The Atheist's Tragedy, or The Honest Man's Revenge · chunk 10 of 41
Tourneur, Cyril · published 1611 · first performed or written 1611 [1607-1611] (Annals) tragedy · Unknown unassigned nearest T50 Fleets, armies and generals: war by sea · 497 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T50: sea, honour, general, soldiers, men, ship, fight, soldier, king, vittori.
Soldier! what news? we heard a rumour of a blow you gave the enemy. 'tis very true my Lord. Canst thou relate it. Yes. I Prithee do. The enemy, defeated of a fair Advantage by a flattering stratagem; Plants all th' Artillery against the Town. Whose thunder and lightning made our bulwarks shake; And threatened in that terrible report, The storm wherewith they meant to second it. Th'assault was general. But for the place That promised most advantage to be forced; The pride of all their Army was drawn forth, And equally divided into Front, And Rear. They marched. And coming to a stand, Ready to pass our Channel at an ebb, W'advised it for our safest course, to draw Our sluices up and make't unpassable. Our Governor opposed; and suffered'em To charge us home e'en to the rampires foot. But when their front was forcing up our breach, At push o'pike, then did his policy Let go the sluices, and tripped up the heels Of the whole body of their troop, that stood Within the violent current of the stream. Their front beleaguered twixt the water and The Town; seeing the flood was grown too deep, To promise them a safe retreat; exposed The force of all their spirits, (like the last Expiring gasp of a strong hearted man) Upon the hazard of one charge; but were Oppressed and fell. The rest that could not swim, Were only drowned; but those that thought to scape By swimming, were by murderers that flankerd, The level of the flood both drowned and slain. Now by my soul (Soldier) a brave service. O what became of my dear Charlemont? Walking next day upon the fatal shore, Among the slaughtered bodies of their men, Which the full-stomached Sea had cast upon The sands, it was m'unhappy chance to light Upon a face, whose favour when it lived My astonished mind informed me I had seen. He lay in's Armour; as if that had been His Coffin, and the weeping Sea (like one; Whose milder temper doth lament the death Of him whom in his rage he slew) runs up The Shore; embraces him; kisses his cheek, Goes back again and forces up the Sands To bury him; and every time it parts, Sheds tears upon him; till at last (as if It could no longer endure to see the man Whom it had slain, yet loath to leave him;) with A kind of unresolved unwilling pace, Winding her waves one in another, like A man that folds his arms, or wrings his hands For grief; ebbed from the body and descends: As if it would sink down into the earth, And hide itself for shame of such a deed. And Soldier; who was this? O Charlemont! Your fear hath told you that whereof my grief Was loath to be the messenger. O God. Charlemont drowned? Why how could that be? since it was the adverse party that received the overthrow.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T45 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Souldier! what newes? wee heard a rumour of a blow you gaue the enemie. T'is very true my Lord. Canst thou relate it. Yes. I Prithee doe. The enemie, defeated of a faire Aduantage by a flattring stratagem; Plants all th' Artillerie against the Towne. Whose thunder and lightning made our bulwarkes shake; And threatned in that terrible report, The storme wherewith they meant to second it. Th'assault was generall. But for the place That promis'd most aduantage to beforc'd; The pride of all their Army was drawne forth, And equally diuided into Front, And Rere. They march'd. And comming to a stand, Ready to passe our Channell at an ebbe, Waduis'd it for our safest course, to draw Our uices vp and mak't vnpassable. Our Gouernour oppos'd; and suffered'em To charge vs home e'en to the Rampers foot. But when their front was forcing vp our breach, At push o'pike, then did his pollicie Let goe the sluices, and trip'd vp the heeles Of the whole bodie of their troupe, that stood Within the violent current of the streame. Their front beleaguer'd twixt the water and The Towne; seeing the floud was growne too deepe, To promise them a safe retreate; expos'd The force of all their spirits, (like the last Expiring gaspe of a strong harted man) Vpon the hazard of one charge; but were Oppress'd and fell. The rest that could not swimme, Were onely drown'd; but those that thought to scape By swimming, were by murtherers that flankerd, The leuell of the floud both drow'nd and slaine. Now by my soule (Souldier) a braue seruice. O what became of my deare Charlemont? Walking next day vpon the fatall shore, Among the slaughter'd bodies of their men, Which the full-stomack'd Sea had cast vpon The sands, it was m'vnhappy chance to light Vpon a face, whose fauour when it liu'd My astonish'd minde inform'd me I had seene. Hee lay in's Armour; as if that had beene His Coffine, and the weeping Sea (like one; Whose milder temper doth lament the death Of him whom in his rage he slew) runnes vp The Shoare; embraces him; kisses his cheeke, Goes backe againe and forces vp the Sandes To burie him; and eu'rie time it parts, Sheds teares vpon him; till at last (as if It could no longer endure to see the man Whom it had slaine, yet loath to leaue him;) with A kinde of vnresolu'd vnwilling pace, Winding her waues one in another, like A man that foldes his armes, or wrings his hands For griefe; ebb'd from the body and descends: As if it would sinke downe into the earth, And hide it selfe for shame of such a deede. And Souldier; who was this? O Charlemont! Your feare hath told you that whereof my griefe Was loath to be the messenger. O God. Charlemont drown'd? Why how could that be? since it was the aduerse partie that receiued the ouerthrow.