Tasso, Torquato / Reynolds, Henry · published 1628 · first performed or written 1628 (Annals) pastoral unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 516 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Ay me my heart fails me '; I dare not approach Th'unwelcome news which I of force must hear. Vild breast of mine, ohdurate heart of mine, What fear'fl thou now? go hard'ly, press upon The murdering knives that are in yond man's tongue; And there display thy fierceness? friend, I come To bear my part of all the woe thou bringest; Perhaps it does concern me more by much Than thou'rt aware of; It belongs to me; grudge me not on't then. Nymph I do believe thee; For even upon his death, I heard the wretch Call still upon thy name to his last breath. Now, now begins, the heavy history. I was upon the mids of yond high hill, Where I had spread abroad some nets of mine To dry them, when not far off from me, came Aminta by, with a sad cloudy look, And altered much from what he wont to be Both in his face and fashion; which I spying Ran after him; and staying him, quoth he Ergastus thou must do a courtesy For me of much importance and avail; 'Tis to go with me but a little hence, For witness of a deed I have to do; But first I'll have thee bind thy faith to me By a strict oath to stand aloof from me And not approach to let or hinder that That I shall do: I (that could ne'er have dreamt Of such a furious madness in him) yielded To's will; and made desperate invocations Calling to witness Pan, and Priapus: Pales, Pomona ', and nightly Hecate, Which done, he led me higher up the hill: Where, clambering through wild rocky passages, (By ways ne'er found, and never trod before) We gained the top, that over-hung a valley, 'Twixt which and us was a steep precipice, And there we stayed; I casting down mine eye, Began for fear to tremble, and shrunk back. After a little pause, he smil'de me thought, And seemed more cheerful than he was before; And that made me misdoubt him less than ever: After that; (quoth he to me) see thou tell The Nymphs and Shepherds what thou shalt behold; Then looking down, Ah that I had (said he) So ready at my will, the throat and teeth Of those same greedy Wolves, as these rocks be; I would not dye of other death, than she Who was my life; nor have my carcase torn But by those teeth that tore those delicate And beauteous limbs of hers; but since that heaven Denies so great a blessing to me, I Must be content some other way to dye; And though a worse way, yet a speedier. Silvia I follow thee, Silvia I come To bear thee comapny, If thou disdain me not; O I should dye Much more contentedly; were I but sure My following thee would not disquiet thee, And that thy hate had ending with thy life: Silvia I follow thee, I come. Which said, Down from the place he headlong threw himself, And I turned ye to see't.
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Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Ay me my heart failes me'; I dare not approach Th'unwelcome newes which I of force muſt heare. Vilde breaſt of mine, ohdurate heart of mine, What fear'fl thou now? go hard'ly, preſſe vpon The murth'ring kniues that are in yon mans tongue; And there diſplay thy fiercenes? freind, I come To beare my part of all the woe thou bringest; Perhaps it does concerne me more by much Then th'art aware of; It belongs to me; Grutch me not on't then. Nimphe I doe beleeue thee; For eu'ne vpon his death, I heard the wretch Call ſtill vpon thy name to his laſt breath. Now, now beginnes, the heauy hiſtory. I was vpon the middes of yon high hill, Where I had ſpred abroad ſome netts of mine To drie them, when not far off from me, came Aminta by, with a ſad clowdy looke, And altred much from what he wont to bee Both in his face and faſhion; which I spying Ranne after him; and ſtaying him, quoth hee Ergaſtus thou muſt doe a curteſie For me of much importance and auaile; 'Tis to goe with me but a little hence, For witneſſe of a deede I haue to doo; But firſt I'le haue thee binde thy faith to me By a ſtrict oath to ſtand aloofe from mee And not approach to lett or hinder that That I ſhall do: I (that could nere haue dream't Of ſuch a furious madneſſe in him) yeelded To's will; and made deſperate inuocations Calling to witneſs Pan, and Priapus: Pales, Pomona', and nightly Hecate, Which done, he led me higher vp the hill: Where, clambring through wilde rocky paſſages, (By wayes nere found, and neuer trode before) VVee gayn'd the top, that ouer-hung a valley, 'Twixt which and vs was a ſteepe precipice, And there we ſtay'd; I caſting downe mine eye, Began for feare to tremble, and ſhrunke back. After a little pauſe, he ſmil'de me thought, And ſeem'd more cheerefull then he was before; And that made me miſdoubt him leſſe then euer: After that; (quoth he to me) ſee thou tell The Nimphes and Shepherds what thou ſhalt behold; Then looking downe, Ah that I had (ſayd he) So ready at my will, the throat and teeth Of thoſe ſame greedy VVolues, as theſe rocks be; I would not dye of other death, then ſhe VVho was my life; nor haue my carkaſs torne But by thoſe teeth that tore thoſe delicate And beautious limbs of hers; but ſince that heau'n Denies ſo great a bleſsing to me, I Muſt be content ſome other way to dye; And though a worſe way, yet a ſpeedier. Siluia I follow thee, Siluia I come To beare thee comapny, If thou diſdaine me not; O I ſhould dye Much more contentedly; were I but ſure My follow'ing thee would not diſquiet thee, And that thy hate had ending with thy life: Siluia I follow thee, I come. Which ſayd, Downe from the place he headlong threw himſelfe, And I turn'd yee to ſee't.