Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	keep_v	young_a	youth_n	29	3	7.6015	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50450	Aretina; or, The serious romance Written originally in English. Part first.	Mackenzie, George, Sir, 1636-1691.	1660 (1660)	Wing M151; ESTC R217028	199,501	456

and a stranger uncertain of any assistance behoved to rely upon him besides wanting both friends and foes in the Nation he would impartially without either connivance or revenge execute all his commands This fellow became his creature and he might well be called so because he made him of nothing a potent prince others alledged that because the people did belch out so many injuries against Malchus for his avarice making his private chests the publick treasure saying that he was in the politick body like the spleen in the natural whose growth did proportionally occasion the leannesse of the other members therefore he choosed this Sophander whose avarice was his greatest if not his only vice that they might after his death by collationing their lives extoll his ambition by comparing it with his successours avarice Now all the Court began to adore Malchus in Sophanders person each one foreseeing that any imp ingrafted on such a root would one day flourish extreamly and that its shadow should one day be able to shelter those who retired under it from either the cold chilnesse of poverty or the scorching flames of envie yea the King himself caressed exceedingly this Infant Minion but so cautiously as that he seemed rather to love him in obedience to Malchus his desire than out of any secret inclination to Sophander or aversion from Malchus albeit these two passions were really the legs whereon his passion did walk Thus Malchus did by the hand of his pleasure sway the Sceptor of Soveraignity his fancy being the sole and supream Judge even in matters of the greatest importance from whose sentence the Royal Throne it self durst receive no appeal and whose smiles were the greatest reward that the proudest Egyptian durst pretend to the office of Chancellour became too narrow an orb for this great Planet to move in wherefore as an extraordinary person he must have an extraordinary imployment and must be advanced to be first Minister of State a title not understood by us and never heard of by our Ancestors but which suited well with his ambition both being boundless None durst now dispute his power seing none could pretend to know it and seing the King himself was who could repine against the condition of a subject Nothing was presented to him now but what was confected with the sugar of flattery not a word dropped from his mouth but was instantly received in Fames most sacred vessels and the most erroneous of his actions were canonized as example for posterity Yet fear the ordinary Lacquey of greatness began to tell his conscience in the ear that he was rather adored than loved by those who even loved him best which made him resolve by the news of his death to try whether it was love or fear that made the humours of his Compatriots so plyable in order to this design feigning himself first sick and then blazing abroad his death by the mouth of his Physicians did by the dissembled closure of his eyes open the fond mouthes of the unwary Courtiers who were glad to find an occasion to vomit up that poysonous malice which had even by its venom almost destroyed the vessels wherein it was keeped but the next morning the Physicians told that his soul had but lurked in and not fled from his apoplectick body and he himself being recovered did deal death most liberally amongst those who were so liberall of their characters of him whilest they supposed that he was dead Yet at last death did show that the armour of greatness was not proof against its darts and did hurry him away cursed by all and lamented by none the people supposing they had buried him and their miseries in one tomb did now coin thousands of hopes in the mint-house of their expectation but their miseries which had begun to ebb by Malchus death did now begin to flow afresh by the Succession of Sophander whom the Queen fearing that the Nobles who did not obey him who was both their Countryman and their Prince would far lesse obey her whose reign was but temporary and whose sex was but fragile did after the death of her husband who survived not long Malchus choose him for her Confident The young Kings name served them for a rampart against all opposition and his infancy made the uproars of her enemies be looked upon as a sin greater than Treason being committed both against the Majesty of a King and the Infancy of a Childe and rendred them criminal both as men and subjects Yet this same innocency which made the opposers so guilty did likewise give time and life to the far more heinous crimes of the defendants Sophander having got the Tutory of the young King acquainted him with all the pleasures which might alienate his mind from affairs of greater importance but keeped him alwayes a stranger to the Mysteries of State as things which would certainly disquiet and might possibly break his spirit telling him that it was too soon for him to have his Crown lined with the black Sables of Care and that he might in his youth commit some Solicismes of State which might for ever stain his Royall repute he likewise retarded his Marriage fearing lest anothers worthiness should fill the room which he unworthily had gotten in his Princes heart till at last overpowered by necessity he matched him with a neighbouring Princess whose pliable humour might rather be subservient than destructive to his greatness I who had been promoted to be Chancellour immediatly after Malchus death became now the eye-sore of Sophanders avarice for he thought my charge void because it was not filled with one of his Partisans who might at last like small rivers discharge themselves in the ocean of his Treasures whereupon I who scorned like those other Asses to carry Gold to his bottomless Coffers did resolve rather to shelter my self in the Sanctuary of a private life than to bow the top-sail of my integrity to the flag of his ambition wherefore I retired to this place and condition which I have alwayes since found a harbour able to shelter me from the most violent storms of pride and avarice wherewith those are shattered who sail in the ocean of Court-luxury This discourse did extreamly satisfie Megistus judgment and kindle his courage and Monanthropus perceiving the coals of his courage once kindled did by the bellows of wit and occasion endeavour to adde heat to excite the flames which he found already kindled and it was resolved at last that Eudoxa the elder of these two Ladies should go to Alexandria where she should stay till by Bonaria's intercession so was Monanthropus Lady called she might be admitted to be one of Agapeta the Kings daughters Ladies of honour where she might be serviceable to their designs and a stirrup wherby Megistus might the more easily mount the saddle of preferment Let us now return to visit Philarites whose love had plunged him in the ditch of Melancholly irrecoverably who loved nothing in himself except

