The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the Garland · chunk 15 of 54
Cumber, John · published 1620 · first performed or written 1619 [1619-1620] (Annals) comedy · Red Bull (Revels) Company (first) · before the Court unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 481 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
I do not come to task you to your word, But to behold the Riches I have lost, That must confess myself unworthy of you. Hither I came resolved, to let you know That I durst look upon you, and could lose you Without sigh or tear: but having seen you, You have afresh kindled the fire again, And I must die a Martyr in your love. What shall we do Iulia? Dost thou see The sad and downcast countenance of thy Brother? I love him for his own sake, and for thine, And would not have him perish; which I fear. Troth madam I doubt him too: but if the worst come to the worst, 'tis but a foolish Lover cast away. There are some flattering ways yet to restore him, if we could light on 'em. Alas good Dorilus. I never yet had other Testimony Of your strong love, then that which all you Men Unto your Ends can feign better than Women, Sighs and sad words, mingled with some Tears. If those had not been witnesses sufficient, Why did you not enjoin me to a Task, Harder than ever Cruelty did yet? You should ha' said; I dare thee Dorilus To die: or do but say so yet, That I may be assured you can love Dorilus dead, whom living you despised, And I will at your feet yield my latest breath. I prithee think me not a Murderess, To take delight in blood: no, my dear Dorilus, Live, and live long, that I may love thee so. Yet if thy love be, as thou dost profess, No danger, travail, nothing that Art. can do, Obtained with much loss, greater difficulty, Will be left unattempted: therefore, to try What strength it holds in thee, and make it gained, Better esteemed of, being hardly got, I shall enjoin thee to a strange Design. Let it be dangerous, and 'tis the better, And I shall easilier accomplish it. It is not dangerous, nor impossible, For I have read even in effect the like To have been obtained for a— Queen. Pray speak it. A Garland of the rarest Flowers on Earth, The choicest to the Eye, and to the scent, Set with such Fruits the season of the year Affords not in this Clime, And it must have The virtue of continuing ever fresh, As long as you remain constant in love. This is the Task, which if you can obtain. By all the Faith in Woman, and that justice Which punisheth all Perjurers, I vow Thou shalt embrace all thy desires in me. A Garland of all Flowers? Of all the Earth produceth, that are choice: If I, or any one that sees it, can Call any Flower by a Name, not there, You not perform your Enterprise. This is a Task indeed. She has sent you a picking.
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)
I donnot come to taske you to your word, But to behold the Riches I haue lost, That must confesse my selfe vnworthy of you. Hither I came resolu'd, to let you know That I durst looke vpon you, and could lose you Without sigh or teare: but hauing seene you, You haue afresh kindled the fire againe, And I must die a Martyr in your loue. What shall we doe Iulia? Do'st thou see The sad and downe-cast countenance of thy Brother? I loue him for his owne sake, and for thine, And wud not haue him perish; which I feare. Troth Madame I doubt him too: but if the worst come to the worst, 'tis but a foolish Louer cast away. There are some flattering wayes yet to restore him, if we could light on 'hem. Alas good Dorilus. I neuer yet had other Testimonie Of your strong loue, then that which all you Men Vnto your Ends can faine better then Women, Sighs and sad words, mingled with some Teares. If those had not bin witnesses sufficient, Why did you not enioyne me to a Taske, Harder then euer Crueltie did yet? You should ha' said; I dare thee Dorilus To die: or doe but say so yet, That I may be assured you can loue Dorilus dead, whom liuing you despis'd, And I will at your feet yeeld my lat'st breath. I prythee thinke me not a Murderesse, To take delight in bloud: no, my deare Dorilus, Liue, and liue long, that I may loue thee so. Yet if thy loue be, as thou do'st professe, No danger, trauaile, nothing that Art. can doe, Obtain'd with much losse, greater difficultie, Will be left vnattempted: therefore, to try What strength it holds in thee, and make it gain'd, Better esteem'd of, being hardly got, I shall enioyne thee to a strange Designe. Let it be dangerous, and 'tis the better, And I shall easilier accomplish it. It is not dangerous, nor impossible, For I haue read euen in effect the like To haue bin obtained for a—Queene. Pray speake it. A Garland of the rarest Flowers on Earth, The choisest to the Eye, and to the Sent, Set with such Fruits the season of the yeere Affoords not in this Clyme, And it must haue The vertue of continuing euer fresh, As long as you remaine constant in loue. This is the Taske, which if you can obtaine. By all the Faith in VVoman, and that Iustice VVhich punisheth all Periurers, I vow Thou shalt embrace all thy desires in me. A Garland of all Flowers? Of all the Earth produceth, that are choise: If I, or any one that sees it, can Call any Flower by a Name, not there, You not performe your Enterprise. This is a Taske indeed. She ha's sent you a picking.