Renaissance Drama — Topics · seed 42

Topic 19 — Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions

Dominant work: Old Fortunatus · genre mix of this topic (British Drama labels): moral 22%; civic play; pageant 21%; tragedy 13%

97chunks
46,716words
60works
7works with ≥3 chunks
12 %dominant work
24 %top-3 works

All statistics on this page are on the representative editions (one per work). Including the other editions, placed after the fit: 109 chunks · 62 works · 52,717 words — those 12 chunks are listed at the end of the page and are not part of any figure above.

Classification reviewed — decision pending · left pending by the researcher
Label (researcher): Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions
Notes (researcher): sample review confirms an allegorical core but finds courtship/alchemical salesmanship and praise of the wool trade at the boundary. Keep pending until a coherent moral or evaluative connection beyond shared elevated vocabulary is established. Reviewed excerpts (three different works): 433_00004; 701_00032; 1021_00002. Full-chunk follow-up: 701_00032.
Original AI draft — before researcher review
draft label: Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · pattern basis: thematic_discourse
97 chunks, 60 works, Old Fortunatus 12 %. Moralising on Virtue, Fortune's wheel, Fame, Envy, Pride and Vice — personified abstractions and sententiae; interludes and pageants, but also Henry V (Fluellen on Fortune), Poetaster, Satiromastix. Cross-work theme.
chunks read for the draft: 364_00044;1087_00034;433_00000;89_00014;371_00011;422_00038;444_00033

Keywords

Class-TF-IDF (uniform rule)

virtuefortunevirtueshonourfameviceenvyworldpridegreat

KeyBERT-style (cosine of word to topic centroid)

virtuesvirtuevirtuouspridegloryenvyhonourgodgracevice

MMR (diversified)

virtuesenvyglorymagistratepridepoorgodfortunevicelove

Amber = capitalised in ≥80 % of occurrences (probable name). Keywords are computed on the unmasked text.

Most typical chunk of each of the leading works

Old Fortunatus typ. 0.88
Dekker, Thomas, 1600 · romance · 12 chunks of this work here
She that hath conquers thee; how dar'st thou come, Thus tricked in gaudy Feathers, and thus guarded, Which crowned kings and Muses, when thy foe Hath trod thus on thee, and now tri…
The Muses' Looking Glass typ. 0.80
Randolph, Thomas, 1638 · moral · 6 chunks of this work here
Give me the moderate cup of lawful pleasures, And I am Temperance. Take me wealths just steward, And call me Liberality; with one hand I'll gather riches home, and with the other R…
The Contention between Liberality and Prodigalit typ. 0.91
Anonymous, 1602 · moral · 5 chunks of this work here
Report hath spread, that Virtue here in place Arrived is, her silly court to hold: And therefore I am come with faster pace, t''encounter her, whose countenance is so bold. I doubt…
Histriomastix, or The Player Whipped typ. 0.81
Marston, John, 1610 · moral · 4 chunks of this work here
And (till her sovereignty decline and bow) Contempt shall be enthroned in every brow. Then thus, (as sovereign Empress of all sins) Pride turns her hour and here her Scene begins. …
Like Will to Like (Quoth the Devil to the Collie typ. 0.81
Fulwell, Ulpian, 1587 · moral · 3 chunks of this work here
God is gracious and full of great mercy, To such as in virtue set their whole delight: pouring his benefits upon them abundantly: Oh man what meanest thou with saviour to fight? Co…
Troia Nova Triumphans (London Triumphing) typ. 0.82
Dekker, Thomas, 1612 · civic play; pageant · 3 chunks of this work here
On, on, the beams of Virtue are so bright, They dazzle Envy: On, the Hag's put to flight. MY This-dayes-sworne-protector, welcome home, If justice speak not now, be she ever dumb: …
The Triumphs of Love and Antiquity typ. 0.73
Middleton, Thomas, 1619 · civic play; pageant · 3 chunks of this work here
GReat Lord, Example is the Crystal Glass, By which wise Magistracy sets his face, Fits all his Actions to their comeliest Dress, For there he sent honour and seemliness; 'tis not l…
The Four P's typ. 0.77
Heywood, John, 1544 · not in BritDrama · 2 chunks of this work here
By the mass learn to make courtesy Courtesy before and courtesy behind him And thenon each side the devil blind him Nay when I have it perfitly Ye shall have the devil and all of c…

