The Entertainment of the French Ambassadors (The Fortress of Perfect Beauty) (Tilt of the Foster-Children of Desire) · chunk 10 of 12
Goldwell, Henry · published 1581 · first performed or written 1581 [May 15-16] (Annals) tilt · before the Court unassigned nearest T13 Knights, squires and ladies · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T13: knight, raph, lady, knights, george, master, squire, rafe, pray, god.
But though she list not use those means, yet it is meet that all her servants come and show themselves devout to do her wil● perchance her pleasure is to see the forts tried of these iiii. FOSTER friends. O happy, ten times happy they whose hap shallbe with favour of her D●●●●●, to take in hand this brave attempt: In hope whereof these iiii legitimate sons of Despair, brethren to hard mishap, suckled with sighs, and swathed up in sorrow, weaned in woe, & dry-nursed by DESIRE, long time fostered with favourable countenance, & fed with sweet fancies, but now of late (alas) wholly given over to grief & is disgraced by disdain, are come with ready hearts and hands, to prove against these other 4. that DESIRE doth not deserve one wink of good favour from Lady BEAUTIES smiling eyes, for threatening to win her, fort by force? They doubt not the victory if only they may find some little show from their Saint in favour of their enterprise. If Mercury have said amiss, blame those bright beams which have bereft him of his wit, if well, vouchsafe one beck to bid him pack away. In the trial of this debateful question (O yourself) then with what can be said more, you see that seeing begins to fail. Might the ordinary truce maker though no truce be treated, (if at least your presence make it not lightsome to wrap all in her black and mourning weeds) perchance mourning that since night first, was the noblest DESIRE, have been subject to undeserved torments: And therefore these knights by th'authority of darkness very undesirously are compelled to depart from whence they came. (never part yet ere they go) Thus much they command me in their names to confess. That such excellency they find in your knights and in comparison of them, such unableness in their selves. That if Desire did not banish despair as a traitor out of his kingdom, it would have already undermined their best grounded determination: but no inward nor outward wound, no weakness, no weariness, can daunt Desire, nor take away the natural effects that follow it. Therefore having left them no other courage than Desire, no other strength than Desire, no other beginning or ending cause but Desire. They will continue this hard and hardy enterprise to morrow, in the mean time they can find no place in their hearts that doth not wish you as sweet rest, as Psyche was conveyed unto by the gentle Zephyrus, and if it be possible by the same guest visited. They wish that when your lids look up, their jewels they may preserve them, to see to morrow a better day than this, & yet not so singular success, s as you may long, freely, & joyfully enjoy; yourself, to the delight of lookers, and wonder of maikers: this said, the Knights in order as they came departed.
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)
But though she liste not vse those meanes, yet it is meete that all her seruantes come and shevve them selues deuout to do her vvil perchaunce her pleasure is to see the fortes tried of these iiii. FOSTER friendes. O happie, tenne times happy they vvhose happe shalbe vvith fauour of her D, to take in hand this braue attempt: In hope wherof these iiii legitimate sonnes of Despaire, bre thren to hard mishappe, suckled vvith sighes, and svvathed vp in sorovv, vveaned in vvo, & drie nurst by DESIRE, long time fostered vvith fauourable countenāce, & fedde vvith svveet fancies, but novv of late (alas) wholy giuē ouer to griefe & is disgraced by disdain, are come vvith readie hearts and hands, to proue against these other 4. that DESIRE doth not deserue one vvinke of good fauour from Ladie BEAVTIES smiling eyes, for threatning to winne her, forte by force? They dout not the victorie if only they may find some litle shew from their Saint in fauour of their enterprise. If Mercurie haue saide amisse, blame those bright beames vvhich haue beeft him of his wit, if well, vuchsafe one becke to bid him packe avvay. In the tryall of this debatefull question (O your selfe) then vvith vvhat can be saide more, you see that seeing begins to faile. Might the ordinary truce maker though no truce be treated, (if at least your presence make it not lightsome to vvrappe all in her blacke and mourning vveedes) perchaunce mourning that since night first, vvas the noblest DESIRE, haue bene subiect to vndeserued tormentes: And therefore these knightes by thaucthoritie of darknesse verie vndesirously are compelled to departe from vvhence they came. (neuer part yet ere they goe) Thus much they command me in their names to confesse. That such excellencie they find in your knights and in comparison of them, such vnablenes in their selues. That if Desire did not banish dispaire as a traytor out of his kingdome, it vvoulde haue already vndermined their best grounded determination: but no invvard nor outvvarde vvounde, no vveakenesse, no vvearinesse, can daunt Desire, nor take avvay the natural effects that follovve it. Terfore hauing left them no other courage then Desire, no other strength then Desire, no other beginning or ending cause but Desire. They vvill continue this harde and hardie enterprise to morrovve, in the meane time they can finde no place in their heartes that doeth not vvish you as svveet rest, as Psiche vvas conueyed vnto by the gentle Zephirus, and if it be pssible by the same gueste visited. They vvishe that vvhen your liddes looke vp, their Iuelles they may preserue them, to see to morrovv a better day thē this, & yet not so singuler successe, s as you may long, freely, & ioifully enioy; your selfe, to the delight of lookers, and vvonder of maikers: this said, the Knightes in order as they came departed.