Middleton, Thomas · published 1619 · first performed or written 1619 [Oct 29] (Annals) civic play; pageant T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions typicality 0.73 · 418 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
GReat Lord, Example is the Crystal Glass, By which wise Magistracy sets his face, Fits all his Actions to their comeliest Dress, For there he sent honour and seemliness; 'tis not like flauring glasses, those false Books Made to set Age, back, in great Courliers Looks; Like Clocks on reveling nights, that near go right, Because the sports may yield more full delight, But when they break off then they find it Late, The Time and Truth appears, such is their State, Whose death by flatteries is set back, awhile, But meetes'em in the midst of then safe Smile. Such horrors these forgetful things ●●end, That only mind their ends, but not their End; Leave them to their false Trust; List Thou to me, Thy power is great, so let thy virtues be, Thy care, thy watchfulness, which are but things Remembered to thy praise, from thence it springs, And not from fear of any want in Thee, For in this Truth I may be comely, free, Never was man advanced, yet waited on With a more Noble Expectation; That's a great Work to perfect: and as Those That have in Art a Mastery, can oppose All comers, and come off with Learned Fame, Yet think not scorn still of a scholars name (A Title which they had in ignorant youth:) So he that deals in such a weight of Truth As th' execution of a Magistrates place, Though never so exact inform and Grace, Both from his own Worth, and man's free Applause, Yet may he called a Labourer in the cause, And be thought good to be so, in true care, The Labour being so glorious, just, and fair. Behold then in a rough Example here The Rude and thonny ways thy care must clear, Such are the vices in a City sprung, As are yon Thickets that grow close and strong: Such is oppression, Cozenage, Bribes, false Hires, As are yon catching and entangling briars: Such is Gout-Iustice, that's, Delay in Right, Demurs in Suits, that are as clear as Light. Just such a Wilderness is a Commonwealth, That is undressed, unpruned, wild in her health; And the rude multitude, the Beasts a'th' wood, That know no laws, but only Will and Blood: And yet by fair Example, Musical Grace, Harmonious government of the Man in place, (Of fair Integrity, and wisdom framed) They stand as mine do, ravished, charmed, and tamed. Every wise Magistrate that governs thus, May well be called a powerful Orpheus.
seed 43: T13 · seed 44: T16 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
GReat Lord, Example is the Cryſtall Glaſſe, By which wiſe Magiſtracy ſets his face, Fits all his Actions to their comlieſt Dreſſe, For there he ſt honour and Seemelineſſe; Tis not like flauring glaſſes, thoſe falſe Bookes Made to ſet Age, back, in great Courliers Lookes; Like Clocks on Reuelling nights, that nere goe right, Becauſe the ſports may yeeld more full delight, But when they breake off then they finde it Late, The Time and Truth appeares, ſuch is their State, Whoſe death by flatteries is ſet back, awhile, But meetes'em in the midſt of then ſafe Smile. Such horrors thſe forgetfull things end, That onely minde their ends, but not their End; Leaue them to their falſe Truſt; Liſt Thou to me, Thy power is great, ſo let thy vertues be, Thy care, thy watchfulneſſe, which are but things Remembred to thy praiſe, from thence it ſprings, And not from feare of any want in Thee, For in this Truth I may be comely, free, Neuer was man aduanc'd, yet waited on With a more Noble Expectation; That's a great Worke to perfect: and as Thoſe That haue in Art a Maſtry, can oppoſe All comers, and come off with Learned Fame, Yet thinke not skorne ſtill of a Schollers name (A Title which they had in ignorant youth:) So he that deales in ſuch a weight of Truth As th' execution of a Magiſtrates place, Though neuer ſo exact informe and Grace, Both from his owne Worth, and mans free Applauſe, Yet may he cal'd a Labourer in the cauſe, And be thought good to be ſo, in true care, The Labour being ſo glorious, iuſt, and faire. Behold then in a rough Example here The Rude and thonny wayes thy care muſt cleare, Such are the vices in a City ſprung, As are yon' Thickets that grow cloſe and ſtrong: Such is oppreſsion, Coſnage, Bribes, falſe Hires, As are yon' catching and entangling Briers: Such is Gout-Iuſtice, that's, Delay in Right, Demurs in Suites, that are as cleare as Light. Iuſt ſuch a Wilderneſſe is a Common-wealth, That is vndreſt, vnpruin'd, wilde in her health; And the rude multitude, the Beaſts a'th wood, That know no lawes, but onely Will and Blood: And yet by faire Example, Muſicall Grace, Harmonious gouernment of the Man in place, (Of faire Integrity, and wiſedome framde) They ſtand as mine doe, rauiſht, charmde, and tamde. Euery wiſe Magiſtrate that gouerns thus, May well be cald a powerfull Orpheus.