Rutter, Joseph / Corneille, Pierre · published 1637 · first performed or written 1637 [1637-1638] (Annals) not in BritDrama · before the Court unassigned nearest T46 Swords, quarrels and valour · 506 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T46: rapier, sword, fight, gentlemen, gentleman, kicked, kill, dagger, signor, valour.
An't please your Majesty to let the lists Be opened, I shall be th' undertaker; Madam, you know your promise, I beseech you Let me obtain the grace to be your Champion. What say you, Cimena, shall he be the Man? Sir, I have promised him. Be ready than tomorrow. Defer it not so long, Sir; A man of courage is at all times ready. Shall he no sooner be returned from one, But he must enter on another fight? He has ta'en breath, Sir, in recounting it. howe'er, an hour or two let him repose, But lest I should be thought to countenance Proceedings of this bloody nature, neither myself nor any of my Court shall see it performed, Do you look to it, and take care that both Present themselves, as befits men of arms, The Combat done, bring me the Conqueror, I mean myself to give him to Cimena. That were t'impose too heard a law upon me. Thy love dares not avow this thy complaint, If Roderigo conquer, thou must have him, Never dispute my sentence or repine, Who ere is Victor, I will make him thine. WHat Roderigo, in the open day! Whence comes this boldness? do you mean t'undo Me, and mine honour? Fie, retire yourself. madam, I go to die, and therefore come Before my death, to take my last farewell, My love does owe you this: and my thralled heart Dares not depart your Kingdom without leave. You go to die? Nay, more, I run; as soon As I have ta'en my leave, the Count's revenged. You go to die! And is Don Sancho then A man so terrible, that you need fear him? Who has made you so weak? or him so valiant? Roderigo goes to fight, and thinks himself Already dead. He that nor feared the Moores, Nor yet my Father, going to encounter Don Sancho, trembles at it. Does your spirit Fail you at greatest need? 'Tis not to the Combat That I go now, but to my punishment. For when you seek my death, my love cannot Defend a life against you. My heart is still The same, but not my arm, when it should guard That which displeases you. This night already Had been my last, if for my private quarrel The fight had been: But since 'twas for the King, His People, and my Country, had I left myself defenceless, I'd betrayed them all: I must confess, I did not hate my life So much as with false treachery to part from't. Now, since no interest but mine own is in it, And you demand my death, I accept your sentence, For which y'have made choice of another hand. (It seems I not deserved to die by yours) I shall not go to exchange blow, for blow, I owe him more respect that fights for you And since it is your honour which he fights for, I'll open him my breast, in his, adoring Your hand, from which I'll welcome my destruction.
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)
An't pleaſe your Majeſty to let the liſts Be opened, I ſhall be th' undertaker; Madam, you know your promiſe, I beſeech you Let me obtaine the grace to be your Champion. What ſay you, Cimena, ſhall he be the Man? Sir, I have promiſed him. Be ready than to morrow. Defer it not ſo long, Sir; A man of courage is at all times ready. Shall he no ſooner be returned from one, But he muſt enter on another fight? He has tane breath, Sir, in recounting it. How ere, an houre or two let him repoſe, But leſt I ſhould be thought to countenance Proceedings of this bloudy nature, neither My ſelfe nor any of my Court ſhall ſee it perform'd, Doe you looke to it, and take care that both Preſent themſelves, as befits men of armes, The Combat done, bring me the Conquerour, I meane my ſelfe to give him to Cimena. That were t'impoſe too hard a law upon me. Thy love dares not avow this thy complaint, If Roderigo conquer, thou muſt have him, Never diſpute my ſentence or repine, Who ere is Victor, I will make him thine. WHat Roderigo, in the open day! Whence comes this boldneſſe? doe you meane t'undoe Mee, and mine honour? Fy, retire your ſelfe. Madame, I goe to dye, and therefore come Before my death, to take my laſt farewell, My love does owe you this: and my thrall'd heart Dares not depart your Kingdome without leave. You goe to dye? Nay, more, I run; as ſoone As I have tane my leave, the Count's reveng'd. You goe to dye! And is Don Sancho then A man ſo terrible, that you need feare him? Who has made you ſo weake? or him ſo valiant? Roderigo goes to fight, and thinkes himſelfe Already dead. He that nor fear'd the Moores, Nor yet my Father, going to encounter Don Sancho, trembles at it. Does your ſpirit Fayle you at greateſt need? 'Tis not to the Combat That I goe now, but to my puniſhment. For when you ſeeke my death, my love cannot Defend a life againſt you. My heart is ſtill The ſame, but not my arme, when it ſhould guard That which diſpleaſes you. This night already Had beene my laſt, if for my private quarrell The fight had beene: But ſince 'twas for the King, His People, and my Countrye, had I left My ſelfe defenceleſſe, I'de betray'd them all: I muſt confeſſe, I did not hate my life So much as with falſe treachery to part from't. Now, ſince no intereſt but mine owne is in it, And you demaund my death, I accept your ſentence, For which y'have made choiſe of another hand. (It ſeemes I not deſerv'd to dye by yours) I ſhall not goe to exchange blow, for blow, I owe him more reſpect that fights for you And ſince it is your honour which hee fights for, I'le open him my breſt, in his, adoring Your hand, from which I'le welcome my deſtruction.