The Wonder of Women, or Sophonisba · chunk 25 of 26
Marston, John · published 1606 · first performed or written 1605 [1605-1606] (Annals) tragedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.81 · 507 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
and Scipio: Have I lived O Heavens, To be enforcedly perfidious? What unjust grief afflicts my worthy Lord, Thank me ye Gods, with much beholdings, For mark, I do not curse you: Tell me sweet The cause of thy much anguish. Ha, the cause? Let's see, wreath back thine arms, bend down thy neck, practice base Prayers, make fit thyself for bondage, Bondage. Bondage, Roman bondage. No, No. How then have I vowed well to Scipio? How then to Sophonisba? Right which way Run mad impossible distraction, Dear Lord thy patience; let it maze all power, And list to her in whose sole heart it rests, To keep thy faith upright. Wilt thou be slaved, No free. How then keep I my faith? My death Gives help to all: From Rome so rest we free, So brought to Scipio, faith is kept in thee. Thou darest not die, some wine, thou darest not die. How near was I unto the curse of man, joy, How like was I yet once to have been glad: He that near laughed may with a constant face, Contemn Ioues frown. Happiness makes us base. Behold me Massinissa, like thyself, A king and soldier, and I pray thee keep, My last command, Speak sweet. Dear do not weep And now with undismayed resolve behold, To save You, you, (for honour and just faith. Are most true Gods, which we should much adore) With even disdainful vigour I give up, An abhorred life. You have been good to me, And I do thank thee heaven, O my stars, I bless your goodness, that with breast unstained, Faith pure: a Virgin wife, tried to my glory, I die of female faith, the long lived story, Secure from bondage, and all servile harms, But more most happy in my husband's arms. Massinissa, Massinissa, Covetous Fame greedy Lady, could no scope of glory, No reasonable proportion of goodness Fill thy great breast, but thou must prove immense Incomprehence in virtue, what wouldst thou, Not only be admired, but even adored? O glory ripe for heaven? Sirs help, help, help, Let us to Scipio with what speed you can. For piety make haste, whilst yet we are man. What answers Massinissa will he send, That Sophonisba of so moving tongues Full of dismayed unsteadiness he stood, His right hand looked in hers, which hand he gave As pledge from Rome, she ever should live free But when I entered, and well urged this vow And thy command his great heart sunk with shame: His eyes lost spirit, and his heat of life, Sank from his face, as one that stood benumbed, All mazde, t'effect, impossibilities, For either unto her or Scipio, He must break vow, long time he tossed his thoughts And as you see a snow ball being rolled At first a handful, yet long bold about, Insensible acquires a mighty globe, So his cold grief through agitation grows, And more he thinks, the more of grief he knows At last he seemed to yield her.
seed 43: T4 · seed 44: T5 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
and Scipio: Haue I liude O Heauens, To be inforcedly perfidious? What vniust griefe afflicts my worthy Lord, Thanke me yee Gods, with much beholdingnes▪ For marke, I doe not curse you: Tell mee sweet The cause of thy much anguish. Ha, the cause? Lett's see, wreath backe thine armes, bend down thy necke▪ Practise base Praiers, make fit thy selfe for bondage, Bondage. Bondage, Roman bondage. No, No. How then haue I vowde well to Scipio? How then to Sophonisba? Right which way Runne mad impossible distraction, Deere Lord thy patience; let it maze all power, And list to her in whose sole heart it rests, To keepe thy faith vpright. Wilt thou be slau'd, No free. How then keepe I my faith? My death▪ Giu's helpe to all: From Rome so rest we free, So brought to Scipio, faith is kept in thee. Thou darst not die, some wine, thou darst not die. How neere was I vto the curse of man, Ioye, How like was I yet once to haue beene glad: He that neere laught may with a constant face, Contemne Ioues frowne. Happinesse makes vs base. Behold me Massinissa, like thy selfe, A king and souldier, and I pree thee keepe, My last command, Speake sweet. Deere doe not weepe And now with vndismaid resolue behold, To saue You, you, (for honor and iust faith. Are most true Gods, which we should much adore) With euen disdainefull vigour I giue vp, An abhord life. You haue beene good to me, And I doe thanke thee heauen, O my stars, I blesse your goodnes, that with breast vnstaind, Faith pure: a Virgin wife, try'de to my glory, I die of female faith, the long liu'de story, Secure from bondage, and all seruile harmes, But more most happy in my husbands armes. Massinissa, Massinissa, Couetous Fame greedy Lady, could no scope of glory, No reasonable proportion of goodnes Fill thy great breast, but thou must proue immense Incomprehence in vertue, what wouldst thou, Not onely be admirde, but euen adorde? O glory ripe for heauen? Sirs helpe, helpe, helpe, Let vs to Scipio with what speed you can. For piety make haste, whilst yet we are man. What answers Massinissa will he send, That Sophonisba of so mouing tongs Full of dismaid vnsteddines he stood, His right hand lookt in hers, which hand he gaue As pledge from Rome, she euer should liue free But when I entred, and well vrg'd this vow And thy command his great hart sunke with shame: His eyes lost spirite, and his heat of life, Sanke from his face, as one that stood benumbde, All mazde, t'effect, impossibilities, For eyther vnto her or Scipio, He must breake vow, long time he tossd his thoughts And as you see a snow ball being rolde At first a handfull, yet long bould about, Infensibly acquires a mighty globe, So his cold griefe through agitation growes, And more he thinkes, the more of griefe he knowes At last hee seemde to yeeld her.