Ford, John · published 1633 · first performed or written 1630 [c.1630-1633] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T34 Thebes and royal catastrophe: siege, sla · 492 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T34: thebes, antigone, polynices, creon, eteocles, war, theban, gods, dear, country.
Our Scene is Sparta. HE whose best of Art Hath drawn this Piece, calls it the Broken Heart. The Title lends no expectation here Of apish laughter, or of some lame Jeer At place or persons; no pretended clause Of jests fit for a brothel Court's applause From vulgar admiration: such low songs, Tuned to unchaste ears, suit not modest tongues. The Virgin Sister then deserved fresh bays When Innocence and Sweetness crowned their lays: Then vices gasped for breath, whose whole Commerce Was whipped to Exile by unblushing verse. This law we keepe in our Presentment now, Not to take freedom more than we allow; What may be here thought a fiction, when Times youth Wanted some riper years, was known A Truth: In which, if words have clothed the subject right, You may partake, a Pity, with Delight. Dally not further, I will know the reason That speeds thee to this journey. Reason? good Sir, I can yield many. Give me one, a good one; Such I expect, and ere we part must have Athens? pray why to Athens? you intend not To kick against the world, turn Cynic, Stoic, Or read the Logic Lecture, or become An Areopagite; and judge in causes Touching the Common wealth? for as I take it, The budding of your chin cannot prognosticate So grave an honour, All this I acknowledge, You do: then (Son) if books and love of knowledge Inflame you to this travel, here in Sparta You may as freely study. 'Tis not that Sir. Not, that Sir? As a father I command thee To acquaint me with the truth. Thus I obey 'ee: After so many quarrels, as dissension, Fury, and Rage had brought in blood, and sometimes Wit With now Our present King Amiclus reconciled Your eager swords, and Sealed a gentle peace: Friends you professed yourselves, which to confirm, A resolution for a lasting league Betwixt your Families was entertained, By joining in a Hymenean bond, Me, and the fair Penthea, only daughter To Thrasus. What of this? Much, much (dear sir) A freedom of converse, an interchange Of holy, and chaste love, so sixth our souls In a firm growth of union, that no Time Can eat into the pledge: we had enjoyed The sweets our vows expected, had not cruelty Prevented all those triumphs we prepared for, By Thrasus his untimely death. Most certain. From this time sprouted up that poisonous stalk Of Aconite, whose ripened fruit hath ravished All health, all comfort of a happy life: For Ithocles her brother, proud of youth, And prouder in his power, nourished closely The memory of former discontents. To glory in revenge, by cunning partly, Partly by threats, a woos at once, and forces His virtuous sister to admit a marriage With Bassanes, a Nobleman, in honour And riches, I confess beyond my fortunes. All this is no sound reason to import me My leave for thy departure.
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)
OVr Scene is Sparta. HE whose best of Art Hath drawne this Peece, cals it the Broken Heart. The Title lends no expectation here Of apish laughter, or of some lame Ieere At place or persons; no pretended clause Of iest's fit for a brothell Courts' applause From vulgar admiration: such low songs, Tun'd to vnchast eres, suit not modest tongues. The Virgin Sister then deseru'd fresh bayes When Innocence and Sweetnesse crown'd their layes Then vices gasp'd for breath, whose whole Commerce Was whip'd to Exile by vnblushing verse. This law we keep in our Presentment now, Not to take freedome more then we allow; What may be here thought a fiction, when Times youth Wanted som riper yeares, was knowne A Truth: In which, if words haue cloath'd the subiect right, You may pertake, a Pitty, with Delight. DAlly not further, I will know the reason That speeds thee to this iourney. Reason? good Sir I can yeeld many. Giue me one, a good one; Such I expect, and e're we part must haue Aths? pray why to Athens? you intend not To kicke against the world, turne Cynicke, Stoicke, Or read the Logicke Lecture, or become An Arpagite; and Iudge in causes Touching the Common wealth? for as I take it, The budding of your chin cannot prognosticate So grave an honour, All this I acknowledge, You doe: then () if books and loue of knowledge Enflame you to this trauell, here in Sparta You may as freely study. 'Tis not that Sir. Not, that Sir? As a father I command thee To acquaint me with the truth Thus I obey : After so many quarrels, as Fury, and Rge had in blood, and Wit With now Our present King Your eager swords, and Seal'd a peace: Friends you prosest your selues, which to confme, A resolution for a lasting league Betwt your Families was entertain'd, By ioyning in a bond, Me, and the faire Penthea, onely daughter To Thrasus. What of this? Much, much (deere sir) A freedome of conuerse, an enterchange Of holy, and chast loue, so sixt our soules In a firme grouth of vnion, that no Time Can eat pledge: we had enioy'd The sweets our vowes expected, had not cruelty Preuented all those triumphs we prepar'd for, By Thrasus his vntimely death. Most certaine. From this time splouted vp that poysonous stalke Of Acoit, whose ripened fruit hath ravisht All health, all comfort of a happy life: For Ithocles her brother, proud of youth, And prouder in his power, nourisht losely The memory of former discontents. To glory in reenge, by partly, Partly by threat, a woos at once, and forces His virtuous sister to admit a marriage With Basanes, a Noble-man, in honour And riches, I confesse beyond my fortunes. All this is no sound reason to import me My leave for thy departure.