Munday, Anthony / Middleton, Thomas · published 1613 · first performed or written 1613 [Oct 29] (Annals) civic play; pageant unassigned nearest T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation · 441 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Thick Scales of Darkness in a moment's space Are fell from both mine Eyes, I see the Face Of all my Friends about me (now) most clearly, Religions Sisters, whom I Honour dearly; Oh I behold the work, it comes from Thee Illustrious Patroness, thou that mad'st me see In Days of blindest Ignorance, when this Light Was e'en extinguished, Thou Redeemest my sight; Then to Thy Charge (with Reverence) I commend That worthy Son of mine, thy virtuous Friend, Whom on my Love and Blessing I require, To observe Thee Faithfully, and his Desire To imitate Thy will, and there lie bounded, For Power's a Dangerous Sea, which must be sounded With Truth and justice, or Man soon runs on 'Gainst Rocks and Shelves to Dissolution; Then that thou mayst the Difference ever know, Twixt Truth and Error, a few words shall show; The many Ways that to blind Error slide Are in the entrance broad, Hell-mouth is wide, But when Man enters far, he finds it then Close, Dark and Straight, for Hell returns no Men; But the One sacred Way which Truth directs, Only at Entrance Man's Affection Checks, And is there strict alone, to which place throngs All World's Afflictions, Calumnies and wrongs. But having passed those, than thou find'st a way In breadth, whole Heaven, in length, aeternal Day, Then following Truth, she brings Thee to that way; But first observe what works she here requires, Religion, Knowledge, Sanctity, Chaste Desires, Then Charity, which Bounty must express, To Scholars, Soldiers, widows, Fatherless; These have been still my Works, they must be thine, Honour and Action must together shine, Or the best part's Eclipsed, behold but this, Thy very Crest shows Bounty, here 'tis put, Thou giv'st the open Hand, keep it not shut; But to the Needy, or Deserving Spirit, Let it spread wide, and Heaven enrolls that Merit; Do these, and prove my Hopeful Worthy Son, Yet nothing's spoke, but needfully must be done. And so lead forward. Heart of all the Fiends in Hell! Could her Beggarly Power expel Such a Thick and Poisonous Mist Which set envies Snakes to twist; Up Monsters, was her Feeble Frown Of Force to strike my Officers down? Barbarism, Impudence, Lies, Ignorance, All your Hell-bred Heads advance, And once again with Rotten Darkness shroud This Mount Triumphant, drop down sulphurous Cloud. Dare yet the works of Ugliness appear 'gainst this days Brightness, and see Us so near? How bold is Sin and Hell, that yet it dare Rise against Us? but know (Perditions Heir) 'tis Idle to contend against our Power, Vanish again Foul Mist from honours Bower.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Thicke Scales of Darkneſſe in a Moments ſpace Are fell from both mine Eyes, I ſee the Face Of all my Friends about me (now) moſt cleerely, Religions Siſters, whom I Honour deerely; Oh I behold the worke, it comes from Thee Illuſtrious Patroneſſe, thou that mad'ſt me ſee In Dayes of blindeſt Ignorance, when this Light Was ee'n extinguiſht, Thou Redeem'ſt my ſight; Then to Thy Charge (with Reuerence) I commend That worthy Son of mine, thy vertuous Friend, Whom on my Loue and Bleſſing I require, To obſerue Thee Faithfully, and his Deſire To imitate Thy will, and there lye bounded, For Power's a Dangerous Sea, which muſt be ſounded With Truth and Iuſtice, or Man ſoone runs on 'Gainſt Rockes and Shelues to Diſſolution; Then that thou maiſt the Difference euer know, Twixt Truth and Error, a few words ſhall ſhow; The many Wayes that to blind Error ſlide Are in the entrance broad, Hell-mouth is wide, But when Man enters farre, he findes it then Cloſe, Darke and Streight, for Hell returnes no Men; But the One ſacred Way which Truth directs, Onely at Entrance Mans Affection Checks, And is there ſtrict alone, to which place throngs All Worlds Afflictions, Calumnies and wrongs. But hauing paſt thoſe, then thou find'ſt a way In bredth, whole Heauen, in length, aeternall Day, Then following Truth, ſhe brings Thee to that way; But firſt obſerue what workes ſhe here requires, Religion, Knowledge, Sanctity, Chaſt Deſires, Then Charity, which Bounty muſt expreſſe, To Schollers, Souldiers, Widdowes, Fatherleſſe; Theſe haue beene ſtill my Workes, they muſt be thine, Honour and Action muſt together ſhine, Or the beſt part's Eclipſt, behold but this, Thy very Creſt ſhowes Bounty, here 'tis put, Thou giu'ſt the open Hand, keepe it not ſhut; But to the Needie, or Deſeruing Spirit, Let it ſpred wide, and Heauen enrowles that Merit; Do theſe, and proue my Hopefull Worthy Sonne, Yet nothing's ſpoke, but needfully muſt bee done. And ſo lead forward. Heart of all the Fiends in Hell! Could her Beggarly Power expell Such a Thicke and Poiſonous Miſt Which ſet Enuies Snakes to twiſt; Vp Monſters, was her Feeble Frowne Of Force to ſtrike my Officers downe? Barbariſme, Impudence, Lies, Ignorance, All your Hell-bred Heads aduance, And once againe with Rotten Darkneſſe ſhroud This Mount Triumphant, drop downe ſulphurous Cloud. Dare yet the workes of Vglineſſe appeare Gainſt this Dayes Brightneſſe, and ſee Vs ſo neere? How bold is Sinne and Hell, that yet it dare Riſe againſt Vs? but know (Perditions Heire) T'is Idle to contend againſt our Power, Vaniſh againe Fowle Miſt from Honors Bower.