Wager, William · published 1570 · first performed or written 1560 [c.1559-c.1570] (Annals) moral unassigned nearest T24 Apollo, Phoebus and the Muses · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
I Know that this worshipful Audience, Is at this time together congregate: Of our practice to have intelligence, And with the same themselves to recreate. God grant us grace the same well to publicate. But for them that have slept at Parnassus: This faculty is more meet for them then for us Pandite pierides vestro sacra ostia vita. Open your holy doors O pleasant Muses, Direct our tongues to speak eloquently: Virtues to praise and to touch abuses, dividing either of them plain and directly. That it may appear to all our Audience evidently. That this matter which we now go about: By your inspiration was first found out. O that with some grace you would us inspire, And deal with us as with Orpheus you dealt: Then should all affections have their desire, For through his Music he made stones to melt, No kind of pain in Hell then the souls felt. For he played so pleasantly with his Harp: That they forgot their pains grievous and sharp. Tantalus forgot his hunger and thirst, Sisyphus loft of rolling his Stone: Ixion tormented among the worst, Forgot his whéel that he was hanged on. The woman Belides left work anon: Whose labour was continually to fill a Tun: Whereout by clefts the liquor still doth run. These fables wherefore do I call to mind? Truly because I desire with all my heart: That our English Méeter may be of such kind, Both to leave all grievousness and smart. And also to be pleasant in every part. That those which come for recreation: May not be voided of their expectation. Poets feigned Mercurius to have wings, both on his head and on his heels also: For lively and swift he was in all things, appearing rather to flee then to go: Of him they fain many goodly things more. But for our purpose this shall serve this season: and why I speak, you shall know the reason. Mercurius is the God of eloquence, By whom I understand the ministers of talk: Such must have the wings of intelligence, In their heads before their tongues to far do walk. The danger of rash speech they must wisely calk. When, where, and to whom they speak they must note: Before that any thing pass out of their throat. As Mercurius hath wings upon his head, So hath he wings on his heels ready to fly: When affections standeth in reason's stead, Reporters of tales use eft 'zounds to lie, The heels affections do also signify. The wings do always reason comprehend: Which unto Virtue aught to condescend. Few words to wise men are sufficient, Without a cause I give not this monition: Unto good men it is plain and evidient, That many men have that lewd condition. By their evil words to bring good men into suspicion. By their undiscrete talk they do much harm: Because they want reason their tongues to charm.
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 Knowe that this worſhipful Audience, Is at this time togither congregate: Of our practiſe to haue intelligence, And with the ſame them ſelues to recreate. God graunt vs grace the ſame wel to publicate. But for them that haue ſlept at Parnaſſus: This facultie is more méet for them then for vs Pandite pierides veſtro ſacra oſtia vita. ¶Open your holy doores O pleaſant Muſes, Direct our tungs to ſpeak eloquently: Vertues to praiſe and to touch abuſes, Deuiding either of them plain and directly. That it may appéer to all our Audience euidently. That this matter which we now go about: By your inſpiration was firſt found out. ¶Oh that with ſome grace you would vs inſpire, And dele with vs as with Orpheus you delt: Then ſhould all affections haue their deſire, For through his Muſick he made ſtones to melt, No kinde of pain in Hel then the ſoules felt. For he played ſo pleaſantly with his Harp: That they forgate their paines gréeuous and ſharp. ¶ Tantalus forgate his hunger and thirſt, Siſiphus loft of rolling his Stone: Ixion tormented among the wurſt, Forgate his whéel that he was hanged on. The woman Belides left woork anon: Whoſe labour was continually to fil a Tun: Whereout by clefts the licour ſtil dooth run. ¶Theſe fables wherfore doo I call to minde? Truely becauſe I deſire with all my hart: That our Engliſh Méeter may be of ſuch kinde, Bothe to leaue all gréeuouſnes and ſmart. And alſo to be pleaſant in euery parte. That thoſe which come for recreation: May not be void of their expectation. ¶Poets fained Mercurius to haue wings, bothe on his hed and on his heeles alſo: For liuely and ſwift he was in all things, Appéering rather to flée then to go: Of him they fain many goodly things mo. But for our purpoſe this ſhall ſerue this ſeaſon: and why I ſpeak, you ſhall knowe the reaſon. ¶Mercurius is the God of eloquence, By whome I vnderſtand the miniſters of talke: Such muſt haue the wings of intelligence, In their heds before their tungs to far doo walke. The daunger of raſh ſpéech they muſt wiſely calke. When, where, and to whome they ſpeak they muſt note: Before that any thing paſſe out of their throte. ¶As Mercurius hath wings vpon his hed, So hath he wings on his heeles redy to flye: When affections ſtandeth in reaſons ſted, Reporters of tales vſe eft ſoones to lye, The heeles affections doo alſo ſignifye. The wings doo alwaies reaſon comprehend: Which vnto Vertue ought to condeſcend. ¶Few woords to wiſe men are ſufficient, Without a cauſe I giue not this monition: Vnto good men it is plain and euidient, That many men haue that lewd condition. By their euil words to bring good men into ſuſpition. By their vndiſcrete talke they doo much harme: Becauſe they want reaſon thir tungs to charme.