Anonymous · published 1592 · first performed or written 1592 [Sep 28; Oct 1; Oct 2] (Annals) entertainment; royal entertainment or entry · before the Court unassigned nearest T50 Fleets, armies and generals: war by sea · 505 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T50: sea, honour, general, soldiers, men, ship, fight, soldier, king, vittori.
VOVCHSAFE dread sovereign, after so many smooth speeches of Muses, to hear a rough hewn tale of a soldier, wee use not with words, to amplify our conconceites, and to plead faith by figures, but by deeds, to show the loyalty of our harts, and to make it good with our lives. I mean not to recount any service, all proceeding of duty, but to tell your majesty, that I am past al service, save only devotion. My horse, mine armour, my shield, my sword, the riches of a young soldier, and an old souldiers relics, I should here offer to your highnesse, but my four boys haue stolen them from me, vowing themselves to arms, and leaving me to my prayers, fortune giveth success, fidelitye courage, chance cannot blemish faith, nor truth prevent destinye, whatever happen, this is their resolution, and my desire, that their lives may, be employed wholly in your service, and their deaths, bee their vows sacrifice. Their deaths, the rumour of which, hath so often affrighted the crow my wife, that her hart, hath been as black as her feathers. I know not whether it be affection, or fondness, but the crow thinketh her own birds the fairest, because to her they are dearest. What joys we both conceive, neither can express, sufficeth they be, as your virtues, infinite. And although, nothing be more unfit to lodge your majesty, then a crows nest, yet shall it be most happy to us, that it is by your highnesse, made a Phoenix nest. Quicolor after erat, nunc est contrarius atro. Vouchsafe this trifle, and with this my heart, the greatest gift I can offer, and the chiefest, that I ought. PArdon dread sovereign, the greatness of my presumption, who having nothing to say, must follow stil to wonder, but saft, some news out of Irelande. MY deuty humbly remembered. It is said, the wind is unconstant, I am glad it is, otherwise had not I heard that, which I most wished, and least looked for. The wind blowing stiffly in the west, on the sudden turned easterly, by which means I received letters, that her majesty would bee at Rycort, nothing could happen to me more happy, unless it were myself to be thereto do my duty. But I am a stranger in mine own country, and almost unknown to my bestfrends, onely remembered by her majesty, whose late favours, haue made me more than fortunate. I should accūot my ten years absence a flat banishment, were I not honoured in her majesties service, which hath bound all my affections, prentices to patience. In all humility, I desire this Dart to be delivered, an Irish weapon, and this wish of an English heart, that in whose hart faith is not fastened, a dart may. I can scarce writ for ioy, and it is likely, this lacque cannot speak for wondering. If he do not, this is all that I should say, that my life is my dueties bondman, duty my faiths sovereign.
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)
VOVCHSAFE dread ſoueraigne, after ſo many ſmooth ſpeeches of Muſes, to heare a rough hewen tale of a ſouldier, wee vſe not with wordes, to amplifie our conconceites, and to pleade faith by figures, but by deedes, to ſhew the loyalty of our harts, and to make it good with our liues. I meane not to recount any ſeruice, all proceeding of duety, but to tell your Maieſty, that I am paſt al ſeruice, ſaue only deuotion. My horſe, mine armour, my ſhielde, my ſworde, the riches of a young ſouldier, and an olde ſouldiers reliques, I ſhould here offer to your highneſſe, but my foure boies haue ſtollen them from me, vowing themſelues to armes, and leauing mee to my prayers, fortune giueth ſucceſſe, fidelitye courage, chance cannot blemiſh faith, nor trueth preuēt deſtinye, whateuer happē, this is their reſolution, and my deſire, that their liues maye, be imployed wholy in your ſeruice, and their deathes, bee their vowes ſacrifice. Their deathes, the rumour of which, hath ſo often affrighted the Crowe my wife, that her hart, hath bene as blacke as her feathers. I know not whether it be affection, or fondnes, but the crowe thinketh her owne birds the faireſt, becauſe to her they are deareſt. What ioies we both conceiue, neither cā expreſſe, ſufficeth they be, as your vertues, infinite. And although, nothing be more vnfit to lodge your Maieſtye, then a crowes neſte, yet ſhall it be moſt happy to vs, that it is by your highneſſe, made a Phoenix neſte. Quicolor ater erat, nunc eſt contrarius atro. Vouchſafe this trifle, and with this my heart, the greateſt gift I can offer, and the chiefeſt, that I ought. PArdon dread Soueraigne, the greatnes of my preſumption, who hauing nothing to ſay, muſt follow ſtil to wonder, but ſaft, ſome newes out of Irelande. MY deuty humbly remembred. It is ſaide, the winde is vnconſtant, I am gladde it is, otherwiſe had not I heard that, which I moſt wiſhed, and leaſt looked for. The winde blowing ſtifly in the weſte, on the ſuddaine turned eaſterly, by which meanes I receiued letters, that her Maieſtie woulde bee at Rycort, nothing could happen to mee more happy, vnleſſe it were my ſelfe to be thereto doe my duety. But I am a ſtranger in mine owne countrye, and almoſt vnknowen to my beſtfrends, onely remembred by her Maieſtie, whoſe late fauours, haue made me more than fortunate. I ſhould accūot my ten years abſence a flatt baniſhment, were I not honoured in her Maieſties ſeruice, which hath bound all my affections, prentiſes to patience. In all humility, I deſire this Dart to be deliuered, an Iriſh weapon, and this wiſh of an Engliſh hearte, that in whoſe hart faith is not faſtned, a Darte may. I can ſcarce write for ioy, and it is likely, this lacque cannot ſpeak for wondring. If he doe not, this is all that I ſhould ſay, that my life is my dueties bondman, dutie my faiths ſoueraigne.