Lingua, or The Combat of the Tongue and the Five Senses for Superiority · chunk 3 of 51
Tomkis, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1607 [1602-1607] (Annals) comedy; allegory unassigned nearest T26 Devils, hell and fiends · 487 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T26: devil, hell, devils, sure, soul, fiend, sr, wife, lord, men.
Hence ye base offspring of a broken mind, Supple entreaties and smooth flatteries: Go kiss the lovesick lips of puling Gulls, That still their Brain to quench their loves disdain, Go gild the tongues of Bawds and Parasites, Come not within my thoughts. But thou Deceit, Break up the pleasure of my Brimful breast, every my mind with subtle policies. Well then I'll go, whither? nay what know I? And do, in faith I will, the devil knows what, What if I set them, all at variance, And so obtain to speak, it must be so, It must be so, but how? there lies the point: How? thus: cut the device will never prove, Augment it so, 'twill be too soon descried, Or so, nor so, 'tis too too dangerous, Pish, none of these, what if I take this course? ha? Why there it goes, good, good most excellent, He that will catch Eels must disturb the flood, The Chickin's hatched i'faith, for they are proud, And soon will take a cause of disagreement. I see the heavens nurse my new-born device, For lo my page Mendacio comes already, To file and Burnish that I hammered out, Never in better time Mendacio, What hast thou done? Done, yes long ago. Is't possible thou shouldst dispatch so soon? Madame, I had no sooner told Tactus, that Gustus would fain speak with him: But I spied Visus, Gustus and the rest, And served them all with sauce of several lies, Now the last Sense I spoke with was Olfactus, Who having smelled the meaning of my message, Strait blew his nose, and quickly puffed me hither, But in the whirlwind of his furious blast, Had not by chance a Cobweb held me fast, Mendacio had been with you long ere this, Witness this lie, Mendacio's with me now, But sirrah out of jesting will they come? Yes and it like your Ladyship presently: Here may you have me priest to flatter them. I'll slatter no such proud Companions, 'Twill do no good, therefore I am determined To leave such baseness. Then shall I turn and bid them stay at home. No, for their coming hither to this grove, Shall be a means to further my device, Therefore I pray thee Mendacio go presently, Run you vile Ape. Whether? What dost thou stand? Till I know what to do. 'Sprecious 'tis true, So might thou finely o'errun thine errand. Hast to my Chest ay, I, There shalt-thou find, A gorgeous rob, and golden Coronet, Convey them hither nimbly, let none see them. Madam, I fly, I fly. But here you sirrah? Lock up your fellow Servant, Veritas, I warrant you, You need not fear so long as I am with you. What colour is the rob? There is but one. The Key Madam, the Key. By Iuno how forgetful is sudden speed. Here take it, run. I'll be here instantly.
seed 43: T23 · seed 44: T23 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Hence yee base off-spring of a broken minde, Supple intreaties and smooth flatteries: Go kisse the loue-ick lippes of puling Guls, That still their Braine to quench their loues disdaine, Go guild the tongues of Bawdes and Parasites, Come not within my thoughts. But thou Deceipt, Breake vp the pleasure of my Brim-full brest, Enrich my minde with subtile pollicies. Well then Ile goe, whither? nay what know I? And do, in faith I will, the deuill knowes what, What if I set them, all at variance, And so obteine to speake, it must be so, It must be so, but how? there lyes the point: How? thus: cut the deuise will neuer proue, Augment it so, 'twill be too soone descride, Or so, nor so, 'tis too too dangerous, Pish, none of these, what if I take this course? ha? Why there it goes, good, good most excellent, He that will catch Eeles must disturbe the floud, The Chickin's hatcht ifaith, for they are proud, And soone will take a cause of disagreement. I see the heauens nurse my new-borne deuise, For loe my page Mendacio comes already, To file and Buish that I hammerd out, Neuer in better time Mendacio, What hast thou done? Done, yes long agoe. Ist possible thous shouldst dispatch so soone? Madame, I had no sooner told Tactus, that Gustus would faine speake with him: But I spied Visus, Gustus and the rest, And seued them all with sauce of seuerall lyes, Now the last Sense I spake with was Olfactus, Who hauing smelt the meaning of my message, Straight blew his nose, and quickly puft me hither, But in the whirle-winde of his furious blast, Had not by chance a Cobweb held me fast, Mendacio had beene with you long ere this, Witnesse this lye, Mendacio's with me now, But sirra out of iesting will they come? Yes and it like your Ladyship presently: Here may you haue me prest to flatter them. Ile slatter no such proud Companions, 'Twill doe no good, therefore I am determined To leaue such basenesse. Then shall I turne and bid them stay at home. No, for their comming hither to this groue, Shall be a meanes to further my deuise, Therefore I pray thee Mendacio go presently, Run you vile Ape. Whether? What doost thou stand? Till I know what to doe. S'pretious 'tis true, So might thou finely ore-run thine errand. Hast to my Chest. I, I, There shalt-thou find, A gorgeous Robe, and golden Coronet, Conuey them hither nimbly, let none see them. Madam, I flie, I flie. But here you sirra? Lock vp your fellow Seruant, Veritas, I warrant you, You need not feare so long as I am with you. What coulour is the Robe? There is but one. The Key Madam, the Key. By uno how forgetfull is suddaine speed. Here take it, runne. Ile be here instantly.