Lyly, John · published 1584 · first performed or written c.1583 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (first) (Oxford's Boys) · before the Court T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.72 · 429 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
WHere the Bee can suck no honey, she leaveth her sting behind, and where the Bear cannot find Origanum to heal his grief, he blasteth all other leaves with his breath. we fear it is like to fare so with us, that seeing you cannot draw from our labours sweet content, you leave behind you a sour mislike, and with open reproach blame our good meanings: because you cannot reap your wonted mirths. Our intent was at this time to move inward delight, not outward lightness, and to breed, (if it might be) soft smiling, not loud laughing: knowing it to the wise to be as great pleasure to hear counsel mixed with wit, as to the foolish to have sport mingled with rudeness. They were banished the Theater at Athens, and from Rome hissed, that brought parasites on the stage with apish actions, or fools with uncivil habits, or Courtesans with immodest words. We have endeavoured to be as far from unseemly speeches, to make your ears glow, as we hope you will be from unkind reports to make our cheeks blush. The Griffyon never spreadeth her wings in the sun, when she hath any sick feathers: yet have we ventured to present out exercise before your judgements, when we know them full of weak matter, yielding rather ourselves to the courtesy, which we have ever sound, then to the preciseness, which we ought to fear. THe Arabians being stuffed with perfumes, burn hemlock, a rank poison: & in Hybla being cloyed with honey, they account it dainty to feed on wax. Your highness eyes, whom variety hath filled with fair shows, and whose ears pleasure hath possessed with rare sounds, will (we trust) at this time resemble the princely Eagle, who fearing to surfeit on spices, stoopeth to bite on wormwood. We present no conceits nor wars, but deceits and loves, wherein the truth may excuse the plainness. The necessity, the length: the poetry, the bitterness. There is no needless point so small, which hath not his compass: nor hair so slender, which hath not his shadow: nor sport so simple, which hath not his shadow: nor sport so simple, which hath not show. Whatsoever we present, whether it be tedious (which we fear) or toyish (which we doubt) sweet or sour, absolute or imperfect, or whatsoever, in all humbleness we all, & I on knee for all, entreat, that your Highness imagine yourself to be in a deep dream, that staying the conclusion, in your rising your Majesty vouchsafe but to say, And so you awaked.
seed 43: T16 · seed 44: T15 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
WHere the Bee can suck no honney, she leaueth her stinge behinde, and where the Beare cannot finde Origanum to heale his griefe, he blasteth all other leaues with his breath. Wee feare it is like to fare so with vs, that seeing you cannot draw from our labours sweete content, you leaue behinde you a sowre mislike, and with open reproach blame our good meaninges: because you cannot reap your wonted mirthes. Our intēt was at this time to moue inward delight, not outward lightnesse, and to breede, (if it might bee) soft smiling, not loude laughing: knowing it to the wise to be as great pleasure to heare counsell mixed with witte, as to the foolish to haue sporte mingled with rudenesse. They were banished the Theater at Athens, and from Rome hyssed, that brought parasites on the stage with apish actions, or fooles with vnciuill habites, or Curtisans with immodest words. We haue endeuoured to be as farre from vnseemely speaches, to make your eares glowe, as wee hope you will bee from vnkinde reportes to make our cheekes blush. The Griffyon neuer spreadeth her wings in the sunne, when she hath any sick feathers: yet haue we ventured to present out exercise beefore your indgements, when we know them full of weak matter, yeelding rather our selues to the curtesie, which we haue euer sound, then to the precisenesse, which wee ought to feare. THe Arabyās being stuffed with perfumes, burn Hemblock, a ranck poison: & in Hybla being cloid with hōney, they account it daintie to feede on waxe. Your Highnesse eies, whom varietie hath filled with fayre showes, and whose eares pleasure hath possessed with rare soundes, will (we trust) at this time resemble the princely Eagle, who fearing to surfeit on spices, stoupeth to bite on wormwood. We present no conceites nor warres, but deceites and loues, wherein the trueth may excuse the plainenesse. The necessitie, the length: the poetrie, the bitternesse. There is no needelesse point so smal, which hath not his cōpasse: nor haire so slender, which hath not his shadowe: nor sporte so simple, which hath not his shadowe: nor sporte so simple, which hath not showe. Whatsoeuer we presēt, whether it be tedious (which we feare) or toyishe (which we doubt) sweete or sowre, absolute or imperfect, or whatsoeuer, in al humblenesse we all, & I on knee for all, entreate, that your Highnesse imagine your self to be in a deepe dreame, that staying the conclusiō, in your rising your Maiestie vouchfafe but to saye, And so you awakte.