Genre mix (chunks of this topic, British Drama labels)

moral
21 (22 %)
civic play; pageant
20 (21 %)
tragedy
13 (13 %)
romance
13 (13 %)
comedy
8 (8 %)
not in BritDrama
5 (5 %)
entertainment; civic play
5 (5 %)
pastoral
4 (4 %)

This is the direction topic → genre, on the raw British Drama labels; the share of each genre group's text that falls in this topic is on the Genre page.

Works

Old Fortunatus (12), The Muses' Looking Glass (6), The Contention between Liberality and Pr (5), Histriomastix, or The Player Whipped (4), Like Will to Like (Quoth the Devil to th (3), Troia Nova Triumphans (London Triumphing (3), The Triumphs of Love and Antiquity (3), The Four P's (2), The Life and Repentance of Mary Magdalen (2), The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venic (2), Il Pastor Fido, or The Faithful Shepherd (2), The Triumphs of Truth (2), The Triumphs of Honor and Industry (2), The Entertainment for the General Traini (2), The Triumphs of Integrity (2) …

Excerpts

The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality (1602) · typ. 0.91
…t end. Therefore in place I will no longer stay, But to my stately throne myself convey. Reuerence, due reuerence, &c. HOw seldom is it seen, that Virtue is regarded, Or men of virtuous sort, for virtuous deeds rewarded? So wonts the world to pamper those that nought deserve, Whiles such as merit best, without relief do starve. Great impe…
Sicily and Naples, or The Fatal Union (1640) · typ. 0.89
…bour 'gainst the furious tide of lust That has assaulted thee; that my low birth Should stand in need of such additions, To raise me to a height, might equal yours: That virtue and not blood ennobled us, This then had never happened. Greatness transmitted Has lesser of Divinity; your honours Are virtues purchase, and your own deservings. …
Old Fortunatus (1600) · typ. 0.88
…e a miser, Locked up his wealth in rusty bars of sloth: His face was beautiful, but wore a mask, And in the world's eyes seemed a Blackamoor. So perish they that so keep virtue poor. Thou art a fool to strive, I am more strong, And greater than thyself, than Virtue fly, And hide thy face, yield me the victory. Is Vice higher than Virtue: …
Old Fortunatus (1600) · typ. 0.86
…to see her faint (alack the time) This sinks: with painted wings the other flies, Alack that best should fall, and bad should climb, O pity, pity, pity, mourn, not sing, Vice is a Saint, Virtue an underling. Vice doth flourish, Vice in glory shines, virtues branches wither, Virtue pines. Flourish or wither, Fortune cares not which, In eit…
The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality (1602) · typ. 0.86
…t find. And chiefly where the life is led in virtuous exercise, There is no toil, but ease, and contentation to the wise: But what account, how sleight regard, is had of virtue here, By actions on this worldly stage, most plainly doth appear. Men see without most just desert, of virtue nought is got, To Fortune therefore fly they still, t…
The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality (1602) · typ. 0.86
…, Above the massy gold, t'esteem the brittle glass. Madam, have patience, dame Virtue must sustain, Until the heavenly powers do otherwise ordain. Equity, for my part, I envy not her state, Nor yet mislike the meanness of my simple rate. But what the heavens assign, that do I still think best: My fame was never yet, by Fortune's frown opp…
The Triumphs of Honor and Virtue (1622) · typ. 0.84
…ght to have His splendours mixed With these of mine, which makes Authority meek, And I'm so sicke of Love to those that seek I cannot choose but yield; nor does it wrong Great Power to come to Virtue to be strong, Being but a Woman, merciful and mild, Therein is Heaven with greater glory styled That makes weak things, as Clemency, and Rig…
Old Fortunatus (1600) · typ. 0.83
…ined by being covetous? This prodigal purse did Fortune's bounteous hand Bestow on them, their riots made them poor, And set those marks of miserable death, On all their pride, the famine of base gold Hath made your souls to murders hands be sold, Only to be called rich But Idiots see The virtues to be fled, Fortune hath caused it so, Tho…
The Conspiracy (Pallantus and Eudora) (1638) · typ. 0.83
…and receive a noble helper whole bring both Strength, and honour to your Cause. I may stand amazed at the nobleness in you both, but not at this agreement in you, I know virtues are still a kin though the persons are strangers they are in. Whiles this old Puppy thus doth sleep And doth in vice, as age grow deep Benumbing all these Plants …
The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina (1631) · typ. 0.83
…our life, you have gained much honour by it. And for what end is fortune favourable and prosperous, but to be a handmaid to our honour, and to wait thereon, which of all worldly goods is the greatest? For honour is the reward and recompense of virtue; and for this cause we give it unto the Divine Essence, because we have not any thing gre…
Il Pastor Fido, or The Faithful Shepherd (1602) · typ. 0.83
…welling Sea: People with countenance all of charity, But thoroughly Covetous, and fraught with Envy: The greater shows they make, the less troth they mean▪ That which is virtue otherwhere, is there but vice: Uprightest deeds, true love, pity sincere, faith, of hand and heart, A hie most innocent; these they esteem But cowards still, and m…
The Cruel Brother (1630) · typ. 0.82
Heaven prosper your designs. What throngs of great impediments besiege The virtuous mind? so thick in multitude, They jostle one another as they come. Hath Vice a charter got, that none must rise But such, who of the devil's faction are? The way to honour is not evermore The way to Hell: a virtuous Man may climb. Let the fla…

