Gascoigne, George / Kinwelmershe, Francis / Yelverton, ChristopherEuripides / Dolce, Lodovico · published 1575 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig · 512 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
Who seeks to end their discord and debate: They only aught consider well the cause For which they come, and cast out of their mind For evermore the old offences passed: So shall sweet peace drive pleading out of place. Wherefore the first shall Polynices be, To tell what reason first his mind did rule, That thus our walls with foreign foes enclosed In sharp revenge of causeless wrong received, As he allegeth by his brother's doom: And of this wicked woe and dire (b) debate, Some God of pity be the equal judge, Whom I beseech, to breath in both your breasts A yielding heart to deep desire of peace. My worthy dame, I find that tried truth Doth best beseem a simple naked tale, Ne needs to be with painted process pricked, That in herself hath no diversity, But always shows one undisguised face, Where deep deceit and lies must seek the shade, And wrap their words in guileful eloquence, As ever fraught with contrariety: So have I often said, and say again, That to avoid our father's foul reproach And bitter curse, I parted from this land With right good will, yet thus with him agreed, That while the whirling wings of flying time Might roll one year about the heavenly sphere, So long alone he might with peace possess Our father's seat in princely (c) Diadem, And when the year should eke his course renew, Might I succeed to rule again as long. And that this law might still be kept for ay, He bond himself by vow of solemn oath By Gods, by men, by heaven, and eke by earth: Yet that forgot, without all reverence Unto the Gods, without respect to right, Without respect that reason aught to rule, His faith and troth both trodden under foot, He still usurps most tyrantlike with wrong The right that doth of right to me belong. But if he can with equal doom consent, That I return into my native soil To sway with him alike the kingly seat And evenly bear the bridle both in hand, Dear mother mine I swear by all the Gods To raise with speed the siege from these our walls, And sand the soldiers home from whence they came: Which if he grant me not, then must I do (Though loath) as much as right and reason would, To venge my cause that is both good and just. Yet this in heaven the Gods my records be, And here in earth each mortal man may know, That never yet my guiltless heart did fail Brotherly duty to Eteocles, And that causeless he holds me from mine own. Thus have I said O mother, even as much As needful is, wherein I me assure: That in the judgement both of good and bad, My words may seem of reason to proceed, Constrained thus in my defence to speak. None may deny, O peer of princely race, But that thy words, are honest, good and just, And such as well beseem that tongue of thine.
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)
Who ſeekes to ende their diſcorde and debate: They onely ought conſider well the cauſe For which they come, and caſt out of their minde For euermore the olde offences paſt: So ſhall ſwéete peace driue pleading out of place. Wherfore the firſt ſhall Polinices be, To tell what reaſon firſt his minde did rule, That thus our walles with forrein foes encloſde In ſharpe reuenge of cauſeleſſe wronge receiu'd, As he alledgeth by his brothers doome: And of this wicked woe and dire debate, Some God of pitie be the equall iudge, Whome I beſeeche, to breath in both your breaſts A yelding heart to deepe deſire of peace. "My woorthie dame, I finde that tried truthe "Doth beſte beſeeme a ſimple naked tale, "Ne néedes to be with painted proces prickt, "That in hir ſelfe hath no diuerſitie, "But alwayes ſhewes one vndiſguiſed face, "Where déepe deceipt and lies muſt ſéeke the ſhade, "And wrap their wordes in guilefull eloquence, "As euer fraught with contrarietie: So haue I often ſayde, and ſay againe, That to auoide our fathers foule reproche And bitter curſe, I parted from this lande With right good will, yet thus with him agréed, That while the whirling wings of flying time Might roll one yeare aboute the heauenly ſpheare, So long alone he might with peace poſſeſſe Our fathers ſeate in princely Diademe, And when the yeare ſhould eke his courſe renue, Might I ſucceede to rule againe as long. And that this lawe might ſtill be kept for aye, He bound him ſelfe by vowe of ſolemne othe By Gods, by men, by heauen, and eke by earth: Yet that forgot, without all reuerence Vnto the Gods, without reſpect to right, Without reſpect that reaſon ought to rule, His faith and troth both troden vnder foote, He ſtill vſurps moſt tyrantlike with wrong The right that doth of right to me belong. But if he can with equall doome conſent, That I retourne into my natiue ſoyle To ſway with him alike the kingly ſeate And euenly beare the bridle both in hand, Deare mother mine I ſweare by all the Gods To raiſe with ſpeede the ſiege from theſe our walles, And ſend the ſouldiers home from whence they came: Which if he graunt me not, then muſt I do (Though loth) as much as right and reaſon would, To venge my cauſe that is both good and iuſt. Yet this in heauen the Gods my records be, And here in earth each mortall man may know, That neuer yet my giltleſſe heart did fayle Brotherly duetie to Eteocles, And that cauſleſſe he holdes me from mine owne. Thus haue I ſaid O mother, euen as much As néedefull is, wherein I me aſſure: That in the iudgement both of good and badde, My words may ſéeme of reaſon to procéede, Conſtrained thus in my defence to ſpeake. None may denie, O pere of princely race, But that thy words, are honeſt, good and iuſt, And ſuch as well beſéeme that tong of thine.