Carlell, Lodowick · published 1629 · first performed or written 1629 [c.1622-1629] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men · before the Court unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 454 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
What a strange alteration do I feel now! When I touch you, a certain coldness seizeth On my heart, and all my blood flies to my face: Sure I do love you; I ne'er yet knew what it was For to dissemble; if I love I say so, And if I hate, I keep it not concealed, I will not give a thought that is base A harbour in any breast; what need I then Conceal my heart? the praise Lysander Which was bestowed upon thee had bred in me A great desire to be my own assurance, Whether thou wert the master of so many Excellencies, as fame bestowed upon thee. And now that I do find they rather do Come short, than any whit outgo thy merit, Wonder not that I, though a Princess, am in love With thee, for I have still professed to love the Richest mind, which is in thee complete, With the addition of a comely Personage. I hope your Grace doth not mock me. No by my life, I take delight In looking upon you. I cannot think you are in earnest, yet I will Answer you, as if you were: should you love me Think you, or would you wish that I should break My forepast vows unto Clarinda. No, it must be for your worth if I do love you, And when your prove unconstant, you are No longer worthy. If I be constant, What fruit can you receive from your affection? A barren Love will ill become So great a Princess. Be you still constant, love your Clarinda still; For when you cease to be so, I shall hate you; Only respect me as a Sister: for when my reason Shall have leave to combat against my passion, It will convert it to a Sisterly affection. madam, I know In that you say you love me, you do it only For to make a trial how strongly I am armed By my Clarinda's merits against inconstancy; And I confess, if it were possible To undermine my faith, and blow my former Promises into the air, your pleasing speech, And those, yet majestic glances Of your eyes, were the only Instruments that yet I ever saw to do it. But speak you as you think Lysander. Else may I perish; but mistake me not; For though I could believe your beauty And merit to be above Clarinda's; Which is unpossible, either that it should be, Or that I should believe it; yet where my word Is once past, though all the tortures man's wit Can invent should at one instant environ me To torture the mind and body, yet I would not break my faith.
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)
What a ſtrange alteration doe I feele now! When I touch you, a certaine coldneſſe ſeizeth On my heart, and all my blood flies to my face: Sure I do loue you; I ne're yet knew what it was For to diſſemble; if I loue I ſay ſo, And if I hate, I keepe it not conceald, I will not giue a thought that is baſe A harbor in any breſt; what need I then Conceale my heart? the praiſe Lyſander Which was beſtow'd vpon thee had bred in me A great deſire to be my owne aſſurance, Whether thou wert the maſter of ſo many Excellencies, as fame beſtow'd vpon thee. And now that I doe find they rather doe Come ſhort, then any whit out-goe thy merit, Wonder not that I, though a Princeſſe, am in loue With thee, for I haue ſtill profeſt to loue the Richeſt minde, which is in thee compleat, With the addition of a comly Perſonage. I hope your Grace doth not mocke me. No by my life, I take delight In looking vpon you. I cannot thinke you are in earneſt, yet I will Anſwere you, as if you were: ſhould you loue me Thinke you, or would you wiſh that I ſhould breake My forepaſt vowes vnto Clarinda. No, it muſt be for your worth if I do loue you, And when your proue vnconſtant, you are No longer worthy. If I be conſtant, What fruit can you receiue from your affection? A barren Loue will ill become So great a Princeſſe. Be you ſtill conſtant, loue your Clarinda ſtil; For when you ceaſe to be ſo, I ſhall hate you; Only reſpect me as a Siſter: for when my reaſon Shall haue leaue to combate againſt my paſſion, It will conuert it to a Siſterly affection. Madame, I know In that you ſay you loue me, you doe it only For to make a tryall how ſtrongly I am arm'd By my Clarinda's merits againſt inconſtancie; And I confeſſe, if it were poſſible To vndermine my faith, and blow my former Promiſes into the ayre, your pleaſing ſpeech, And thoſe, yet maieſticke glances Of your eyes, were the only Inſtruments that yet I euer ſaw to doe it. But ſpeake you as you thinke Lyſander. Elſe may I periſh; but miſtake me not; For though I could belieue your beauty And merit to be aboue Clarinda's; Which is vnpoſſible, either that it ſhould be, Or that I ſhould belieue it; yet where my word Is once paſt, though all the tortures mans wit Can inuent ſhould at one inſtant inuiron me To torture the minde and body, yet I would not breake my faith.