Massinger, Philip · published 1624 · first performed or written 1623 [licensed for stage, Dec 3] (Annals) tragicomedy · Lady Elizabeth's Men · Phoenix/Cockpit T48 Addressing a lady: love, desire and inti typicality 0.87 · 477 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T48: lady, love, heart, fair, eyes, la, lord, tears, fie, face.
I forgive you. How greedily I receive this? Stay, best Lady, And let me by degrees ascend the height Of humane happiness; All at once delivered, The torrent of my joys will overwhelm me; So, now a little more; And pray excuse me, If like a wanton Epicure I desire, The pleasant taste these cates of comfort yield me, should not too soon be swallowed. Have you not (By your unspotted truth, I do conjure you To answer truly) suffered in your honour: (By force, I mean, for in your will I free you) Since I left Syracusa? I restore This kiss, (so help me goodness,) which I borrowed, When I last saw you. Miracle of virtue! One pause more, I beseech you, I am like A man, whose vital spirits consumed, and wasted With a long and tedious Fever, unto whom Too much of a strong Cordial at once taken Brings death, and not restores him. Yet I cannot Fix here: but must inquire the man, to whom I stand indebted for a benefit, Which to requite at full, though in this hand I grasped all Sceptres the world's Empire bow to, Would leave me a poor bankrupt; name him, Lady; If of a mean estate, I'll gladly part with My utmost fortunes to him; but if noble, In thankful duty study how to serve him; Or if of higher rank, erect him Altars, And (as a god) adore him. If that goodness, And noble temperance (the Queen of virtues) Bridling rebellious passions (to whose sway, Such as have conquered Nations have lived slaves) Did ever wing great minds to fly to heaven; He that preserved mine honour, may hope boldly To fill a seat among the gods, and shake of Our frail corruption. Forward. Or if ever, The powers above did mask in humane shapes, To teach mortality, not by cold precepts Forgot as soon as told, but by examples, To imitate their pureness, and draw near To their Celestial Natures; I believe he's more than man. You do describe a wonder. Which will increase, when you shall understand, He was a lover. Not yours, Lady? Yes, Loved me, Leosthenes; Nay more, so doted, (If clear affections scorning gross desires May without wrong be styled so) that he durst not With an immodest syllable, or look, In fear it might take from me, whom he made The object of his better part, discover, I was the Saint, he sued too. A rare tempter! I cannot speak it to the worth: All praise I can bestow upon it, will appear Envious detraction. Not to rack you farther, Yet make the miracle full; though of all men He hated you Leosthenes, as his rival: So high yet he prized my content, that knowing You were a man I favoured, he disdained not Against himself to serve you.
seed 43: T31 · seed 44: T44 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I forgiue you. How greedily I receiue this? Stay, best Lady, And let me by degrees ascend the height Of humane happinesse; All at once deliuer'd, The torrent of my ioyes will ouerwhelme me; So, now a little more; And pray excuse me, If like a wanton Epicure I desire, The pleasant taste these cates of comfort yeild me, should not too soone be swallow'd. Haue you not (By your vnspotted truth, I doe coniure you To answer truly) suffer'd in your honour: (By force, I meane, for in your will I free you) Since I left Syracusa? I restore This kisse, (so help me goodnesse,) which I borrow'd, When I last saw you. Miracle of vertue! One pawse more, I beseech you, I am like A man, whose vitall spirits consum'd, and wasted With a long and tedious Feuer, vnto whom Too much of a strong Cordiall at once taken Brings death, and not restores him. Yet I cannot Fixe here: but must enquire the man, to whom I stand indebted for a benefit, Which to requite at full, though in this hand I grasp'd all Scepters the worlds Empire bow to, Would leaue me a poore Bank'rout; name him, Lady; If of a meane estate, I'le gladly part with My vtmost fortunes to him; but if noble, In thankfull duty studie how to serue him; Or if of higher rancke, erect him Altars, And (as a god) adore him. If that goodnesse, And noble temperance (the Queene of vertues) Bridling rebellous passions (to whose sway, Such as haue conquer'd Nations haue liu'd slaues) Did euer wing great mindes to flye to heauen; He that preseru'd mine honour, may hope boldly To fill a seat among the gods, and shake of Our fraile corruption. Forward. Or if euer, The powers aboue did masque in humane shapes, To teach mortality, not by cold precepts Forgot as soone as told, but by examples, To imitate their purenesse, and draw neere To their Coelestiall Natures; I belieue Hee's more then man. You doe describe a wonder. Which will increase, when you shall vnderstand, He was a louer. Not yours, Lady? Yes, Lou'd me, Leosthenes; Nay more, so doted, (If cleere affections scorning grosse desires May without wrong be stil'd so) that he durst not With an immodest syllable, or looke, In feare it might take from me, whom he made The obiect of his better part, discouer, I was the Saint, he su'de too. A rare tempter! I cannot speake it to the worth: All praise I can bestow vpon it, will appeare Enuious detraction. Not to racke you farther, Yet make the miracle full; though of all men He hated you Leosthenes, as his riuall: So high yet he priz'd my content, that knowing You were a man I fauour'd, he disdain'd not Against himselfe to serue you.