The Entertainment at the Conduit Head (The Water Nymph) · chunk 1 of 1
Middleton, Thomas · published 1621 · first performed or written 1621 [1620-1621] (Annals) entertainment; civic play unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 413 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
HAh? let me clear mine Eyes, methinks I see Comforts approach, as if They came to me; I am not used to 'em; I ha' been long without, How comes the Virtue of the Times about? Has Ancient Custom yet a Friend? of Weight? So many? rare I Goodness is waked o'late Out of her long Sleep sure; that has lain still Many a dear Day, charmed with Neglect and Will, I thought I'd been forsaken, quite forsook, For none these 7. years, has bestowed a Look Upon my watery Habitation here; I mean, of Power, that ought to see Me clear, For yond fair City's health, which Sweetness bless And Virtue in full Strength, ever possess; Well fare thy Visitation, Noble Lord, And this most Grave Assembly; that accord In ways of Charity and Care with Thee; joys visit You, as Your Loves visit Me: The Water stands so full now in mine Eyes I cannot choose but weep; but the Tears rise From Gladness, not from Sorrow, for that's lost Now I see you, Unkindness yet has cost Many a dear Drop, since I beheld the Face Of the last Magistrate, in Power and Place; I ha' done good Service; 'tis no boasting part In one forgot, to speak her own desert: I grant my kind and loving Sisters both Chadwell and Amwell, have expressed no Sloth In their Pipe-Pilgrimage, but fairly proved Most excellent Servants, housed, and well-beloved; And have, when hard Necessity requires, Given happy Quench to many merciless Fires; Therefore am I neglected? An old Friend? The Head? that to the Heart a'th' City send My best and clearest Service, take Delight To be at hand, make your Dames Pure and White; Who for their civil Neatness, are proclaimed Mirrors of women, through all Kingdoms famed; Can I be so forgot? and daily hear The noise of Water-bearers din your care? Those are my Alms folks, trotting in a Ring, And live upon the bounty of my Spring, Yet like dull worms that have no sense at all, Lick up the Dews, ne'er look from whence they fall, The head's not minded, whence the goodness flows: So with the world's condition right it goes; Blessings are swallowed with a greedy love, But Thanks fly slowly to yond place Above, From whence the Everliving water's spring, Which to your souls eternal comforts bring: The Dews of Heaven fall on you, prosperous Fates Like fruitful Rivers, flow into your States.
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)
HAh? let me cleare mine Eyes, me thinks I ſee Comforts approach, as if They came to me; I am not vſde to e'm; I ha beene long without, How comes the Vertue of the Times about? Ha's Ancient Cuſtome yet a Friend? of Weight? So many? rare I Goodneſſe is wak't alate Out of her long Sleepe ſure; that ha's laine ſtill Many a deere Day, charm'd with Neglect and Will, I thought I'de beene forſaken, quite forſooke, For none theſe 7. yeares, ha's beſtow'd a Looke Vpon my watry Habitation here; I meane, of Power, that ought to ſee Me cleere, For yon'd faire Cities health, which Sweetnes bleſſe And Vertue in full Strength, euer poſſeſſe; Well fare thy Viſitation, Noble Lord, And this moſt Graue Aſſembly; that accord In wayes of Charity and Care with Thee; Ioyes viſit You, as Your Loues viſit Me: The Water ſtands ſo full now in mine Eyes I cannot chuſe but weepe; but the Teares riſe From Gladneſſe, not from Sorrow, for that's loſt Now I ſee you, Vnkindneſſe yet ha's coſt Many a deere Drop, ſince I beheld the Face Of the laſt Magiſtrate, in Power and Place; I h'a done good Seruice; t'is no boaſting part In one forgot, to ſpeake her owne deſert: I grant my kind and louing Siſters both Chadwell and Amwell, haue expreſt no Sloth In their Pipe-Pilgrimage, but fairely proou'd Moſt excellent Seruants, houſ'de, and welbelou'd; And haue, when hard Neceſſity requires, Giuen happy Quench to many mercileſſe Fires; Therefore am I neglected? An old Friend? The Head? that to the Heart a'th City ſend My beſt and cleereſt Seruice, take Delight To be at hand, make your Dames Pure and White; Who for their ciuill Neatneſſe, are proclaim'd Mirrours of women, through all Kingdoms fam'd; Can I be ſo forgot? and daily heare The noiſe of Water-bearers din your care? Thoſe are my Almes folkes, trotting in a Ring, And liue vpon the bounty of my Spring, Yet like dull wormes that haue no ſence at all, Lick vp the Dewes, ne're look from whēce they fal, The head's not minded, whēce the goodnes flows: So with the worlds condition right it goes; ``Bleſſings are ſwallowed with a greedy loue, ``But Thanks flye ſlowly to yon'd place Aboue, From whence the Euerliuing Waters ſpring, Which to your ſoules eternall comforts bring: The Dewes of Heauen fal on you, proſperous Fates Like fruitfull Riuers, flow into your States.