Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	day_n	good_a	lord_n	2,726	5	3.8026	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18760	A pleasaunte laborinth called Churchyardes chance framed on fancies, vttered with verses, and writte[n] to giue solace to euery well disposed mynde: wherein notwithstanding are many heauie epitaphes, sad and sorowfull discourses and sutche a multitude of other honest pastymes for the season (and passages of witte) that the reader therein maie thinke his tyme well bestowed. All whiche workes for the pleasure of the worlde, and recreation of the worthie, are dedicated to the right honourable sir Thomas Bromley knight, lorde Chancelour of Englande.; Churchyardes chance	Churchyard, Thomas, 1520?-1604.	1580 (1580)	STC 5250; ESTC S105045	53,461	90

A pleasaunte Laborinth called Churchyardes Chance framed on Fancies vttered with verses and writtē to giue solace to eury well disposed mynde wherein notwithstanding are many heauie Epitaphes sad and sorowfull discourses and sutche a multitude of other honest pastymes for the season and passages of witte that the reader therein maie thinke his tyme well bestowed All whiche workes for the pleasure of the worlde and recreation of the worthie are dedicated to the right honourable sir Thomas Bromley knight lorde Chancelour of Enlande ¶ Imprinted at London by Ihon Kyngston 1580. ¶ To the right honourable Sir Thomas Bromley Knight Lorde Chauncellour of Englande one of the Quenes Maiesties priuie Councell Thomas Churchyarde wisheth greate blessednesse of life continuance of vertue and perfite felicitie AS custome and continuaunce of tyme bredes a lawe in Nature and cōuertes mannes mynde to many a laudable excercise so moste honourable the good will of men is neuer vnoccupied if either honest labour or stdious diligence maie please those greate personages that affection and duetie commaundes vs to honor And as it hath bin through tyme out of mynde an auncient maner in the beginnyng of a newe yere to present vnto freendes and sutche as we beste fauour some signe of freendshipp by waie of newe yeres giftes so I trust the maner so mutche commended emong the wise and so long vsed with all sortes of people for the purchasyng of good liking shall excuse my ouer greate boldnesse and make my simple gifte accepted For as I vnderstande and my betters farre haue reported it is not the valewe of the presentes nor the ritchnesse of the Iewels that makes our giftes welcome and bringes the giuer in the good opiniō of the worthies in this worlde but it is the vertuous intent of the minde that maketh free passage to that whiche is presented and causeth as well little trifles to bee estemed as greate treasure to bee made of If otherwise the worthinesse of thynges were to be iudged my triflyng booke might blushe in my behalfe and the vaine verses therein would rather argue my disgrace then further my good fame And therefore my good Lorde since euery mans gift is receiued waied accordyng to the good will of the giuer I haue this present new yeres daie presented vnto your good Lordshipp good Chaunce and so with this good Chaunce salutyng your honor with all seruisable dueties I honor your Lordshipps vertues procede to the purpose of my matter The people of this worlde whose sondrie wittes and iudgementes lookes deepely into the deuises of the writers in our age if thei would straitly and narrowly beholde how busie I haue bin in settyng out bookes and printyng of pamfletts might paraduenture make a wonder of my wearisome woorkes for that many woordes hath bin spent to little profite either of my Countrey or commoditie to my self because my small learnyng and capacitie could neuer reche to any greate knowledge nor searche out the ground of any profounde seeret or science But how so euer my woorkes maie bee construed my penne hath kept me from slothe and Idelnesse and little hath bin loste by my studie and labors For freendes and fauourars hath bin gotten through diligence and tyme hath bin entertained in muche contentation of minde And though it was my Chaunce to light on a pleasant disposition in making of verses whē others happened by Fortunes election on a multitude of benifites yet blessed is the Chaunce that breedeth merrie thoughtes and vnlodes the harte and hedde of a nomber of heauie cogitations For though small abilitie simple callyng bryngeth no greate reputation and credite yet it sitteth free from the bitter blaste of Fortunes tempestes VVhen the mindes of the mightie are shocked and shaken with the blusteryng stormes of worldes vnstablenesse And though my Chaunce was to trauaill abroade to seeke after Fortune whiles others at home found themselues happie yet beyng so smally prefarred by Chaunce euery where I am neither troubled with her mutabilitie nor driuen to giue her thankes for any good tourne she hath doen me And yet my Chaunce is indifferent that bothe in warres and peace possessyng my little portion I haue seen thousandes depart from this worlde and sodainly taken from their abondance My chance is to be in court well knowen and mutche made of though smally considered or aduaunced My Chaunce is to liue awhile and write Epitaphes Sonets and sedules on many a worthie personage whiles my life and footesteps drawes the bodie to his long home and leades the restlesse daies to the quiet graue And so as Chance hath fallen out and alotted me by a bond of causes through the originall ground of all goodnesse the pleasure of penne and the pain of studie euen so in like maner I gladly plaie out my part on the stage in this toilesome and tragicall pilgrimage where nothyng easeth our labours so mutche as the sweete contentatiō of minde But to what purpose trouble I your honourable iudgement and grauitie with the rehersall of trifles or why doeth rashenesse in so bolde a maner dedicate sutche a woorke scarce worthie the looking on to sutche a worthie Magistrate whose wisedome maie disdaine the reading of so simple a discourse The trothe is my right good Lorde this present is offered as a peece of a meane to passe awaie the tyme amid great affaires and weightie causes whiche with light matters findes recreation by the inuention of pretie deuised sportes the studie and care of commonweale seemeth lesse tedius and troublesome For the minde wearied with ouer long labours and sadde motions of the spirite that through continuaunce maie dull the senses is sharpened and made better at commaundement when chaunge of pastymes with some pleasaunt exercises hath eased the bodie and refreshed the memorie My verses God wot are voide of sutche deuine vertue And I wantyng the grace of Mercurie or Pipe of Appollo presumeth to farre to please the eares of Minerua with the rashe sounde of rusticall Musicke But though the harmonie be not so sweete and delicate as is to be wished the desire to doe well is the instrument onely that maie bryng suche delite whiche maie for euer purchace good acceptation And for that to the art of Musicke and harmonie belongeth seuerall sortes of partes to make good concordance I haue tuned all my notes and songes worthie the hearyng into one kind of voice and order Meanyng that where many a peece of descant is to bee seen and some iarres maie happen by misliking of discordes yet a nomber of partes soundyng together maie couer the faultes and imperfectiōs of an ignoraunt Musition And because in the sweete soile of Salop in whiche parties your Lordshippe was nourished whiche seate I honour of nature and toke some sauor and taste of Science in the gladder are my muses to reuerence with verses a speciall sparke and spectacle of the countrey I was borne in either with Musicall melodie or Poeticall pastymes and passages delated