The Royal Entertainment at Caversham · chunk 3 of 4
Campion, Thomas · published 1613 · first performed or written 1613 [Apr 27-28] (Annals) entertainment; masque; royal entertainment or entry · before the Court unassigned nearest T21 Cupid, Venus and the nymphs · 524 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T21: cupid, venus, love, ceres, diana, fair, nymphs, goddess, bow, damon.
Wonder not (great Goddess) at the sweetness of our Garden-aire (though passing sweet it be) Flora hath perfumed it for you (Flora our mistress, and your servant) who invites you yet further into her Paradise; she invisibly will lead your grace the way, and we (as our duty is) visibly stay behind. O joys exceeding? From love, from power of your wished sight proceeding! As a fair morn shines divinely, Such is your view, appearing more divinely. Your steps ascending, Raise high your thoughts for your content contending; All our hearts of this grace vaunting, Now leap as they were moved by enchanting. A Hall, a hall for men of moment; Rationals, and Irrationals; but yet not all of one breeding. For I an Academic am, refined by travel that have learned what to Courtship belongs, and so divine a presence as this; if we press passed good manners, laugh at our follies, for you cannot show us more favour, then to laugh at us. If we prove ridiculous in your sights, we are gracious; and therefore we beseech you to laugh at us. For mine own part (I thank my Stars for it) I have been laughed at in most parts of Christendom. I can neither brag of my Travels, nor yet am ashamed of my profession; I make sweet walks for fair Ladies; Flowers I prepare to adorn them; close Arbours I build wherein their loves unseen may court them; and who can do Ladies better service, or more acceptable? when I was a Child and lay in my Cradle, (a very pretty Child) I remember well that Lady Venus appeared unto me, and setting a Silver Spade and Rake by my Pillow, bade me prove a Gardener; I told my Mother of it (as became the duty of a good Child) whereupon she provided strait for me two great Platters full of Pap; which having dutifully devoured, I grew to this portraiture you see, sprung sodainely out of my Cabin, and fell to my profession. Verily by thy discourse thou hast Traveled much, and I am ashamed of myself that I come so far behind thee; as not once to have yet mentioned Venus or Cupid, or any other of the gods to have appeared to me. But I will henceforth boast truly, that I have now seen a Deity as far beyond theirs, as the beauty of light is beyond darkness, or this Feast whereof we have had our share, is beyond thy Salads. Sure I am, it hath stirred up strange thoughts in me; never knew I the difference between Wine and Water before. Bacchus hath opened mine eyes, I now see bravery and admire it, beauty & adore it. I find my Arms naked, my discourse rude, but my heart soft as Wax, ready to melt with the least beam of a fair eye; which (till this time) was as untractable as Iron. I much joy in thy conversion, thou hast long been a mad fellow, and now prouest a good fellow, let us all therefore join together sociably in a Song, to the honour of good fellowship.
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)
Wonder not (great Goddesse) at the sweetnesse of our Garden-aire (though passing sweet it be) Flora hath perfumed it for you (Flora our mistresse, and your seruant) who enuites you yet further into her Paradise; shee inuisibly will leade your grace the way, and we (as our duetie is) visibly stay behinde. O Ioyes exceeding? From loue, frō power of your wisht sight proceeding! As a faire morne shines diuinely, Such is your view, appearing more diuinely. Your steppes ascending, Raise high your thoughts for your content contending; All our hearts of this grace vaunting, Now leape as they were moued by inchaunting. A Hall, a hall for men of moment; Rationals, and Irrationals; but yet not all of one breeding. For I an Academicke am, refined by trauell that haue learn'd what to Courtship belongs, and so deuine a presence as this; if we presse past good manners, laugh at our follies, for you cannot shew vs more fauour, then to laugh at vs. If we proue ridiculous in your sights, we are gracious; and therefore wee beseech you to laugh at vs. For mine owne part (I thanke my Starres for it) I haue beene laught at in most parts of Christendome. I can neither bragge of my Trauels, nor yet am ashamed of my profession; I make sweet walkes for faire Ladies; Flowers I prepare to adorne them; close Arbours I build wherein their Loues vnseene may court them; and who can doe Ladies better seruice, or more acceptable? when I was a Child and lay in my Cradle, (a very pretie Child) I remember well that Lady Venus appeared vnto me, and setting a Siluer Spade and Rake by my Pillow, bad me proue a Gardiner; I told my Mother of it (as became the duetie of a good Child) whereupon shee prouided straight for mee two great Platters full of Pappe; which hauing duetifully deuoured, I grew to this portrature you see, sprung fodainely out of my Cabine, and fell to my profession. Verily by thy discourse thou hast Trauelled much, and I am asham'd of my selfe that I come so farre behind thee; as not once to haue yet mentioned Venus or Cupid, or any other of the gods to haue appeared to mee. But I will henceforth boast truely, that I haue now seene a Dietie as farre beyond theirs, as the beautie of light is beyond darknesse, or this Feast whereof we haue had our share, is beyond thy Sallets. Sure I am, it hath stir'd vp strange thoughts in me; neuer knew I the difference betweene Wine and Water before. Bacchus hath opened mine eyes, I now see brauerie and admire it, beautie & adore it. I find my Armes naked, my discourse rude, but my heart soft as Waxe, ready to melt with the least beame of a faire eye; which (till this time) was as vntractable as Iron. I much ioy in thy conuersion, thou hast long beene a mad fellow, and now proues a good fellow, let vs all therefore ioyne together sociably in a Song, to the honour of good fellowship.