The Grateful Servant (The Faithful Servant) · chunk 22 of 38
Shirley, James · published 1630 · first performed or written 1629 [licensed for stage, Nov 3] (Annals) comedy · Queen Henrietta Maria's Men · Phoenix/Cockpit T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.77 · 500 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
To mine own heart, I have made tedious discourses of heaven to ye, and the moral virtues, numbered up the duties of a good Prince, urged examples of virtues, for your imitation. To much purpose. Seemed to sweat with agony and vexation, for your obstinate courses, reproved you, nay sometimes made complaints of you, to the Duke. And I ha' cursed you for it, I remember. Alas my Lord, I durst do no otherwise, was not the Duke your Father an honest man, and your Brother now foolishly takes after him, whose credulities, when I had already cozened, I was bound to appear stoical, to preserve the opinion they had conceived of me. Possible. It speaks discretion and abilities, in statesmen, to apply themselves to their Prince's disposition, vary a thousand shapes, if he be honest, we put on a form of gravity, if he be vicious, we are Parasites, indeed in a politic Common wealth, if you observe well, there is nothing but the appearance, and likeness of things that carrieth opinion, your great men will appear odd, and fantastical, and fools are often taken for wise Officers, your most active gallants, seem to carry their own hair, and your handsomest Ladies their own faces, you cannot know a Secretary from a scholar in black, nor a Gentleman usher in Scarlet, from a captain, your judge that is all composed of Mercy, hath still the face of a philosopher, and to some is more terrible and crabbed, than the Law itself. All things are but representation, and my Lord, howsoever I have appeared to you, I am at heart one of your own Sect, an Epicure, be but so subtle to seem honest, as I do, and we will laugh at the foolish world in our cells, declaim against intemperate livers, and hug our own licentiousness, while we surfeit our souls in the dark with Nectar and Ambrosia. Can this be earnest, you did talk of Hell and bugbears. I confess, and were you in public, I would urge many other empty names to fright you, put on my holiday countenance, and talk nothing but divinity, and golden sentences, look like a superlicious Elder, with a starched face, and a tuneable nose, whilst he is edifying his neighbour's woman. You were a Christian, how came you to be converted. I think I had a name given me, and that's all I retain, I could never endure really, their severe discipline, marry for my preferment, and other politic ends, I have, and can still dispense, with fasting, prayer, and a thousand fond austerities, though I do penance for 'em in private. Let me ask you one question, were you never drunk? A thousand times in my study, that's one of my recreations. How chance I could never see't in you, you know I would ha' been drunk for company. But I durst not trust so young a sinner, for I always held it a maxim, to do wickedness with circumspection.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
To mine owne heart, I haue made tedious discourses of Heauen to yee, and the morrall vertues, numbred vp the duties of a good Prince, vrg'd examples of vertues, for your imitation. To much purpose. Seem'd to sweat with agony and vexation, for your obstinate courses, reproou'd you, nay sometimes made complaints of you, to the Duke. And I ha curst you for it, I remember. Alas my Lord, I durst doe no otherwise, was not the Duke your Father an honest man, and your Brother now foolishly takes after him, whose credulities, when I had already coozened, I was bound to appeare stoicall, to preserue the opinion they had conceiued of me. Possible. It speakes discretion and abilities, in States-men, to apply themselues to their Princes disposition, vary a thousand shapes, if he be honest, we put on a forme of grauity, if he be vitious, we are Parasites, indeed in a politique Common wealth, if you obserue well, there is nothing but the appearance, and likenesse of things that carrieth opinion, your great men will appeare odde, and phantasticall, and fooles are often taken for wise Officers, your most actiue gallants, seeme to carry their owne haire, and your handsomest Ladies their owne faces, you cannot know a Secretary from a Scholler in blacke, nor a Gentleman Vsher in Scarlet, from a Captaine, your Iudge that is all compos'd of Mercy, hath still the face of a Phylosopher, and to some is more terrible and crabbed, then the Law it selfe. All things are but representation, and my Lord, howsoeuer I haue appear'd to you, I am at heart one of your owne Sect, an Epicure, bee but so subtle to seeme honest, as I doe, and we will laugh at the foolish world in our Cels, declaime against intemperate liuers, and hug our owne Licentiousnesse, while wee surfet our Soules in the darke with Nectar and Ambrosia. Can this be earnest, you did talke of Hell and Bugbeares. I confesse, and were you in publique, I would vrge many other empty names to fright you, put on my Holyday countenance, and talke nothing but diuinity, and golden sentences, looke like a superlicious Elder, with a starch'd face, and a tunable nose, whilst he is edifying his Neighbors woman. You were a Christian, how came you to be conuerted. I thinke I had a name giuen me, and thats all I retaine, I could neuer endure really, their seuere discipline, marry for my preferment, and other politique ends, I haue, and can still dispence, with fasting, prayer, and a thousand fond austerities, though I doe penance for em in priuate. Let me aske you one question, were you neuer drunk? A thousand times in my study, that's one of my recreations. How chance I could neuer see't in you, you know I would ha beene drunke for company. But I durst not trust so young a sinner, for I alwayes held it a maxime, to doe wickednesse with circumspection.