Massinger, Philip · published 1624 · first performed or written 1623 [licensed for stage, Dec 3] (Annals) tragicomedy · Lady Elizabeth's Men · Phoenix/Cockpit unassigned nearest T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so · 500 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
Yet in this plenty, And fat of peace, your young men ne'er were trained In Martial discipline, and your ships unrigged, Rot in the harbour, no defence prepared, But thought unuseful, as if that the gods Indulgent to your sloth, had granted you A perpetuity of pride and pleasure, No change feared, or expected. Now you find That Carthage looking on your stupid sleeps, And dull security, was invited to Invade your Territories. You have made us see, Sir, To our shame the country's sickness: now from you As from a careful, and a wise physician We do expect the cure. Old festered sores Must be lanced to the quick and cauterised, Which borne with patience, after i'll apply Soft Unguents: For the maintenance of the war It is decreed all moneys in the hand, Of private men, shall instantly be brought To the public Treasury. This bites sore. The Cure Is worse than the disease; I'll never yield to it. What could the enemy, though victorious Inflict more on us? all that my youth hath toiled for Purchased with industry, and preserved with care Forced from me in a moment. This rough course Will never be allowed of. O blind men! If you refuse the first means that is offered To give you health, no hope's left to recover Your desperate sickness. Do you prize your muck Above your liberties? and rather choose To be made Bondmen, than to part with that To which already you are slaves? or can it Be probable in your flattering apprehensions, You can capitulate with the Conqueror And keep that yours, which they come to possess, And while you kneel in vain, will ravish from you? But take your own ways, brood upon your gold, Sacrifice to your Idol, and preserve The prey entire, and merit the report Of careful Steward, yield a just account To your proud Masters, who with whips of Iron Will force you to give up what you conceal, Or tear it from your throats, Adorn your walls With Persian Hangings wrought of Gold and Pearl; Cover the floors on which they are to tread With costly Median silks; perfume the rooms With Cassia, and Amber: where they are To feast and revel, while like servile Grooms You wait upon their trenchers; feed their eyes With massy Plate until your Cupboards crack With the weight that they sustain; set forth your Wives And Daughters in as many varied shapes As there are Nations, to provoke their lusts, And let them be embraced before your eyes, The object may content you; and to perfect Their entertainment, offer up your Sons, And able men for Slaves; while you, that are Unfit for labour, are spurned out to starve Unpitied in some Desert, no friend by, Whose sorrow may spare one compassionate tear, In the remembrance of what once you were. The blood turns. Observe, how old Cleon. shakes, As if in picture he had shown him, what He was to suffer.
seed 43: T1 · seed 44: T2 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Yet in this plenty, And fat of peace, your young men ne're were train'd In Martiall discipline, and your ships vnrig'd, Rot in the harbour, no defence preparde, But thought vnusefull, as if that the gods Indulgent to your sloth, had granted you A perpetuitie of pride and pleasure, No change fear'd, or expected. Now you finde That Carthage looking on your stupid sleepes, And dull securitie, was inuited to Inuade your Territories. You haue made vs see, Sir, To our shame the Countries sicknesse: now from you As from a carefull, and a wise phisitian We doe expect the cure. Old festred sores Must be lanc'd to the quicke and cauteriz'd, Which borne with patience, after i'le apply Soft Vnguents: For the maintenance of the warre It is decreed all moneys in the hand, Of priuate men, shall instantly be brought To the publike Treasurie. This bites sore. The Cure Is worse then the disease; Ile neuer yeeld to it. What could the enemy, though victorious Inflict more on vs? all that my youth hath toyld for Purchas'd with industry, and preseru'd with care Forc'd from me in a moment. This rough course Will neuer be allowd of. O blinde men! If you refuse the first meanes that is offer'd To giue you health, no hope's left to recouer Your desp'rate sicknesse. Doe you prize your mucke Aboue your liberties? and rather choose To be made Bondmen, then to part with that To which already you are slaues? or can it Be probable in your flattering apprehensions, You can capitulate with the Conquerour And keepe that yours, which they come to possesse, And while you kneele in vaine, will rauish from you? But take your owne wayes, brood vpon your gold, Sacrifice to your Idoll, and preserue The prey intire, and merit the report Of carefull Steward, yeeld a iust account To your proud Masters, who with whips of Iron Will force you to giue vp what you conceale, Or teare it from your throates, Adorne your walls With Persian Hangings wrought of Gold and Pearle; Couer the floores on which they are to tread With costly Median silkes; perfume the roomes With Cassia, and Amber: where they are To feast and reuell, while like seruile Groomes You wayte vpon their trenchers; feed their eyes With massie Plate vntill your Cupbords cracke With the weight that they sustaine; set forth your Wiues And Daughters in as many varyed shapes As there are Nations, to prouoke their lusts, And let them be imbrac'd before your eyes, The object may content you; and to perfit Their entertainment, offer vp your Sonnes, And able men for Slaues; while you, that are Vnfit for labour, are spurn'd out to starue Vnpittied in some Desart, no friend by, Whose sorrow may spare one compassionat teare, In the remembrance of what once you were. The blood turnes. Obserue, how olde Cleon. shakes, As if in picture hee had showne him, what He was to suffer.