The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality · chunk 3 of 19
Anonymous · published 1602 · first performed or written 1601 [Feb 22] (Annals) moral · Children of the Chapel (second) · before the Court T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions typicality 0.86 · 511 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Oh most unhappy state, of reckless human kind! Oh dangerous race of man, unwitty, fond, and blind! Oh wretched worldlings, subject to all misery, When fortune is the prop of your prosperity! Can you so soon forget, that you have learned of yore, The grave divine precepts, the sacred wholesome lore, That wise Philosophers, with painful industry Had written and pronounced, for man's felicity? Whilom hath been taught that fortunes hold is tickle, She bears a double face, disguised, false, and fickle, Full fraughted with all sleights, she playeth on the pack, On whom she smileth most, she turneth most to wrack. The time hath been, when virtue had the sovereignty Of greatest price, and placed in chiefest dignity: But topsy-turvy now, the world is turned about: Proud Fortune is preferred, poor Virtue clean thrust out: Manssence so dulled is, so all things come to pass, Above the massy gold, t'esteem the brittle glass. Madam, have patience, dame Virtue must sustain, Until the heavenly powers do otherwise ordain. Equity, for my part, I envy not her state, Nor yet mislike the meanness of my simple rate. But what the heavens assign, that do I still think best: My fame was never yet, by Fortune's frown oppressed: Here therefore will I rest, in this my homely bower, With patience to abide the storms of every shower. By gog's bones, these old stumps are stark tired. Chave here round about for life conquered, Where any posting nags were to be hired, And can get none, would they were all vyred. Cham come too late for money, I hold a penny, Suitors to Vortune there are so many; And all for money, Ihill gauge a round sum: Money's gone before Tenacity come: Then am I dressed even to my utter shame: A fool returned, like as a fool I came. Ch am sure chhave come, vorty miles and twenty, With all these bags you see, and wallets empty: But when chave sued to Vortune vine and dainty, Ich hope to vill them up with money plenty: But here is one of whom ich will conquer, Whilk way che might attain to my desire. God speed, my zonne. What, father Croust, whither post you so fast? Nay, burr lady zonne, ich can make no haste: Vor che may say to thee, ch'm tired clean. More shame for you, to keep your ass so lean: But whither go you now? To a goodly Lady, whom they call her, Vortune. And wherefore? For money, zonne, but iche veare che come too late. Indeed it seemeth by thy beggars state, Thou hast need of money, but let me hear, How or by whom think'st thou to get this gear? Ihill speak her vaire, Ihill make low curtsy. That's somewhat, but how wilt thou come at her? burr Lady, zonne, zest true, there lies the matter. Ihill make some friend. Whom? Some man of hers that near her doth attend. Who is that? Ich know not, I'd that unqueer of thee: And therefore if thou knowest, tell it me.
seed 43: T13 · seed 44: T16 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Oh most vnhappie state, of rechlesse humane kinde! Oh dangerous race of man, vnwitty, fond, and blinde! Oh wretched worldlings, subiect to all misery, When fortune is the proppe of your prosperitie! Can you so soone forget, that you haue learn'd of yore, The graue diuine precepts, the sacred wholsome lore, That wise Philosophers, with painefull industry Had written and pronounst, for mans felicitie? Whilome hath bin taught that fortunes hold is tickle, She beares a double face, disguised, false, and fickle, Full fraughted with all sleights, she playeth on the pack, On whom she smileth most, she turneth most to wracke. The time hath bin, when vertue had the soueraignety Of greatest price, and plaste in chiefest dignity: But topsie-turuy now, the world is turn'd about: Proud Fortune is preferd, poore Vertue cleane thrust out: Manssence so dulled is, so all things come to passe, Aboue the massy gold, t'esteeme the brittle glasse. Madam, haue patience, dame Vertue must sustaine, Vntill the heauenly powers doe otherwise ordaine. Equity, for my part, I enuy not her state, Nor yet mislike the meannesse of my simple rate. But what the heauens assigne, that doe I still thinke best: My fame was neuer yet, by Fortunes frowne opprest: Here therefore will I rest, in this my homely bowre, With patience to abide the stormes of euery showre. By gogs bores, these old stumps are starke tyred. Chaue here round about for life conquired, Where any posting nags were to be hired, And can get none, would they were all vyred. Cham come too late for money, I hold a penny, Sutors to Vortune there are so many; And all for money, chill gage a round summe: Money's gone before Tenacity come: Then am I drest euen to my vtter shame: A foole returnd, like as a foole I came. Cham sure chaue come, vorty miles and twenty, With all these bags you see, and wallets empty: But when chaue sude to Vortune vine and deynty, Ich hope to vill them vp with money plenty: But here is one of whom ich will conquire, Whilk way che might attaine to my desire. God speed, my zonne. What, father Croust, whither post you so fast? Nay, bur lady zonne, ich can make no haste: Vor che may say to thee, cham tyred cleane. More shame for you, to keepe your asse so leane: But whither goe you now? To a goodly Lady, whom they call her, Vortune. And wherefore? For mony, zonne, but iche veare che come too late. Indeed it seemeth by thy beggers state, Thou hast need of mony, but let me heare, How or by whome think'st thou to get this geare? Chil speake her vaire, chill make lowe cursie. That's somewhat, but how wilt thou come at her Bur Lady, zonne, zest true, there lies the matter. Chil make some friend. Whome? Some man of hers that neere her doth attend. Who is that? Ich know not, chud that vnqueere of thee: And therefore if thou knowest, tell it me.