Coelum Britannicum (The British Heaven) · chunk 7 of 15
Carew, Thomas · published 1634 · first performed or written 1634 [Feb 18] (Annals) masque · before the Court unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 531 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Whereas we having observed a very commendable practice taken into frequent use by the Princes of these latter Ages, of perpetuating the memory of their famous enterprises, sieges, battles, victories, in Picture, Sculpture, Tapestry, Embroideries, and other manufactures, wherewith they have embellished their public Palaces, and taken into Our more distinct and serious consideration, the particular Christmas hangings of the Guard-Chamber of this Court, wherein the Naval Victory of 88. is to the eternal glory of this Nation exactly delineated: and whereas We likewise out of a prophetical imitation of this so laudable custom, did for many thousand years before, adorn and beautify the eighth room of Our celestial Mansion, commonly called the star-chamber, with the military adventures, stratagems, achievements, feats and defeats, performed in Our Own person, whilst yet Our Standard was erected, and We a Combatant in the Amorous Warfare. It hath notwithstanding, after mature deliberation, and long debate, held first in our own inscrutable bosom, and afterwards communicated with Our Privy Counsel, seemed meet to Our Omnipotency, for causes to ourself best known, to unfurnish and disarray Our foresaid star-chamber of all those Ancient Constellations which have for so many Ages been sufficiently notorious, and to admit into their vacant places, such Persons only as shall be qualified with exemplar Virtue and eminent Desert, there to shine in indelible Characters of glory to all Posterity. It is therefore Our divine will and pleasure, voluntarily, and out of Our own free and proper motion, mere grace and special favour, by these presents to specify and declare to all Our loving People, that it shall be lawful for any Person whatsoever, that conceiveth him or herself to be really endued with any Heroical Virtue or transcendent Merit, worthy so high a calling and dignity, to bring their several pleas and pretences before Our Right trusty and Well-beloved Cousin, and Counsellor, Don Mercury, and god Momus, &c. Our peculiar Delegates for that affair, upon whom We have transferred an absolute power to conclude, and determine without Appeal or Revelation, accordingly as to their wisdoms it shall in such cases appear behooveful and expedient. Given at Our Palace in Olympus the first day of the first month, in the first year of the Reformation. Who's this appears? This is subterranean Fiend, Plutus, in this Dialect termed Riches, or the god of gold; a Poison, hid by Providence in the bottom of Seas, and Navel of the Earth, from man's discovery, where if the seeds begun to sprout aboveground, the excrescence was carefully guarded by Dragons, yet at last by humane curiosity brought to light, to their own destruction; this being the true Pandora's box, whence issued all those mischiefs that now fill the Universe. That I prevent the message of the gods Thus with my haste, and not attend their summons, Which ought in justice call me to the place I now require of Right, is not alone To show the just precedence that I hold Before all earthly, next th' immortal Powers; But to exclude the hope of partial Grace In all Pretenders, who, since I descend To equal trial, must by my example, Waving your favour, claim by sole Desert.
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)
Whereas we having obſerved a very commendable practice taken into frequent uſe by the Princes of theſe latter Ages, of perpetuating the memory of their famous enterprizes, ſieges, battels, victories, in Picture, Sculpture, Tapiſtry, Embroyderies, and other manifactures, wherewith they have embelliſhed their publique Palaces, and taken into Our more diſtinct and ſerious conſideration, the particular Chriſtmas hangings of the Guard-Chamber of this Court, wherein the Navall Victory of 88. is to the eternall glory of this Nation exactly delineated: and whereas We likewiſe out of a propheticall imitation of this ſo laudable cuſtome, did for many thouſand yeares before, adorne and beautifie the eighth roome of Our caeleſtiall Manſion, commonly called the Starre-Chamber, with the military adventures, ſtratagems, archievements, feats and defeats, performed in Our Owne perſon, whileſt yet Our Standard was erected, and We a Combattant in the Amorous Warfare. It hath notwithſtanding, after mature deliberation, and long debate, held firſt in our owne inſcrutable boſome, and afterwards communicated with Our Privy Counſell, ſeemed meet to Our Omnipotency, for cauſes to Our ſelfe beſt knowne, to unfurniſh and diſ-array Our foreſaid Starre-Chamber of all thoſe Antient Conſtellations which have for ſo many Ages beene ſufficiently notorious, and to admit into their vacant places, ſuch Perſons onely as ſhall be qualified with exemplar Vertue and eminent Deſert, there to ſhine in indelible Characters of glory to all Poſterity. It is therefore Our divine will and pleaſure, voluntarily, and out of Our owne free and proper motion, meere grace and ſpeciall favour, by theſe preſents to ſpecifie and declare to all Our loving People, that it ſhall be lawfull for any Perſon whatſoever, that conceiveth him or her ſelfe to be really endued with any Heroicall Vertue or tranſcendent Merit, worthy ſo high a calling and dignity, to bring their ſeverall pleas and pretences before Our Right truſty and Welbeloved Cozen, and Counſellor, Don Mercury, and god Momus, &c. Our peculiar Delegates for that affaire, upon whom We have transferr'd an abſolute power to conclude, and determine without Appeale or Revelation, accordingly as to their wiſdomes it ſhall in ſuch caſes appeare behoovefull and expedient. Given at Our Palace in Olympus the firſt day of the firſt month, in the firſt yeare of the Reformation. Who's this appeares? This is ſubterraucan Fiend, Plutus, in this Dialect term'd Riches, or the god of gold; a Poyſon, hid by Providence in the bottome of Seas, and Navill of the Earth, from mans diſcovery, where if the ſeeds begunne to ſprout above-ground, the excreſcence was carefully guarded by Dragons, yet at laſt by humane curioſity brought to light, to their owne deſtruction; this being the true Pandora's box, whence iſſued all thoſe miſchiefes that now fill the Vniverſe. That I prevent the meſſage of the gods Thus with my haſte, and not attend their ſummons, Which ought in Iuſtice call me to the place I now require of Right, is not alone To ſhew the juſt precedence that I hold Before all earthly, next th' immortall Powers; But to exclude the hope of partiall Grace In all Pretenders, who, ſince I deſcend To equall tryall, muſt by my example, Waving your favour, clayme by ſole Deſert.