The Seven Champions of Christendom · chunk 10 of 43
Kirke, John · published 1638 · first performed or written 1635 [1634-1638] (Annals) romance · Red Bull Company (second) · Red Bull unassigned nearest T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so · 471 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
All this we swear too on thy maiden sword. It shall suffice; the Brazen pillar's not far, Unto whose circuits knits the heads and paths Of seven fair several ways: Honour we altogether win, is not to one; Then let us part, and as we part proclaim, Whose Champions we go forth to purchase fame. George for brave England stands. Denis for brave France. The bony Scotland Andrew will advance. Iames stands for Spain. Patrick for Ireland. And David will the Britons name defend. The Rear is brought up by Anthony, Who goes a Champion forth for Italy. Bravely resolved, at all the world we'll play, But Christendom that is our tiring house, The rest our stage. On which our buskin seams must wade in blood, But time no trifling loves, nor stays for none, let's mount, and part, honour is yet unwon. The Gods are angry with us, and their arrows Stick in our bosoms, though we have inhausted The glory of our Isles, and paid oblations on their Altars, We remain regardless and forsaken. O Sacred Pallas, protector of the Virgin votary; Thou in whose well mixed soul judgement and worth holds equal balance; From those spherelike eyes that shoot forth terror To the amazed world, send piercing lightning To consume these Monsters that o'erwhelm our kingdom. Ancetes are our Proclamations forth, And a reward proposed to those bold men Dare undertake their ruin? They are my Lord; and unto him, by whose Unequalled power the monstrous Dragon falls, There is allotted the glorious shield, Whose verge is studded round with Pearl, Diamonds, Rubies, and Saphires, Carbuncles, And other stones fetched from the Orient: That Shield which from the Indian Provinces Was sent as tribute to abate your wrath, And stay your army from invasion. 'tis well. And to his valour that shall quell the pride Of that fierce Lion foraging these fields, That doth devour the harmless passengers, Great Mars his Armour, and his Ebon Lance, A hot Barbarian Steed, whose fiery pace Darts terror through the trembling enemies, With such majestic footing strikes the earth, As if he did disdain the touch of it; This as a donative is freely given To him whose valour shall confound that beast. How many Knights, even in their spring of youth, The pride and riches of this populous land, Has his vast bowels made their Sepulchre? Tears not avail, but gives woes balance weight, Which of himself's too heavy: this last Edict Will spur our youthful Gallants to the Chase Of this untamed Monster: oh we want those Grecian youths those former Ages bred; A bold Alcides, whose unequalled strength tired a stepmother's sharp invention: Deeds, whose relation frighted other men, Were but his pleasure and his pastime then: What Knights this morning are prepared To encounter the dreadful Dragon?
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)
All this we ſweare too on thy maiden ſword. It ſhall ſuffice; the Brazen Piller's not farre, Vnto whoſe circuits knits the heads and paths Of ſeven faire ſeverall wayes: Honour we altogether winne, is not to one; Then let us part, and as we part proclaime, Whoſe Champions we goe forth to purchace fame. George for brave England ſtands. Denis for brave France. The bony Scotland Andrew will advance. Iames ſtands for Spaine. Patricke for Ireland. And David will the Brittaines name defend. The Reare is brought up by Anthony, Who goes a Champion forth for Italy. Bravely reſolv'd, at all the world we'le play, But Chriſtendome that is our tiring houſe, The reſt our ſtage. On which our buskin ſeames muſt wade in blood, But time no trifling loves, nor ſtaies for none, Lets mount, and part, honour is yet unwonne. The Gods are angry with us, and their arrowes Sticke in our boſomes, though we have inhauſted The glory of our Iſles, and paid oblations on their Altars, We remaine regardleſſe and forſaken. O Sacred Pallas, protector of the Virgin votary; Thou in whoſe well mixt ſoule Iudgement and worth holds equall ballance; From thoſe Sphere-like eyes that ſhoot forth terrour To the amazed world, ſend piercing lightning To conſume theſe Monſters that o're-whelme our kingdome. Ancetes are our Proclamations forth, And a reward propos'd to thoſe bold men Dare undertake their ruine? They are my Lord; and unto him, by whoſe Unequal'd power the monſtrous Dragon falls, There is allotted the glorious ſhield, Whoſe Verdge is ſtudded round with Pearle, Diamonds, Rubies, and Saphires, Carbuncles, And other ſtones fetcht from the Orient: That Shield which from the Indian Provinces Was ſent as tribute to abate your wrath, And ſtay your army from invaſion. Tis well. And to his valour that ſhall quell the pride Of that fierce Lyon forraging theſe fields, That doth devoure the harmleſſe paſſengers, Great Mars his Armour, and his Ebon Lance, A hot Barbarian Steed, whoſe fiery pace Darts terrour through the trembling enemies, With ſuch majeſticke footing ſtrikes the earth, As if he did diſdaine the touch of it; This as a donative is freely given To him whoſe valour ſhall confound that beaſt. How many Knights, even in their ſpring of youth, The pride and riches of this populous land, Has his vaſt bowels made their Sepulcher? Teares not availe, but gives woes ballance waight, Which of himſelfe's too heavy: this laſt Edict Will ſpurre our youthfull Gallants to the Chace Of this untamed Monſter: oh we want thoſe Gretian youths thoſe former Ages bred; A bold Alcides, whole unequal'd ſtrength Tyr'd a Step-mothers ſharpe invention: Deeds, whoſe relation frighted other men, Were but his pleaſure and his paſtime then: What Knights this morning are prepar'd To incounter the dreadfull Dragon?