The Contention for Honor and Riches · chunk 2 of 11
Shirley, James · published 1633 · first performed or written 1631 [c.1625-1632; adapted 1658] (Annals) moral unassigned nearest T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim · 539 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T16: lady, madam, gentleman, lordship, ladies, honour, mistress, sweet, court, servant.
I wonder what she meant to entertain thee! Away, dispute no further, if you move me To more impatience, Riches will find ways To curb your insolence 'tis not your pretence To honour's service, can protect you from My anger, I have kindred, and acquaintance Shall with their breath blow thee beyond the Sea; Or if I should be merciful, and let thee Enjoy thy Country, never hope to arrive at Above a pension, that will find you woollen A Pedant, or a Vicarage preferment, Gelded sufficiently by the improper Parson, Is all your wit must hope for; and take heed That you be modest then, no coat, nor Cassock Can charm you: if I offer to complain, I shall put your Divinity to silence. I despise Thy womanish threats, and shall account myself Happy without thy favour. O Philosophy, Assist thy poor admirer, and infuse A noble fortitude to scorn her malice: I have no thought, but has a triumph o'er Thy base conspiracy. Welcome my dear Books, And contemplation, that shall feed my soul To immortality: let Puppets dote Upon thy gifts, and sell their privilege, For gaudy clothes and Epicurean, Lust, and a Catalogue of Rich men's sins, That shall like plummets hang upon their heart: When wings are most required, keep thy resolve, And be an enemy to Learning still, That when we find a Scholar, by thee favoured, We may suspect him counterfeit and a dunce Honour will be my Mistress, whose lest smile I value above all thy pride, or treasures, And she will scorn thee too. Farewell, gay Madam, A painted tomb! though glorious to the eye. Corruption dwells within thee. Foul mouth Satire, But 'tis some punishment to let him waste His spirits with his railing, let him fret, It may consume him without more diseases, Let him die any way, men of his quality Are living but unprofitable burdens To the earth, as they were borne to consume fruits, And talk of needless Sciences. Who are these? My ancient suitors, Clod the Countryman, And Gettings the rich Citizen? She's here. Good morrow to the star of my delight, Whose beams more glorious do eclipse the Sun, And cast a richer warmth about the world. How? turned Poet? Fear me not, Lady, I am none of those were borne to't, I had rather Be a Iew then christened in Parnassus' Pomp, I have nothing but the knuckles and the rumps Of Poetry. Take heed in time, lest you become infected With wit, I do not love poetic fancies, Nor any thing that trenches on the Muses, They were baggages, and Phoebus their protector, Deserved the whipping post. I have read, he was A common Piper, and those Nine were Gipsies, That lived by cheating Palmistry. I like it, When you do rail at Learning, I allow you To read a Ballad, and ridiculous Pamphlets, Writ on the strength of Beer, or some dull liquour: But if you smell profane Sack in a Poem, Come not within a league of understanding, As you respect my favour. I am instructed. But why does Clod stand all this while so mute? Either I am John a Noakes, or I am not John a Noakes.
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)
I wonder what she meant to entertain thee! Away, dispute no further, if you move me To more impatience, Riches will finde wayes To curbe your infolence s not your pretence To Honors service, can protect you from My anger, I have kindred, and acquaintance Shall with their breath blow thee beyond the Sea; Or if I should be mercifull, and let thee Injoy thy Country, never hope to arrive at Above a pension, that will find you woollen A Pedant, or a Vicaridge preement, Gelded sufficiently by the improper Parson, Is all your wit must hope for; and take heed That you be modest then, no coate, nor Casscke Can charme you▪ if I offer to complaine, I shall put your Divinity to silence. I despie Thy womanish threats, and shall account my selfe Happy without thy favour. O Philosophy, Assist thy poore admirer, and infuse A noble fortitude to scorne her malice: I have no thought, but has a triumph'ore Thy base conspiracy. Welcome my deare Bookes, And contemplation, that shall feed my soule To immortality: let Puppes dote Vpon thy gifts, and sell their priviledge, For gaudy clothes and Epicureanurfets, Lust, and a Catalogue of Rich mens sinnes, That shall like plummets hang upon their heart: When wings are most required, keepe thy resolve, And be attenemy to Learning still, That when we find a Scholler, by thee favord, We may suspect him counterfeit and a dunce Honor will be my Mistris, whoe least smile I value above all thy pride, or treasures, And she will scorne thee too. Farewell, gay Madam, A painted tombe! though glorious to the eye. Corruption dwells within thee. Foule mouth Satyre, But tis some punishment to let him waste His spirits with his railing, let him fret, It may consume him without more diseases, Let him die any way, men of his quality Are living but unprofitable burdens To the earth, as they were borne to consume fruits, And talke of needlesse Sciences. Who are these? My ancient sutors, Clod the Country-man, And Gettings the rich Citizen? She'es here. Good morrow to the star of my delight, Whose beames more glorious doe eclipse the Sunne, And cast a richer warm'th about the world. How? turn'd Poet? Feare me not, Lady, I am none of those were borne too't, I had rather Be a Iew then christned in Parnassus Pompe, I have nothing but the knuckles and the rumpes Of Poetry. Take heed in time, lest you become infected With wit, I doe not love poeticke fancies, Nor any thing that trenches on the Muses, They were baggages, and Phoebus their protector, Deserv'd the whipping post. I have-read, he was A common Piper, and those Nine were Gipsies, That liv'd by cheating Palmistry. I like it, When you doe raile at Learning, I allow you To read a Ballad, and ridiculous Pamphlets, Writ on the strength of Beere, or some dull liquor: But if you smell profane Sacke in a Poeme, Come not within a league of understanding, As you respect my favour. I am instructed. But why does Clod stand all this while so mute? Either I am John a Noakes, or I am not John a Noakes.