Heywood, Thomas · published 1615 · first performed or written 1594 (Annals) romance · Worcester's Men · Red Bull T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so typicality 0.74 · 485 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
Sound a parley; I see your hearts are fired, Your souls with victory from heaven inspired. Why swarm these Christians to our City walls? Look (foreigners) do not not the lofty Spires, And these cloud-kissing Turrets that you see, Strike deadly terror in your wounded souls? Go Persian, flourish my vermilion flag, Advance my Standard high, the sight whereof Will drive these stragglers in disordered ranks, And in a hurly-burly throng them hence. See how they quake, to view our martial looks! As when a sturdy Cyclops rears aloft A boisterous Truncheon 'mongst a troop of dwarves. Soldan and Sophy, ye damned hellhounds both, So quakes the Eagle to behold a gnat, The Lion to behold a marmoset. I'll beard and brave you in your own belief, As when the heathen God, whom you call Ioue, Warred with the Giant, great Enceladus, And flung him from Olympus two-topped Mount The swains stood trembling to behold his fall, That with his weight did make the earth to groan. So, Soldan, look, when I have scaled these walls, And won the place where now thou stand'st secure, To be hurled headlong from the proudest Tower, In scorn of thee, thy false gods, and their power. We will assail you like rebounding Rocks, Bandied against the battlements of heaven: we'll turn thy City into desert plains: And thy proud Spires that seems to kiss the Clouds, Shall with their guilt-tops pave the miry streets, As all too base for us to march upon. Seest thou this shield, however this device Seems not to rank with Emperors; Soldan, know This shield shall give thy fatal overthrow. Such peals of Thunder did I never hear, I think that very words these walls will tear. This shield you see, includes two mysteries; A Virgin crowned it is the Mercer's Arms, With all the picture of my love that's fled. Both these I'll grace, and add to them thy head. methinks I see pale death fly from their words: Their speech so strong; how powerful are their swords! Since first I bore this shield I quartered it With this red Lion, whom I singly once Slew in the Forest; thus much have I already Added unto the Haberdashers Arms. But ere I leave these fair judaean Bounds, unto this Lion I'll add all your Crowns. Send for some prisoners, martyr, torture them Even in the face of all the Christian Host. It shall be so Moretes, bring them forth. No drop of blood falls from a Christian heart, But thy heart's blood shall ransom. Bring them forth, device new tortures: Oh for some rare Artist, That could invent a death more terrible Than are the ever lasting pangs of hell. Oh brethren, let not me move you to ruth: Happy is he that suffers for the truth. The joys to come exceed the present grief; Secure yourselves, for CHRIST is my relief.
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)
Sound a Parlee; I see your hearts are fir'd, Your soules with victory from heauen inspir'd. Why swarme these Christians to our City wals? Looke (forreiners) do not not the lofty Spires, And these cloud-kissing Turrets that you see, Strike deadly terrour in your wounded soules? Go Persian, flourish my vermillion flag, Aduance my Standerd high, the sight whereof Will driue these stragglers in disordered rankes, And in a hurly burly throng them hence. See how they quake, to view our martiall looks! As when a sturdy Ciclops reares aloft A boisterous Truncheon 'mongst a troupe of Dwarfes. Soldan and Sophy, ye damn'd hel-hounds both, So quakes the Eagle to behold a gnat, The Lyon to behold a Marmosat. I'le beard and braue you in your owne beliefe, As when the heathen God, whom you call Ioue, War'd with the Giant, great Enceldus, And flung him from Olympus two-topt Mount The swaynes stood trembling to behold his fall, That with his weight did make the earth to groane. So, Soldn, looke, when I haue skal'd these wals, And won the place where now thou stand'st secure, To be hurl'd head-long from the proudest Tower, In scorne of thee, thy false gods, and their power. We will assaile you like rebounding Rocks, Bandied against the battlements of heauen: Wee'le turne thy Citty into desart plaines: And thy proud Spires that seemes to kisse Cloudes, Shall with their guilt-tops paue the miry streetes, As all too base for vs to march vpon. Sest thou this sheild, how euer this deuice Seemes not to ranke with Empercurs; Sold, know This shield shall giue thy fatall ouerthrow. Such peales of Thunder did I neuer heare, I thinke that very words these wals will teare. This shield you see, includes two mysteries; A Virgine crown'd it is the Mrcers Armes, Withall the picture of my loue that's fled. Both these I'le grace, and adde to them thy head. Me thinkes I see pale death flie from their words: Their speech so strong; how powerull are their swords! Since first I bore this shield I quartered it With this red Lyon, whom I singly once Slew in the Forrest; thus much haue I already Added vnto the Haberdashers Armes. But ere I leaue these faire Iudaean Bounds, Vno this Lyon I'le adde all your Crownes. Send for some prisoners, martyre, torture them Euen in the face of all the Christian Hoast. It shall be so Moretes, bring them forth. No drop of bloud fals from a Christian heart, But thy hearts bloud shall ransome. Bring them forth, Deuise new tortures: Oh for some rare Artist, That could inuent a death more terrible Then are the euer lasting pangs of hell. Oh brethren, let not me moue you to ruth: Happy is he that suffers for the truth. The ioyes to come exceed the present griefe; Secure your selues, for CHRIST is my reliefe.