The Royal King and the Loyal Subject · chunk 20 of 39
Heywood, Thomas · published 1637 · first performed or written 1602 [1602-1618] (Annals) romance · Unknown unassigned nearest T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim · 519 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T16: lady, madam, gentleman, lordship, ladies, honour, mistress, sweet, court, servant.
May I become your vassal and your Handmaid, Titles but equal to my humble birth: But since your Grace a higher title deigns, Envy must needs obey where power compels. Give expeditious order for the Rites Of these our present Nuptials which shall be Done with all State and due solemnity; And martial in this business thou shall find thyself defective, and not us unkind. Health to your Highness. From my sad Master, Your martial once, now your dejected vassal, And thus he bid me say: If the King deign To grace my daughter with the style of Queen, To give you then this Casket which contains A double dower; half of this mighty sum He out of his revenues had afforded, Had she been match but to a baron's bed; But since your Highness deigns her for your Bride, And his Alliance scorns not to disdain, He saith a double dower is due to you. He strives to exceed us still; this emulation Begets our hate, and questions him of life. This Dower we take, his Daughter entertain, But him we never shall receive to grace. Bear not from us so much as love or thanks: We only strive in all our actions To be held peerless for our courtesy And Royal bounty, which appears the worse, Since he a Subject would precede his Prince: And did we not his Daughter dearly love, we'd send her back with scorn, and base neglect But her we love, though him in heart despise, Pay him that thanks for all his courtesies. In this employment I will strive to do Th' office of a subject, and of servant too. Since to that emulous Lord we have sent our hate, Come to our Nuptials let's pass on in state. The humours of Court, City, Camp, and Country I have traced, and in them can find no man, but money; all subscribe to this Motto, Malo pecuniam viro. Oh poverty, thou are esteemed a sin worse than whoredom, gluttony, extortion, or usury: And earthy gold, thou art preferred 'fore Heaven. Let but a poor man in a threadbare suit, Or ragged as I am, appear at Court, The fine-nosed Courtiers will not sent him; no, They shun the way as if they met the Pest: Or if he have a suit, it strikes them deaf, They cannot hear of that side. Come to the City, the haberdasher will sooner call us block heads, than block us; come to the Sempsters, unless we will give them money, we cannot enter into their bands: though we have the Law of our sides, yet we may walk through Burchin-lane and be nonsuited: come barefoot to a Shoemaker, though he be a Constable, he will not put us into his Stocks; though the Girdler be my brother, yet he will not let his leather embrace me; come to the Glover, his gloves are either so little that I cannot pluck them on, or so great that I cannot compass. And for the Camp, there's honour cut out of the whole piece, but not a rag of money.
seed 43: T14 · seed 44: T9 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
May I become your vassall and your Hand-maid, Titles but equall to my humble birth: But since your Grace a higher title daines, Envy must needs obey where power compells. Give expeditious order for the Rites Of these our present Nuptials which shall be Done with all State and due solemnity; And Martiall in this businesse thou shall finde Thy selfe defective, and not us unkind. Health to your Highnesse. From my sad Master, Your Martiall once, now your dejected vassall, And thus he bid me say: If the King daine To grace my daughter with the stile of Queene, To give you then this Casket which containes A double dower; halfe of this mighty summe He out of his revenewes had afforded, Had she bin match but to a Barons bed; But since your Highnesse daines her for your Bride, And his Alliance scornes not to disdaine, He saith a double dower is due to you. He strives to exceed us still; this emulation Begets our hate, and questions him of life. This Dower we take, his Daughter entertaine, But him we never shall receive to grace. Beare not from us so much as love or thankes: We onely strive in all our actions To be held peerelesse for our courtesie And Royall bounty, which appeares the worse, Since he a Subject would precede his Prince: And did we not his Daughter dearely love, Wee'd send her backe with scorne, and bse neglect But her we love, though him in heart despise, Pay him that thanks for all his courtesies. In this imployment I will strive to do Th' office of a subject, and of servant too. Since to that emulous Lord we have sent our hate, Come to our Nuptials lets passe on in state. The humours of Court, Citty, Campe, and Country I have trac't, and in them can finde no man, but money; all subscribe to this Motto, Malo pecuniam viro. Oh poverty, thou are esteem'd a sinne worse than whoredome, gluttony, extortion, or usury: And earthy gold, thou art preferr'd 'fore Heaven. Let but a poore man in a thred-bare suite, Or ragged as I am, appeare at Court, The fine-nos'd Courtiers will not sent him; no, They shunne the way as if they met the Pest: Or if he have a suite, it strikes them deafe, They cannot heare of that side. Come to the Citty, the Habberdasher will sooner call us block heads, than blocke us; come to the Sempsters, unlesse we will give them money, we cannot enter into their bands: though we have the Law of our sides, yet wee may walke through Burchin-lane and be non-suited: come barefoot to a Shooe-maker, though he be a Constable, he will not put us into his Stocks; though the Girdler be my brother, yet he will not let his leather imbrace me; come to the Glover, his gloves are either so little that I cannot plucke them on, or so great that I cannot compasse. And for the Campe, there's honour cut out of the whole peece, but not a ragge of money.