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John Skelton, a.k.a. John Shelton, 1460?-1529 , (Acontius and Cydippe in) "The Garlande or Chaplet of Laurell" lines 885-91 within "To my Lady Mirriell Howard, 120", poem c. 1495 (London: Fakes, 1523).

Acontius binds unwitting Cydippe to marriage by writing on an apple (or orange) the words "I will marry no man but Acontius." When Cydippe reads the oath, she is bound.

A tale originating with Callimachus, it was of interest to Ovid (the most Callimachean of the Roman poets?). Dryden is not the first, but perhaps the most influential English poet to treat the tale.

Scattergood, John, ed. 1983. John Skelton, The Complete English Poems. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Bronlow, Frank W., ed. 1990. The Book of the Laurel. Newark: University of Delaware Press.