Massinger, Philip · published 1624 · first performed or written 1623 [licensed for stage, Dec 3] (Annals) tragicomedy · Lady Elizabeth's Men · Phoenix/Cockpit unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
Sweet, take comfort, And what I offer you, you must vouchsafe me, Or I am wretched; all the dangers, that I can encounter in the War, and trifles; My enemies abroad to be contemned; The dreadful foes, that have the power to hurt me, I leave at home with you. With me? Nay, in you, On every part about you, they are armed To fight against me. Where? there's no perfection That you are Mistress of, but musters up A Legion against me, and all sworn To my destruction. This is strange! But true, sweet, Excess of love can work such miracles. Upon this ivory forehead are entrenched Ten thousand rivals, and these sun's command, Supplies from all the world, on pain to forfeit Their comfortable beams; these Ruby lips, A rich Exchequer to assure their pay; This hand, Sibylla's golden bough to guard them Through Hell, and horror, to the Elysian Springs; Which who'll not venture for? and should I name Such as the virtues of your mind invite, Their numbers would be infinite. Can you think, I may be tempted? You were never proved. For me I have conversed with you no farther, Then would become a Brother. I ne'er tuned Loose Notes to your chaste ears; or brought rich Presents For my Artillery, to batter down, The fortress of your honour, nor endeavoured To make your blood run high at solemn Feasts With Viands, that provoke; (the speeding Philtres) I worked no Bawds to tempt you; never practised The cunning, and corrupting Arts they study, That wander in the wild Maze of desire; Honest simplicity, and Truth were all The Agents I employed, and when I came To see you, it was with that reverence, As I beheld the Altars of the gods; And love, that came along with me, was taught To leave his Arrows, and his Torch behind, Quenched in my fear to give offence. And 'twas That modesty that took me, and preserves me, Like a fresh Rose, in mine own natural sweetness; Which sullied with the touch of impute hands, Loose both sent and beauty. But, Cleora, When I am absent, as I must go from you, (such is the cruelty of my fate) and leave you Unguarded, to the violent assaults Of loose temptations; when the memory Of my so many years of Love, and service, Is lost in other objects; when you are courted By such as keep a Catalogue of their Conquests, Won upon credulous Virgins; when nor Father Is here to owe you; Brother to advise you; Nor your poor servant by, to keep such off, By lust instructed how to undermine, And blow your chastity up; when your weak senses At once assaulted, shall conspire against you; And play the traitors to your soul, your virtue: How can you stand? 'faith though you fall, and I The judge, before whom you then stood accused, I should acquit you.
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)
Sweet, take comfort, And what I offer you, you must vouchsafe me, Or I am wretched; all the dangers, that I can incounter in the War, and trifles; My enemies abroad to be contemn'd; The dreadfull foes, that haue the power to hurt me, I leaue at home with you. With mee? Nay, in you, On euery part about you, they are arm'd To fight against me. Where? Ther's no perfection That you are Mistris of, but musters vp A Legion against me, and all sworne To my destruction. This is strange! But true, sweet, Excesse of loue can worke such miracles. Vpon this Iuory fore-head are intrench'd Ten thousand riuals, and these Sunnes command, Supplies from all the world, on paine to forfeit Their comfortable beames; these Rubie lips, A rich Exchecquer to assure their pay; This hand, Sibillas golden bough to guard them Through Hell, and horror, to the Elizian Springs; Which who'll not venter for? and should I name Such as the vertues of your minde inuite, Their numbers would be infinite. Can you thinke, I may be tempted? You were neuer prou'd. For me I haue conuers'd with you no farther, Then would become a Brother. I ne're tun'd Loose Notes to your chaste eares; or brought rich Presents For my Artillery, to batter downe, The fortresse of your honour, nor endeuour'd To make your blood runne high at solemne Feasts With Viands, that prouoke; (the speeding Philtres) I work'd no Baudes to tempt you; neuer practis'd The cunning, and corrupting Arts they studie, That wander in the wilde Maze of desire; Honest simplicitie, and Truth were all The Agents I imployd, and when I came To see you, it was with that reuerence, As I beheld the Altars of the gods; And loue, that came along with me, was taught To leaue his Arrowes, and his Torch behinde, Quench'd in my feare to giue offence. And 'twas That modesty that tooke me, and preserues me, Like a fresh Rose, in mine owne naturall sweetnesse; Which sulli'd with the touch of impute hands, Loose both sent and beauty. But, Cleora, When I am absent, as I must goe from you, (such is the cruelty of my fate) and leaue you Vnguarded, to the violent assaults Of loose temptations; when the memory Of my so many yeares of Loue, and seruice, Is lost in other obiects; when you are courted By such as keepe a Catalogue of their Conquests, Wonne vpon credulous Virgins; when nor Father Is here to owe you; Brother to aduise you; Nor your poore seruant by, to keepe such off, By lust instructed how to vndermine, And blow your chastity vp; when your weake senses At once assaulted, shall conspire against you; And play the traytors to your soule, your vertue: How can you stand? 'faith though you fall, and I The iudge, before whom you then stood accus'd, I should acquit you.