Tasso, Torquato / Reynolds, Henry · published 1628 · first performed or written 1628 (Annals) pastoral unassigned nearest T22 Shepherds, flocks and Pan · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T22: shepherd, pan, shepherds, love, sheep, flocks, fair, shepherdess, swain, away.
WHo would believe that in this human form, And under these mean Shepherd's weeds, A god head? nor yet of the lower rank, But the most mighty 'mong the gods; whose power were hid Makes oft the bloody Sword of angry Mars Fall from his hand; stern Neptune hurl away His powerful trident; and great Ioue lay by His thunderbolt: and thus attyr'de, I hope My mother Venus shall have much ado To find her Cupid. For the troth to tell, Sh'has made me play the runaway with her: Because (forsooth) she will sole mistress be, And to her pleasure bind my shafts and me; And (vain ambitious woman as she is) Would tie me to live still 'mongst Crowns, & Sceptres, And to high Courts confine my power and me; And to my under-followers grants to live Here in these woods; and to advance their powers, o'er silly Shepherds breasts; but I that am No child, (though childish be my gate and looks) Will for this once, do as shall please me best: For not to her, but me allotted were The ever awful brand, and golden bow: Therefore I purpose to conceal myself, And run from her entreats; (for other power Then to entreat, she shall not have o'er me:) I hear she haunts these groves, and promiseth Unto the Nymphs and Shepherds, which of them Will bring me to her, kisses for their pains, And more than kisses too; and cannot I To them shall hide me from her, liberal be Of kisses, and more too as well as she? The Nymphs I know will like my kisses best, When I shall woe them that am god of love: Therefore my mother doth but looze her pain, Here's none will bring her home her son again. But to be surer, that she may not know Or find me out by the vsd'e marks I bear, I'ue laid my quiver, bow, and wings from me; Yet come I not hither unarmed; this rod I carry is my brand transformed thus, And breathes out unseen flame at every poor; And this dart (though it have no golden head) Of heu'nly temper is; and where it lytes Enforceth love; and even this day shall make A deep and cureless wound in the hard breast Of the most cruel Nymph, that ever yet Hath been a follower of Diana's train; Nor will I pity Silvia more, (for so Th'obdurate stony-brested Nymph is called) Then erst I did the gentle-hearted Swain Aminta, many winters since, when he (Poor wretch) then young, followed her younger steps From wood to wood in every game and sport: And for more sure effecting my intent, I'll pause a while till some remorse and pity Of the poor Shephedrs sufferings, have a little Thawde the hard ice congealed about her breast With maiden peevishness; and when I find She grows more pliant, will I launch her breast:
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)
WHo would beleeue that in this human forme, And vnder theſe meane Shepherds weedes, A god head? nor yet of the lower ranke, But the moſt mighty 'mong the gods; whoſe powre were hid Makes oft the bloudy Sword of angry Mars Fall from his hand; ſterne Neptune hurle away His powerfull trident; and great Ioue lay by His thunderbolt: and thus attyr'de, I hope My mother Venus ſhall haue much adoe To find her Cupid. For the troth to tell, Sh'has made me play the run-away with her: Becauſe (forſooth) ſhee will ſole miſtreſſe bee, And to her pleaſure binde my ſhafts and mee; And (vaine ambitious woman as ſhee is) Would tye me to liue ſtil 'mongſt Crownes, & Scepters, And to high Courts confine my power and me; And to my vnder-followers graunts to liue Here in theſe woods; and to aduance their powres, Ore ſilly Shepherds breſts; but I that am No childe, (though childiſh be my gate and lookes) Will for this once, doe as ſhall pleaſe me beſt: For not to her, but me allotted were The euer awfull brande, and goulden bowe: Therefore I purpoſe to conceale my ſelfe, And runne from her entreates; (for other powre Then to intreate, ſhee ſhall not haue ore me:) I heare ſhee haunts theſe groues, and promiſeth Vnto the Nymphes and Shepherds, which of them Will bring me to her, kiſſes for their paines, And more then kiſſes too; and cannot I To them ſhall hide me from her, liberall be Of kiſſes, and more too as well as ſhee? The Nymphes I know will like my kiſſes beſt, When I ſhall woe them that am god of loue: Therefore my mother doth but looze her paine, Here's none will bring her home her ſonne againe. But to be ſurer, that ſhe may not know Or finde me out by the vſd'e markes I beare, I'ue layd my quiuer, bowe, and wings from me; Yet come I not hither vnarm'de; this rodd I carry is my brand transformed thus, And breathes out vnſeene flame at eu'ry pore; And this dart (though it haue no goulden head) Of heu'nly temper is; and where it lytes Inforceth loue; and eu'ne this day ſhall make A deepe and cureleſſe wound in the hard breſt Of the moſt cruell Nymph, that euer yet Hath bin a follower of Dianas traine; Nor will I pitty Siluia more, (for ſo Th'obdurate ſtony-breſted Nymph is call'd) Then erſt I did the gentle-hearted Swaine Aminta, many winters ſince, when he (Poore wretch) then young, follow'd her younger ſtepps From wood to wood in eu'ry game and ſport: And for more ſure effecting my intent, I'le pauſe a while till ſome remorſe and pitty Of the poore Shephedrs ſufferings, haue a little Thawde the hard yce congeal'd about her breſt With mayden peeuiſhneſſe; and when I finde She growes more plyant, will I launch her breſt: