Coelum Britannicum (The British Heaven) · chunk 9 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 · 481 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
The thirst of Empire, into Regal breasts, And frightedst quiet Peace from her meek Throne, Filling the World with tumult, blood, and war, Follow the Camps of the contentious earth, And be the Conquerors slave, but he that can Or conquer thee, or give thee Virtues stamp, Shall shine in heaven a pure immortal Lamp. Nay stay, and take my benediction along with you. I could, being here a co-judge, like others in my place, now that you are condemned, either rail at you, or break jests upon you, but I rather choose to lose a word of good counsel, and entreat you to be more careful in your choice of company, for you are always found either with Misers, that not use you at all; or with fools, that know not how to use you well: be not hereafter so reserved and coy to men of worth and parts, and so you shall gain such credit, as at the next Sessions you may be heard with better success. But till you are thus reformed, I pronounce this positive sentence, That wheresoever you shall choose to abide, your society shall add no credit or reputation to the party, nor your discontinuance, or total absence, be matter of disparagement to any man; and whosoever shall hold a contrary estimation of you, shall be condemned to wear perpetual Motley, unless he recant his opinion. Now you may void the Court. What Creature's this? The Antipodes to the other, they move like two Buckets, or as two nails drive out one another; if Riches depart, Poverty will enter. I nothing doubt (Great and Immortal Powers) But that the place, your wisdom hath denied My foe, your Justice will confer on me; Since that which renders him incapable, Proves a strong plea for me. I could pretend, Even in these rags, a larger Sovereignty Then gaudy Wealth in all his pomp can boast; For mark how few they are that share the World; The numerous Armies, and the swarming Ants That fight and toil for them, are all my Subjects, They take my wages, wear my Livery: Invention too and Wit, are both my creatures, And the whole race of Virtue is my Offspring; As many mischiefs issue from my womb, And those as mighty, as proceed from gold. Oft o'er his Throne I wave my awful Scepter, And in the bowels of his state command, When' midst his heaps of coin, and hills of gold, I pine, and starve the avaritious Fool. But I decline those titles, and lay claim To heaven, by right of Divine contemplation; She is my Darling, ay, in my soft lap, Free from disturbing cares, bargains, accounts, Leases, Rents, Stewards, and the fear of thieves, That vex the rich, nurse her in calm repose, And with her, all the Virtues speculative, Which, but with me, find no secure retreat.
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)
The thirſt of Empire, into Regall breſts, And frightedſt quiet Peace from her meeke Throne, Filling the World with tumult, blood, and warre, Follow the Camps of the contentious earth, And be the Conqu'rers ſlave, but he that can Or conquer thee, or give thee Vertues ſtampe, Shall ſhine in heaven a pure immortall Lampe. Nay ſtay, and take my benediction along with you. I could, being here a Co-Iudge, like others in my place, now that you are condemn'd, either raile at you, or breake jeſts upon you, but I rather chuſe to looſe a word of good counſell, and entreat you to bee more carefull in your choyce of company, for you are alwayes found either with Miſers, that not uſe you at all; or with fooles, that know not how to uſe you wel: be not hereafter ſo reſerv'd and coy to men of worth and parts, and ſo you ſhall gaine ſuch credit, as at the next Seſſions you may be heard with better ſucceſſe. But till you are thus reform'd, I pronounce this poſitive ſentence, That whereſoever you ſhall chuſe to abide, your ſociety ſhall adde no credit or reputation to the party, nor your diſcontinuance, or totall abſence, be matter of diſparagement to any man; and whoſoever ſhall hold a contrary eſtimation of you, ſhall be condemn'd to weare perpetuall Motley, unleſſe hee recant his opinion. Now you may voyd the Court. What Creature's this? The Antipodes to the other, they move like two Buckets, or as two nayles drive out one another; if Riches depart, Poverty will enter. I nothing doubt (Great and Immortall Powers) But that the place, your wiſdome hath deny'd My foe, your Inſtice will conferre on me; Since that which renders him incapable, Proves a ſtrong plea for me. I could pretend, Even in theſe rags, a larger Soverainty Then gaudy Wealth in all his pompe can boaſt; For marke how few they are that ſhare the World; The numerous Armies, and the ſwarming Ants That fight and toyle for them, are all my Subjects, They take my wages, weare my Livery: Invention too and Wit, are both my creatures, And the whole race of Vertue is my Off-ſpring; As many miſchiefes iſſue from my wombe, And thoſe as mighty, as proceed from gold. Oft o're his Throne I wave my awfull Sceprer, And in the bowels of his ſtate command, When' midſt his heapes of coyne, and hils of gold, I pine, and ſtarve the avaritious Foole. But I decline thoſe titles, and lay clayme To heaven, by right of Diuine contemplation; Shee is my Darling, I, in my ſoft lap, Free from diſturbing cares, bargaines, accounts, Leaſes, Rents, Stewards, and the feare of theeves, That vex the rich, nurſe her in calme repoſe, And with her, all the Vertues ſpeculative, Which, but with me, find no ſecure retreat.