Fletcher, Phineas · published 1631 · first performed or written 1615 [Mar 13] (Annals) pastoral · at University unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 507 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
With the last sun she fell. Sure heavens, ye mock me: alas, what victory? What triumph in an old man's misery? When you have won, what conquest, that you slew A wretch that hated his life as much as you? Sir, you forget yourself: to war with heaven, Is no less fond, then dangerous Tell me fisher, have you a child? No sir. No marvel than Thou blamest my grief, of which thou hast no sense: First lose a child, then blame my patience. If thou be grieved, this is no way to ease it, Sooner we anger heaven, then thus appease it. But when the heart such weight of sorrow bears, It speaks from what it feels, and what it fears. Died she by a natural, or by violent means? Nature refuses an office so unnatural. Hard fate, most fitly were you women made: Since fate unmerciful, unmoved stands, Well was life's distaff put in women's hands. Killed by a man? No man was so unnatural. A woman! Yes. Fit instrument of women: what was the weapon? The coward's weapon, poison. Canst tell the murderer's name? Her name Glaucilla: A Nymph thought absolute, though now infected, That heaven itself might sooner be suspected. Tell me the circumstance. 'Twill but more grieve you. True, but 'tis pity in unhelped distress, Condemned souls with all the weight to press. Olinda this last night complained to Cosma, (A Nymph which lately came from fair Messena) That this Glaucilla's powerful charms had fired her, And with Thalanders love now dead, inspired her With such a feeling grief, her grief lamenting, That she, to help so desperate love consenting, Gave her a water which she oft did prove, Would either quench or ease the pains of love, Which Cosma swore, the other ne'er denied. Glaucilla changed, Olinda drank and died. Dicaeus hearing this— Lives then Dicaeus? As well and just as ever. His life doth somewhat mend My child's sad death, after a child, a friend. Dicaeus by this evidence condemns her By th' law, from that high rock to fall, and she With smiling welcomed death, and quietly Stealed to the rock from whence she must be cast. Wonder so heavy guilt should fly so fast! She led her leaders to that deep descending, The guilty draws the guiltless to their ending: And thus I left them, and with her just Dicaeus, To see her execution, who goes not from her, Till from the rock, in seas she leave her breath, Die must she as she killed, water her crime and death. Ah my poor Olinda! had I seen thee yet And closed thine eyes, alas my poor Olinda! This grief is vain and can no more revive her, you lose your tears. When that I hold most dear is ever lost, poor loss to lose a tear. Your son strives, the good which heaven bereaves you, You quickly see, but see not what it leaves you. Art sure he lives? Two hours since, sad I left him, But safe.
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)
With the last sunne she fell. Sure heauens, ye mocke me: alas, what victoy? What triumph in an old mans misery? VVhen you haue wonne, what conquest, that you slue A wretch that hated his life as much as you? Sir, you forget your selfe: to warre with heauen, Is no lesse fond, then dangerous Tell me fisher, haue you a child? No sir. No maruell then Thou blam'st my griefe, of which thou hast no ence: First lose a child, then blame my patience. If thou be grieu'd, this is no way to ease it, Sooner we anger heauen, then thus appease it. But when the heart such weight of sorrow beares, It speakes from what it feeles, and what it feares. Died she by a naturall, or by violent meanes? Nature refuses an office so vnnaturall. Hard fate, most fitly were you women made: Since fate vnmercifull, vnmoued stands, VVell was lifes distaffe put in womens hands. Kild by a man? No man was so vnnaturall. A woman! Yes. Fit instrument of women: what was the weapon? The cowards weapon, poyson. Canst tell the murderers name? Her name Glaucilla: A Nymph thought absolute, though now infected, That heauen it selfe might sooner bee suspected. Tell me the circumstance. 'Twill but more grieue you. True, but 'tis pitty in vnhelpt distresse, Condemned soules with all the weight to presse. Olinda this last night complain'd to Cosma, (A Nymph which lately came from faire Messena) That this Glaucillaes powerfull charmes had fir'd her, And with Thalanders loue now dead, inspir'd her With such a feeling griefe, her griefe lamenting, That she, to helpe so desperate loue consenting, Gaue her a water which she oft did proue, Wold eyther quench or ease the paines of loue, Which Cosma swore, the other nere denyed. Glaucilla chang'd, Olinda dranke ad dyed. Dicaeus hearing this — Liues then Dicaeus? As well and iust as euer. His life doth somewhat mend My childs sad death, after a child, a friend. Dicaeus by this euidence condemnes her By 'th' law, from that high rocke to fall, and she With smiling welcom'd death, and quietly Steal'd to the rocke from whence shee must be cast. Wonder so heauie guilt should flye so fast! She led her leaders to that deepe descending, The guilty drawes the guiltlesse to their ending: And thus I left them, and with her iust Dicaeus, To see her execution, who goes not from her, Till from the rocke, in seas she leaue her breath, Die must she as she kild, water her crime and death. Ah my poore Olinda! had I seene thee yet And clos'd thine eyes, alas my poore Olinda! This griefe is vaine and can no more reuiue her, you lose your teares. When that I hold most deare is euer lost, poore losse to lose a teare. Your sonne striues, the good which heau'n bereaues you, You quickly see, but see not what it leaues you. Art sure he liues? Two houres since, sad I left him, But safe.