Lingua, or The Combat of the Tongue and the Five Senses for Superiority · chunk 33 of 51
Tomkis, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1607 [1602-1607] (Annals) comedy; allegory T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.72 · 551 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
These two my Lord Comaedus and Tragedus, My fellows both, both, twins, but so unlike, As birth to death, wedding to funeral: For this that rears himself in buskins quaint, Is pleasant at the first, proud in the midst: Stately in all, and bitter death at end. That in the pumps doth frown at first acquaintance▪ Trouble the midst, but in the end concludes, Cloasing up all with a sweet catastrophe? This grave and sad disdain with btinish tears, That light and quick with wrinkled laughter painted; This deals with Nobles, Kings, and Emperors: Full of great fears, great Hopes, great enterprises, This other trades with men of mean condition: His projects small, small Hopes and dangers little, This gorgeous broidered with rich sentences: That fair and pursled round with merriments▪ Both vice detect, and virtue beautify: By being deaths mirror, and life's looking glass. Salutem iam primum a principio propitiam. Mihi atque Vobis spectatores nuntio. Pish, pish this is a speech with no action, le's here TERENCE, quid igitur faciam. etc. Quid igitur faciam? non eam ne nunc quidem cum accusoruliro? Fie, fie, fie, no more action, lend me your bay, do it thus. Quid igitur. etc. (he acts it after the old kind of Pantomimic action.) I should judge this action Phantastes most absurd, unless we should come to a Comedy, as gentlewomen to the comencement, only to see men speak. In my imagination it's excellent, for in this kind the hand (you know) is ha●bingerto the tongue and provides the words a lodging in the ears of the Auditors. Auditus it is now time you make us acquainted with the quality of the house you keep in, for our better help in judgement. Upon the sides of fair mount Cephalor, Have I two houses passing humane skill: Of finest matter by dame nature wrought, Whose learned fingers have adorned the same With gorgeous porches of so strange a form, That they command the passengers to stay: The doors whereof in hospitality, Nor day, nor night, are shut, but open wide, Gently invite all comers; whereupon, They are named the open ears of Cephalon. But least some bolder sound should boldy rush, And break the nice composture of the work, The skilful builder wisely hath inrangd, An eatry from each port with curious twines, And crooked Meanders, like the labyrinth, That Dedalus framed to enclose the Minotaur; At end whereof is placed a costly portal: Resembling much the figure of a drum, Granting slow entrance to a private closet: Where daily with a mallet in my hand, I set and frame all words and sounds that come, Upon an anvil and so make them fit: For the peer: vinckling poor; that winding leads, From my close chamber to your Lordship's cell. Thither do I chief justice of all accents, Psyche's next porter, Microcosmes front: Learnings rich treasure, bring discipline, Reason's discourse, knowledge of foreign states, Loud fame of great Heroes virtuous deeds: The marrow of grave speeches and the flowers: Of quickest Wits, neat jests, and pure Conceits, And often times to ease the heavy burden, Of government, your Lordship's shoulder bear, I thither do conduce the pleasing Nuptials: Of sweetest iustruments with heavenly noise. If then Auditus, have deserved the best: Let him be dignified before the rest.
seed 43: T16 · seed 44: T15 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
These two my Lord Comaedus and Tragedus, My fellowes both, both, twins, but so vnlike, As birth to death, wedding to funerall: For this that rears him selfe in bus kins quainte, Is pleasant at the first, proud in the midst: Stately in all, and bitter death at end. That in the pumpes doth frowne at first acquaintance▪ Troble the midst, but in the end concludes, Cloasing vp all with a sweete catastrophe? This graue and sad disdaine with btinish teares, That light and quick with wrinckled laughter painted; This deales with Nobles, Kings, and Emperours: Full of great feares, great Hopes, great enterprises, This other trades with men of meane condition: His proiects small, small Hopes and dangers little, This gorgeous broidered with rich sentences: That faire and pursled round with merriments▪ Both vice detect, and vertue beautifie: By being deaths mirrour, and lifes looking glasse. Salutem iam primum a principio propitiam. Mihi atque Vobis spectatores nuntio. Pish, pish this is a speech with no action, lets here TERENCE, quid igtur faciam. &c. Quid igitur faciam? non eam ne nunc quidem cum accusorvliro? Phy, phy, phy, no more action, lend me your baies, doe it thus. Quid igitur. &c. (he acts it after the old kinde of Pantomimick action.) I shold iudge this action Phantastes most absurd, vnles we should come to a Commedy, as gentlewomen to the comencement, only to see men speake. In my imagination it's excellent, for in this kinde the hand (you knowe) is habingerto the tongue and proudes the words a lodging in the eares of the Auditors. Auditus it is nowe time you make vs acquainted with the quallity of the house you keepe in, for our better healpe in iudgement. Vpon the sides of faire mount Cephalor, Haue I two houses passing humaine skill: Of finest matter by dame nature wrought, Whose learned fingers haue adorn'd the same With gorgeous porches of so strange a forme, That they command the passingers to stay: The dores whereof in hospitallity, Nor day, nor night, are shut, but open wide, Gently inuite all commers; wherevpon, They are named the open eares of Cephaln. But least some boulder sound should boldy rush, And breake the nise composture of the worke, The skilfull builder wisely hath inrangd, An eatry from each port with curious twines, And crookt Meanders, like the laborinth, That Dedalus fram'd to inclose the Minotaure; At end whereof is placed a costly portall: Resembling much the figure of a drumme, Granting slow entrance to a priuate closet: Where daily with a mallet in my hand, I set and frame all words and sounds that come, Vpon an Anuile and so make them fit: For the pere: vinckling poore; that winding leades, From my close chamber to your Lordships cell. Thither do I chiefe Iustice of all accents, Psyches next porter, Microcosmes front: Learnings ritch treasre, bring discipline, Reasons discourse, knowledge of foraigne states, Lowd fame of great Heroes vertuous deeds: The marrowe of graue speeches and the flowers: Of quickest Wits, neat Iests, and pure Conceits, And often times to ease the heauy burthen, Of gouernment, your Lordships shoulder beare, I thither do conduce the pleasing Nuptialls: Of sweetest iustruments with heauenly noise. If then Aditus, haue deseru'd the best: Let him be dignified before the rest.