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 0.84 · 500 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T22: shepherd, pan, shepherds, love, sheep, flocks, fair, shepherdess, swain, away.
Was ever man but I, Thus truly taken with uncertainty? Where shall that man be found that loves a mind Made up in constancy, and dares not find his love rewarded? here, let all men know, A wretch that lives to love his mistress so. Shepherd I pray thee stay, where haste thou been, Or whether goest thou? here be woods as green As any, air as fresh and sweet, As where smooth Zephirus plays on the fleet Face of the curled streams: with flowers as many As the young spring gives, and as choice as any: Here be all new delights, cool streams and wells, Arbours are grown with woodbines, Caves, and dels, Choose where thou wilt, whilst I sit by and sing, Or gather rushes, to make many a ring For thy long fingers, tell thee tales of love, How the pale Phoebe hunting in a grove, First saw the boy Endymion, from whose eyes, She took eternal fire, that never dies, How she conveyed him softly in a sleep, His temples bound with poppy to the steep Head of old Latmus, where she stoops each night, Gilding the mountain with her brother's light To kiss her sweetest. Far from me are these Hot flashes bred from wanton heat and ease, I have forgot what love and loving meant, Rhymes, Songs, and merry rounds, that oft are sent To the soft ear of Maid, are strange to me: Only I live t'admire a chastity, That neither pleasing age, smooth tongue, or gold, Could ever break upon, so sure the mould Is, that her mind was cast in: 'tis to her I only am reserved, she is my form, I stir By, breath, and move: 'tis she and only she Can make me happy or give misery. Good Shepherd, may a stranger crave to know, To whom this dear observance you do owe? Ye may, and by her virtue learn to square And level out your life: for to be fair And nothing virtuous, only fits the eye Of gaudy youth, and swelling vanity. Then know, she's called the virgin of the grove, She that hath long since buried her chaste love, And now lives by his grave, for whose dear soul She hath vowed herself into the holy role Of strict virginity, 'tis her I so admire, Not any looser blood or new desire. Farewell poor swain, thou art not for my bend, I must have quicker souls, whose words may tend, To some free action: give me him dare love At first encounter, and as soon dare prove. Come Shepherds come, Come away without delay, Whilst the gentle time doth stay, Green woods are dumb, And will never tell to any, Those dear kisses, and those many Sweet embraces that are given, Dainty pleasures that would even Raise in coldest age a fire, And give virgin blood desire. Then if ever, Now or never, Come and have it, Think not I, Dare deny, If you crave it.
nodes 401–469 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 7 of 40 in this edition
Length
500 words · 643 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T22 — Shepherds, flocks and Pancross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.842 (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)
Was euer man but I, Thus truely taken with vncertaintie? Where shall that man be found that loues a minde Made vp in constancy, and dares not finde his loue rewarded? heere, let all men knowe, A wretch that liues to loue his mistres so. Shepheard I pray thee stay, where haste thou bene, Or whether goest thou? heere be woods as greene As any, ayre as fresh and sweet, As where smooth Zephirus plaies on the fleet Face of the curled streames: with flowers as many As the young spring giues, and as choise as any: Heere be all new delights, coole streames and wels, Arbors are growne with wood bines, Caues, and dels, Chuse where thou wilt, whilst I sit by and sing, Or gather rushes, to make many a ring For thy long fingers, tell thee tales of loue, How the pale Phoebe hunting in a groue, First saw the boy Endimion, from whose eyes, She tooke eternall fire, that neuer dies, How she conuaid him softly in a sleepe, His temples bound with poppy to the steep Head of old Latmus, where she stoopes each night, Gilding the mountaine with her brothers light To kisse her sweetest. Farre from me are these Hot flashes bred from wanton heat and ease, I haue forgot what loue and louing meant, Rimes, Songs, and merry rounds, that oft are sent To the soft eare of Maid, are strange to me: Onely I liue t'admire a chastity, That neither pleasing age, smooth tongue, or gold, Could euer breake vpon, so sure the molde Is, that her minde was cast in: tis to her I onely am reserued, she is my forme, I stirre By, breath, and mooue: tis she and only she Can make me happy or giue misery. Good Shepheard, may a stranger craue to know, To whome this deare obseruance you do owe? Ye may, and by her vertue learne to square And leuell out your life: for to be faire And nothing vertuous, onely fits the eye Of gaudy youth, and swelling vanitie. Then knowe, shee's cald the virgin of the groue, She that hath long since buried her chaste loue, And now liues by his graue, for whose deare soule She hath vowd her selfe into the holy role Of strickt virginitie, tis her I so admire, Not any looser blood or new deire. Farewell poore swaine, thou art not for my bend, I must haue quicker soules, whose words may tend, To some free action: giue me him dare loue At first encounter, and as soone dare prooue. Come Shepheards come, Come away without delay, Whilste the gentle time doth stay, Greene woods are dumme, And will neuer tell to any, Those deere kisses, and those many Sweete imbraces that are giuen, Dainty pleasures that would euen Raise in coldest age a fire, And giue virgin blood desire. Then if euer, Now or neuer, Come and haue it, Thinke not I, Dare deny, If you craue it.