The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality · chunk 14 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 0.78 · 520 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Sir, you see it booteth not. It is but my ill luck. Now the devil and his dam give them both suck. What may we do? what counsel giv'st thou, Dick? Marry, sir, be ruled by me, I'll show you a trick, How you may have him quickly. As how? Scale the walls, in at the window, by force fet him. None better in faith, fetch a ladder, and I will set him. Fortune, thou injurious dame, thou shalt not by this villainy, Have cause to triumph over Prodigality. Why speakst thou not, why speakst thou not, I say? Thy silence doth but breed thine own hurt and decay. Here is a ladder. Set it to. 'swounds, help, Dick: help quickly, or I am choked. God a mercy good halter, or else you had been yoked. O thou vile, ill-favoured, crow-trodden, pie-pecked 〈◊〉! Thou abominable, blind, foul filth, is this thy wont, First, maliciously to spoil men of their good, And then by subtle sleights thus to seek their blood? I abhor thee, I defy thee, wheresoever I go, I do proclaim myself thy mortal foe. News, Prodigality, news. Good, and God will. What news, Tom? I have met with money. Where? Marry sir, he is going into a strange country, With an old chuff called Tenacity. Tenacity? is that tinker's budget so full of audacity? 'tis true, May we not overtake him? Yes, easily with good horses, Let's go then for God's sake, we'll catch him in a trap. Go, we will go with you, whatever shall hap, O rotten rope, that thou must be so brittle! Hadst thou but happened to have held a little, I had taught my princocks against another time, So to presume dame Fortune's bower to climb. To make such a scape, his hap was very good. Well, he scaped fair, I swear by the rood: But will you have me say my fantasy, Quod differtur, non aufertur. For assuredly The Gentleman will never hold himself quiet, Till once more he come to taste of this diet. Mark the end. Vanity? Madam. Is this Royster gone! Yea, Madam, he is gone. Then get thee anon, And cause my attendants to come away, For here as now I will no longer stay, But prosecute this foe of mine so fast, By mischiefs all I may, that at the last, He shall arrive unto a wretched end, And with repentance learn how to offend A goddess of my state and dignity. Lady, to do your will, I hasten willingly. Dame Fortune's power, her most exceeding might, Is known by this as an undoubted thing: Since here most plainly hath appeared in sight, How all the world doth hang upon her wing, How high and low, of all states and degrees, Do rise and fall again as she decrees. Then let not Virtue think it scorn to yield, To Fortune chief of power, chief sovereignty: Sith Fortune here by proof hath won the field, Subdued her foes, and got the victory: For as she list to favour, else to frown, She hoiseth up, or headlong hurleth down.
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)
Sir, you see it booteth not. It is but my ill lucke. Now the diuell and his damme giue them both sucke. What may we doe? what counsell giu'st thou, Dicke? Marry, sir, be rul'd by me, Ile shew you a tricke, How you may haue him quickly. As how? Scale the walles, in at the window, by force fet him. None better infaith, fetch a ladder, and I will set him. Fortune, thou iniurious dame, thou shalt not by this villanie, Haue cause to triumph ouer Prodigality. Why speakst thou not, why speakst thou not, I say? Thy silence doth but breede thine owne hurt and decay. Here is a ladder. Set it to. Swounds, helpe, Dick: helpe quickly, or I am choakt. God a mercie good halter, or els you had beene yoakt. O thou vile, ill-fauoured, crow-troden, pye-pecked ! Thou abominable, blinde, foule filth, is this thy wont, First, maliciously to spoyle men of their good, And then by subtill sleights thus to seeke their blood? I abhorre thee, I defie thee, wheresoeuer I go, I doe proclaime my selfe thy mortall foe. Newes, Prodigality, newes. Good, and God will. What newes, Tom? I haue met with money. Where? Marry sir, he is going into a strange countrie, With an old chuffe called Tenacity. Tenacity? is that Tinkers boudget so full of audacity? Tis true, May we not ouertake him? Yes, easily with good horses, Let's go then for Gods , wee'le cateh him in a trap. Go, we will go with you, what euer shall hap, O rotten rope, that thou must be so brittle! Hadst thou but happened to haue held a little, I had taught my princocks against another time, So to presume dame Fortunes bowre to clime. To make such a scape, his hap was very good. Well, he scaped faire, I sweare by the rood: But will you haue me say my fantasie, Quod differtur, non aufertur. For assuredly The Gentleman will neuer hold himselfe quiet, Till once more he come to taste of this dyet. Marke the end. Vanitie? Madam. Is this Royster gone! Yea, Madam, he is gone. Then get thee anon, And cause my attendants to come away, For here as now I will no longer stay, But prosecute this foe of mine so fast, By mischiefes all I may, that at the last, He shall arriue vnto a wretched end, And with repentance learne how to offend A goddesse of my state and dignitie. Lady, to do your will, I hasten willingly. Dame Fortunes power, her most exceeding might, Is knowne by this as an vndoubted thing: Since here most plainely hath appear'd in sight, How all the world doth hang vpon her wing, How hie and low, of all states and degrees, Doe rise and fall againe as she decrees. Then let not Vertue thinke it scorne to yeeld, To Fortune chiefe of power, chiefe soueraignety: Sith Fortune here by proofe hath wonne the field, Subdude her foes, and got the victorie: For as she list to fauour, els to frowne, She hoyseth vp, or headlong hurleth downe.