Anonymous · published 1570 · first performed or written 1568 [before 1569] (Annals) moral · Children of Paul's (first)(?) T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions typicality 0.74 · 508 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
As cunning is the key of bliss, so it is worthy praise The worthiest things are won with pain in tract of time always, And yet right worthy things there are, you will confess I trow, Which notwithstanding at our birth god doth on us bestow. There are but such as unto you that have the great to name, I rather that bestow then win thereby immortal fame, Fain would I learn what harm or detriment ensued, If any man were at his birth with these good gifts endued. There should be nothing left, wherein men might excel, No blame for sin, no praise to them that had defined well Virtue should loose her price, and learning would abound And as man wold admire the thing that echewher might be oūd, The great estate that have of me and fortune what they will Should have no need to look to those, whose heads are fraght with skill The meaner sort that now excels in virtues of the mind, Should not be once accepted there where now they succour found For great men should be sped of all & would have need of none And he that were not borne to land should lack to live upon These and five thousand causes more which I forbear to tell, The noble virtue of the mind have caused there to devil Where none may have access, but such as can get in Through many double doors, through heat, through cold, through thick and thin. Suppose I would address myself to seek her out And to refuse no pain that lieth there about Should I be sure to speed? Trust me and have no doubt, Thou canst not Choose but speed with travel and with time These two are they that must direct thee how to climb With travel and with time, must they neds join in one? Nor that nor this can do the good, if they be took alone. Time worketh all with ease, and gives the greatest dint In time soft water drops can hollow hardest flint Again. with labour by itself, great matters compaste be Even at a gird in very little time or none we see Wherefore in my conceit good reason it is Either this with out that to look, or that with out this. Set case thou didst attempt to climb Pernasus hill Take time five hundredth thousand yers & longer if thou will Trowest thou to touch the top there of by standing still Again, work out thy heart and spend thyself with toil Take time with all or else I dare assure the of the foil Madame, I trust I have your licence and your leave With your good will & so much help as you to me can give With further aid also, when you shall spy your time, To make a proof to give attempt this famous hill to climb And now I here request your blessing and your prayer For sure before I sleep I will to yonder fort repair
seed 43: T13 · seed 44: T16 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
As connyng is the kay of blysse, so it is woorthy prayse The worthiest thīgs ar wonne wt pain in tract of time alwaies, And yet right worthy things ther are, you wil cōfesse I trow, Which notwithstanding at our birth god doth on vs bestow. There are but such as vnto you that haue the great to name, I rather that bestow then wynne therby ymmortal fame, Fayne would I learne what harme or detriment ensued, Yf any man were at his byrth with these good gyftes endued. There should be nothing lefte, wherin men might excell, No blame for sinne, no praise to thē that had defyned well Uertue should lose her price, and learning would abounde And as man wold admire the thing that echewher might be oūd, The great estate that haue of me and fortune what they wil Shold haue no nede to loke to those, whose heads are fraght wt skil The meaner sorte that nowe excells in vertues of the minde, Should not be once accepted there wher now they succor find For gret men should be spedde of al & wold haue nede of none And he that were not borne to land should lacke to liue vpon These and fiue thousand causes moe which I forbeare to tel, The noble vertue of the mind haue caused there to dwell Where none may haue accesse, but such as can get in Through many doble dores, through heat, through cold, through thick and thinne. Suppose I would addresse my selfe to séeke her out And to refuse no paine that lieth there about Should I be suer to spede? Trust me and haue no doubte, Thou canst not Chuse but spede with trauell and with tyme These two are they that must dyrect thee how to clime With trauel and with time, must they neds ioyne in one? Nor that nor this can do the good, if they be toke alone. Time worketh all with ease, and gyues the greate dynt In tyme softe water dropes can hollowe hardest flynt Agayne. with labor by it selfe, great matters compaste bée Euen at a gyrde in very lyttel time or none wee sée Wherfore in my conceyte good reason it is Eyther this with out that to looke, or that with out this. Set case thou dyddest attempte to clyme Pernasus hill Take tyme fiue hundreth thousand yers & lōger if thou will Trowest thou to touch the top there of by standyng still Againe, worke out thy harte and spend thy selfe with toyle Take tyme with all or elles I dare assure the of the foyle Madame, I trust I haue your licence and your leaue With your good wil & so much helpe as you to me can gyue Wyth further ayde also, when you shal spye your tyme, To make a proffe to giue attempt this famouse hil to clime And now I here request your blessyng and your prayer For sure before I slepe I will to yonder forte repaire