Richards, Nathaniel · published 1640 · first performed or written 1635 [1634-1636] (Annals) tragedy · King's Revels Company unassigned nearest T60 Imperial Rome: rulers, favour and politi · 471 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T60: caesar, rome, emperor, empire, honour, lord, lucius, great, palsgrave, kings.
Know mighty Queen I by your looks perceived the graceful Actor pleasing to your eyes, And therefore already here in court, I Have prepared him. Diligent Saufellus, I'll to my chamber, Admit him thither; be swift in return, We long for change to feed on various fruit; Up Messallina let thy mountain will Too long kept down, fly to thy full desire, I'll live in pleasure though I burn in fire. Come, come, come, this way, fro how I sweat, This venery is a stirring business, Remain you here, I'll instantly return. My heart that ne'er yet shrank begins to throb, And my good Genius whispers in mine care A fair retreat; I am fair warned, and yet I waver doubtful. Fortunate Actor, Now let thy best of action to the life Court Rome's rare Empress to the height of pleasure, Muster up all the powers of man in thee To an united strength, prepare a part To ravish, pleasure win an Empress heart, Look to't, prove active to yield full content, Or else you die, die a most shameful death, So speed as you shall please. That's certain death, ay, I that in Pompey's, spacious Theater Acted the noble virtues of true man, When the fair piercing lines so much prevailed, I felt a sacred flame run through my brains, And in this Orb of man's circumference, myself at furious war within myself, That in my life's sweet sequel, I still strived Wrestled with flesh and blood to imitate The good I then presented, but now, a Coward plague, or else some Fiend raised from the Pit of fear, hath all my goodness to a Period dropped; and I like chaff, blown on this Wide world's stage, am now to act my own part, Which must be vicious now, lust stung vicious With Rome's majestic Empress, whose command Strikes dead in the refusal, dead; a word That quakes even the most valiant He, though lest Expressed, if by escape I think myself Secure in some remote soil, her revenge Will with the self same stroke there strike me dead, 'Mong petty eminent persons now 'tis Common; then Princes cannot fail, their Arms Are long and large, compulsion bids me on Who ere shall read my story then shall say 'Tis forced compulsion, and not rich reward, No high Court favourers made Menester sin. Enchanting earth's temptation is in vain, He basely, basely sins that sins for gain. If not for gain, shall I commit for fear, For fear to die, I must, I will not, keep There my mind, and with chaste fortitude O be my bar to this lascivious act, And cleave me to the Centre ere I yield, Your pardon glorious Empress, there's something in me works so powerful, I dare not, dare not yield to your content.
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)
Know mightie Queen I by your looks perceiv'd he gracefull Actor pleasing to your eyes, And therefore already here in court, I Have prepar'd him. Diligent Saufellus, Ile to my chamber, Admit him thither; be swift in returne, We long for change to feede on various fruit; Vp Messallina let thy mountaine will Too long kept downe, fly to thy full desire, Ile live in pleasure though I burne in fire. Come, come, come, this way, fo how I sweat, This venery is a stirring businesse, Remaine you here, Ile instantly returne. My heart that ne're yet shrnk begins to throb, And my good Genius whispers in mine care A faire retreat; I am faire warn'd, and yet I waver doubtfull. Fortunate Actor, Now let thy best of action to the life Court Romes rare Emp'resse to the height of pleasure, Muster up all the powers of man in thee To an united strength, prepare a part To ravish, pleasure winne an Empresse heart, Looke to't, prove active to yeeld full content, Or else ou die, die a most shamefull death, So speed as you shall please. That's certaine death, I, I that in Pompeys, spacious Theater Acted the noble vertues of true man, When the faire piercing lines so much prevail'd, I felt a sacred flame runne through my braines, And in this Orb of mans circumference, My selfe at furious war within my selfe, That in my lifes sweet sequell, I still striv'd Wrestled with flesh and blood to immitate The good I then presented, but now, a Coward plague, or else some Fend rais'd from the Pit of feare, hath all my goodnesse to a Period dropt; and I like chaffe, blowne on this Wide worlds stage, am now to act my owne part, Which must be vicious now, lust stung vicious With Romes majesticke Empresse, whose command Strikes dead in the refusall, dead; a word That quakes even the most valiant He, though least Exprest, if by escape I thinke my selfe Secure in some remote soile, her revenge Will with the selfe same stroake there strike me dead, 'Mong petty emminent persons now tis Common; then Princes cannot faile, their Armes Are long and large, compulsion bids me on Who ere shall reade my story then shall say 'Tis forc'd compulsion, and not rich reward, No high Court favourers made Menester sinne. Inchanting earth's temptation is in vaine, He basely, basely sinnes that sinnes for gaine. If not for gaine, shall I commit for feare, For feare to die, I must, I will not, keepe There my minde, and with chast fortitude O be my barre to this lascivious act, And cleave me to the Center er'e I yeeld, Your pardon glorious Empresse, Ther's something in me workes so powerfull, I dare not, dare not yeeld to your content.