The Three Lords and Three Ladies of London · chunk 18 of 41
Wilson, Robert · published 1590 · first performed or written 1588 [1588-1590] (Annals) moral · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) T39 Profit, conscience and dishonest dealing typicality 0.81 · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
Conscience, Love, Lucre, Ladies all what cheer? How do ye like the seats you sit upon. O pure unspotted Nemo sole paragon, Of Love, of Conscience and perfection, The Marble of Remorse I sit upon Sweats scalding drops, like bitter brinish tears. So should remorse when Conscience feels her gilt But gentle Love how feelest thou thy flint? O sharp and cold, I freeze unto my seat, The Flint holds fire, and yet I feel no heat, But am benumbed and frozen every joint. O Love, so cold is charity in these times: Lucre, how sit you? Upon a heavy stone, not half so cold, not half so hot as theirs, But of some secret power, for I do find and sensibly I feel, That I from it exhale an earthly cold, And it from me doth draw a kindly heat. Such force hath Care of Lucre in itself, To cool the heart and draw the vital spirits, And such the true condition of you three: Remorse of Conscience, Charity of Love, And Care of Lucre, such your uses be: But Ladies now your sorrow lay aside, Frolic fair Dames, an unexpected good Is imminent through me unto you all: three Lords there be your native countrymen, In London bred, as you yourselves have been. Which covet you for honourable wives, And presently will come to visit you, Be not abashed at your base attire, I shall provide you friends to deck you all. If I command, stand up, else sit you still. Lo, where they come: my Lords the Dames be here. Why are they wimpled? shall they not unmask theme It is for your sake, for Policy they do it: Much may their fortune and their feature be. But what it is we cannot thus discern. You shall in time Lord Pomp, be yet consent. Their same is more than cause or reason would, May one of these be pleasures paragon? Pleasure, be pleased and use no prejudice. Madames stand up, mislike not their attire, That shall be mended as your selved desire. Their port, and their proportion well contented. Right stately dames, if they were well attired: May we not see their beauty what it is? Yes Lordings yes, Lucre, lift up thy veil. Of beauty excellent. Of rare perfection. A dainty face. Unmask Love. Sweet love indeed. A lovely face. A gallant grace. Conscience, uncover. Beauty divine. A face angelical. Sweet creature of the world. Enough for once, Ladies sit down again: As cunning chapmen do by curious wares, Which seldom shown do most inflame the mind, So must I deal, being dainty of these Dames, Who seldom seen shall best allure these Lords: A while my Lords, I leave you with these three, Converse, confer on good conditions, I will right soon return with such good friends As it concerns to clothe these dainty ones If any in my absence visit them, Know their intent, and use your skill therein.
seed 43: T41 · seed 44: T39 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Conscience, Loue, Lucre, Ladies al what chéere? How doo ye like the seates you sit vpon. O pure vnspotted Nemo sole paragon, Of Loue, of Conscience and perfection, The Marble of Remorse I sit vpon Sweats scalding drops, like bitter brinish teares. So should remorse when Conscience feels her gilt But gentle Loue how féelest thou thy flint? O sharp and cold, I fréeze vnto my seat, The Flint holds fire, and yet I feele no heat, But am benumb'd and frozen euerie ioint. O Loue, so cold is charitie in these times: Lucre, how sit you? Vpon a heauy stone, not halfe so cold, not halfe so hot as theirs, But of some secrete power, for I do find and sensibly I féele, That I from it exhale an earthly cold, And it from me dooth draw a kindly heat. Such force hath Care of Lucre in it self, To coole the heart and draw the vital spirits, And such the true condition of you thrée: Remorse of Conscience, Charitie of Loue, And Care of Lucre, such your vses be: But Ladies now your sorrow lay aside, Frolick faire Dames, an vnexpected good Is imminent through me vnto you all: Thrée Lords there be your natiue countrimen, In London bred, as you your selues haue bene. Which couet you for honorable wiues, And presently wil come to visite you, Be not abashed at your base attire, I shall prouide you friends to decke you all. If I commaund, stand vp, els sit you stil. Lo, where they come: my Lordes the Dames be here. Why are they wympled? shal they not vnmaske theme It is for your sake, for Pollicie they doo it: Much may their fortune and their feature be. But what it is we cannot thus discerne. You shall in time Lord Pomp, be yet consent. Their same is more then cause or reason would, May one of these be pleasures paragon? Pleasure, be pleas'd and vse no preiudice. Madames stand vp, mislike not their attire, That shal be mended as your selued desire. Their port, and their proportion wel contente. Right stately dames, if they were wel attir': May we not sée their beautie what it is? Yes Lordings yes, Lucre, lift vp thy veile. Of beautie excellent. Of rare perfection. A daintie face. Vnmaske Loue. Swéete loue indéed. A louely face. A gallant grace. Conscience, vncouer. Beautie diuine. A face angelicall. Swéet creature of the world. Enough for once, Ladies sit downe againe: As cunning chapmen do by curious wares, Which seldome showen do most inflame the mind, So must I deale, being daintie of these Dames, Who seldome séen shal best allure these Lords: A while my Lords, I leaue you with these thrée, Conuerse, confer on good conditions, I will right soone returne with such good friends As it concernes to cloath these daintie one If any in my absence visit them, Know their intent, and vse your skill therein.