Heywood, Thomas · published 1615 · first performed or written 1594 (Annals) romance · Worcester's Men · Red Bull T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so typicality 0.75 · 507 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
My scimitar is like the bolt of Ioue, That never toucheth but it strikes with death. Oh how I long, till we with spears in rests, Strike out the lightning from their high-plumed crests. I would burn off this beard in such a flame, As I could kindle with my puissant blows: Yet the least hair I value at more worth Than all the Christian Empire. Speak, brave Soldan, Shall our bar'd horses climb yond Mountain tops, And bid them battle where they pitch their Tents. Courage cries, on; but good advice saith, stay. Experience bids us fight another way. Why should we tire our Troops in search of them, That with audacious boldness seek out us? Let us stand to receive them when they come, And with a grove of Pikes growing on this earth Where now no tree appears, toss up their bodies, Whose coarses by your strong armes kept ale, May hang like bloody pendants on your staves. Oh sight best pleasing to the Persian gods! In the sky's forehead shall the bright Sun stand Amazed to view that glorious spectacle, And with the pleasing sight forget his way, To grace our Trophy with perpetual day. But how shall we receive their armed Troops? What special order will your grace assign To them that shall command your Companies? It shall be thus. This way the Christians march, The body of our Host shall stay behind, To be a strength to fair Jerusalem. But we with certain soldiers secretly, Will lie in ambush: The great Persian Sophy, With Turnus, and a chief command of men, Shall guard that way: myself, and thou Morates Will keep this passage with a troop select, To seize on their forerunners, scouts, and spies. Assist us fate, erelong the world shall know Our glories by the Christians' overthrow. This is my Quarter: these my men shall be. Morates, thou and these shall follow me. Oh whether will blind love conduct my steps? Prince Tancred's deer, and English Robert's joy, Is fled in secret, and hath left our Tents. Thus like an Errant and Adventurous Knight, I have left the Host to follow her fair search, And durst not trust the air with my intent. This way, they say, she went; the camp's secure. This way unknown, in secret I pursue her. This way my love went like a shooting star, Whose blazing train doth guild the firmament. Such glorious beauty adds she to the way, Making the dark night-paths, shine bright as day. Ye honoured Arms farewell, and Camp adieu, I do forsake myself her to pursue. Behold a traveler! I will inquire If chance hath cast his eye upon my love. I was about to ask of yonder man, Whether her beauty had enriched his sight: But 'tis my rival Robert; Charles obscure thee. For should he see thee, he would quickly judge What Adamant had drawn me to these woods. One case I see hath made us errants both. To be found wandering thus I should be loath.
seed 43: T18 · seed 44: T18 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
My Cemytar is like the bolt of Ioue, That neuer toucheth but it strikes with death. Oh how I long, till we with speares in rests, Strike out the lightning from their high-plum'd crests. I would burne off this beard in such a flame, As I could kindle with my puissant blowes: Yet the least haire I valew at more worth Then all the Christian Empire. Speake, braue Soldan, Shall our bar'd horses clime yond Mountaine tops, And bid them battell where they pitch their Tents. Courage cries, on; but good aduice saith, stay. Experience bids vs fight another way. Why should we tire our Troupes in search of them, That with audacious boldnesse secke out vs? Let vs stand to receiue them when they come, And with a groue of Pikes growing on this earth Where now no tree appeares, tosse vp their bodies, Whose coarses by your strong armes kept ale, May hang like bloudy pendants on your staues. Oh sight best pleasing to the Pan gods! In the skies fore-head shall the bright Sunne stand Amaz'd to view that glorious spectacle, And with the pleasing sight forget his way, Tograce our Trophee with perpetuall day. But how shall we receiue their armed Troopes? What speciall order will your grace assigne To them that shall command your Companies? It shall be thus. This way the Christians march, The body of our Hoast shall stay behind, To be a strength to faire Hierusalem. But we with certaine souldiers secretly, Will lie in ambush: The great Persian Sophy, With Turnus, and a chiefe command of men, Shall guard that way: my selfe, and thou Morates Will keepe this pssage with a troupe select, To seize on their fore-runners, scouts, and spies. Assist vs fate, ere-long the world shall know Our glories by the Christians ouerthrow. This is my Quarter: these my men shall be. Morates, thou and these hall follow me. Oh whether will blind loue conduct my steps? Prince Tancreds Deere, and English Roberts Ioy, Is fled in secret, and hath left our Tents. Thus like an Errant and Aduenturous Knight, I haue left the Hoast to follow her faire search, And durst not trust the aire with my intent. This way, they say, she went; the Campe's secure. This way vnknowne, in secret I pursue her. This way my loue went like a shooting starre, Whose blazing traine doth guilde the firmament. Such glorious beauty addes she to the way, Making the dark night-pathes, shine bright as day. Ye honoured Armes arewell, and Campe adiew, I do forsake my selfe her to pursue. Behold a traueller! I will enquire If chance hath cast his eye vpon my loue. I was about to aske of yonder man, Whether her beauty had enricht his sight: But'tis my riuall Robert; Charles obscure thee. For should he see thee, he would quickely iudge What Adamant had drawne me to these woods. One case I see hath made vs errants both. To be found wandring thus I should be loth.