Lingua, or The Combat of the Tongue and the Five Senses for Superiority · chunk 18 of 51
Tomkis, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1607 [1602-1607] (Annals) comedy; allegory unassigned nearest T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so · 494 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
Upon the right hand of a spacious Hill, Proud Visus marshalleth a puissant army, Three thousand Eagles strong, whose valiant Captain, Is Ioues swift Thunder-bearer, that same Bird, That hoist up Ganymede from the Trojan plains: The vanguard strengthened with a wondrous flight. Of Falcons, Haggards, Hobbies, Tercelets, Lanards and goshawks, Spar-hawks, and Ravenous Birds. The rearward granted to Auditus charge. Is stoutly followed with an impetuous heard Of stifneckt Bulls, and many home-mad stags, Of the best head the Forest can afford. I promise you a fearful troop of Soldiers. Right opposite stands, Tactus strongly manned, With three thousand bristled Vrchens foe his Pikemen; Four hundredth Tortoises for Elephants. Besides a monstrous troop of ugly spiders, Within an ambushment he hath commanded, Of their own guts to spin a cordage fine, Whereof t'have framed a net (O wondrous work) That fastened by the Concave of the Moon, Spreads down itself toth'earths circumference. 'tis very strange, I can not remember the like Engine at any time. Nay more my Lord, the masks are made so strong, That I myself upon them scaled the heavens, And boldly walked about the middle region, Where in the province of the Meteors, I saw the cloudy shops of Hail and Raine, Garners of Snow, and Crystals full of dew, Rivers of burning Arrows, Dens of Dragons, Huge beams of flames, and Spears like firebrands, Where I beheld hot Mars and Mercury, With Rackets made of Spheres, and Balls of Stars, Playing at Tennis for a Tun of Nectar. And that vast gaping of the Firmament, Under the Southern pole is nothing else, But the great hazard of their Tennis Court, The Zodiac is the line. The shooting Stars, Which in an eyebright evening seemed to fall, Are nothing but the Balls they lose at Bandy, Thus having took my pleasure with those sights, By the same net I went up, I descended. Well Sirra to what purpose tends this Stratagem? None know directly, but I think it is, T'intrappe the Eagles, when the Battles join. Who makes Tactus his part? Under the standard of thrice hardy Tactus, Thrice valiant Gustus, leads his warlike forces, An-endles multitude of desperate Apes, Five hundred Marmose●ts and long-taile Monkeys: All trained to the field, and nimble Gunners. Ima●gine there's old moving amongst them: me thinks a handful of nuts would turn them all out of their soldiers coats. Ramparts of Pasty-crust and forts of pies, Entrenched with dishes full of Custard stuff: Hath Gustus made; and planted ordinance, Strange ordinance: Cannons of hollow canes: Whose pouder's Rape-seed, charged with Turnip shot. I Remember in the Country of Utopia, they use no other kind of Artillery. But what's become of Olfactus? He politicly leans to neither part, But stands betwixt the camps as at receipt: Having great wine his pioneers to entrench them. In my foolish imagination Olfactus is very like the Goddess of victory that never takes any part but the Conquerors.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Vpon the right hand of a spatious Hill, Proud Visus marshalleth a puissant army, Three thousand Egles strong, whose valiant Captaine, Is Ioues swift Thunder-bearer, that same Bird, That hoist vp Ganimede from the Troyan plaines: The vant-gard strengthned with a wondrous flight. Of Falcons, Haggards, Hobbies, Terselets, Lanards and Goshaukes, Sparhaukes, and Rauenous Birds. The rereward graunted to Auditus charge. Is stoutly follow'd with an impetuous heard Of stif-neckt Buls, and many home-mad stagges, Of the best head the Forrest can afford. I promise you a fearfull troupe of Souldiers. Right opposite stands, Tactus strongly mand, With three thousand brisled Vrchens fo his Pikemen; Foure hundreth Tortesses for Elephants. Besides a monstrous troupe of vglie spiders, Within an ambushment he hath commanded, Of their owne gutts to spinne a cordage fine, Whereof t'haue fram'd a net (O wondrous worke) That fastned by the Concaue of the Moone, Spreds downe it selfe toth'earths circumference. Tis very strange, I can not remember the like Engine at any time. Nay more my Lord, the maskes are made so strong, That I my selfe vpon them scald the heauens, And bouldly walkt about the middle region, Where in the prouince of the Meteors, I saw the clowdie shops of Haile and Raine, Garners of Snow, and Christals full of dew, Riuers of burning Arrowes, Dens of Dragons, Huge beames of flames, and Speares like fire-brands, Where I beheld hotte Mars and Mercurie, With Rackets made of Spheares, and Balls of Starres, Playing at Tennis for a Tunne of Nectar. And that vast gaping of the Firmament, Vnder the Southerne pole is nothing else, But the great hazzard of their Tennis Court, The Zodiack is the line. The shooting Starres, Which in an eye-bright euening seem'd to fall, Are nothing but the Balls they loose at Bandy, Thus hauing tooke my pleasure with those sights, By the same net I went vp, I discended. Well Srra to what purpose tends this Stratagee? None know directly, but I thinke it is, T'intrappe the Eagles, when the Battailes ioyne. Who akes Tactus his parte? Vnder the standard of thrice hardy Tactus, Thrice valiant Gusts, leades his warlike forces, An-endles multitude of desperate Apes, Fiue hundred Marmosets and long-ta Monkees: All trained to the field, and nimble Gunners. Imagine theres old mouing amongst them: me thinks a handfull of nuttes would turne them all out of their Souldiers coates. Ramparts of Pastie-crust and fortes of pies, Entrench'd wih dishes full of Custard stuffe: Hath Gustus made; and planted ordinance, Strange ordinance: Cannons of hollowe canes: Whose pouder's Rape-seed, charged with Turnip shot. I Remember in the Country of Vtopia, they vse no other kind of Artilley. But whats become of Ofactus? He pollitickly leane to neither part, But stands betwixt the camps as at receite: Hauing great wine his Pioners to entrench them. In my foolish immagination Olfactus is very like the Goddesse of victory that neuer takes any part but the Conquerers.