All 97 chunks of the representative editions (chronological; click a header to sort)

chunkplayauthorpublishedgenrewordstypicality
33_00016The Four P'sHeywood, John1544not in BritDrama4830.769
33_00017The Four P'sHeywood, John1544not in BritDrama4890.719
32_00000The Interlude of YouthAnonymous1565not in BritDrama5150.668
84_00007The Life and Repentance of Mary MagdaleneWager, Lewis1566moral4960.724
84_00000The Life and Repentance of Mary MagdaleneWager, Lewis1566moral4930.711
79_00008Medea (Seneca's Seventh Tragedy)Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, 1566tragedy4690.688
95_00002The Marriage of Wit and ScienceAnonymous1570moral5080.738
103_00016SupposesGascoigne, George / Ariosto, Ludov1573comedy4880.712
128_00010The Entertainment in Suffolk and Norfolk (Royal Entry oChurchyard, Thomas1578entertainment; royal e4940.771
89_00015Like Will to Like (Quoth the Devil to the Collier)Fulwell, Ulpian1587moral5070.806
89_00022Like Will to Like (Quoth the Devil to the Collier)Fulwell, Ulpian1587moral4860.793
89_00014Like Will to Like (Quoth the Devil to the Collier)Fulwell, Ulpian1587moral5090.737
165_00010Phillis and Amyntas (Ivychurch) (Amyntas' Pastoral)Fraunce, Abraham / Tasso, Torquato1591pastoral5010.740
319_00021Mucedorus (and Amadine)Anonymous1598romance4890.811
364_00046Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance4670.878
364_00011Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance4870.863
364_00045Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance4620.834
364_00012Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance5060.814
391_00015The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice)Shakespeare, William1600comedy5100.804
364_00019Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance4900.798
364_00003Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance5200.791
364_00047Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance4750.788
364_00006Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance4860.786
364_00035Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance4930.781
364_00044Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance4700.777
364_00004Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance5000.764
391_00007The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice)Shakespeare, William1600comedy5410.740
371_00011Henry the FifthShakespeare, William1600history4990.717
364_00002Old FortunatusDekker, Thomas1600romance5260.684
433_00004The Contention between Liberality and ProdigalityAnonymous1602moral5230.907
433_00009The Contention between Liberality and ProdigalityAnonymous1602moral5330.860
433_00002The Contention between Liberality and ProdigalityAnonymous1602moral5110.857
416_00055Il Pastor Fido, or The Faithful ShepherdDymoke, Tailboys / Guarini, Giovan1602pastoral5280.826
416_00053Il Pastor Fido, or The Faithful ShepherdDymoke, Tailboys / Guarini, Giovan1602pastoral4980.823
433_00000The Contention between Liberality and ProdigalityAnonymous1602moral5170.806
422_00038Poetaster, or The ArraignmentJonson, Ben1602comedy4980.804
433_00013The Contention between Liberality and ProdigalityAnonymous1602moral5200.776
444_00033Satiromastix, or The Untrussing of the Humorous PoetDekker, Thomas1602comedy4990.702
465_00001The Magnificent Entertainment Given to King James (The Dekker, Thomas / Jonson, Ben / Mid1604pageant; civic play; e5330.782
491_00001CroesusAlexander, William1604tragedy4870.770
608_00036The Alexandraean TragedyAlexander, William1607tragedy4920.815
649_00007The Tragedy of Charles Duke of ByronChapman, George1608tragedy5050.793
679_00006Chester's Triumph (St George's Day Entertainment)Amory, Robert / Davies, Richard1610civic play; pageant4950.816
681_00009Histriomastix, or The Player WhippedMarston, John1610moral5040.813
681_00014Histriomastix, or The Player WhippedMarston, John1610moral4900.810
681_00015Histriomastix, or The Player WhippedMarston, John1610moral5100.787
681_00013Histriomastix, or The Player WhippedMarston, John1610moral4950.749
700_00004Troia Nova Triumphans (London Triumphing)Dekker, Thomas1612civic play; pageant4470.823
701_00032The AlchemistJonson, Ben1612comedy5140.762
