Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T57: ship, sea, master, sail, home, money, pisaro, life, ships, till.
Yet I confess them better sold, than like a slave to pine. For lands may come again, but liberty once lost, Can never find such recompense, as countervails the cost. Myself now know the case, who like my father's lot, Was like of late for to have lost my liberty God wots. My father (as I say) enforced to leave his land, In mortgage to my mother's kin, for ready coin in hand, 'Gan now upon these news, which erst I did rehearse, Prepare himself to save his pawn, or else to lose his phearce. And first his ransom paid, with that which did remain, He rigged up a proper Bark, was called Leffort Britain. And like a venturer (besides him seemly self) Determined for to venture me and all his worldly pelf. Perhaps some hope of gain persuaded so his mind, For sure his haughty heart was bend, some great exploit to find. How so it were, the winds now hoisted up our sails, We furrowing in the foaming floods, to take our best avails. Now hearken to my words, and mark you well the same, For now I will declare the cause, wherefore I hither came. My father (as I say) had set up all his rest, And tossed on seas both day and night, disdaining idle rest, We left our forelands end, we passed the coast of France, We reached the cape of Finis Terre our course for to advance. We passed Marrocchus straits, and at the last descried, The fertile coasts of Cyprus soil, which I myself first spied. Myself (a forward boy) on highest top was placed, And there I saw the Cyprian shore, whereto we sailed in haste. Which when I had declared unto the master's mate, He leapt for joy and thanked God, of that our happy state. But what remains to man, that can continued long? What sun can shine so clear & bright but clouds may rise among? Which sentence soon was proved, by our unhappy hap, We thought ourselves full near our friends, & light in enemy's lap. The Turk that Tyrant he, with siege had girt the walls, Of famous Famagosta * then and sought to make them thralls. And as he lay by land, in strong and stately trench, So was his power priest by Sea, his Christian foes to drench. Upon the waltering waves, his Foists and Galleys fleet, Moore forest like than orderly, for such a man most meet. This heavy sight once seen, we turned our course apace, And set up all our sails in haste, to give such fury place. But out alas, our wills, and winds were contrary, For raging blasts did blow us still upon our enemy. My father seeing then, whereto he needs must go, And that the mighty hand of God, had it appointed so. Most like a worthy knight (though certain of his death) 'Gan clean forget all wailing words, as lavish of his breath.
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)
Yet I confeſſe them better ſolde, than lyke a ſlaue to pine. "For landes maye come againe, but lybertie once loſt, "Can neuer finde ſuch recompence, as counteruailes the coſt. My ſelfe now know the caſe, who lyke my fathers lot, Was lyke of late for to haue loſt my libertie God wot. My father (as I ſaye) enforſte to leaue his lande, In mortgage to my mothers kinne, for ready coyne in hande, Gan nowe vpon theſe newes, which earſt I dyd rehearſe, Prepare himſelfe to ſaue his pawne, or elſe to léeſe his phearce. And firſt his raunſome payde, with that which dyd remaine, He rigged vp a proper Barke, was called Leffort Brittaine. And lyke a venturer (beſides him ſéemely ſelfe) Determined for to venture me and all his worldly pelfe. Perhappes ſome hope of gaine perſwaded ſo his minde, For ſure his hauty heart was bent, ſome greate exploite to finde. Howe ſo it were, the windes nowe hoyſted vp our ſailes, Wée furrowing in the foming flooddes, to take our beſt auailes. Now hearken to my wordes, and marke you well the ſame, For nowe I wyll declare the cauſe, wherefore I hyther came. My father (as I ſaye) had ſet vp all his reſt, And toſt on ſeas both daye and night, diſdayning ydle reſt, We left our forelandes ende, we paſt the coaſt of Fraunce, We reacht the cape of Finis Terre our courſe for to aduaunce. We paſt Marrocchus ſtreightes, and at the laſt deſcried, The fertile coaſtes of Cyprus ſoile, whicch I my ſelfe firſt ſpyed. My ſelfe (a foreward boye) on higheſt top was plaſt, And there I ſaw the Cyprian ſhoare, whereto we ſayld in haſte. Which when I had declared vnto the maſters mate, He lepte for ioye and thanked God, of that our happy ſtate. "But what remaines to man, that can continue long? "What ſunne can ſhine ſo cleare & bright but cloudes may ryſe among? Which ſentence ſoone was proued, by our vnhappy hap, We thought our ſelues full néere our friendes, & light in enemies lap. The Turke yt Tirant he, with ſiege had girte the walles, Of famous Famagoſta then and ſought to make them thralles. And as he laye by lande, in ſtrong and ſtately trenche, So was his power preſt by Sea, his Chriſtian foes to drenche. Vpon the waltring waues, his Foiſtes and Gallies fléete, More forreſt like than orderly, for ſuch a man moſt méete. This heauy ſight once ſeene, we turnde our courſe apace, And ſet vp al our ſailes in haſte, to giue ſuche furie place. But out alas, our willes, and windes were contrarie, For raging blaſtes did blowe vs ſtill vppon our enimie. My father ſéeing then, whereto he néedes muſt go, And that the mighty hand of God, had it appointed ſo. Moſt like a worthy knight (though certaine of his death) Gan cleane forget all wayling wordes, as lauiſhe of his breath.