Rutter, Joseph · published 1635 · first performed or written 1634 [1633-1635] (Annals) pastoral · Queen Henrietta Maria's Men · before the Court unassigned nearest T14 Royal love, favour and dynastic relation · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T14: prince, princess, love, king, lord, queen, madam, grace, lady, life.
I went unto the Queen, Showed her the state she was in, and besought her To be as careful of me, as I was Of her, and we would work a better end Than she expected, so we both agreed; That if the Child she then did labour with, Proved to be Male, I should with care conceal The birth of it, and put a female child Instead of it, which I was to look out. It fortuned that your Mother then was ready To be delivered of your sister, and Time and good fortune did conspire to save The king's child, and to make my daughter Princess. But what did then become of the young Prince? The Queen protesting to me, that it was The king's own Child, conjured me to preserve it, Which as mine own I could not; for already Many took notice that my child was female: And therefore I was fain to publish her As dead, and buried an empty coffin. I rode forth with the child a full night's journey, With purpose to deliver it to some Plain honest man, that would be careful of it, And not inquisitive to know whose child It was, but give it breeding as his own: When being frighted with the noise of Arms Of some outlawed thieves, that did infest The place, I made all haste I could to scape 'em, Considering my charge; for that I knew If I were taken, though they spared my life, The charge I had, must needs betray me to The King, and then I could not hope for mercy: I laid it down there covered closely o'er, A circle 'bout his neck, wherein was writ, In characters known only to myself, And to the King; in which I used to clothe Secret dispatches, when I writ to him From foreign States, and within the Circle I graved the Kings less Seal, which then I kept. Some Gold beside, and Jewels there I left, That whosoever should find him, might with that Defray the charge of his education; howe'er, next day I purposed to return With speed, and carry it to some abode. But did the Queen know this? She did not, Till my return next day: then when I told her, The child was thence removed where I had left him, Belike those thieves had carried him away. 'Tis probable. How could the Queen take this So sad a story? With such impatience, That being weak before, she shortly died. But yet sir, with your favour might you not Have made inquiry after him? I durst not, For fear of being discovered; on your life Take heed how you reveal this. I am charmed. Then let us watch my daughter, for I fear The flight she made was for some other end, Then for retirement which she does pretend. Henceforth I shall obey her as my Princess, And love her as my sister, not my Mistress.
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 went unto the Queene, Shew'd her the ſtate ſhe was in, and beſought her To be as carefull of me, as I was Of her, and we would worke a better end Then ſhe expected, ſo we both agree'd; That if the Childe ſhe then did labour with, Prov'd to be Male, I ſhould with care conceale The birth of it, and put a female childe Inſteed of it, which I was to looke out. It fortun'd that your Mother then was ready To be deliver'd of your ſiſter, and Time and good fortune did conſpire to ſave The Kings child, and to make my daughter Princeſſe. But what did then become of the yong Prince? The Queene proteſting to me, that it was The Kings owne Childe, conjur'd me to preſerve it, Which as mine owne I could not; for already Many tooke notice that my childe was female: And therefore I was faine to publiſh her As dead, and buried an emptie coffin. I rode forth with the childe a full nights journey, With purpoſe to deliver it to ſome Plaine honeſt man, that would be carefull of it, And not inquiſitive to know whoſe childe It was, but give it breeding as his owne: When being frighted with the noiſe of Armes Of ſome out-lawed theeves, that did infeſt The place, I made all haſte I could to ſcape 'em, Conſidering my charge; for that I knew If I were taken, though they ſpar'd my life, The charge I had, muſt needs betray me to The King, and then I could not hope for mercy: I laid it downe there cover'd cloſely o're, A circle 'bout his necke, wherein was writ, In characters knowne onely to my ſelfe, And to the King; in which I us'd to cloath Secret diſpatches, when I writ to him From forraigne States, and within the Circle I grav'd the Kings leſſe Seale, which then I kept. Some Gold beſides, and Jewels there I left, That whoſoe're ſhould finde him, might with that Defray the charge of his education; Howe're, next day I purpos'd to returne With ſpeede, and carrie it to ſome abode. But did the Queene know this? She did not, Till my returne next day: then when I told her, The childe was thence remov'd where I had left him, Belike thoſe theeves had carried him away. 'Tis probable. How could the Queene take this So ſad a ſtorie? With ſuch impatience, That being weake before, ſhe ſhortly di'd. But yet ſir, with your favour might you not Have made inquirie after him? I durſt not, For feare of being diſcover'd; on your life Take heed how you reveale this. I am charm'd. Then let us watch my daughter, for I feare The flight ſhe made was for ſome other end, Then for retirement which ſhe does pretend. Henceforth I ſhall obey her as my Princeſſe, And love her as my ſiſter, not my Miſtreſſe.