Fletcher, John · published 1610 · first performed or written 1608 [1608-1609] (Annals) pastoral; tragicomedy · Children of the Queen's Revels T22 Shepherds, flocks and Pan typicality 0.89 · 518 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T22: shepherd, pan, shepherds, love, sheep, flocks, fair, shepherdess, swain, away.
Of smooth Lyeus, whose nigh starved flocks Are always scabby, and infect all sheep They feed withal, whose lambs are ever last, And die before their weaning, and whose dog, Looks like his Master, lean, and full of scurf, Not caring for the pipe or whistle: this man may (If he be well wrought) do a deed of wonder, Forcing me passage to my long desires: And here he comes, as fitly to my purpose As my quick thoughts could wish for. Fresh beauty, let me not be thought uncivil, Thus to be partner of your loneness: 'twas My love (that ever working passion) drew Me to this place to seek some remedy For my sick soul: be not unkind and fair, For such, the mighty Cupid in his dumb Hath sworn to be avenged on, then give room To my consuming fires, that so I may Enjoy my long desires, and so allay Those flames, that else would burn my life away. Shepherd, were I but sure thy heart were sound As thy words seem to be, means might be found To cure thee of thy long pains: for to me That heavy youth consuming misery, The love sick soul endures, never was pleasing, I could be well content with the quick easing Of thee & thy hot fires, might it procure Thy faith, and farther service to be sure. Name but that great work, danger, or what can Be compassed by the wit or art of man, And if I fail in my performance, may I never more kneel to the rising day, Then thus I try thee shepherd, this same night, That now comes stealing on, a gentle pair Have promised equal love, and do appoint To make yond wood the place, where hands and hearts Are to be tied for ever: break their meeting And their strong faith, and I am ever thine. Tell me their names, and if I do not move (y my great power) the center of their loue From his sixth being, let me never more, Warm me, by those fair eyes I thus adore. Come, as we go I'll tell thee what they are, And give thee fit directions for thy work. How have I wronged the times, or men, that thus, After this holy feast I pass unknown, And unsaluted? 'twas not wont to be Thus frozen with the younger company Of jolly shepherds: 'twas not then held good, For lusty grooms to mix their quicker blood With that dull humour: most unfit to be The friend of man, cold and dull chastity: Sure I am held not fair, or am too old, Or else not free enough, or from my fold Drive not a flock sufficient great, to gain The greedy eyes of wealth alluring swain. Yet if I may believe what others say, My face has foil enough, nor can they lay justly too strict a coyness to my charge. My flocks are many, and the downs as large They feed upon: then let it ever be Their coldness, not my virgin modesty Makes me complain.
nodes 338–400 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 6 of 40 in this edition
Length
518 words · 651 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T22 — Shepherds, flocks and Pancross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.886 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T24 · seed 44: T25 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Of smooth Lyeus, whose nye starued flockes Are alwaies scabby, and infect all sheepe They feede withall, whose lambes are euer last, And dye before their weaning, and whose dog, Lookes like his Maister, leane, and full of scurffe, Not caring for the pipe or whistle: this man may (If he be wel wrought) do a deede of wonder, Forcing me passage to my long desires: And heere he comes, as fitly to my purpose As my quicke thoughts could wish for. Fresh beautie, let me not be thought vnciuill, Thus to be partner of your lonenesse: t'was My loue (that euer working passion) drew Me to this place to seeke some remedie For my sicke soule: be not vnkinde and faire, For such, the mightie Cupid in his dombe Hath sworne to be aueng'd on, then giue roome To my consuming fires, that so I may Inioy my long desires, and so allay Those flames, that else would burne my life away. Shepheard, were I but sure thy heart were sound As thy words seeme to be, meanes might be found To cure thee of thy long paines: for to me That heauy youth consuming miserie, The loue sicke soule endures, neuer was pleasing, I could be well content with the quicke easing Of thee & thy hot fires, might it procure Thy faith, and farther seruice to be sure. Name but that great worke, danger, or what can Be compast by the wit or art of man, And if I faile in my performance, may I neuer more kneele to the rysing day, Then thus I try thee shepheard, this same night, That now comes stealing on, a gentle paire Haue promis'd equall loue, and do appoint To make yon wood the place, where hands and hearts Are to be tied for euer: breake their meeting And their strong faith, and I am euer thine. Tell me their names, and if I doe not moue (y my great power) the center of their loue From his sixt being, let me neuer more, Warme me, by those faire eies I thus adore. Come, as we goe Ile tell thee what they are, And giue thee fit directions for thy worke. How haue I wrongd the times, or men, that thus, After this holy feast I passe vnknowne, And vnsaluted? t'was not wont to be Thus frozen with the younger company Of iolly shepheards: t'was not then held good, For lusty groomes to mixe their quicker blood With that dull humor: most vnfit to be The friend of man, cold and dull chastitie: Sure I am held not faire, or am too ould, Or else not free enough, or from my fould Driue not a flocke sufficient great, to gaine The greedy eies of wealth alluring swaine. Yet if I may belieue what others say, My face has foile enough, nor can they lay Iustly too strict a coynesse to my charge. My flockes are many, and the downes as large They feed vppon: then let it euer be Their coldnesse, not my virgin modesty Makes me complaine.