The Grateful Servant (The Faithful Servant) · chunk 37 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 unassigned nearest T39 Profit, conscience and dishonest dealing · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
We covet not the blaze, which a corrupt, And slimy matter may advance, our thoughts Are slamed with Charity. Yet ere you embark Think on your hard adventure, there is more To be examined, beside your end, And the reward of such an undertaking, You look on heaven a far off, like a Land▪ skip, Whether wild thoughts, like yours imperfect eye, Without examination of those ways, Obliqne, and narrow are transported, but I'th' walk, and try all of the difficulties That interpose, you tyre like inconsiderate, And weary Pilgrims. We desire to know The rules of our obedience, They will startle Your resolutions, can your will, not used To any Law beside itself, permit The knowledge of severe, and positive limits? Submit to be controlled, employed sometime, In servile offices, against the greatness Of your high birth, and sufferance of nature? Can you, forgetting all youthful desires, And memory of the world's betraying pleasures, Check wanton heat, and consecrate your blood To Chastity, and holy solitude? I woe not be religious Giotto? Nor I, upon these terms I pity 'em. Can you quit all the glories of your state, Resign your titles, and large wealth to live Poor and neglected, change high food and surfeits, For a continual fasting, your down beds For hard and humble lodging, your guilt roofs, And galleries for a melancholy Cell The pattern of a grave, where, stead of music To charm you into slumbers, to be waked With the sad chiming of the sacring bell; Your robes, whose curiosity hath tired Invention, and the silkworm to adorn you, Your blaze of jewels, that your pride hath worn To burn out envies eyes, must be no more Your ornament, but course, and rugged clothing Harrow your soft skins, these and many more Unkind austerities will much offend Your tender constitutions, yet consider. He does insist much on their flate and honour May we not know'em yet; One of them sir Doth owe this character. It is Foscary I find his noble purpose, he is perfect I honour thee young man, she must not see This paper. This doth speak the other Sir. 'tis at large— ha'— Grimundo I prithee read, I dare not credit my own eyes Leonora So it begins, Leonora. Leonora daughter to the late Gonzaga Duke Of Milan, fearing she should be compelled to marry Her uncle, in the habit of a Page and the conduct Of Father Valentio, came to Savoy, to try the Love and honour of his Excellence, who once Solicited by his ambassador— No more, I am ecstasied If so much blessing may be met at once I'll do my heart that justice to proclaim Thou hadst a deep impression, as a boy I loved thee too, for it could be no other, But with a divine flame, fair Leonora Like to a perfect Magnes, though inelosed Within an ivory box, through the white wall Shot forth embracing virtue, now, oh now Our Destinies are kind.
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)
We couet not the blaze, which a corrupt, And flimy matter may aduance, our thoughts Are slam'd with Charity. Yet ere you embarke Thinke on your hard aduenture, there is more To be examin'd, beside your end, And the reward of such an vndertaking, You looke on Heauen a farre off, like a Land▪ skip, Whether wild thoughts, like yours imperfect eye, Without examination of those wayes, Oblique, and narrow are transported, but I'th walke, and try all of the difficulties That interpose, you tire like inconsiderate, And weary Pilgrims. We desire to know The rules of our obedience, They will startle Your resolutions, can your will, not vs'd To any Law beside it selfe, permit The knowledge of seuere, and positiue limits? Submit to be controul'd, imploy'd sometime, In seruile offices, against the greatnesse Of your high birth, and sufferance of nature? Can you, forgetting all youthfull desires, And memory of the worlds betraying pleasures, Checke wanton heate, and consecrate your blood To Chastity, and holy solitude? I wo not be religious Giotto? Nor I, vpon these tearms I pitty em. Can you quit all the glories of your state, Resigne your titles, and large wealth to liue Poore and neglected, change high food and surfets, For a continuall fasting, your downe beds For hard and humble lodging, your guilt roofes, And galleries for a melancholly Cell The patterne of a graue, where, stead of musicke To charme you into slumbers, to be wak'd With the sad chyming of the sacring bell; Your robes, whose curiosity hath tired Inuention, and the silke-worme to adorne you, Your blaze of jewels, that your pride hath worne To burne out enuies eyes, must be no more Your ornament, but course, and rugged clothing Harrow your soft skinnes, these and many more Vnkind austerities will much offend Your tender constitutions, yet consider. Hee does insist much on their flate and honour May wee not know'em yet; One of them sir Doth owe this character. It is Foscary I find his noble purpose, hee is perfect I honour thee young man, she must not see This paper. This doth speake the other Sir. Tis at large—ha—Grimundo I prethee read, I dare not credit my owne eyes Leonora So it begins, Leonora. Leonora daughter to the late Gonzaga Duke Of Millan, fearing she should be compelled to marry Her Vncle, in the habit of a Page and the conduct Of Father Valentio, came to Sauoy, to try the Loue and honor of his Excellence, who once Sollicited by his Embassador— No more, I am extasied If so much blessing may be met at once Ile doe my heart that justice to proclaime Thou hadst a deepe impression, as a boy I lou'd thee too, for it could be no other, But with a Diuine flame, faire Leonora Like to a perfect Magnes, though inelos'd Within an Iuory box, through the white wall Shot foorth imbracing vertue, now, oh now Our Destinies are kind.