The Three Lords and Three Ladies of London · chunk 24 of 41
Wilson, Robert · published 1590 · first performed or written 1588 [1588-1590] (Annals) moral · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) unassigned nearest T59 Spanish courts: war, honour and courtshi · 506 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T59: andrea, spain, portugal, tribute, horatio, king, bellimperia, prince, lord, lorenzo.
My Lords, if ever, show your honours now, Those proud usurping Spanish tyrants come, To reave from you what you do most regard, to take away your credit and your fame. to race and spoil our right renowned town: And if you love or lucre do regard, Or have of Conscience any kind of care, The world shall witness by this action, And of the love that you to us pretend, In this, your valour shall assurance give: More would I speak, but danger's in delay, You know my mind, and heavens record my thoughts, When I with prayers for you will penetrate, And will in heart be present in your fight: Now pleasure, show what you will do for me. I will be turned to pain for thy sweet sake. Fair Conscience fear not, but assure thyself What kind affection we soever bear to Love and Lucre, in this action Chiefly for thee our service shall be done. For Conscience sake more than for Lucre now, For Love and Conscience, not despising Lucre. Only for Conscience will I hazard all. And I from hence will her convey a space, Till you return with happy victory. Farewell my Lords, for me my Lords, for me. Diligence, what number may there be? A mighty host, and chiefly led by three, Who brave it out in show, as men assured Of victory, sans venture, or repulse. How near be they? So near my Lords, that each delay is death, Stand on your guard, they come as challengers, to bruise your shields, and bear away your prize, Mounting the seas, and measuring the land With strong imaginations of success, Well, Diligence go get in readiness Men and munition, bid our pages ply To see that all our furniture be well, Wit, Wealth and Will to further wars be fit, My Lords, I would I might advise ye now, To carry as it were a careless regard, Of these Castilians, and their accustomed bravado: Lord Pomp, let nothing that's magnifical, Or that may tend to London's graceful state Be unperformed. As shows and solemn feasts, Watches in armour, triumphs, cresset-lights, Bonfires, bells, and peals of ordinance. And pleasure, see that plays be published, May-games and masks, with mirth and minstrelsy, Pageants and school-feasts, bears, and puppet plays, myself will muster upon Mile-end green, As though we saw, and feared not to be seen: Which will their spies in such a wonder set, To see us reck so little such a foe, Whom all the world admires, save only we: And we respect our sport more than his spite, That Iohn the Spaniard will in rage run mad, To see us bend like Oaks with his vain breath. In this device such liking I conceive, As London shall not lack what pomp can do, And well I know that worthy Citizens Do carry minds so frank and bountiful, As for their honour they will spare no cost: Especially, to let their enemy know. Honour in England, not in Spain doth grow.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T13 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
My Lordes, if euer, show your honors now, Those proud vsurping Spanish tyrants come, To reaue from you what you doo most regard, to take away your credit and your fame. to race and spoile our right renowmed towne: And if you loue or lucre doo regard, Or haue of Conscience any kind of care, The world shall witnesse by this action, And of the loue that you to vs pretend, In this, your valour shall assurance giue: More would I speake, but daunger's in delay, You know my mind, and heauens record my thoughtes, When I with praiers for you will penitrate, And will in heart be present in your fight: Now pleasure, show what you wil doo for me. I wil be turn'd to paine for thy sweet sake. Faire Conscience feare not, but assure thy selfe What kind affection we so euer beare to Loue and Lucre, in this action Chiefly for thée our seruice shall be done. For Conscience sake more than for Lucre now, For Loue and Consciēce, not dispising Lucre. Onely for Conscience will I hazard all. And I from hence will her conuey a space, Till you return with happy victory. Farewel my Lords, for me my Lords, for me. Diligence, what number may there be? A mighty hoste, and chieflie led by three, Who braue it out in show, as men assured Of victorie, sauns venture, or repulse. How néere be they? So néere my Lords, that ech delay is death, Stand on your guard, they come as challengers, to bruise your shieldes, and beare away your prize, Mounting the seas, and measuring the land With strong imaginations of successe, Wel, Diligence go get in readines Men and munition, bid our pages plie To see that all our furniture be wel, Wt, Wealth and Wil to further wars be fit, My Lords, I would I might aduise ye now, To carrie as it were a carelesse regard, Of these Castilians, and their accustomed brauado: Lord Pomp, let nothing that's magnificall, Or that may tend to Londons graceful state Be vnperfourm'd. As showes and solemne feaste, Watches in armour, triumphes, Cresset-lightes, Bonefiers, belles, and peales of ordinance. And pleasure, see that plaies be published, Mai-games and maskes, with mirth and minstrelsse, Pageants and school-feastes▪ beares, and puppit plaies, My selfe wil muster vpon Mile-end gréene, As though we saw, and fear'd not to be séene: Which wil their spies in such a woonder set, To see vs recke so litle such a foe, Whom all the world admires, saue onely we: And we respect our sport more than his spite, That Iohn the Spaniard wil in rage run mad, To see vs bend like Oakes with his vain breath. In this deuice such liking I conceiue, As London shall not lack what pomp can doe, And well I know that worthy Citizens Doe carie mindes so franke and bountiful, As for their honor they will spare no cost: Especially, to let their enemie know. Honor in England, not in Spaine doth grow.