The Entertainment at Norwich (Royal Entry of Queen Elizabeth) · chunk 12 of 15
Garter, Bernard / Goldingham, William · published 1578 · first performed or written 1578 [Aug] (Annals) entertainment; royal entertainment or entry · before the Court T38 Death, parting and grief at court typicality 0.79 · 508 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
WHat vaileth life, where sorrow soaks the heart? Who feareth Death that is in deep distress? Release of life doth best abate the smart Of him, whose woes are quite without redress. Lend me your tears, resign your sighs to me, Help all to wail the dolour which you see. What have we done, she will no longer stay? What may we do to hold her with us still? she is our Queen, we subjects must obey. Grant, though with grief to her departing will. Conclude we then, and sing with sobbing breath, God length thy life, (oh Queen ELIZABETH.) THose things which at their coming are joyful, when they depart are the more sorrowful. For what (o mighty God) could this Sun at any time behold more happy, than we did seem to ourselves, either when first (o most merciful Prince) the brightness of thy Majesty did here shine out, or else in all the time we rested in your presence, as in a paradise or most happy abundance of all things. But woe to that changeable course of humane things, which suffereth nothing uncorrupt, nor any thing eternal: so pleasure bringeth after it sadness, and grief doth not only suddenly take away our delights, but most bitterly cut of the same. So that we that lately received thee approaching with all joys: should follow thee departing (if the renown of your highness and train would suffer it) with mourning garments. If you demand the cause of so great sorrow, I know not what part of his Majesty God hath endued your person withal, which doth stir up great reverence of thee, but full of a certain wonderful love, whereby it comes to pass that we hardly suffer ourselves to be severed from your presence. Add moreover, that we seem after a sort unto your highness (such is your clemency) to have satisfied every point of gratefulness: yet have we not, nor ever shall we satisfy ourselves in that behalf. We would wish a longer use of time (if it were profitable) that we might express, if not a greater, yet a more continual show of our love and obedience. But we must both yield to your pleasure, and to the common wealth, for that we know assuredly to our great and singular advancement, you never cease to seek out and afford the same to all your subjects. Go now therefore, go with lucky step thither, whether thy virtue calleth thee. And for us, this shall comfort us abundantly (which deserveth both immortal thanks and perpetual memory) that thou so renowned a Prince, hast vouchsafed so courteously to visit our dwellings. And finally, we here before thee, whom God hath anointed, and before all this famous assembly, take God (which now beholdeth us) to our witness, that we will keep our faith and obedience in him to thee only for ever. Thou Nurse of religion, Mother of the Common Wealth, Beauty of Princes, Solace of thy subjects, most happily (oh how I rue to speak it) Farewell.
seed 43: T44 · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
WHat vayleth life, where sorrowe soakes the harte? Who feareth Death that is in deepe distresse? Release of life doth best abate the smarte Of him, whose woes are quite without redresse. Lend me your teares, resigne your sighes to me, Helpe all to waile the dolor whych you see. What haue wee done, shee will no longer stay? What may we do to holde hir with vs still? Shee is oure Queene, wee subiectes muste obey. Graunt, though with griefe to hir departing will. Conclude wee then, and sing with sobbing breath, God length thy life, (oh Queene ELIZABETH.) THose thinges which at their comming are ioyfull, when they depart are the more sorowful. For what (ô mighty God) could this Sunne at any tyme behold more happy, than we did seeme to our selues, either whē first (ô most merciful Prince) the brightnesse of thy Maiestie did here shine out, or els in all the tyme we rested in your presence, as in a paradise or most happy abundance of all thinges. But woe to that chaungeable course of humaine thinges, which suffreth nothing vncorrupt, nor any thing eternall▪ so pleasure bringeth after it sadnesse, and griefe doth not onely sòdainly take away our delightes, but most bitterly cut of the same. So that we that lately receyued thee approching with all ioyes: should follow thee departing (if the renowne of your highnesse and trayne would suffer it) with mourning garments. If you demaund the cause of so great sorow, I know not what part of his Maiestie God hath indued your person withall, which doth stirre vp great reuerence of thee, but full of a certaine wonderfull loue, wherby it comes to passe that we hardely suffer our selues to be seuered from your presence. Adde moreouer, that we seeme after a sort vnto your highnesse (such is your clemencie) to haue satisfied euery pointe of gratefulnes: yet haue we not, nor euer shall we satisfie our selues in that behalfe. VVe would wishe a longer vse of tyme (if it were profitable) that we might expresse, if not a greater, yet a more continuall shew of our loue and obedience. But we must both yelde to your pleasure, and to the common wealth, for that we know assuredly to our great and singular aduuncement, you neuer cease to seeke out and afoord the same to all your subiectes. Go now therefore, go with luckie steppe thether, whether thy vertue calleth thee. And for vs, this shall comfort vs aboundantly (which deserueth both immortall thankes and perpetuall memory) that thou so renowmed a Prince, hast vouchsafed so curteously to visite our dwellinges. And finally, we here before thee, whom God hath annointed, and before all this famous assembly, take God (which now beholdeth vs) to our witnesse, that we will keepe our faith and obedience in him to thee onely for euer. Thou Nurce of religion, Mother of the Common VVealth, Beautie of Princes, Solace of thy Subiecte, most happily (oh how I rue to speake it) Farewell.