Middleton, Thomas · published 1625 · first performed or written 1624 [licensed for stage, Jun 12] (Annals) comedy · King's Men · Globe unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 507 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
For virtue's sake, good sir, Command something, Make trial of my duty in some small service, And as you find the faith of my obedience there, Then trust it with a greater. You speak sweetly, I do command you first then. With what joy I do prepare my duty. To meet me, And seal a kiss of love upon my lips, Hah. At first disobedient in so little too. How shall I trust you with a greater then? Which was your own request? Pray send not back My Innocence to wound me, be more courteous, I must confess much like a ignorant plaintiff Who presuming on the fair path of his meaning Goes rashly on, till on a sudden brought Into the wilderness of Law, by words Dropped unadvisedly, hurts his good cause, And gives the Adversary advantage by it. Apply it you can best (sir) if my obedience And your command can find no better way, Fond men command, and wantons best obey. If I can at that distance send you a blessing, Is it not nearer to you in my arms: It flies abroad from these libs dealt in parcels, And I to honour thee above all daughters. Invite thee home to the house, where thou mayst surfeit On that, which others miserably pine for: A favour which the daughters of great Potentates, Would look of envy's colour but to hear. Good men may err sometimes, you're mistaken, Sure if this be virtue's path, 'tis a most strange one, I never came this way before. That's your ignorance, And therefore shall that edict still conduct you, That knows no way but one, nor ever seeks it, 'tis strange if virtue should be put to one, If there be twenty ways to some poor Village. Your fear is wondrous faulty, cast it from you, 'twill gather else in time a disobedience, Too stubborn for my pardon. Have I locked myself At unawares into sin's servitude With more desire of goodness? is this the tie Of all strict order, and the holiest Of all societies, the three vowed people For Poverty, Obedience, Chastity: The last they most forget, when a virgin's rain I see the great work of Obedience, Is better than half finished. What a stranger, Are you to duty grown, what distance keep you, Must I bid you come forwards to a happiness yourself should sue for? 'twas never so with me I dare not let this stubborness be known, 'Twould bring such fierce hate on you, yet presume not To make that courteous care a privilege For wilful disobedience, it turns then Into the blackness of a curse upon you, Come, come, be nearer. nearer? Was that in scorn? I would not have it proved so for the hopes Of the great Monarchy, if it were like it, Let it not dare to fly abroad again, A stronger I will cope with't. Bless me, threatens me, And quite dismays the good strength that should Help me. I never was so doubtful of my safety.
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)
For vertues ſake, good ſir, Command ſomething, Make triall of my duty in ſome ſmall ſeruice, And as you finde the faith of my obedience there, Then truſt it with a greater. You ſpeake ſweetely, I do commaund you firſt then. With what ioy I do prepare my duty. To meete me, And ſeale a kiſſe of loue vppon my lips, Hah. At firſt diſobedient in ſo little too. How ſhall I truſt you with a greater then? Which was your owne requeſt? Pray ſend not backe My Innocence to wound me, be more courteous, I muſt confeſſe much like a ignorant plaintiffe Who preſuming on the faire path of his meaning Goes raſhly on, till on a ſuddaine brought Into the wilderneſſe of Law, by words Dropt vnaduiſedly, hurts his good cauſe, And giues the Aduerſary aduantage by it. Apply it you can beſt (ſir) if my obedience And your command can finde no better way, Fond men command, and wantons beſt obey. If I can at that diſtance ſend you a bleſſing, Is it not neerer to you in my armes: It flies abroad from theſe lis dealt in parcells, And I to honour thee aboue all daughters. Invite thee home to the houſe, where thou mayſt ſurfeit On that, which others miſerably pine for: A fauour which the daughters of great Potentates, Would looke of enuies colour but to heare. Good men may erre ſometimes, you're miſtaken, Sure if this be vertues path, tis a moſt ſtrange one, I neuer came this way before. That's your ignorance, And therefore ſhall that edict ſtill conduct you, That knowes no way but one, nor euer ſeekes it, Tis ſtrange if vertue ſhould be put to one, If there be twenty wayes to ſome poore Village. Your feare is wonderous faulty, caſt it from you, T'will gather elſe in time a diſobedience, Too ſtubborne for my pardon. Haue I lockt my ſelfe At vnawares into ſinnes ſeruitude With more deſire of goodneſſe? is this the tye Of all ſtrict order, and the holieſt Of all ſocieties, the three vowed people For Pouerty, Obedience, Chaſtity: The laſt they moſt forget, when a Virgines raine I ſee the great worke of Obedience, Is better then halfe finiſht. What a ſtranger, Are you to duty growne, what diſtance keep you, Muſt I bid you come forwards to a happines Your ſelfe ſhould ſue for? 'twas neuer ſo with me I dare not let this ſtubborneſſe be knowne, 'Twould bring ſuch fierce hate on you, yet preſume not To make that courteous care a preuiledge For wilfull diſobedience, it turnes then Into the blackneſſe of a curſe vpon you, Come, come, be neerer. Neerer? Was that in ſcorne? I would not haue it proued ſo for the hopes Of the great Monarchy, if it were like it, Let it not dare to flye abroad agen, A ſtronger I will coape with't. Bleſſe me, threatnes me, And quite diſmayes the good ſtrength that ſhould Helpe me. I neuer was ſo doubtfull of my ſafety.