Massinger, Philip · published 1624 · first performed or written 1623 [licensed for stage, Dec 3] (Annals) tragicomedy · Lady Elizabeth's Men · Phoenix/Cockpit unassigned nearest T48 Addressing a lady: love, desire and inti · 513 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T48: lady, love, heart, fair, eyes, la, lord, tears, fie, face.
Speak gently, Her fears may kill her else. Now love inspire me! Still shall this Canopy of envious night Obscure my Suns of comfort? and those dainties Of purest white and red, which I take in at My greedy eyes, denied my famished senses? The Organs of your hearing yet are open; And you infringe no vow, though you vouchsafe, To give them warrant, to convey unto Your understanding parts the story of A tortured and despairing Lover, whom Not Fortune but affection marks your slave. Shake not, best Lady; for (believe't) you are As far from danger as I am from force. All violence I'll offer, tends no farther Than to relate my sufferings, which I dare not Presume to do, till by some gracious sign You show, you are pleased to hear me. If you are, Hold forth your right hand. So, 'tis done, and I With my glad lips seal humbly on your foot, My soul's thanks for the favour: I forbear To tell you who I am, what wealth, what honours I made exchange of to become your servant: And though I knew, worthy Leosthenes (For sure he must be worthy, for whose love You have endured so much) to be my rival, When rage, and jealousy counselled me to kill him, (Which then I could have done with much more ease, Then now, in fear to grieve you, I dare speak it) Love seconded with duty boldly told me, The man I hated, fair Cleora favoured, And that was his protection. See, she bows Her head in sign of thankfulness. He removed, By th'occasion of the war (my fires increasing By being closed, and stopped up) frantic affection prompted me to do something in his absence, That might deliver you into my power, Which you see is effected, and even now, When my rebellious passions chide my dulness, And tell me how much I abuse my fortunes; Now 'tis in my power to bear you hence, Or take my wishes here, (nay, fear not Madam True love's a servant, brutish lust a Tyrant) I dare not touch those viands, that ne'er taste well, But when they are freely offered: only thus much, Be pleased I may speak in my own dear cause, And think it worthy your consideration. I have loved truly, (cannot say deserved, Since duty must not take the name of merit) That I so far prize your content, before All blessings, that my hopes can fashion to me, That willingly I entertain despair, And for your sake embrace it. For I know, This opportunity lost, by no endeavour The like can be recovered. To conclude, Forget not, that I lose myself, to save you. For what can I expect, but death and torture The war being ended? and, what is a task Would trouble Hercules to undertake, I do deny you to myself, to give you A pure unspotted present to my rival. I have said, if it distaste not, best of Virgins, Reward my temperance with some lawful favour, Though you contemn my person.
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)
Speake gently, Her feares may kill her else. Now loue inspire me! Still shall this Canopie of enuious night Obscure my Suns of comfort? and those dainties Of purest white and red, which I take in at My greedy eyes, deny'd my famish'd senses? The Organs of your hearing yet are open; And you infringe no vow, though you vouchsafe, To giue them warrant, to conuey vnto Your vnderstanding parts the story of A tortur'd and dispairing Louer, whom Not Fortune but affection markes your slaue. Shake not, best Lady; for (belee't) you are As farre from danger as I am from force. All violence I'le offer, tendes no farther Then to relate my suffrings, which I dare not Presume to doe, till by some gratious signe You shew, you are pleas'd to heare me. If you are, Hold forth your right hand. So, 'tis done, and I With my glad lips seale humbly on your foot, My soules thankes for the fauour: I forbeare To tell you who I am, what wealth, what honours I made exchange of to become your seruant: And though I knew, worthy Leosthenes (For sure he must be worthy, for whose loue You haue endur'd so much) to be my riuall, When rage, and iealousie counsail'd me to kill him, (Which then I could haue done with much more ease, Then now, in feare to grieue you, I dare speake it) Loue seconded with duty boldly told me, The man I hated, faire Cleora fauour'd, And that was his protection. See, she bowes Her head in signe of thankfulnesse. He remou'd, By th'occasion of the war (my fires increasing By being clos'd, and stop'd vp) franticke affection prompted me to doe something in his absence, That might deliuer you into my power, Which you see is effected, and euen now, When my rebellious passions chide my dulnesse, And tell me how much I abuse my fortunes; Now 'tis in my power to beare you hence, Or take my wishes here, (nay, feare not Madam True loue's a seruant, brutish lust a Tyrant) I dare not touch those viands, that ne're taste well, But when they are freely offred: only thus much, Be pleas'd I may speake in my owne deare cause, And thinke it worthy your consideration. I haue lou'd truly, (cannot say deseru'd, Since duty must not take the name of merit) That I so farre prise your content, before All blessings, that my hopes can fashion to mee, That willingly I entertaine despayre, And for your sake embrace it. For I know, This opportunity lost, by no endeauour The like can be recouer'd. To conclude, Forget not, that I lose my selfe, to saue you. For what can I expect, but death and torture The warre being ended? and, what is a taske Would trouble Hercules to vndertake, I doe deny you to my selfe, to giue you A pure vnspotted present to my riuall. I haue said, if it distaste not, best of Virgins, Reward my temperance with some lawfull fauour, Though you contemne my person.