Cartwright, William · published 1639 · first performed or written 1636 [Aug 30] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men · before the Court T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so typicality 0.81 · 502 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
What may be done in so Short space, shall all be to your good: go then And deal discreetly with the Army: tell them The tempest that is falling on their head, Unless the Persian shield them. When you have Persuaded them to this, conduct your Forces Towards Arsamnes Castle, where the Queen, And Ladies now expect me. But be sure You come not within sight of Sardis. Why? Shall we not march beyond the Frontiers then? By no means, for you'll cut off all retreat, Now, when you see the numerous Persian come, You may securely fly without the loss Of any; this will quell the future rising Of those, whose frowardness is not content Either with th'calm or Tempest of Affairs. We must comply with Fortune, now we're conquered, Permit the rest unto the Gods and me. Success attend it. So; my next care now Must be t' avoid those Slaves, who, I o'erheard, Have a design upon my life. But let Even the plotting Destinies contrive, And be themselves of Council, all their malice Shall only show an idle fruitless Hate, Whiles Wisdom takes the upper hand of Fate. HOlla! Holla! Archippus? Leocrates? ne'er be afraid man, 'tis I, the very same. 'Fore Mercury I did not know thee: thy coming forth out of the wood with that raw arm, and those tottered clothes, makes thee show like Actaeon, newly revived after his worrying. Where's Stratocles, and Philotas? They're looking Burr-leaves perhaps for Excoriation; or else robbing some Gibbet to accommodate themselves with decent weeds. Holla! Holla! Hark: I hear 'em; they are hard by; let's answer 'em. Holla! O are you there? Save thee Brother Stratocles: Joy to thee Valiant Philotas; I commend you that you keep your words: I'm glad we are so punctual. D'ye think we have no Religion in us? 'tis a most corrupt time, when such as we cannot keep touch, and be faithful one to another. But are you sure Cratander will pass by this way? My Lord Praxaspes says he loves this walk. But we've done ill to leave our weapons yonder. Pish! he won't pass by this hour, he's busy yet: we'll fetch 'em as soon as we can agree who shall do the deed. Who shall do the deed sayst thou? why thou, or he, or he, or I. Do thou then if thou hast a mind to't. No faith, thou shalt have the whole honour of it to thyself; I will not rob thee of an inch of it: I am not envious, Leocrates, not envious. Well; the next Passenger is to decide it then; he that shall be judged the fittest to make a Persian Priest, must do the deed. What else? dost thou think we will be so base, as not to stand to Covenants? You have all made yourselves very unfit to be Priests methinks. Why so Philotas? do you not see wooden legs, and Crutches, wry Necks, and lame Arms, maimed limbs, and blind sides?
seed 43: T18 · seed 44: T18 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
What may be done in so Short space, shall all be to your good: goe then And deale discreetly with the Army: tell them The tempest that is falling on their head, Unlesse the Persian shield them. When you have Perswaded them to this, conduct your Forces Towards Arsamnes Castle, where the Queene, And Ladyes now expect me. But be sure You come not within sight of Sardis. Why? Shall we not march beyond the Fronteirs then? By no meanes, for you'le cut off all retreat, Now, when you see the numerous Persian come, You may securely fly without the losse Of any; this will quell the future rising Of those, whose frowardnesse is not content Either with th'Calme or Tempest of Affaires▪ We must comply with Fortune, now wee're conquer'd, Permit the rest unto the Gods and me. Successe attend it. So; my next care now Must be t' avoide those Slaves, who, I o'reheard, Have a designe upon my life. But let Even the plotting Destinies contrive, And be themselves of Councell, all their malice Shall only shew an idle fruitlesse Hate, Whiles Wisedome takes the upper hand of Fate. HOlla! Holla! Archippus? Leocrates? Ne're be afraid man, 'tis I, the very same. 'Fore Mercury I did not know thee: thy comming forth out of the wood with that raw arme, and those totter'd cloaths, makes thee shew like Acteon, newly reviv'd after his worrying. Where's Stratocles, and Philotas? They're looking Bur-leaves perhaps for Excoriation; or else obbing some Gibbet to accommodate themselves with decent weeds. Holla! Holla! Hearke: I heare 'em; they are hard by; let's answer 'em. Holla! O are you there? Save thee Brother Stratocles: Joy to thee Valiant Philotas; I commend you that you keepe your wordes: I'm glad we are so punctuall. D▪ye thinke we have no Religion in us? 'tis a most corrupt time, when such as we cannot keepe touch, and be faithfull one to another. But are you sure Cratander will passe by this way? My Lord Praxaspes sayes he loves this walke. But wee've done ill to leave our weapons yonder▪ Pish! he won't passe by this houre, hee's busie yet: Wee'le fetch 'em as soone as wee can agree who shall doe the deed. Who shall doe the deed sayst thou? why thou, or he, or he, or I. Do thou then if thou hast a minde to't. No faith, thou shalt have the whole honour of it to thy selfe; I will not rob thee of an inch of it: I am not envious, Leocrates, not envious. Well; the next Passenger is to decide it then; hee that shall be judg'd the fittest to make a Persian Priest, must do the deed. What else? dost thou thinke we will be so base, as not to stand to Covenants? You have all made your selves very unfit to bee Preists methinkes. Why so Philotas? do you not see woodden legs, and Crutches, wry Neckes, and lame Armes, maym'd limbes, and blind sides?