Gomersall, Robert · published 1628 · first performed or written 1628 [1622-1628] (Annals) tragedy T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.72 · 510 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Why, what can happen ill? Fear you a war? and what's to be feared there? lest that a mortal die, lest that the life Due to a knotty gout, or grating stone, Have a more easy period by the sword. Let them fear war, who fear to see their gold, Lest that the Sun should have a sight with them, Holding so much of Earth, theyare turned to it, Who have no more life than their dirty acres, Men, I may say, in the worst part of men. And why like these run we an idle race Of threescore years, and then sneak to a Death? Whilst soldiers master their mortality And die by men, if that at all they die. Malvezzo know, when all things sifted are, Peace only pleaseth them that ne'er knew war. HEard you the general whispering? No, what i The Duke is ill.— And do they whisper that? Yes: and, they say, he has strange fits. How strange? Is poison strange in Italy? why, know, As Princes live above the vulgar, so Their death has a Prerogative: mean men May dream away their time to fourscore years, And when their rotten joints drop to their dust, Only some trivial infirmity, A Palsy, or an Ague bears the blame: But 'tis not State for Princes to be old, And yet they must not be supposed to die By the respectless treason of disease, But by some strange unheard-of accident That Fate did never dream of: but no more, You know Vitellio, and the height of grace Sforza has showed him, 'tis suspicious When wisdom flatters villainy: then come, Let us be private, and discourse some treason. But stay, my Picinino, who are here? O the grand favourite, Sanseverin, A most full bubble, valiant vanity: That in high terms can swear down fortresses, Blow away Armies with a powerful breath, And spoil the enemy before he sees him: But when he comes to action, lie as still, As in the tale, that lumpish King of Frogs, Which Ioue did give them in his merriment. Were tilting valour, I ne'er knew a man Of larger worth: could he but break the ranks Of enemies as well as he does spears, Milan ne'er saw a braver General. But there's his brother too. ay, that's the man. ('tis wonder we can know so much of him) He that can sound the depth of that sly brain Has a large plummet, trust me Iulian, An hundred Lawyers make up that one head, And scarcely too: quick Proteus to him, To this Caiazzo was an Idiot, A plain flat Idiot, I tell thee man, Meander never knew so many windings: If, as they say, an emulation Is bred by likeness, I do wonder much How Sforza is induced to employ him. Who has more Devil in him, than himself. But why is this employment? why these Arms? When all but Naples are our friends, and they Not able now to show themselves our foes, Engaged, and almost lost in the French war.
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Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Why, what can happen ill? Feare you a warre? and what's to be fear'd there? Leaſt that a mortall dy, leaſt that the life Due to a knotty gout, or grating ſtone, Haue a more eaſie period by the ſword. Let them feare warre, who feare to ſee their gold▪ Leſt that the Sunne ſhould haue a ſight with them▪ Holding ſo much of Earth, th'are turn'd to it, Who haue no more life then their duity akers, Men, I may ſay, in the worſt part of men. And why like theſe runne we an idle race Of threeſcore yeares, and then ſneake to a Death? Whilſt ſouldiers maſter their mortality And dye by men, if that at all they dye. Malvezzo know, when all things ſifted are, Peace onely pleaſeth them that ne're knew warre. HEard you the generall whiſp'ring▪ No, what i The Duke is ill.— And doe they whiſper that▪ Yes: and, they ſay, he has ſtrange fits. How ſtrange Is poyſon ſtrange in Italy▪ why, know, As Princes liue aboue the vulgar, ſo Their death has a Prerogatiue: meane men May dreame away their time to foureſcore yeares, And when their rotten ioynts drop to their duſt▪ Onely ſome triuiall infirmity, A Palie, or an Aguebeares the blame: But'tis not State for Princes to be old, And yet they muſt not be ſuppos'd to dye By the reſpectleſſe treaſon of diſeaſe, But by ſome ſtrange vnheard▪ of accident That Fate did neuer dreame of: but no more, You know Vitellio, and the height of grace Sforza has ſhew'd him▪ 'tis ſuſpitious When wiſedome flatters villany: then come, Let vs be priuate, and diſcourſe ſome treaſon. But ſtay, my Picinino, who are here? O the grand favorite, Sanſeuerin, A moſt full bubble, valiant vanity: That in high termes can ſweare downe fortreſſes, Blow away Armies with a pow'rfull breath, And ſpoyle the enemy before he ſees him: But when he comes to action, lye as ſtill, As in the tale, that lumpiſh King of Frogs, Which Ioue did giue them in his merriment. Were tilting valour, I ne're knew a man Of larger worth: could he but breake the rankes Of enemies aſwell as he does ſpeares, Millan ne're ſaw a brauer Generall. But there's his brother too. I, thats the man. (Tis wonder we can know ſo much of him) He that can ſound the depth of that ſly braine Has a large plummet, truſt me Iulian, An hundred Lawyers make vp that one head, And ſcarcely too: quicke Proteus to him, To this Caiazzo was an Ideot, A plaine flat Ideot, I tell thee man, Meander neuer knew ſo many windings▪ If, as they ſay, an Aemulation Is bred by likeneſſe, doe wonder much How Sforza is induc'd to imploy him. Who has more Deuill in him, then himſelfe. But why is this imployment? why theſe Armes? When all but Naples are our friends, and they Not able now to ſhew themſelues our foes, Ingag'd, and almoſt loſt in the French warre.