The Entertainment of the Lords of the Council by Sheriff Ducie (Flora's Servants) · 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 · 529 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
GOod Heaven Fie, this is usurpation merely, Speak thrice together? there's no right in this: What's that? I have the juster cause to take exceptions, This is the place I served in, lately served in, And by her own appointment, my wrong's greatest. Here's a strange sudden boldness o' both sides o' me, Was't not sufficient grace for you to speak At the chief Magistrates house, there, where that Bower Was first erected, but to shift your seat From place to place, pull down, and then set up, I wonder how she scapes Informers, trust me. Believe me so do I, sh'as favour shown her. So, this becomes you well, There's right in all things, We might have kept our places as we held 'em, There's little Conscience in your dealing, thus, You might have left the Lower Books for us, For our poor service. Thus I answer you, Taking my precedent from the just care Of those clear Lights of Honour, shining fair To their Works End; you see before your Eyes The Trust that was committed to their wise And discreet Powers (for his highness' Use) They put not off to others, with excuse Of weariness, or pains; as they begun, In their own Noble Persons see all done: So, by their sweet Example, I that am Your Queen and Mistress, and may rightly blame, And tax the boldness of your ruder blood, I do not think, or hold myself too good In mine own Person, to commend their Cares That have so justly served their King, in Theirs, Now you pull in your Heads. Pardon sweet Queen. Yet why should Anger in my brow be seen They came but to show duty to the Time, Contention to do Service was their Crime, That's no ill looking fault; but 'tis still known, “They that give Honour, love to do't alone, It brooks no Partnership:— To give this last Duty her Due, as others before past, Though it came now from men of meaner Rank, Where wealth was ne'er known to o'erflow the bank Like Spring-Tides of the Rich, that swell more high, Yet take't for Truth, it comes as cheerfully, All smiling Givers; and well may it come With smooth and loving Faces, the small Sum That they return, is thousand times repayed In Peace and Safety, besides Sovereign Aid For each heart's Grievance, (to its full content) By this high synod of the Parliament; Before whose fair, clear, and Unbribed Eyes, (When it appears) Corruption sinks and dies, Secure Oppression once, comes trembling thither (Stead of her hard heart knocks her knees together This Benefit is purchased, this Reward To which all Coin is dross to be compared: But, the fair Works concluded, on all parts, Your Care, which I place first of all deserts, And it becomes it, t'as been nobly Just, You have discharged with Honour your high Trust: The City's Love, I must remember next, And faithful Duty, both devoutly mixed; And (as the State of Court sets last, the Best,) His boundless Goodness, not to be expressed, That is your King and Master, Blessings fall Upon His Actions; Honour, on you All.
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)
GOod Heauen Fye, this is vſurpation meerely, Speake thrice together? there's no right in this: What's that? I haue the iuſter cauſe to take exceptions, This is the place I ſeru'd in, lately ſeru'd in, And by her own appointmēt, my wrong's greateſt. Here's a ſtrange ſudden boldneſſe a' both ſides a' me, Wa'ſt not ſufficient grace for you to ſpeake At the chiefe Magiſtrates houſe, there, where that Bower Was firſt erected, but to ſhift your ſeate From place to place, pull downe, and then ſet vp, I wonder how ſhe ſcapes Informers, truſt me. Beleeue me ſo doe I, ſh'as fauour ſhowne her. So, this becomes you well, There's right in all things, We might haue kept our places as we held e'm, There's little Conſcience in your dealing, thus, You might haue left the Lower Bookes for vs, For our poore ſeruice. Thus I anſwere you, Taking my Preſident from the iuſt care Of thoſe cleare Lights of Honour, ſhining faire To their Workes End; you ſee before your Eyes The Truſt that was committed to their wiſe And diſcreet Powers (for his Highneſſe Vſe) They put not off to others, with excuſe Of wearineſſe, or paines; as they begun, In their owne Noble Perſons ſee all done: So, by their ſweet Example, I that am Your Queene and Miſtris, and may rightly blame, And taxe the boldneſſe of your ruder blood, I doe not thinke, or hold my ſelfe too good In mine owne Perſon, to commend their Cares That haue ſo iuſtly ſeru'd their King, in Theirs, Now you pull in your Heads. Pardon ſweet Queene. Yet why ſhould Anger in my brow be ſeene They came but to ſhew duty to the Time, Contention to doe Seruice was their Crime, That's no ill looking fault; but 'tis ſtill knowne, 'They that giue Honour, loue to doe't alone, It brookes no Partnerſhip:—To giue this laſt Duty her Due, as others before paſt, Though it came now from men of meaner Rancke, Where welth was ne're known to oreflow the bank Like Spring-Tides of the Rich, that ſwell more hie, Yet tak't for Truth, it comes as cheerefully, All ſmiling Giuers; and well may it come With ſmooth and louing Faces, the ſmall Summe That they returne, is thouſand times repaide In Peace and Safety, beſides Soueraigne Ayde For each Hearts Grieuance, (to its full content) By this high Synode of the Parliament; Before whoſe faire, cleare, and Unbribed Eyes, (When it appeares) Corruption ſincks and dies, Secure Oppreſſion once, comes trembling thither (Stead of her hard heart knoks her knees together This Benefite is purchaſ'd, this Reward To which all Coyne is droſſe to be compar'de: But, the faire Workes concluded, on all parts, Your Care, which I place firſt of all deſerts, And it becomes it, t'as beene nobly Iuſt, You haue diſcharg'd with Honor your hie Truſt: The Cities Loue, I muſt remember next, And faithfull Duty, both deuoutly mixt; And (as the State of Court ſets laſt, the Beſt,) His boundleſſe Goodneſſe, not to be expreſt, That is your King and Maſter, Bleſſings fall Vpon His Actions; Honor, on you All.