Berkeley, William · published 1638 · first performed or written 1637 [1637-1638] (Annals) not in BritDrama T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.76 · 485 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
As if one spirit had inspired both, Came with this message little varied, That each were joyed in such an enemy: No more the fearful wisdom of old men Should rust their swords, that fate had given to one Command of all. In short, their forces met, And in ten bloody days none could decide Which had the better cause: The virtues of each Prince so prevalent. Fortune was but spectator, to conclude, Urgent affairs at home compelled each King To leave their Armies, ours committed his To STRIMON father of Prince LYSICLES. The Duke of ARGOS did command the SPARTANA, Who swollen with the great name of General. Before his King had hardly left the sight Of his great Army, draws his forces out. And faced us in our Trenches: 'tis not yet Unquestioned, whether fear or policy Made STRIMON keep in his: but certainly this, That Virtue sharpened by necessity, Procured our Triumph: here LYSICLES Anticipated years unto his fame, And on the wounds of his brave Enemy, Did write his Story, which our Virgins sing. But from this conquest did begin the cause of all his misery. How from this? unless the King should judge It, too dangerous an honour to be given to one. he's Lord of so much Virtue, He cannot fear it in a Subject. And as the common voice reached him in ATHOS, There's none he looks on with greater Demonstration of his love. I know not that, but this I am perfect in, His judgement is directed by the Kings so powerfully, He cannot think his virtues injured, Though many should be nearer in his graces, It would inflict him strangely if any should be thought, To love his Prince better than he. Pardon my interruption, pray proceed. The Duke defeated, posts unto the Court, Where he designed, unto his dire revenge, Th'obscurest path that ever time revealed Since her first glass: procures his King to throw Neglects upon him, and to seem in doubt Of his obliged faith: a severe search Made on his papers, his treasure valued By the public Officer, and is himself, Twice deprehended in a seeming flight, Calumniated, libeled, and disgraced, By his own seeking, and belief of others, Who judging him to be their honour's ruin. First raze his house, and then demand his life As sacrifice, unto their brothers, sons, Nephews, and public loss: sedition Had now the face of piety, which once Received as just, can hardly be repelled. The King with difficulty doth assure his life, With promise of his banishment. This he foresaw and sought, and did disguise Himself, in fear of the incensed people: Parts in the night, and partner of his fate Hath his fair Niece, who is so innocent, She cannot think there is a greater crime, Practised by men than error, which does make Us seem more vicious, than in act we are.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
As if one spirit had inspired both, Came with this message little varied, That each were joy'd in such an enemy: No more the fearefull wisedome of old men Should rust their swords, that fate had given to one Command of all. In short, their forces met, And in ten bloody daies none could decide Which had the better cause: The vertues of each Prince so prevalent. Fortune was but spectator, to conclude, Urgent affaires at home compel'd each King To leave their Armies, ours committed his To STRIMON father of Prince LYSICLES. The Duke of ARGOS did command the SPARTANA, Who swolne with the great name of Generall. Before his King had hardly left the sight Of his great Army, drawes his forces out. And fac'd us in our Trenches: 'tis not yet Unquestion'd, whether feare or policy Made STRIMON keepe in his: but certainly this, That Vertue sharpn'd by necessity, Procur'd our Triumph: here LYSICLES Anticipated yeares unto his fame, And on the wounds of his brave Enemy, Did write his Story, which our Virgins sing. But from this conquest did begin the cause of all his misery. How from this? unlesse the King should judge It, too dangerous an honor to be given to one. Hee's Lord of so much Vertue, He cannot feare it in a Subject. And as the common voice reacht him in ATHOS, There's none he lookes on with greater Demonstration of his love. I know not that, but this I am persit in, His judgment is directed by the Kings so powerfully, He cannot thinke his vertues injured, Though many should be neerer in his graces, It would inflict him strangely if any should be thought, To love his Prince better than he. Pardon my interruption, pray proceed. The Duke defeated, posts unto the Court, Where he design'd, unto his dire revenge, Th'obscurest path that ever time reveal'd Since her first glasse: procures his King to throw Neglects upon him, and to seeme in doubt Of his obliged faith: a severe search Made on his papers, his treasure vallued By the publicke Officer, and is himselfe, Twice deprehended in a seeming flight, Calumniated, libeld, and disgrac'd, By his owne seeking, and beleefe of others, Who judging him to be their honors ruine. First raze his house, and then demand his life As sacrifice, unto their brothers, sonnes, Nephewes, and publicke losse: sedition Had now the face of piety, which once Receiv'd as just, can hardly be repel'd. The King with difficulty doth assure his life, With promise of his banishment. This he fore-saw and sought, and did disguise Himselfe, in feare of the incensed people: Parts in the night, and partner of his fate Hath his faire Neece, who is so innocent, She cannot thinke there is a greater crime, Practiz'd by men than errour, which does make Us seeme more vicious, than in act we are.