Histriomastix, or The Player Whipped · chunk 23 of 25
Marston, John · published 1610 · first performed or written 1599 [1598-1599] (Annals) moral · Unknown T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness typicality 0.81 · 482 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Why, thou art far more wretcheder than we, How canst thou teach us then tranquillity? Seest thou this poor and naked bosom here? Dost thou behold this scorned uncovered head? When thou wast rich and Peerless in thy pride, Content did never harbour in thy breast, Nor ere had love, her residence in thee, (I mean the love of perfect happiness) But skilless grudging from a haughty spirit Did blind thy senses with a slender merit. Whilst I (poor man) not subject to such thought Gave entertain to those sweet blessed babes, Which Sapience brought from wisdoms holy breast, And thought me rich to have their company. By nursing them in Peace I shunned all Sloth, Nor yet did Plenty make me prodigal: Pride I abhorred and termed the beggars shield: Nor ever did base Envy touch my heart. Yet always loved to bear (as Solon said,) A Turtles eye within an Aspics head: Nor could the rattling fury of fierce war Astonish me more than the midnight clock, The Trumpeter to Contemplation: For Poverty, I shake her by the hand, As welcome Lady to this woeful Land. How might we tread the paths to happy ends, Since foes to Learning are not Virtues friends. First entertain submission in your souls To frame true concord in one unity. Behold the fair proportion of a man, Whom heavens have created so complete, Yet if the arm make war against the head, Or that the heart rebel against the brain, This elemental body (thus compact,) Is but a scattered Chaos of revenge; Your laws appointed to be positive, (By War confounded) must be brought again. For law is that which Love and Peace maintain. Thou Son of knowledge (richer than a man) We censure thy advise as oracles. Follow, and I'll instruct you what I can: We followed beasts before but now a man. O Heavens pouring high-prized savours forth, Like to the honey dew that sweets the Leaves, Once send us Peace, that fairest Palm-crowned Queen. Ruin and War the precedents of Wrath, That cropped the fifty Sons of Hecuba, Have rid their circuit through this fertile soil, And quite transformed it to a Wilderness. Come let us sit and mourn with sad laments, The heavy burdens of our discontents. To wail our want let speaking slack the pain, For words of grief divide the grief in twain. Our Shops (sometimes) were stuffed with cloth of gold, But War hath emptied them, and Spiders build Their Cob-web-tents; weaving foul dusty lawn For poor woe-working Poverty to wear. O woes! behold our poor distressed wives. From Poverty to Famine, worse and worse The scourge of Pride, and heavens detested curse. where's that excess consumed upon the back? Sunk down to Hell whilst hunger feels the lack. Who now will pity us, that scorned the poor? Pity is passed when Peace is out of door.
seed 43: T35 · seed 44: T34 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Why, thou art farre more wretcheder then wee, How canst thou teach vs then tranquillity? See'st thou this poore and naked bozome heere? Dost thou behold this scorn'd vncouered head? When thou wast rich and Peerelesse in thy pride, Content did neuer harbour in thy brest, Nor ere had loue, her residence in thee, (I meane the loue of perfect happinesse) But skillesse grudging from a haughty spirit Did blind thy sences with a slender merit. Whil'st I (poore man) not subiect to such thought Gaue entertaine to those sweet blessed babes, Which Sapience brought from Wisedomes holy brest, And thought me rich to haue their company. By nursing them in Peace I shun'd all Sloth, Nor yet did Plenty make me prodigall: Pride I abhor'd and term'd the Beggers shield: Nor euer did base Euuie touch my heart. Yet alwayes loou'd to beare (as Solon sed,) A Turtles eye within an Aspicks head: Nor could the ratling fury of fierce warre Astonish me more then the mid-night clock, The Trumpetter to Contemplation: For Pouerty, I shake her by the hand, As welcome Lady to this wofull Land. How might we tread the path's to happy ends, Since foes to Learning are not Vertues friends. First entertaine submission in your soules To frame true concord in one vnity. Behold the faire proportion of a man, Whome heauens haue created so compleate, Yet if the arme make warre against the head, Or that the heart rebell against the braine, This elementall bodie (thus compact,) Is but a scattred Chaos of reuenge; Your lawes appoincted to be positiue, (By Warre confounded) must be brought againe. For law is that which Loue and Peace maintaine. Thou Sonne of knowledge (richer then a man) We censure thy aduise as oracles. Follow, and Ile instruct you what I can: We followed beasts before but now a man. O Heauens powring high-pryzd sauours forth, Like to the honny dew that sweetes the Leaues, Once send vs Peace, that fairest Palme-crownd Queene. Ruine and Warre the precedents of Wrath, That crop't the fifty Sonnes of Hecuba, Haue rid their circuite through this fertile soyle, And quite transform'd it to a Wildernesse. Come let vs sit and mourne with sad laments, The heauy burdens of our discontents. To waile our want let speaking slacke the paine, For words of griefe diuide the griefe in twaine. Our Shops (sometimes) were stuft with cloath of gold, But Warre hath emptied them, and Spyders build Their Cob-web-tents; weauing foule dusty lawne For poore woe-working Pouerty to weare. O woes! behold our poore distressed wiues. From Pouerty to Famine, worse and worse The scurge of Pride, and Heauens detested curse. Wher's that excesse consum'd vpon the back? Suncke downe to Hell whil'st hunger feeles the lacke. Who now will pity vs, that scorn'd the poore? Pitty is past when Peace is out of doore.