Sharpham, Edward · published 1607 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) comedy · Children of the King's Revels T21 Cupid, Venus and the nymphs typicality 0.82 · 487 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T21: cupid, venus, love, ceres, diana, fair, nymphs, goddess, bow, damon.
They say Cupid is a boy, yet I have known him confute the opinion of all your Phylosphers: for they hold every light thing tends directly up: but I think all know he makes every light wench, fall directly down. Well I am sure a hath knocked me with his bird bolt, for the which Venus give him correction; for I do already love a Lady of an incomparable delicacy, but she's another man's, and will shut her ears as close to keep out charms, as great men do their gates, to keep in alms. Yet I have no reason to despair, for I have kissed her, and the French proverb says, Fame baissee est demi ioyee, a woman kissed is half enjoyed: but I fear he means but the upper half. I have here a Letter must work a strange thing, and yet no miracle, it must make a Lady love her friend better than her own husband. Save ye my Lord. O Wages! what Tennis-ball has fortune taken thee for, to toss thee thus into my way? I hope ye will not strike me into any hazard of my life though. But what's the news my Lad, what's the news? how doth Sir Timothie Troublesome, that jealous knight thy Master. Why sir, a doth with his wife like a cowardly Captain in a town of Garrison, fears every assault, trembles at the battery, and doubts most, least the gates should be opened, and his enemy let in at midnight. Now in the name of destiny who fears 'a? O sir, next to you self, none so much as your Courtier, for even with venomed Breath, a speaks of them: for saith he, have but a suit to one of them, & they are like Jordans, which though ye open the Floodgates of your bounty, and fill them to the very brim, yet they'll always stand gaping for more. But dost thou think his Lady honest? As woman's flesh may be. But she has been a Courtier, and therefore knowing most good, methinks she would commit least ill. O sir, I will not but with sanctified and hallowed thoughts, touch Sinthias brightest beams, whom all eyes do adore, and hearts do worship: where purest chastity doth shine in spotless robes of splendent majesty, where nature emulating heaven to make her even as fair as she is virtuous, but yet I well could wish, you know that in the sky of Court are many stars, the which at midnight shoot and fall. True, through most of the twelve signs, for they shoot from their Husbands at Aries (which governs the head) and fall at Scorpio, and so indeed they shoot from top to tail: but honest Wages, will ye bind me to y'. I think sir 'twill not be so much for your health, as if I should keep you sollable. I mean in courtesy good Wages.
nodes 139–154 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 8 of 46 in this edition
Length
487 words · 623 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T21 — Cupid, Venus and the nymphscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.823 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
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)
They say Cupid is a boy, yet I haue known him confute the oppinon of all your Phylosphers: for they hold euerie light thing tendes dyrectlye vp: but I thinke all knowe hee makes euerie light wench, fall directly downe. Well I am sure a hath knocked mee with his bird bolt, for the which Venus giue him correction; for I doe alreadie loue a Ladye of an imcomparable delicacie, but shee's another mans, and will shutte her eares as close to keepe out charmes, as great men doe their gates, to keepe in almes. Yet I haue no reason to dispaire, for I haue kis'd her, and the French prouerbe saies, Fame baissee est demie ioyee, a woman kis'd is halfe inioyed: but I feare he meanes but the vpper halfe. I haue heere a Letter must worke a strange thing, and yet no miracle, it must make a Laie loue her friend better then her owne husband. Saue ye my Lord. O Wages! what Tennis-ball ha's fortune taken thee for, to tosse thee thus into my way? I hope yee will not strike me into any hazard of my life though. But what's the newes my Lad, what's the newes? how doth Sir Timothie Troublesome, that iellious knight thy Maister. Why sir, a doth with his wife like a cowardly Captaine in a towne of Garrison, feares euerie assault, trembles at the battery, and doubts moste, least the gates should bee opened, and his enemie let in at midnight. Now in the name of destiny who feares a? O sir▪ next to you self, none so much as your Courtier, for euen with vennum'd Breath, a speaks of them: for saith he, haue but a suite to one of thē, & they are like Iourdaines, which though ye open the Fludgates of your bountie, and fill them to the verie brimme, yet theile alwaies stand gaping for more. But doost thou thinke his Ladie honest? As womans flesh may be. But shee ha's beene a Courtier, and therfore knowing moste good, me thinkes she would commit least ill. O sir, I will not but with sanctified and halowed thoughts, touch Sinthias brightest beames, whome all eyes doe adore, and hearts doe worship: where purest chastitie doth shine in spotlesse robes of splendant maiestie, where nature emulating heauen to make her euen as faire as she is vertuous, but yet I well could wish, you know y•in the skie of Court are many starres, the which at midnight shoote and fall. True, through moste of the twelue signes, for they shoote from their Husbands at Aries (which gouerns the head) and fall at Scorpio, and so indeede they shoot from top to taile: but honest Wages, will ye binde me to 'y. I thinke sir twill not bee so much for your health, as if I should keepe you sollable. I meane in courtesie good Wages.