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 0.83 · 505 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T55: fairy, fairies, oberon, mopsus, queen, land, grace, babylon, mab, thestylis.
How durst you (being our subject) wade so far? Your ear of mercy. I became a sponge To drink up all their mischief, and lay drowned In their infected waters, (with much loathing,) Only that I before you might wring out This their corruption, and myself make clear. And now (immortal maid) i'm not unlike A casket wherein papers stuffed with danger, Have close been locked, but those ta'en out, the chest Serves to good use, so may my loyal breast: For from their flinty hearts what sparks I got, Were but to fire themselves. I praise your plot, You make us now your debtor, but a day Will come, when we shall pay. My Lord, we want your Arme. Umh! I fear— Doctor, we'll have (Sir) other Dialogues. O shallow fool, thou hast thyself undone, she's hardened and thou melted at one sun. Our eyes have lusted for you, and your presence Comes as the light to day, showers to the spring, Or health to sick men. Thanks most reverend Fathers. Our blood ran all to water, yea our souls strove all (at once) t'expire, (when it was blown Hither from Fairy land, that all the darts Which ours here, and your arm delivered there, Fell either short, or lighted upon ice) Lest you had lost blood in the enterprise. No, I wear stronger Armour: gamester-like I saw the dogs brought forth; and set them on, Till the Devil parted them; but plucked off none, I kept aloof out of the reach of paws: Better to fight with Lions then with laws. What drums are these? Music of heaven. The dancers revel in steel. These march to fill our Fleet. From whence we'll match with proud victorious feet, And walk on Fairies hearts, their beaten ways With their own heads we'll pave, whilst ours with bays, And oak (the conquering soldiers wreath) we crown: These hooks, or none, must pull their Cities down, Invasion is the fire: See, See, i'th' Air Angels hang beckoning us to make more haste, Vengeance deferred grows weak, and runs to waste. What's this?— Ere we take ship, we must to Court. A vay. In thunder: 'tis the soldiers sport. It is the Imperial pleasure, decree, peremptory edict, and dreadful command (upon pain of a curse to be denounced upon him that is disobedient) from her who hath power given her to make the backs of stubborn Kings her footstools, and Emperors her vassals: the mother of Nations; the triple-crowned head of the world; the purple-rider of the glorious beast; the most high, most supreme, and most adored Empress of Babylon; that no Captain Generals of Armies, Generals of Squadrons, Admirals, Colonels, Captains, or any other Officers of her magnificent, incomparable, formidable, and invincible Armada, which is ordained to swallow up the kingdom of Fairy, shall presume to set one foot on shipboard, till her sacred hand hath blessed the enterprise by sealing them all on the forehead, and by bowing their knees before the Beast. Sound, go on.
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)
How durst you (being our subiect) wade so far? Your eare of mercy. I became a spunge To drincke vp all their mischiefe, and lay drown'd In their infected waters, (with much loathing,) Onely that I before you might wring out This their corruption, and my selfe make cleere. And now (immortall maid) i'me not vnlike A casket wherein papers stuft with danger, Haue close beene lockt, but those tane out, the chest Serues to good vse, so may my loyall brest: For from their flintie hearts what sparkes I got, Were but to fire themselues. I praise your plotte, You make vs now your debter, but a day Will come, when we shal pay. My Lord, we want your Arme. Vmh! I feare— Doctor, weele haue (Sir) other Dialogues. O shallow foole, thou hast thy selfe vndone, Shees hardned and thou melted at one sunne. Our eyes haue lusted for you, and your presence Comes as the light to day, showers to the spring, Or health to sicke men. Thankes most reuerend Fathers. Our bloud ranne all to water, yea our soules Stroue all (at once) t'expire, (when it was blowne Hither from Faiery land, that all the darts Which ours heere, and your arme deliuered there, Fell either short, or lighted vpon yce) Lest you had lost bloud in the enterprize. No, I weare stronger Armour: gamester-like I sawe the dogges brought forth; and set them on, Till the Diuell parted them; but pluckt off none, I kept aloose out of the reach of pawes: Better to fight with Lions then with lawes. What drummes are these? Musicke of heauen. The dancers reuell in steele. These march to fill our Fleete. From whence weele match with prowd victorious feete, And walke on Fayeries hearts, their beaten waies With their owne heades weele paue, whilst ours with bayes, And oake (the conquering souldiers wreath) we crowne: These hookes, or none, must pull their Cities downe, Inuasion is the fire: See, See, i'th Ayre Angels hang beckoning vs to make more haste, Vengeance deferd growes weake, and runnes to waste. Whats this?— Ere we take ship, we must to Court. A ay. In thunder: tis the souldiers sport. It is the Imperiall pleasure, decree, peremptory edict, and dreadfull command (vpon paine of a curse to be denounced vpon him that is disobedient) from her who hath power giuen her to make the backes of stubborne Kings her foote-stooles, and Emperours her vassales: the mother of Nations; the triple-crowned head of the world; the purple-rider of the glorious beast; the most high, most supreame, and most adored Empresse of Babilon; that no Captaine Generals of Armies, Generals of Squadrons, Admirals, Colonels, Captaines, or any other Officers of her magnificent, incomparable, formidable, and inuincible Armada, which is ordayned to swallow vp the kingdome of Faiery, shall presume to set one foote on ship-bod, till her sacred hand hath blessed the enterprize by sealing them all on the forhead, and by bowing their knees before the Beast. Sound, goe on.