The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality · chunk 17 of 19
Anonymous · published 1602 · first performed or written 1601 [Feb 22] (Annals) moral · Children of the Chapel (second) · before the Court T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds typicality 0.79 · 498 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
They feel, no doubt: but yet such pains Come not before the end. I grieve for man, that man should be, of ill attempts so fain. Grieve not for that, evil tasted once, turns him to good again. Then will I take a cheerful mind, Unpleasant thoughts expel, And cares for man commit to them, That in the heavens do dwell. Do so, dear Madam, I beseech you most heartily, And recreate yourself before you go hence, with some sweet melody. IF pleasure be the only thing, That man doth seek so much: Chief pleasures rest, where virtue rules: No pleasure can be such. Though virtues ways be very straight, Her rocks be hard to climb: Yet such as do aspire thereto, Enjoy all joys in time. Plain is the passage unto vice, The gaps lie wide to ill: To them that wade through lewdness lake, The Ice is broken still. This therefore is the difference, The passage first seems hard: To virtues train: but then most sweet, As length is their reward. To those again that follow vice, The way is fair and plain: But fading pleasures in the end, Are bought with fasting pain. If pleasure be the only thing, etc. Now my Lords, I see no cause, but that depart we may. Madam, to that shall like you best, we willingly obey. Yes, Lady, stay awhile, and hear of strange adventures. Of what adventures tell you? let us know. Master Sheriff, of that is happened, do you make show. Then may it please you, the effect is this: There is a certain Royster, named Prodigality, That long about this town hath ruffled in great jollity, A man long suspected of very lewd behaviour, Yet standing ever so high in Fortune's favour, As never till now, he could be bewrayed, Of any offence, that to him might be laid: Now wanting (belike) his wonted bravery, He thought to supply it, by murder and robbery. By murder and robbery? Yea, sure. How? This gallant, I tell you, with other lewd franions, Such as himself, unthrifty companions, In most cruel sort, by the high way side, Assaulted a country man, as he homewards did ride, Robbed him, and spoiled him of all that they might, And lastly, bereaved him of his life outright. O horrible fact! The country hereupon raised hue & cry straightway: He is apprehended, his fellows fled away: I supplying, though unworthy, for this year, The place of an Officer, and Sheriff of the shire, To my PRINCE's use, have seized on his money, And bring you the same, according to my duty: Praying, the party may have the law with speed, That others may be terrified from so foul a deed. So horrible a fact can hardly plead for favour: Therefore go you, Equity, examine more diligently, The manner of this outrageous robbery: And as the same, by examination shall appear, Due justice may be done in presence here. It shall be done, Madam.
nodes 1052–1120 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 17 of 19 in this edition
Length
498 words · 664 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T47 — Knaves, thieves and bawdscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.788 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T46 · seed 44: T41 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
They feele, no doubt: but yet such paines Come not before the end. I grieue for man, that man should be, of ill attēpts so faine. Grieue not for that, euill tasted once, turnes him to good againe. Then will I take a chearefull mind, Vnpleasant thoughts expell, And cares for man commit to them, That in the heauens doe dwell. Do so, deare Madam, I beseech you most heartily, And recreate your selfe before you goe hence, with some sweet melody. IF pleasure be the only thing, That man doth seeke so much: Chiefe pleasures rest, where vertue rules: No pleasure can be such. Though Vertues wayes be very streight, Her rocks be hard to clime: Yet such as doe aspire thereto, Enioy all ioyes in time. Plaine is the passage vnto vice, The gappes lye wide ill: To them that wade through lewdnes lake, The Iseis broken still. This therefore is the difference, The passage first seemes hard: To vertues traine: but then most sweet, length is their reward. To those againe that follow , The way is faire and plaine: But fading pleasures in the end, Are bought with fasting paine. If pleasure be the only thing, &c. Now my Lords, I see no cause, but that depart we may. Madam, to that shall like you best, we willingly obay. Yes, Lady, stay awhile, and heare of strange aduentures. Of what aduentures tell you? let vs know. Master Sherife, of that is happened, doe you make shew. Then may it please you, the effect is this: There is a certaine Royster, named Prodigalitie, That long about this towne hath ruffled in great iolitie, A man long suspected of very lewd behauiour, Yet standing euer so high in Fortunes , As neuer till now, he could be bewrayed, Of any offence, that to him might be layed: Now wanting (belike) his wonted brauery, He thought to supplie it, by murther and robbery. By murther and robbery? Yea, sure. How? This gallant, I tell you, with other lewd franions, Such as himselfe, vnthrifty companions, In most cruell sort, by the high way side, Assaulted a countrie man, as he homewards did ride, Robbed him, and spoiled him of all that they might, And lastly, bereau'd him of his life out-right. O horrible fact! The country hereupon hue & cry streightway: He is apprehended, his fellowes fled away: I supplying, though vnworthy, for this yere, The place of an Officer, and Sherife of the shiere, To my Princes vse, haue seyzed on his mony, And bring you the same, according to my duty: Praying, the party may haue the law with speed, That others may be terrified from so foule a deed. So horrible a fact can hardly plead for fauour: Therefore goe you, Equity, examine more diligently, The maner of this outragious robbery: And as the same, by examination shall appeare, Due iustice may be done in presence here. It shall be done, Madam.