Tomkis, Thomas · published 1615 · first performed or written 1615 [Mar 9] (Annals) comedy · before the Court unassigned nearest T35 Fools, wit and railing · 518 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T35: fool, wit, aristippus, achilles, wise, fools, patroclus, thersites, master, men.
THe brightness of so great and fair a presence, They say, strikes cold amazement. But I feel Contrary effects. For from the gracious centre O'th' Honourable assembly, some secret power Inflames my courage; and, methinks, I am grown Taller by th'virtue of this Audience. And yet thus raised, I fear there's no retiring. Ladies, whose beauties glad the whole Assembly, Upon your favours I impose my business. If't be a fault to speak this foreign language, (For Latin is our mother tongue) I must entreat you To frame excuses for us; for whose sake we now speak English. All the rest, we hope, Come purposely to grace our poor endeavours; As we to please. In whose fair courtesy We trust; not in our weak ability. COme brave Mercurials sublimed in cheating, My dear companions, fellow-soldiers I'th' watchful exercise of Thievery: Shame not at your so large profession, No more than I at deep Astrology. For in the days of old, Good morrow Thief, As welcome was received, as now Your Worship. The Spartans held it lawful, and th'Arabians, So grew Arabia, Foelix; Sparta valiant. Read on this lecture, wise ALBUMAZAR. Your patron Mercury in his mysterious character, Holds all the marks of th'other wanderers, And with his subtle influence works in all, Filling their stories full of robberies. Most Trades and Callings much participate Of yours; though smoothly gilt with th'honest title Of Merchant, Lawyer, or such like: the learned Only excepted; and he's therefore poor. And yet he steals one author from another. This Poet is that poet's Plagiary, And he a third's, till they end all in Homer. And Homer filched all from an Egyptian priestess. The world's a Theater of theft. Great rivers Rob smaller brooks; and them the Ocean. And in this world of ours, this Microcosm: Guts from the stomach steal, and what they spare, The meseraicks filch, and lay't i'th' liver: Where (lest it should be found) turned to red Nectar, 'tis by a thousand thievish veins conveyed And hid in flesh, nerves, bones, muscles and sinews, In tendons, skin and hair, so that the property Thus altered, the theft can never be discovered. Now all these pilferies couched and composed in order, Frame thee and me. Man's a quick mass of the every. Most Philosophical ALBUMAZAR! I thought these parts had lent and borrowed mutual. Say they do so: 'tis done with full intention near to restore, and that's flat robbery. Therefore go on: follow your virtue's laws Your cardinal virtue, great Necessity, Wait on her close, with all occasions. Be watchful, have as many eyes as heaven, And ears as harvest: be resolved and impudent, Believe none, trust none: for in this City (As in a fought field Crows and Carcases) No dwellers are but Cheaters and cheatees. If all the houses in the town were prisons, The chambers cages, all the settles stocks, The broad gates gallows, and the whole people justices, juries, Constables, Keepers and Hangmen, I'd practise spite of all, and leave behind me A fruitful seminary of our profession, And call them by thy name Albumazarians.
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)
THe brightnesse of so great and faire a presence, They say, strikes cold amazement. But I feele Contrarie effects. For from the gracious center O'th Honorable assembly, some secret power Inflames my courage; and, me thinkes, I am growne Taller by th'vertue of this Audience. And yet thus rais'd, I feare there's no retiring. Ladies, whose beauties glad the whole Assembly, Vpon your fauours I impose my businesse. If't be a fault to speake this forraigne language, (For Latine is our mother tongue) I must intreate you To frame excuses for vs; for whose sake Wee now speake English. All the rest, we hope, Come purposely to grace our poore endeuours; As we to please. In whose faire curtesie We trust; not in our weake abilitie. COme braue Mercurials sublim'd in cheating, My deere companions, fellow-souldiers I'th watchfull exercise of Theevery: Shame not at your so large profession, No more then I at deepe Astrologie. For in the dayes of old, Good morrow Theife, As welcome was receiu'd, as now Your Worship. The Spartans held it lawfull, and th'Arabians, So grew Arabia, Foelix; Sparta valiant. Read on this lecture, wise ALBVMAZAR. Your patron Mercury in his mysterious character, Holds all the markes of th'other wanderers, And with his subtile influence workes in all, Filling their stories full of robberies. Most Trades and Callings much participate Of yours; though smoothly gilt with th'honest title Of Merchant, Lawyer, or such like: the learned Onely excepted; and hee's therefore poore. And yet he steales one author from another. This Poet is that Poets Plagiary, And he a third's, till they end all in Homer. And Homer filtch't all from an Aegyptian Preestesse. The world's a Theater of theft. Great rivers Rob smaller brookes; and them the Ocean. And in this world of ours, this Microcosme: Guts from the stomack steale, and what they spare, The meseraicks filch, and lay't i'th liver: Where (least it should be found) turn'd to red Nectar, Tis by a thousand theevish veines convey'd And hid in flesh, nerues, bones, muscles and sinewes, In tendons, skin and haire, so that the property Thus altered, the theft can never be discovered. Now all these pilfries couch't and composd in order, Frame thee and me. Man's a quick masse of the every. Most Philosophicall ALBVMAZAR! I thought these parts had lent and borrowed mutuall. Say they doe so: 'tis done with full intention Nere to restore, and that's flat robbery. Therefore go on: follow your vertu's lawes Your card'nall vertue, great Necessity, Wait on her close, with all occasions. Be watchfull, haue as many eyes as heauen, And eares as harvest: be resolu'd and impudent, Beleeue none, trust none: for in this Citie (As in a fought field Crowes and Carkasses) No dwellers are but Cheaters and Cheateez. If all the houses in the towne were prisons, The chambers cages, all the settles stockes, The broad gates gallowses, and the whole people Iustices, Iuries, Constables, Keepers and Hangmen, I'de practise spite of all, and leaue behind mee A fruitfull seminarie of our profession, And call them by thy name Albumazarians.