700_00002Troia Nova Triumphans (London Triumphing)Dekker, Thomas1612civic play; pageant4520.732
700_00003Troia Nova Triumphans (London Triumphing)Dekker, Thomas1612civic play; pageant4510.665
717_00001The Triumphs of TruthMunday, Anthony / Middleton, Thoma1613civic play; pageant4730.814
717_00002The Triumphs of TruthMunday, Anthony / Middleton, Thoma1613civic play; pageant4690.799
730_00013The Hog Hath Lost His PearlTailor, Robert1614comedy4970.757
512_00040Sejanus His FallJonson, Ben1616tragedy5190.754
661_00003The Masque of QueensJonson, Ben1616masque4470.735
791_00001The Triumphs of Honor and IndustryMiddleton, Thomas1617civic play; pageant2980.802
791_00000The Triumphs of Honor and IndustryMiddleton, Thomas1617civic play; pageant4010.711
807_00001The Triumphs of Love and AntiquityMiddleton, Thomas1619civic play; pageant4180.734
807_00000The Triumphs of Love and AntiquityMiddleton, Thomas1619civic play; pageant4410.698
807_00002The Triumphs of Love and AntiquityMiddleton, Thomas1619civic play; pageant4660.616
822_00026The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the GarCumber, John1620comedy4950.741
825_00002The Sun in AriesMiddleton, Thomas1621civic play; pageant5040.777
826_00000Thierry and TheodoretAnonymous / Fletcher, John / Massi1621tragedy4950.748
828_00000The Entertainment at Sir William Cokayne's in Easter WeMiddleton, Thomas1621entertainment; civic p3360.738
833_00000The Entertainment at Sir Francis Jones's Welcome (ComusMiddleton, Thomas1621entertainment; civic p4290.731
835_00001The Entertainment at Sir Francis Jones's at Easter (TheMiddleton, Thomas1621entertainment; civic p3480.716
831_00000The Entertainment for the General Training (Pallas)Middleton, Thomas1621entertainment; civic p4000.716
831_00001The Entertainment for the General Training (Pallas)Middleton, Thomas1621entertainment; civic p3460.688
849_00002The Triumphs of Honor and VirtueMiddleton, Thomas1622civic play; pageant4070.840
890_00042Antony and CleopatraShakespeare, William1623tragedy4890.796
870_00039All's Well That Ends WellShakespeare, William / Middleton, 1623tragicomedy5030.786
658_00029Troilus and CressidaShakespeare, William1623tragedy4900.782
884_00001Timon of AthensShakespeare, William / Middleton, 1623tragedy5210.778
856_00001The Triumphs of IntegrityMiddleton, Thomas1623civic play; pageant3930.738
856_00000The Triumphs of IntegrityMiddleton, Thomas1623civic play; pageant4030.735
906_00001The Triumphs of Health and ProsperityMiddleton, Thomas1626civic play; pageant3730.717
911_00018Lodovic Sforza, Duke of MilanGomersall, Robert1628tragedy4720.739
910_00010AmintaTasso, Torquato / Reynolds, Henry1628pastoral4600.719
926_00004The Cruel BrotherDavenant, William1630tragedy4650.825
952_00032The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina)Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de1631tragicomedy; literary 4380.831
963_00002London's Ius Honorarium (London's Law of Honor)Heywood, Thomas1631civic play; pageant5010.725
984_00001Londini Artium et Scientiarum Scaturigo, or London's FoHeywood, Thomas1632civic play; pageant5640.660
1015_00011AlahamGreville, Fulke1633tragedy4860.752
1006_00002Londini Emporia (London's Markets)Heywood, Thomas1633civic play; pageant4880.705
1022_00007Coelum Britannicum (The British Heaven)Carew, Thomas1634masque4890.768
1021_00002The Triumphs of Fame and HonorTaylor, John1634civic play; pageant5000.712
1073_00024The Conspiracy (Pallantus and Eudora)Killigrew, Henry1638tragedy5130.833
1087_00036The Muses' Looking GlassRandolph, Thomas1638moral5270.800
1087_00025The Muses' Looking GlassRandolph, Thomas1638moral5170.787
1087_00006The Muses' Looking GlassRandolph, Thomas1638moral5200.777
1087_00026The Muses' Looking GlassRandolph, Thomas1638moral5010.754
1087_00035The Muses' Looking GlassRandolph, Thomas1638moral5250.740
1086_00002Porta Pietatis, or The Port or Harbor of PietyHeywood, Thomas1638not in BritDrama4980.731
1087_00034The Muses' Looking GlassRandolph, Thomas1638moral5140.720
1153_00014Sicily and Naples, or The Fatal UnionHarding, Samuel1640not in BritDrama4920.892
1164_00004Pleasure Reconciled to VirtueJonson, Ben1641masque5240.723

