Massinger, Philip · published 1632 · first performed or written 1631 [licensed for stage, Mar 11] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim · 500 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T16: lady, madam, gentleman, lordship, ladies, honour, mistress, sweet, court, servant.
They are returned from the Temple. See, she appears, What think you now? A cunning Painter thus Her veil ta'en off and awful sword and balance Laid by would picture justice. When you please, You may intend those royal exercises Suiting your birth, and greatness: I will bear The burden of your cares, and having purged The body of your empire of ill humours, Upon my knees surrender it. Will you ever be awed thus like a Boy? And kiss the rod Of a proud Mistress? be what you were borne Sir. Obedience and Majesty never lodged In the same Inn. No more; he never learned The right way to command, that stopped his ears To wise directions. read over the Papers I left upon my cabinet, two hours hence I will examine you. we spend our time well. Nothing but praying, and poring on a book, It ill agrees with my constitution, sister. Would I had been borne some masking lady's woman, Only to see strange sights, rather than live thus. We are gone forsooth, there is no remedy, sister: What hath his eye found out? 'Tis fixed upon That stranger Lady. I am glad yet, that He dares look on a Woman. Philanax, What is that comely stranger? A Petitioner. Will you hear her case, and dispatch her in your Chamber? I'll undertake to bring her. Bring me to Some place where I may look on her demeanour 'Tis a lovely creature? there's some hope in this yet. No you have done your parts: Now opportunity courts you, Prefer your suit, As low as misery Can fall, for proof of my humility, A poor distressed Virgin bows her head, And lays hold on your goodness, the last altar Calamity can fly to for protection. Great minds erect their never falling trophies On the firm base of mercy; but to triumph Over a suppliant by proud fortune captived, Argues a Bastard conquest: 'tis to you I speak, to you the fair, and just Pulcheria, The wonder of the age, your sex's honour, And as such deign to hear me. As you have A soul moulded from heaven, and do desire To have it made a star there, make the means Of your ascent to that celestial height Virtue winged with brave action: they draw near The nature, and the essence of the Gods, Who imitate their goodness. If you were A subject of the Empire, which your habit In every part denies. O fly not to Such an evasion; whate'er I am, Being a Woman, in humanity You are bound to right me, though the difference Of my religion may seem to exclude me From your defence (which you would have confined) The moral virtue, which is general, Must know no limits; by these blessed feet That pace the paths of equity, and tread boldly On the stiff neck of tyrannous oppression, By these tears by which I bathe 'em, I conjure you With pity to look on me.
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)
They are returned from the Temple. See, shee appeares, What thinke you now? A cunning Painter thus Her vaile tane off and awfull sword and ballance Lay'd by woulde picture iustice. When you please, You may intend those royall exercises Suiting your birth, and greatenesse: I will beare The burthen of your cares, and hauing purged The body of your empire of ill humors, Vpon my knees surrender it. Will you euer Bee awde thus like a Boy? And kise the rod Of a proude Mistrisse? Bee what you were borne Sir. Obedience and Maiestie neuer lodg'd In the same Inne. No more; hee neuer learned The right way to command, that stopp'd his eares To wise directions. Reade ore the Papers I left vpon my cabinet, two hours hence I will examine you. Wee spende our time well. Nothing but praying, and poring on a booke, It ill agrees with my constitution, sister. Would I had beene borne some masquing Ladies woman, Only to see strange sights, rather then liue thus. We are gone forsooth, there is no remedy, sister: What hath his eye found out 'Tis fix'd vpon That stranger Lady. I am glad yet, that Hee dares looke on a Woman. Philanax, What is that comely stranger? A Petitioner. Will you heare her case, and dispatch her in your Chamber? Ile vndertake to bring her. Bring mee to Some place where I may looke on her demeaner 'Tis a louely creature? Ther's some hope in this yet. No you haue done your parts: Now opportunity courts you, Prefer your suite, As low as miserie Can fall, for proofe of my humilitie, A poore distressed Virgin bowes her head, And layes hold on your goodnesse, the last alta Calamitie can flie to for protection. Great mindes erect their neuer falling trophees On the firme base of mercie; but to triumphe Ouer a suppliant by proud fortune captiud, Argue a Bastard conquest: 'tis to you I speake, to you the faire, and iust Pulcheria, The wonder of the age, your sexes honor, And as such daine to heare mee. As you haue A soule moulded from heauen, and doe desire To haue it made a star there, make the meanes Of your ascent to that celestiall height Vertue wing'd with braue action: they draw neer The nature, and the essence of the Gods, Who imiate their goodnesse. If you were A subiect of the Empire, which your habit In euery part denies. O flie not to Such an euasion; what ere I am, Being a Woman, in humanitie You are bound to right mee, though the difference Of my religion may seeme to exclude mee From your defence (which you would haue confinde) The morall vertue, which is generall, Must know no limits; by these blessed feete That pace the paths of equity, and tread boldly On the stiff necke of tyrannous oppression, By these teares by which I bath 'em, I coniure you With pitty to looke on mee.