Tancred and Gismund (Gismond of Salerne) · chunk 9 of 29
Wilmot, Robert / Hatton, Christopher / Noel, HenryAl., G.Stafford, Roderick · published 1591 · first performed or written 1567 [1567-1568; revised 1591] (Annals) tragedy · before the Court unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 512 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
What lies in me by comfort or advice, I shall discharge with all humility. Who marks our former times and present years, What we are now, and looks what we have been, He cannot but lament with bitter tears, The great decay and change of all women. For as the world wore on and waxed old, So virtue quailed, and vice began to grow. So that, that age, that whilom was of gold, Is worse than brass, more vile than iron now, The times were such, that if we ought believe Of elder days) women examples were, Of rare virtues: Lucre disdained to live Longer than chaste: and boldly without fear Took sharp revenge on her enforced heart, With her own hands: for that it not withstood The wanton will, but yielded to the force Of proud Tarquin, who bought her fame with blood. Queen Artemissa thought an heap of stones, Although they were the wonder of that age) A worthless grave, wherein to rest the bones Of her dear Lord, but with bold courage, She drank his heart, and made her lovely breast His tomb, and failed not of wisely faith, Of promised love, and of her bound behest, Until she ended had her days by death. Ulysses' wife (such was her steadfastness) Abode his slow return whole twenty years: And spent her youthful days in pensiveness, Bathing her widows bed with brinish tears. The stout daughter of Cato Brutus' wife, Portia When she had heard his death, did not desire Longer to live: and lacking use of knife, (A most strange thing) ended her life by fire, And eat hot burning coals: O worthy dame! O virtues worthy of eternal praise! The flood of Lethe cannot wash out thy fame, To others great reproach, shame, and dispraise. Rare are those virtues now in women's mind, Where shall we seek such jewels passing strange? Scarce can you now among a thousand find One woman steadfast: all delight in change. Mark but this princess that lamented here, Of late so sore her noble husband's death, And thought to live alone without a fere, Behold how soon she changed hath that breath. I think those Ladies that have lived tofore, A mirror and a glass to women kind, By those their virtues they did set such store, That unto us they none bequeathed behind. Else in so many years we might have seen As virtuous as ever they have been. Yet let not us maidens condemn our kind, Because our virtues are not all so rare: For we may freshly yet record in mind, There lives a virgin, one without compare: Who of all graces hath her heavenly share. In whose renown, and for whose happy days, Let us record this Paean of her praise. SO, now they feel what lordly love can d that proudly practise to deface his name in vain they wrestle with so fierce a foe, of little sparks arise a blazing flame. " By small occasions love can kindle heat, and waste the Oaken breast to cinder dust:
seed 43: T13 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
What lies in me by comfort or aduice, I shall discharge with all humilitie. Who markes our former times and present yeres, What we are now, and lookes what we haue bin, He cannot but lament with bitter teares, The great decay and change of all women. For as the world wore on and waxed olde, So vertue quaild, and vice began to grow. So that, that age, that whilome was of golde, Is worse than brasse, more vile than yron now, The times were such, that if we ought beleeue Of elder daies) women examples were, Of rare vertues: Lucre disdaind to liue Longer then chast: and boldly without feare Tooke sharpe reuenge on her inforced heart, With her owne hands: for that it not withstood The wanton will, but yeelded to the force Of proud Tarquin, who bought hir fame with blood. Queene Artemissa thought an hepe of stones, Although they were the wonder of that age) A worthlesse graue, wherein to rest the bones Of her deare Lord, but with bold courage, She dranke his heart, and made her louely breast His tombe, and failed not of wifely faith, Of promist loue, and of her bound behest, Vntill she ended had her daies by death. Vlysses wife (such was her stedfastnesse) Abode his slow returne whole twentie yeeres: And spent her youthfull daies in pensiuenes, Bathing her widdowes bed with brinish teares. The stout daughter of Cato Bratus wife, Portia When she had heard his death, did not desire Longer to liue: and lacking vse of knife, (A most strange thing) ended her life by fire, And at whot burning coales: O worthy dame! O vertues worthy of eternall praise! The floud of Lethe cannot wash out thy fame, To others great reproach, shame, and dispraise. Rare are those vertues now in womens mind, Where shall we seeke such iewels passing strange? Scarse can you now among a thousand finde One woman stedfast: all delight in change. Marke but this princesse that lamented here, Of late so sore her noble husbands death, And thought to liue alone without a pheare, Behold how soone she changed hath that breath. I thinke those Ladies that haue liu'd to fore, A mirror and a glasse to women kinde, By those their vertues they did set such store, That vnto vs they none bequeath'd behinde. Els in so many yeeres we might haue seene As vertuous as eer they haue beene. Yet let not vs maydens condemne our kinde, Because our vertues are not all so rare: For we may freshly yet record in minde, There liues a virgin, one without compare: Who of all graces hath her heauenly share. In whose renowme, and for whose happie daies, Let vs record this Paean of her praise. SO, now they feel what lordly loue can d that proudly practise to deface his nam Invaine they wrastle with so fierce a foe, of little sparkes arise a blazing flame. "By small occasions loue can kindle heate, "and wast the Oken brest to cinder dust: