Massinger, Philip · published 1623 · first performed or written 1621 [1621-1623] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 513 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Now signior Graccho, What think you of your greatness? I preach patience, And must endure my fortune. I was never yet At such a hunts-up, nor was so rewarded. Let them first know themselves, & how you are To be served, and honoured: Which, when they confess, You may again receive them to your favour: And then it will show nobly. With my thanks, The Duke shall pay you his, If he return To bless us with his presence. There is nothing That can be added to your fair acceptance: That is the prize, indeed: All else, are blanks, And of no value. As in virtuous actions, The undertaker finds a full reward, Although conferred upon unthankful Men; So, any service done to so much sweetness, (However dangerous, and subject to An ill construction) in your favour finds A wished, and glorious end. From you, I take this As loyal duty, but in any other, It would appear gross flattery. Flattery, Madam? You are so rare, and excellent in all things, And raised so high upon a Rock of goodness, As that vice cannot reach you: who, but looks on This Temple built by Nature to Perfection, But must bow to it: and out of that zeal, Not only learn to adore it, but to love it. Whither will this fellow? Pardon therefore Madam, If an excess in me of humble duty, Teach me to hope (and though it be not in The power of Man to merit such a blessing) My piety (for it is more than love) May find reward. You have it in my thanks: And on my hand, I am pleased, that you shall take A full possession of it. But take heed, That you fix here, and feed no hope beyond it; If you do, 'twill prove fatal. Be it death, And death with torments, Tyrants never found out: Yet I must say I love you. As a Subject, And 'twill become you. Farewell circumstance: And since you are not pleased to understand me, But by a plain, and usual form of speech: All superstitious reverence laid by, I love you as a Man, and as a Man I would enjoy you. Why do you start, and fly me? I am no Monster, and you but a Woman: A Woman made to yield, and by example Told it is lawful; Favours of this nature, Are, in our age, no miracles in the greatest: And therefore Lady— Keep of. O you Powers! Libidinous Beast, and ad to that unthankful (A crime, which Creatures wanting reason, fly from) Are all the Princely bounties, favours, honours, Which (with some prejudice to his own wisdom) Thy Lord, and raiser hath conferred upon thee, In three days' absence buried? Hath he made thee (A thing obscure, almost without a name) The envy of great Fortunes? Have I graced thee, Beyond thy rank? And entertained thee, as A Friend, and not a Servant? And is this, This impudent attempt to taint mine Honour, The fair return of both our ventured favours? Hear my excuse.
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)
Now Signiour Graccho, What thinke you of your greatnesse? I preach patience, And must endure my fortune. I was neuer yet At such a hunts-vp, nor was so rewarded. Let them first know themselues, & how you are To be seru'd, and honour'd: Which, when they confesse, You may againe receiue them to your fauour: And then it will shew nobly. With my thankes, The Duke shall pay you his, If he returne To blesse vs with his presence. There is nothing That can be added to your faire acceptance: That is the prize, indeed: All else, are blankes, And of no value. As in vertuous actions, The vndertaker finds a full reward, Although confer'd vpon vnthankefull Men; So, any seruice done to so much sweetnesse, (Howeuer dangerous, and subiect to An ill construction) in your fauour finds A wish'd, and glorious end. From you, I take this As loyall dutie, but in any other, It would appeare grosse flatterie. Flatterie, Madam? You are so rare, and excellent in all rhings, And rais'd so high vpon a Rock of goodnesse, As that vice cannot reach you: who, but looks on This Temple built by Nature to Perfection, But must bow to it: and out of that zeale, Not only learne to adore it, but to loue it. Whither will this fellow? Pardon therefore Madam, If an excesse in me of humble dutie, Teach me to hope (and though it be not in The power of Man to merit such a blessing) My pietie (for it is more than loue) May find reward. You haue it in my thankes: And on my hand, I am pleas'd, that you shal take A full possession of it. But take heed, That you fixe here, and feed no hope beyond it; If you doe, 'twill proue fatall. Be it death, And death with torments, Tyrants neuer found out: Yet I must say I loue you. As a Subiect, And 'twill become you. Farewell circumstance: And since you are not pleas'd to vnderstand me, But by a plaine, and vsuall forme of speech: All superstitious reuerence lay'd by, I loue you as a Man, and as a Man I would enioy you. Why do you start, and flye me? I am no Monster, and you but a Woman: A Woman made to yeeld, and by example Told it is lawfull; Fauours of this nature, Are, in our age, no miracles in the greatest: And therefore Lady— Keepe of. O you Powers! Libidinous Beast, and ad to that vnthankfull (A crime, which Creatures wanting reason, flye from) Are all the Princely bounties, fauours, honours, Which (with some preiudice to his owne wisedome) Thy Lord, and Rayser hath confer'd vpon thee, In three dayes absence buried? Hath he made thee (A thing obscure, almost without a name) The enuie of great Fortunes? Haue I grac'd thee, Beyond thy rancke? And entertain'd thee, as A Friend, and not a Seruant? And is this, This impudent attempt to taint mine Honour, The faire returne of both our ventur'd fauours? Heare my excuse.