Dekker, Thomas · published 1607 · first performed or written 1606 [c.1606-1607] (Annals) history; allegory · Prince Henry's Men T55 Fairies, fairy queens and enchanted desi typicality 0.86 · 524 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T55: fairy, fairies, oberon, mopsus, queen, land, grace, babylon, mab, thestylis.
Thus— let's consult— nay you shall hear. You know that all the springs in Fairy land Ran once to one head: from that head, to us: The mountain and the valley paid us fruit; The field her corn, the country felt no heat But from our fires: Plenty still spread our boards, And Charity took away. We stepped not forth But with a godlike adoration All knees bowed low unto us: why was this? Why were our gardens Eden? why our bowers Built like to those in Paradise? I shall tell you, It was because the Law most mystical, Was not made common: therefore was not vile; It was because in the great Prophets Phanes And hallowed Temples, we were Choristers: It was because (wise Pilots) we from rocks, And gulfs infernal, safely set on shore men's souls at yonder haven: or (being shipwrecked) Strong lines forth cast we, suffering none to sink To that Abyss, which some hold bottomless. But now our very graves Cannot save dead men's bones from shame and bruzes. The monumental marble Urns of bodies (Laid to rest long ago) unreverently Are turned to troughs of water now for jades: Vast Charnel-houses, where our father's heads Slept on the cold hard pillows of the earth, Are emptied now, and changed to drinking rooms, Or vaults for baser office. What's therefore to be done? This must be done: This shall be done: They hunted us like wolves, Out of their Fairy forests, whipped us away (As vagabonds) mocked us, and said our fall Could not be dangerous, because we bore Our gods upon our backs: now must we whip them, But wiselier. How? Thus: those that fill our rooms, Hold Beacons in their eyes (blazing with fire Of a hot-seeming zeal) to watch our entrance, And to arm all against us: these we must quench: They are counted wells of knowledge, poison these wells: They are the kingdoms music, they the Organs, Unto whose sound her Anthems now are sung, Set them but out of tune, all's out of square, Pull down the Church, and none can it repair, But he that builds it: this is the faggot band That binds all fast: undo't, undo the land— Most certain. You therefore (the best consort of the soul) Shepherds (whose flocks are men, lambs, Angels,) you That hold the roof of yond star-chamber up, From dropping down to grind the world to dust, You shall to Fairy land. A joyful voyage. Those that sing there the holy Hymns, as yet Have not their voices clear, the stream of ceremony Is scarcely settled, trouble it more: bait hooks To take some, some to choke: cast out your net At first, for all the fry: let us spread sails To draw unto our shores the Fairy whales. That Truth, whose standard-bearer Babylon, And all we are, is not clean driven from thence, Whither we send you: there sheelives, but lives A widow; steps not forth, dares not be seen During her month of mourning: here we write you How, and with whom to find her: what she bids, That do: your hire's above.
seed 43: T50 · seed 44: T47 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Thus—let's consult—nay you shal heare. You know that all the springs in Fairie land Ran once to one head: from that head, to vs: The mountaine and the valley paid vs fruit; The field her corne, the countrey felt no heat But from our fires: Plenty still spread our boards, And Charitie tooke away. We stept not forth But with a god-like adoration All knees bowed low vnto vs: why was this? Why were our gardens Eden? why our bowers Built like to those in Paradise? I shall tell you, It was because the Law most mysticall, Was not made common: therefore was not vile; It was because in the great Prophets Phanes And hallowed Temples, we were Choristers: It was because (wise Pylots) we from rockes, And gulfes infernall, safely set on shore Mens soules at yonder hauen: or (beeing shipwrackt) Strong lines forth cast we, suffering none to sinke To that Abisse, which some hold bottomlesse. But now our very graues Cannot saue dead mens bones from shame and bruzes. The monumentall marble Vrnes of bodies (Laid to rest long agoe) vnreuerently Are turned to troughes of water now for jades: Vast Charnel-houses, where our fathers heads Slept on the cold hard pillowes of the earth, Are emptied now, and chang'd to drinking roomes, Or vaults for baser office. What's therefore to be done? This must be done: This shall be done: They hunted vs like wolues, Out of their Fairie forrests, whipt vs away (As vagabonds) mockt vs, and said our fall Could not be dangerous, because we bore Our gods vpon our backes: now must we whip them, But wiselier. How? Thus: those that fill our roomes, Hold Beacons in their eies (blazing with fire Of a hot-seeming zeale) to watch our entrance, And to arme all against vs: these we must quench: They are counted wels of knowledge, poyson these wells: They are the kingdoms musicke, they the Organs, Vnto whose sound her Anthems now are sung, Set them but out of tune, alls out of square, Pull downe the Church, and none can it repaire, But he that builds it: this is the faggot band That binds all fast: vndoo't, vndoe the land— Most certaine. You therefore (the best consort of the soule) Shepheards (whose flocks are men, lambs, Angels,) you That hold the roofe of yon Starre-chamber vp, From dropping downe to grinde the world to dust, You shall to Fairie land. A joyfull voyage. Those that sing there the holy Hymnes, as yet Haue not their voyces cleere, the streame of ceremony Is scarcely settled, trouble it more: bayte hookes To take some, some to choake: cast out your net At first, for all the frie: let vs spread sayles To draw vnto our shores the Fairie whales. That Truth, whose standard-bearer Babylon, And all we are, is not cleane driuen from thence, Whither we send you: there sheeliues, but liues A widdow; steps not forth, dares not be seene During her moneth of mourning: here we write you How, and with whom to finde her: what shee bids, That doe: your hire's aboue.