The Wonder of Women, or Sophonisba · chunk 13 of 26
Marston, John · published 1606 · first performed or written 1605 [1605-1606] (Annals) tragedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint typicality 0.85 · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
Hold thy strong arm and hear my Syphax know, I am thy servant now: I needs must love thee For (O my sex forgive) I must confess, we not affect protesting feebleness. entreats faint blushings, timorous modesty, We think our lover is but little man, Who is so full of woman: Know fair Prince Loves strongest arms not rude: for we still prove Without some fury there's no ardent love. We love our loves impatience of delay, Our noble sex was only borne t'obey To him that dares command. Why this is well. Th'excuse is good: wipe thy fair eyes our Queen, Make proud thy head now feel: more friendly strength Of thy lords arm: come touch my rougher skin. With thy soft lip Zanthia dress our bed, Forget old loves and clip him that through blood, And hell acquires his Wish think not but kiss, The flourish fore loves fight is Venus' bliss. Great dreadful Lord by thy affection Grant me one boon, know I have made a vow, Vow? what vow? speak. Nay if you take offence Let my soul suffer first and yet. offence? Not Sophonisba, hold, thy vow is free, As:— come thy lips. Alas cross misery As I do wish to live I long to enjoy, Your warm embrace, but O my vow 'tis thus, If ever my Lord died I vowed to him, A most, most private sacrifice, before I touched a second spouse: all I implore. Is but this liberty: This go obtain What time One hour. sweet good speed speed adieu Yet Syphax trust no more than thou mayst view. Vangue shall stay He stays. Zanthia, Zanthia Thou art not foul, go to, some Lords are oft So much in love with their known ladies bodies, That they oft love their vails, hold, hold thou'st find, To faithful care kings bounty hath no shore, You may do much. But let my gold do more. I am your creature. Be, get, 'tis no stain The God of service is however gain. Zanthia, where are we now? speak worth my service ha' we done well? Nay in height of best. I feared a superstitious virtue would spoil all, But now I find you above women rare, She that can time her goodness hath true care Of her best good. Nature at home begins She whose integrity herself hurts sins. For Massinissa, he was good and so, But he is dead, or worse, distressed, or more Than dead, or much distressed, O sad, poor whoever held such friends: no let him go Such faith is praised, then laughed at, for still know, Those are the living women that reduce, All that they touch unto their ease and use. Knowing that wedlock, virtue or good names, Are courses and varieties of reason To use or leave as they advantage them And absolute within themselves reposed, Only to Greatness Ope, to all else closed. Weak sanguine fools, are to their own good nice Before I held you virtuous but now wise.
seed 43: T2 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Hold thy strong arme and heare my Syphax know, I am thy seruant now: I needes must loue thee For (O my sex forgiue) I must confesse, Wee not affect protesting feeblenes. Intreats faint blushings, timerous modesty, We thinke our louer is but little man, Who is so full of woman: Know faire Prince Loues strongest armes not rude: for we still proue Without some fury thers no ardent loue. We loue our loues impatience of delay, Our noble sex was onely borne t'obay To him that dares commaund. Why this is well. Th'excuse is good: wipe thy faire eyes our Queene, Make proud thy head now feele: more frendly strēgth Of thy Lordes arme: come touch my rougher skin. With thy soft lip Zanthia dresse our bed, Forget ould loues and clip him that through blood, And hell acquir's his Wish thinke not but kisse, The florish fore loues fight is Venus blisse. Great dreadfull Lord by thy affection Grant mee one boone, know I haue made a vow, Vow? what vow? speake. Nay if you take offēce Let my soule suffer first and yet. offence? Not Sophonisba, hold, thy vow is free, As:—come thy lips. Alas crosse misery As I do wish to liue I long to inioy, Your warme imbrace, but O my vow tis thus, If euer my Lord died I vowed to him, A most, most priuate sacrifice, before I touched a second spouse: all I implore. Is but this liberty: This goe obtaine What time One hower. sweet good speed speed adew Yet Syphax trust no more then thou maist view. Vangue shall stay He stayes. Zanthia, Zanthia Thou art not foule, go to, some Lords are oft So much in loue with their knowne Ladyes bodies, That they oft loue their vails, hold, hold thou'st find, To faithfull care Kinges bounty hath no shore, You may do much. But let my gold do more. I am your creature. Bee, get, tis no staine The God of seruice is howeuer gaine. Zāthia, where are we now? speak worth my seruice Ha wee don well? Nay in haight of best. I feard a superstitious virtue woulde spoile all, But now I finde you aboue woemen rare, Shee that can time her goodnesse hath true care Of hir best good. Nature at home beginnes She whose integritye her selfe hurts sinnes. For Massinissa, hee was good and so, But hee is dead, or worse, distressed, or more Then dead, or much distressed, O sad, poore Who euer held such friendes: no let him goe Such faith is praisd, then laught at, for still knowe, Those are the liuing woemen that reduce, All that they touch vnto their ease and vse. Knowing that wedlock, virtue or good names, Are courses and varietyes of reason To vse or leaue as they aduantage them And absolute within themselues reposde, Onely to Greatnes Ope, to all els closde. Weake sanguine fooles, are to their owne good nice Before I held you vertuous but now wise.