and interest and I heard a Gentleman say that he defended ordinarily That all State-promises were no longer obligatory than things continued in the same way they stood when the promise was made for said he I promise because I am informed or imagines that the person to whom I promise is of such a temper so that if he be of a different or contrary temper the condition failing the thing conditioned cannot be sought and since promises are ordinarily donatives there is reason the donator should have the priviledge of explaining his owne mind for seing they to whom I promise can pretend no right to the thing promised but because I willed it therfore if my will be not clear their right is null and seing none can be so well acquainted with my will as my self none should be admitted to explain it but my self and ordinarily so many and so great inconveniences would follow upon the observancy of such promises at Court that there would be greater danger to the Commonwealth in keeping them than there could redound to any private mans conscience by the breach of them but Sir continued Philarites think not strange that fortune should graple with you for it is her ordinary never to list her self but against some noble spirit whose conquest were worth her pains scorning the easie victory which she might have over silly clowns but possibly she intends to try your courage which when she comes once to know she will think you worthy to be her minion She can command weak spirits but great ones are born to command her And since the mustering false hopes is able to make a man victorious and the basest of men gain oftimes because others think that their brags and threats are true how much more shall the best of spirits amongst whom ye may be ranked become victorious if they but hope really that they shall conquer hope resembles a bridle whose motion is able to recover the stumbling feet of our courage And how many Armies have gained more by presages and happy omens than they could have done either by skill or numbers This is the reason why speeches are made to Souldiers and for this audacious spirits are usually most fortunate This discourse was interrupted by a Letter presented from Misarites wherein they were ordered to return to the Camp with those under their conduct which they were most willing to obey knowing that the Souldiery there might easily be misinformed of what was done at such a distance from them The next morning they did begin their march and being after two dayes arrived they were welcomed by the acclamations of the Souldiers but coldly entertained by the Grandees whom Misarites had poysoned who in spight of all misinformation admired the rare qualities of these noble Gentlemen for albeit it be an easie task to defame amongst the vulgar sort those whose prime quality is wit because their wit which should antidote all these aspersions is not easily perceived by that sort of people yet it is hard to defame those whose chief part is courage because the most ignorant cannot but see that and ordinarily the vulgar sort is more led by their sense than by their reason Misarites delayed alwayes to fight pretending that it was fitter to starve than to fight the Persians who being far from home could not subsist long in a forreign Nation but his intention was to ruine the Egyptian Army by these delayes who finding themselves near home and overburdened with hardship did drop away daily Nothing was acted all this time except by skirmishes wherein Misarites imployed all those whose courage was formidable to the Persians and whose loyalty was formidable to himself and many of them were swept away by this means neither omited he to entice the Knights with this point of honour but all in vain for they resolved to reserve themselves for archievements of lesse hazard and more honour Misarites caused likewise mix the meal which was sent to the Army with lime and chalk whereby diseases became both numerous and dangerous and the whole Army began to resemble an Hospital wherein there was greater need of Physicians than of Field-Officers He likewise together with Sophander perswaded the King not to send the Army their pay assuring him that poverty was the best encouragement to fight for it made them fight couragiously out of a desire to gain the Enemies spoil whereas those who were rich were unwilling to hazard what they were assured of already for what they were not sure to gain Sophanders drift in this was to reserve the money for himself but Misarites scope was meerly to turn the Souldiers male-contents Neither ceased the Knights covertly to make the Army remark these passages thereby to enrage them against Misarites At last Megistus trysting Misarites his Secretary o●e morning to his chamber after some previous discourses whereby he sounded his thoughts spoke thus freely to him Sir it is not to discover the treason of your master but to learn some evident proofs of it that I sent for you this morning his complot with Sophander and the Persian is already detected and ye are mad who imbarques your self in such a quarrel ye walk upon a narrow precipice wherein there is great difficulty to stand and certain ruine if ye fall think not that the Gods will suffer Princes who are their Deputies and who govern for them to be circumveened by such treacherous designs in vain have they been at so much pains for the defence of his honour if they abandon it now and albeit it did thrive in your hands yet after the game is plaid there will be danger in your Master's parting the stakes with Sophander who will lay him aside when he findes that in peace he stands not in need of him But albeit your Master did injoy his promised preferment who knows but he will cause cut your throat both fearing lest you should thereafter upon some discontent divulge his cheats or fearing that he could not safely therafter imploy you who betrayed your Prince Wherfore if ye desire to perpetuat your happiness and to prevent your inevitable ruine desert that interest and own the interest of your Nation and I promise you in his Majesties name greater preferment than ye are to expect from your Master Neither need you stumble at this as a breach of trust and as a sin comitted against the affection which your Master bears to you for ye should pay the oldest debt first and ye were a subject to your Prince before ye were a servant to Misarites wherefore ye should endeavour to acquit your self of your duty to his Majesty as being both of greatest importance and of oldest standing Neither doth your oath of fidelity given to your Master oblige in things unlawful for the gods will not be witnesses in things abominable and there is no oath whereto they are not called as witnesses they will not suffer a man to be bound to the stake of impiety by such sacred chains