The Entertainment of the French Ambassadors (The Fortress of Perfect Beauty) (Tilt of the Foster-Children of Desire) · chunk 3 of 12
Goldwell, Henry · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 [May 15-16] (Annals) tilt · before the Court unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 498 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
If the message lately delivered unto you had been believed and followed. (O Queen) in whom the whole story of virtue is written with the language of BEAUTY. Nothing should this violence have needed in your inviolate presence, your eyes which till now have been only wont to discern the bowed knees of kneeling hearts, and inwardly turned, found always the heavenly peace of a sweet mind, Should not now have their fair beams reflect with the shining of Armour, should not now be driven to see the fury of Desire, nor the fiery force of fury: But since so it is (alas that so it is) that in the defence of obstinate refusal there never groweth victory but by compassion? They are come, what need I say more, you see them, ready in heart as you know, and able with hands as they hope, not only to assailing but to prevailing. Perehance you despise the smallness of number, I say unto you, the force of DESIRE goes not by fullness of company. Nay rather View with what unresistible determination themselves approach, And how not only the heavens send their invisible Instrument to aid them. But also the very earth the dullest of all the Elements which with natural heaviness still strives to the sleepy Centre, yet for advancing this enterprise is contented actively as you shall see to move itself upon itself, to rise up in height, That it may the better command the high & high minded FORTRESS? Many words when deeds are in field are tedious both to the speaker and hearer, you see their forces but know not their fortunes, if you be resolved, it boots not, and threats dread not, I have discharged my charge, which was even when all things were ready for the assault, then to offer partly a thing not so much unused as gracious in besiegers, you shall now be summoned to yield, which if it be rejected, then look for the affectionate Alarm to be followed with desirous Assault: The time approacheth for their approaches: But no time shall stay me from wishing, that how soever this succeed, the world may long time enjoy her chiefest ornament, which decks it with her self, and herself with the love of goodness. Yield yield, O yield, you that this FORT do hold, which seated is, in spotless honours fielde, Desires great force, no forces can withhold: then to desires desire, O yield O yield. Yield yield O yield, trust not on beauty's pride, fairness though fair, is but a feeble shield, When strong Desire, which virtues love doth guide, claims but to gain his due, O yield O yield. Yield yield O yield, who first this Fort did make, did it for just Desires, true children build, Such was his mind, if you another take: defence herein doth wrong, O yield O yield, Yield yield O yield, now is it time to yield, Before thassault begin, O yield O yield.
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)
If the message lately deliuered vnto you had bene beleeued and followed. (O Queene) in whom the whole story of vertue is written with the language of BEAVTIE. Nothing should this violence haue needed in your inuiolate presence, your eyes which til now haue bene onely wont to discerne the bowed knees of kneeling heartes, and inwardly tourned, found alwaies the heauenly peace of a sweete mind, Shoulde not nowe haue their faire beames reflec with the shining of Amoure, shoulde not nowe be driuen to see the furie of Desire, nor the fyery force of fury: But since so it is (alasse that so it is) that in the defence of obstinate refusal ther neuer groweth victory but by compassion? They are come, what neede I say more, you see them, ready in hart as you knowe, and able with handes as they hope, not only to assailing but to preuailing. Perehance you dispise the smalnesse of number, I say vnto you, the force of DESIRE goes not by fulnesse of company. Nay rather Vew with what vnresistable determination themselues approch, And howe not onely the heauens send their inuisible Instrument to ayde them. But also the very earth the dullest of al the Elements which with naturall heauinesse still striues to the sleepie Center, yet for aduancing this enterprise is cōtented actiuely as you shal see to moue it self vpō it selfe, to rise vp in height, That it may the better command the high & high minded FORTRESSE? Many wordes when deedes are in field are tedious both to the speaker and hearer, you see their forces but know not their fortunes, if you bee resolued, it boots not, and threats dread not, I haue discharged my charge, which was euen when all thinges were ready for the assaulte, then to offer partlie a thinge not so much vnused as gratious in besiegers, you shal nowe be sommoned to yeld, which if it be reiected, then looke for the affectionate Allarme to bee followed with desirous Assaulte: The time approcheth for their approches: But no time shall stay me from wishing, that how soeuer this succeede, the worlde may long time enioy her cheefest ornament, which deckes it with her felfe, and herselfe with the loue of goodnesse. Yeelde yeelde, O yeelde, you that this FORTE do holde, which seated is, in spotlesse honors filde, Desires great force, no forces can withhold: then to DESIERS desire, O yeelde O yeelde. Yeelde yeelde O yeelde, trust not on beauties pride, fayrenesse though fayer, is but a feeble shielde, VVhen strong Desire, which vertues loue doth guide, claymes but to gaine his due, O yeelde O yeelde. Yeelde yeelde O yeelde, who first this Fort did make, did it for iust Desires, true children builde, Such was his minde, if you another take: defence herein doth wrong, O yeelde O yeelde, Yeelde yeelde O yeelde, now is it time to yeelde, Before thaslault beginne, O yeelde O yeelde.