Chunks from other editions (12; placed after the fit, not in the statistics)

chunkplayauthorpublishedgenrewordstypicality
104_00016SupposesGascoigne, George / Ariosto, Ludov1575comedy4860.695
80_00008Medea (Seneca's Seventh Tragedy)Seneca, Lucius Annaeus / Studley, 1581tragedy4690.695
487_00002The Vision of the Twelve Goddesses (The Masque at HamptDaniel, Samuel1604masque4690.684
657_00028Troilus and CressidaShakespeare, William1609tragedy5470.762
423_00041Poetaster, or The ArraignmentJonson, Ben1616comedy5040.782
392_00018The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice)Shakespeare, William1619comedy5090.798
625_00037King LearShakespeare, William1623tragedy5010.755
393_00008The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice)Shakespeare, William1623comedy5380.737
493_00001CroesusAlexander, William1637tragedy4690.759
610_00036The Alexandraean TragedyAlexander, William1637tragedy5180.731
1023_00008Coelum Britannicum (The British Heaven)Carew, Thomas1640masque4890.874
1023_00010Coelum Britannicum (The British Heaven)Carew, Thomas1640masque5020.809
Grace · generated by 13_site.py from run runs_Qwen_Qwen3-Embedding-0.6B_masked_hdb10, seed 42. Texts: EEBO-TCP / EarlyPrint (CC BY-NC 3.0). Metadata: DEEP, Wiggins & Richardson.