Hymenaei, or the Solemnities of Masque and Barriers at a Marriage (Truth versus Opinion) · chunk 4 of 4
Jonson, Ben · published 1616 · first performed or written 1606 [Jan 5] (Annals) masque unassigned nearest T28 Marriage-making: weddings, brides and ma · 564 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T28: married, marriage, wedding, day, bride, father, wife, luce, love, husband.
And then, what rules husbands praescribe their wiues! In their eyes circles, they must bound their liues. The moone, when farthest from the sunne she shines, Is most refulgent; neerest, most declines: But your poore wiues farre off must neuer rome, But wast their beauties, neere their lords at home: And when their lords range out, at home must hide (Like to beg'd monopolies) all their pride. When their lords list to feed a serious fit They must be serious; when to shew their wit In iests, and laughter, they must laugh and iest; When they wake, wake; and when they rest, must rest. And to their wiues men giue such narrow scopes, As if they meant to make them walke on ropes: No tumblers bide more perill of their neckes In all their trickes; then wiues in husbands checkes. Where virgins, in their sweet, and peacefull state Haue all things perfect; spinne their owne free fate; Depend on no proud second; are their owne Center, and circle; Now, and alwayes one. To whose example, we doe still heare nam'd One god, one nature, and but one world fram'd, One sunne, one moone, one element of fire, So, of the rest; one king, that doth inspire Soule, to all bodies, in their royall spheare: And where is marriage more declar'd, then there? Is there a band more strict, then that doth tie The soule, and body in such vnity? Subiects to soueraignes? doth one mind display In th'ones obedience, and the others sway? Beleeue it, marriage suffers no compare, When both estates are valew'd, as they are. The virgin were a strange, and stubborne thing, Would longer stay a virgin, then to bring Her selfe fit vse, and profit in a make. How she doth erre! and the whole heau'n mistake! Looke, how a flower, that close in closes growes, Hid from rude cattell, bruised with no ploughes, Which th' ayre doth stroke, sun strengthē, showres shoot higher, It many youths, and many maydes desire; The same, when cropt by cruell hand is wither'd, No youths at all, no maydens haue desir'd: So a virgin, while vntouch'd she doth remaine, Is deare to hers; but when with bodies staine Her chaster flower is lost, she leaues to appeare Or sweet to young men, or to maydens deare. That conquest then may crowne me in this warre, Virgins, O virgins, flie from HYMEN farre. Virgins, O virgins, to sweet HYMEN yeeld, For as a lone vine, in a naked field, Neuer extolls her branches, neuer beares Ripe grapes, but with a headlong heauinesse weares Her tender body, and her highest sproote Is quickly leuell'd with her fading roote; By whom no husbandmen, no youths will dwell; But if, by fortune, she be married well To th'elme her husband, many husbandmen, And many youths inhabit by her, then: So whilst a virgin doth, vntouch't, abide All vnmanu'd, she growes old, with her pride; But when to equall wedlocke, in fit time, Her fortune, and endeuor lets her clime, Deare to her loue, and parents she is held. Virgins, O virgins, to sweet HYMEN yeeld. These are but words; hast thou a knight will trie (By stroke of armes) the simple veritie? To that high proofe I would haue dared thee. Ile strait fetch champions for the bride and me. The like will I doe for Virginity.
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)
And then, what rules husbands praescribe their wiues! In their eyes circles, they must bound their liues. The moone, when farthest from the sunne she shines, Is most refulgent; neerest, most declines: But your poore wiues farre off must neuer rome, But wast their beauties, neere their lords at home: And when their lords range out, at home must hide (Like to beg'd monopolies) all their pride. When their lords list to feed a serious fit They must be serious; when to shew their wit In iests, and laughter, they must laugh and iest; When they wake, wake; and when they rest, must rest. And to their wiues men giue such narrow scopes, As if they meant to make them walke on ropes: No tumblers bide more perill of their neckes In all their trickes; then wiues in husbands checkes. Where virgins, in their sweet, and peacefull state Haue all things perfect; spinne their owne free fate; Depend on no proud second; are their owne Center, and circle; Now, and alwayes one. To whose example, we doe still heare nam'd One god, one nature, and but one world fram'd, One sunne, one moone, one element of fire, So, of the rest; one king, that doth inspire Soule, to all bodies, in their royall spheare: And where is marriage more declar'd, then there? Is there a band more strict, then that doth tie The soule, and body in such vnity? Subiects to soueraignes? doth one mind display In th'ones obedience, and the others sway? Beleeue it, marriage suffers no compare, When both estates are valew'd, as they are. The virgin were a strange, and stubborne thing, Would longer stay a virgin, then to bring Her selfe fit vse, and profit in a make. How she doth erre! and the whole heau'n mistake! Looke, how a flower, that close in closes growes, Hid from rude cattell, bruised with no ploughes, Which th' ayre doth stroke, sun strengthē, showres shoot higher, It many youths, and many maydes desire; The same, when cropt by cruell hand is wither'd, No youths at all, no maydens haue desir'd: So a virgin, while vntouch'd she doth remaine, Is deare to hers; but when with bodies staine Her chaster flower is lost, she leaues to appeare Or sweet to young men, or to maydens deare. That conquest then may crowne me in this warre, Virgins, O virgins, flie from HYMEN farre. Virgins, O virgins, to sweet HYMEN yeeld, For as a lone vine, in a naked field, Neuer extolls her branches, neuer beares Ripe grapes, but with a headlong heauinesse weares Her tender body, and her highest sproote Is quickly leuell'd with her fading roote; By whom no husbandmen, no youths will dwell; But if, by fortune, she be married well To th'elme her husband, many husbandmen, And many youths inhabit by her, then: So whilst a virgin doth, vntouch't, abide All vnmanu'd, she growes old, with her pride; But when to equall wedlocke, in fit time, Her fortune, and endeuor lets her clime, Deare to her loue, and parents she is held. Virgins, O virgins, to sweet HYMEN yeeld. These are but words; hast thou a knight will trie (By stroke of armes) the simple veritie? To that high proofe I would haue dared thee. Ile strait fetch champions for the bride and me. The like will I doe for Virginity.