeme immodest ble like stockes. Ceres, be light nor obstina, and faithfull; so shall your flames warme, but not burne, delight and neuer discomfort. How say you, my Nymphs, doth not Cupid speake like a o ▪ Counsel you I will not to loue, but coniure you I ut that you be not disdainefull, let vs in, and see how Ersictson speedeth; famine feth swiftly, and hath already seyzed on his stomacke. Stay, cruell Nisa, thou knowest not from whome thou fliest, and therefore fliest; I come not to offer violence, but that which is inuiolable, my thoughts are as holy s thy vowes, and I as constant in loue as thou in crueltie: lust followeth not my loue as shadowes doe bodies, but truth is wouen into my loue, as veines into bodies; let me touch this tender arme, and say my loue is endlesse. And to no end. It is without spot. And shall be without hope. Dost thou disdaine Loue and his lawes? I doe not disdaine that which I thinke is not, yet laugh at those that honour it if it be.