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Examples
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Thomas Carew's erotic poem "A Rapture" in which Carew's persona urges his beloved to see that "lust, modest, chaste, or shame / Are vaine and empty words" was singled out in Parliament after his death in 1640 for its foul influence on public morality.
Pens at the Ready Mark Archer 2011
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La vanterie héraldique et la vaine pompe du pouvoir
Literary translation (English) Rene Meertens 2010
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Vayne man, sayd she, that doest in vaine assay,***
Archive 2007-01-01 Bardiac 2007
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In the deliverie of these words, the Lords and Gentlemen wept and sighed extraordinarily, using many earnest imprecations to alter this resolve in her, but all was in vaine.
The Decameron 2004
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I am not come hither this day in vaine; for, if my judgement faile me not, I thinke I have caught
The Decameron 2004
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Reprehending the lewd lives of dissembling hypocrites; and checking the arrogant pride of vaine-Headed women
The Decameron 2004
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Many other circumstances also doe they performe, all which they say haue some certaine signification: howbeit, neither would I write them, nor giue any heed vnto them, because they are vaine and ridiculous.
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As for honest Alessandro, who had awaited long time for peace in England, perceyving there was no likelyhoode of it; and considering also, that (beside his tarrying there in vaine to recover his dues) he was in danger of his life; without any further deferring, he set away for Italy.
The Decameron 2004
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The third, thou shalt not take the name of thy lorde God in vaine.
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When their children are iiii. yeare olde they vse to cauterise them on the coron22 vaine (and some on the temple also) with a medecine for that purpose, made of woolle as it is plucked fro the shiepe: because thie should not at any time be troubled with rheumes or poses,23 and by that meanes they say they liue in very good health.
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