Carlell, Lodowick · published 1629 · first performed or written 1629 [c.1622-1629] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men · before the Court unassigned nearest T28 Marriage-making: weddings, brides and ma · 524 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T28: married, marriage, wedding, day, bride, father, wife, luce, love, husband.
O what a happy man's Lysander at this instant Compared with what he was half an hour since! Imagination cannot reach it; but on the other side How far am I fall'n from that happiness That I possessed when fair Clarinda said That she would marry me within a month. Come reverent Sir, perform an office Acceptable to the Gods: Sister, take you Lysander's Hand, and cousin you Clarinda's. O what a cruel office hath my brother put upon me. I would this task were passed, Virtue I see thou art a cruel Mistress. I in my soul grieve for the Duke, His manly eyes shed tears to perform this Office; I would to heaven he were my Brother, Or that Lysander were; the consideration Of his worth and infinite affection, Which hath appeared in all his actions, Hath gained much upon me. Will you Lysander take Clarinda for Your Wife, forsaking all other till the hand of death Arrest the one of you? Say no Lysander. Reverend Sir, why? Because the Marriage is not lawful. Can you prove it unlawful? You saved my Life, but I shall value that no benefit, Compared with this, if you can prove Lysander and Clarinda cannot marry; I'll make you more than you can wish to be. Lysander, did not your Father When you last parted with him, give you A little Cabinet, in which he bid you look When you should marry, on his blessing Not before, not at your death. It is true, he did so, but I Was so distracted betwixt joy and grief, That I had quite forgot it. Send for it with all haste. What can this Cabinet produce to stop The Marriage. I cannot plead desert, Thou God of Love, because I have so short a while Been subject to thy Laws; but well thou know'st If thou oblige me to become thy subject, By giving me Lysander, that I shall More extol thy power then any Subject That thou hast: but on the contrary, If thou dost not assist me, I will return again Unto Diana, thy utter enemy, and in her service Spend the loathed remnant of my life. The Cabinet is come. I make no doubt, If't be within thy power, thou God of Love, But thou wilt grant to me thy truest Subject The wishes of my heart; but I do fear a greater Power than thine, doth overrule the destinies. Here Sir, read that paper; there you shall Find, what you do little think. How! my Sister! Love thou hast heard my prayer, though I were Ignorant, and knew not what to ask. I am amazed, sure this is Witchcraft. Sir, I beseech you prove this to be true. My Lord, if you will beg a Pardon from the King, It is for a fault, that was never proved against me; I then will make all things so plain, that no man shall deny it. And please your Majesty, Iacomo is proved to be The Count Orsinio's Brother. My Lord, let him be brought, he'll help to the clearing of the discourse I am to make.
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)
O what a happy mans Lyſander at this inſtant Compard with what he was halfe an houre ſince! Imagination cannot reach it; but on the other ſide How farre am I falne from that happineſſe That I poſſeſt when faire Clarinda ſaid That ſhe would marry me within a month. Come reuerent Sir, performe an office Acceptable to the Gods: Siſter, take you Lyſanders Hand, and Cozen you Clarinda's. O what a cruell office hath my brother put vpon me. I would this taske were paſt, Vertue I ſee thou art a cruell Miſtris. I in my ſoule grieue for the Duke, His manly eyes ſhed teares to performe this Office; I would to heauen he were my Brother, Or that Lyſander were; the conſideration Of his worth and infinite affection, Which hath appeard in all his actions, Hath gaind much vpon me. Will you Lyſander take Clarinda for Your Wife, forſaking all other till the hand of death Arreſt the one of you? Say no Lyſander. Reuerend Sir, why? Becauſe the Marriage is not lawfull. Can you proue it vnlawfull? You ſau'd my Life, but I ſhall valew that no benefit, Compar'd with this, if you can proue Lyſander and Clarinda cannot marry; Ile make you more then you can wiſh to be. Lyſander, did not your Father When you laſt parted with him, giue you A little Cabinet, in which he bid you looke When you ſhould marry, on his bleſſing Not before, not at your death. It is true, he did ſo, but I Was ſo diſtracted betwixt ioy and griefe, That I had quite forgot it. Send for it with all haſte. What can this Cabinet produce to ſtop The Marriage. I cannot plead deſert, Thou God of Loue, becauſe I haue ſo ſhort a while Beene ſubiect to thy Lawes; but well thou knowſt If thou oblige me to become thy ſubiect, By giuing me Lyſander, that I ſhall More extoll thy power then any Subiect That thou haſt: but on the contrary, If thou doſt not aſſiſt mee, I will returne againe Vnto Diana, thy vtter enemy, and in her ſeruice Spend the loath'd remnant of my life. The Cabinet is come. I make no doubt, If't be within thy power, thou God of Loue, But thou wilt grant to me thy trueſt Subiect The wiſhes of my heart; but I doe feare a greater Power then thine, doth ouer-rule the deſtinies. Here Sir, read that paper; there you ſhall Finde, what you doe little thinke. How! my Siſter! Loue thou haſt heard my prayer, though I were Ignorant, and knew not what to aske. I am amaz'd, ſure this is Witch-craft. Sir, I beſeech you proue this to be true. My Lord, if you will beg a Pardon from the King, It is for a fault, that was neuer proued againſt me; I then will make all things ſo plaine, that no man ſhall deny it. And pleaſe your Maieſty, Iacomo is proued to be The Count Orſinio's Brother. My Lord, let him be brought, heele helpe to the clearing of the diſcourſe I am to make.