Anonymous · published 1591 · first performed or written 1591 [Aug 14] (Annals) entertainment; royal entertainment or entry · before the Court unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 502 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Mighty Princess, whose happiness is attended by the heavens, and whose government is wondered at upon the earth: vouchsafe to hear why this passage is kept, and this Oak honoured. The whole world is drawn in a map: the heavens in a Globe: and this Shire shrunk in a Tree: that what your Majesty hath often heard off with some comfort, you may now behold with full content. This Oak, from whose body so many arms do spread: and out of whose arms so many finger's spring: resembles in part your strength & happiness. Strength, in the number and the honour: happiness, in the truth and consent. All hearts of Oak, than which nothing surer: nothing sounder. All woven in one root, than which nothing more constant, nothing more natural. The wall of this Shire is the sea, strong, but rampired with true hearts, invincible: where every private man's eye is a Beacon to discover: every noble man's power a Bulwark to defend. Here they are all differing somewhat in degrees, not in duty: the greatness of the branches, not the greenness. Your majesty they account the Oak, the tree of Iupiter, whose root is so deeply fastened, that treachery, though she undermine to the centre, cannot find the windings, and whose top is so highly reared, that envy, though she shoot on copheigth, cannot reach her, under whose arms they have both shade and shelter. Well not they that your enemy's lightnings are but flashes, and their thunder which fills the whole world with a noise of conquest, shall end with a soft shower of Retreat. Be then as confident in your steps, as Caesar was in his Fortune. His proceed but of conceit: yours of virtue. Abroad courage hath made you feared, at home honoured clemency. Clemency which the owner of this Grove hath tasted: in such sort, that his thoughts are become his heart's labyrinth, surprised with joy and loyalty. joy without measure, loyalty without end, living in no other air, then that which breathes your majesties safety. For himself, and all these honourable Lords, and Gentlemen, whose shields your Majesty doth here behold, I can say this, that as the veins are dispersed through all the body, yet when the heart feeleth any extreme passion, send all their blood to the heart for comfort: so they being in divers places, when your Majesty shall but stand in fear of any danger, will bring their bodies, their purses, their souls, to your Highness, being their heart, their head, and their Sovereign. This passage is kept strait, and the Pilgrim I fear hath complained: but such a disguised world it is that one can scarce know a Pilgrim from a Priest, a ●●●●er from a Gentleman, nor a man from a woman Every one seeming to be that which they are not, only do practise what they should not. The heavens guide you, your Majesty governs us: though our peace be envied, by you we hope it shall be eternal.
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)
MIghtie Princeſſe, whoſe happines is attended by the heauens, and whoſe gouernment is wondered at vpon the earth: vouchſafe to heare why this paſſage is kept, and this Oke honoured. The whole world is drawen in a mappe: the heauens in a Globe: and this Shire ſhrunke in a Tree: that what your Maieſtie hath oftē heard off with ſome comfort, you may now beholde with full content. This Oke, from whoſe bodie ſo many armes doe ſpread: and out of whoſe armes ſo many fingers ſpring: reſembles in parte your ſtrength & happineſſe. Strength, in the number and the honour: happineſſe, in the trueth and conſent. All heartes of Oke, then which nothing ſurer: nothing ſounder. All wouen in one roote, then which nothing more conſtant, nothing more naturall. The wall of this Shire is the ſea, ſtrong, but rampired with true hearts, inuincible: where euery priuate mans eie is a Beacon to diſcouer: euerie noble mans power a Bulwarke to defende. Here they are all differing ſomewhat in degrees, not in dutie: the greatnes of the branches, not the greeneſſe. Your majeſty they account the Oke, the tree of Iupiter, whoſe root PDF PAGE 121 is ſo deeplie faſtened, that treacherie, though ſhee vndermine to the centre, cannot finde the windings, and whoſe toppe is ſo highlie reared, that enuie, though ſhe ſhoote on copheigth, cannot reach her, vnder whoſe armes they haue both ſhade and ſhelter. Well not they that your enemies lightnings are but flaſhes, and their thunder which filles the whole world with a noiſe of conquest, ſhall end with a ſofte ſhower of Retreate. Be then as confident in your ſteppes, as Caeſar was in his Fortune. His proceedings but of conceit: yours of vertue. Abroad courage hath made you feared, at home honoured clemencie. Clemencie which the owner of this Groue hath tasted: in ſuch ſort, that his thoughts are become his hearts laberinth, ſurprized with ioie and loialtie. Ioy without meaſure, loyaltie without end, liuing in no other ayer, then that which breathes your Maiesties ſafetie. For himſelfe, and all theſe honourable Lords, and Gentlemen, whoſe ſhieldes your Maiestie doeth here beholde, I can ſay this, that as the veines are diſperſed through all the bodie, yet when the heart feeleth any extreame paſsion, ſende all their bloud to the heart for comfort: ſo they being in diuers places, when your Maiestie ſhall but ſtande in feare of any daunger, will bring their bodies, their purſes, their ſoules, to your Highneſſe, being their heart, their head, and their Soueraigne. This paſſage is kept ſtraight, and the Pilgrime I feare hath complained: but ſuch a diſguiſed worlde it is that one can ſcarce know a Pilgrime from a Prieſt, a er from a Gentleman, nor a man from a woman PDF PAGE 122 Euerie one ſeeming to be that which they are not, onely do practiſe what they ſhould not. The heauens guide you, your Maieſtie gouernes vs: though our peace bee enuied, by you we hope it ſhall be eternall.