Britannia Triumphans (Britain Triumphing) · chunk 4 of 7
Davenant, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1638 [licensed for performance, Jan 8] (Annals) not in BritDrama · before the Court T13 Knights, squires and ladies typicality 0.87 · 510 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T13: knight, raph, lady, knights, george, master, squire, rafe, pray, god.
Cry mercy, Sir! You are Heroic virtue, who pretend An Embassy from Heaven, and that y'are sent To make new lovers here on Earth, you will Refine the ways of wooing, and prescribe To valour, nobler exercise, than what The Ancient Knights Adventurers taught, but first See these of th'old Heroic race, Merlin Assist me once more with thy charming rod, To show this strict Corrector of delights What Ladies were of yore, and what their Knights, Although their shapes and manners now grow strange, Make him admire, what he would strive to change. Alas, how weak and easy would you make Our intellectual strength, when you have hope It may be overcome with noise and shows. Yes, and this moral Magistrate; your strict o'er solemn Friend, that in such comely Phrase Disputes for active virtue, and declares Himself the mark of all unrighteous opposites, His Magnanimity shall yield at last, straight take my Angle in his hand, then bait The hook with guilded Flies, to fish in troubled Seas: For all the world is such, and in a storm; Where the Philosopher (that still swims in Profoundest depths) will (Sir) as easily be snapped, as fools that float on shallow streams And taken with a Line, no stronger sir, than what Will tear a little Gudgeons jaws. The Knight Adventurer that you intend To raise, must then adventure far, and make His valour captivate, surer and soon As his lamenting lady's looks, I'll not Be taken else. Most reverend Lord of Dark Unusual sciences begin thy charm. Like furious Rivers meeting under ground, So hollow and so dismal is the sound Of all my inward murmurs, which no ear But with a wild astonishment can hear; Though not so loud as Thunder, Thunders are A slower noise, and not amaze so far. Which to express, that distant spirits hear, And willingly obey: Appear, Appear! FLy from this Forest, Squire! Fly trusty spark! I fear like child, whom maid hath left i'th' dark. O Coward base! whose fear will never Lynne Till't shrink thy heart as small as head of pin! Lady, with pretty finger in her eye Laments her Lamkin Knight, and shall I fly? Is this a time for blade to shift for's self, When Giant vile, calls Knight a sneaking Else? This day, (a Day as fair as heart could wish) This Giant stood on shore of sea to fish, For Angling rod he took a sturdy Oak, For line a Cable that in storm ne'er broke; His hook was such as heads the end of Pole, To pluck down house ere fire consumes it whole. This hook was baited with a dragon's tail, And then on Rock he stood to bob for Whale: Which straight he caught and nimbly home did pack, With ten Cart load of dinner on his back: Thus homeward bent, his eye too rude and cunning, Spies Knight and Lady by an hedge a sunning. That Modicum of meat he down did lay (For it was all he eat on fasting day)
seed 43: T20 · seed 44: T17 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Cry mercy, Sir! You are Heroique virtue, who pretend An Embassy from Heaven, and that y'are sent To make new lovers heere on Earth, you will Refine the waies of wooing, and prescribe To valor, nobler exercise, than what The Ancient Knights Advent'rers taught, but first See these of th'old Heroique race, Merlin Assist me once more with thy charming rod, To shew this strict Corrector of delights What Ladies were of yore, and what their Knights, Although their shapes and manners now grow strange, Make him admire, what he would strive to change. Alas, how weake and easie would you make Our intellectuall strength, when you have hope It may be overcome with noyse and shews. Yes, and this morall Magistrate; your strict O'r solemne Friend, that insuch comely Phrase Disputes for active virtue, and declares Himselfe the mark of all vnrighteous opposites, His Magnanimity shall yeeld at last, Streight take my Angle in his hand, then bait The hooke with guilded Flies, to fish in troubled Seas: For all the world is such, and in a storme; Where the Philosopher (that still swimmes in Profoundest depths) will (Sir) as easily Bee snapt, as fooles that float on shallow streames And taken with a Lyne, no stronger sir, than what Will teare a little Gudgeons Iawes. The Knight Adventurer that you intend To raise, must then adventure far, and make His valour captivate, surer and soone As his lamenting Ladies lookes, I'le not Be taken else. Most reverend Lord of Dark Vnusuall sciences begin thy charme. Like furious Rivers meeting under ground, So hollow and so dismall is the sound Of all my inward murmures, which no eare But with a wild astonishment can heare; Though not so loud as Thunder, Thunders are A slower noyse, and not amaze so far. Which to expresse, that distant spirits heare, And willingly obey: Appeare, Appeare! FLy from this Forest, Squire! Fly trusty sparke! I feare like child, whom maid hath left ith' darke. O Coward base! whose feare will never Lynne Till't shrinke thy heart as small as head of Pynne! Lady, with pretty finger in her eye Laments her Lamkin Knight, and shall I flye? Is this a time for blade to shift for's selfe, When Gyant vile, cals Knight a sneaking Else? This day, (a Day as faire as heart could wish) This Gyant stood on shore of sea to fish, For Angling rod hee tooke a sturdy Oake, For line a Cable that in storme n'er broke; His hook was such as heads the end of Pole, To pluck down house ere fire consumes it whole. This hooke was baited with a Dragons taile, And then on Rock he stood to bob for Whale: Which streight he caught and nimbly home did pack, With ten Cart load of dinner on his back: Thus homward bent, his eye too rude and cunning, Spies Knight and Lady by an hedge a sunning. That Modicum of meat he downe did lay (For it was all he eat on fasting day)