The Seven Champions of Christendom · chunk 3 of 43
Kirke, John · published 1638 · first performed or written 1635 [1634-1638] (Annals) romance · Red Bull Company (second) · Red Bull unassigned nearest T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour · 509 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Why now I am satisfied; could not you have said this before, Pray father, pray the devil to bless me, and make me a man like my mother: So be it. Our blessings on our Child. But do you hear Father, if you be a Prince, I must be a Lord, or an Earl, or a devilish Duke, or somewhat. Thou art by birth Duke of Styx, Sulphur, & Helvetia. O brave, o brave, Duke of Styx, Sulphur, & Helvetia? Pray father, what Title hath my Mother? Queen of Limbony, and Duchess of Witchcordia. I thought so, I told my Mother she looked like a Witch a great while ago: a pox on't, I knew it: but do you hear mother, were not you one of the Cats that drunk up the miller's Ale in Lancashire Windmills? Peace sir, begone, go seek out George, And bring him to me presently. Must I call George again? Then (I fear) I shall get another broken pate, before I get a plaster for this: for we do nothing in the world but fight; he kills me two or three times in an hour: he plays a Knight in Armour, and I a Lady; that he fights with a great Tree for, and wins me from it: than I play a Giant, and he kills me; then a Boar, and he kills me again; then an enchanted Castle, and then my stones go to wrack; then a Lion, and then he pulls out my heart. Then an Ass sir. Right, and there he kills me again: But Mother, George is come, I hear his Horn. Into my Cave my Tarpax, take my some with thee, I'll have a little conference with George. Welcome my George, my joy, my love, my life, My soul's sole darling, and my fancy's dotage Commander of great Calib, and her power; Why does those eyes, the lights of Calibs Cell, Shoot their illustrious splendour on the Earth, And not shine upwards as they were wont to do? Why do those Arms thus twine into a lock, As if despair had seized upon thy thoughts, And blasted quite the flower of thy youth? Speak my loved Nursling, can Calib give thee ease? You may, you can. Why then be sure I will: Let daylight shine then, and expel those clouds, For here I vow, by that infernal power, By whom I may command to grant whate'er it be, Thy full demand, not dangering of ourself. I wish it not, but so much love To my kind Nurse, as shows a tender mother To her Child, when she first blesses him After a long absence. This stronger ties our love; thy demand? Then thus: Although I want no Parent in yourself, By your kind fostering and indulgency: Be not offended, that I here renew my former suit, Which though so long put by, Your Oath stands now unto me for to grant. Say on. The knowledge of my Parents, that by them I may not be a stranger to myself.
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)
Why now I am ſatisfi'd; could not you have ſaid this before, Pray father, pray the devill to bleſſe me, and make me a man like my mother: So be it. Our bleſſings on our Child. But doe you heare Father, if you be a Prince, I muſt be a Lord, or an Earle, or a devilliſh Duke, or ſomewhat. Thou art by birth Duke of Styx, Sulpher, & Helvetia. O brave, o brave, Duke of Styx, Sulpher, & Helvetia? Pray father, what Title hath my Mother? Queene of Limbony, and Dutcheſſe of Witchcordia. I thought ſo, I told my Mother ſhee lookt like a Witch a great while agoe: a poxe on't, I knew it: but doe you heare mother, were not you one of the Cats that drunke up the Millers Ale in Lancaſhire Wind-mills? Peace ſir, begon, goe ſeeke out George, And bring him to me preſently. Muſt I call George agen? Then (I feare) I ſhall get another broken pate, before I get a playſter for this: for wee doe nothing in the world but fight; he kils me two or three times in an houre: he playes a Knight in Armour, and I a Lady; that he fights with a great Tree for, and winnes me from it: then I play a Gyant, and he kils me; then a Boare, and he kills me agen; then an inchanted Caſtle, and then my ſtones goe to 'rack; then a Lyon, and then hee pulls out my heart. Then an Aſſe ſir. Right, and there he kills me agen: But Mother, George is come, I heare his Horne. Into my Cave my Tarpax, take my ſome with thee, I'le have a little conference with George. Welcome my George, my joy, my love, my life, My ſoules ſole darling, and my fancies dotage Commander of great Calib, and her power; Why does thoſe eyes, the lights of Calibs Cell, Shoote their illuſtrious ſplendor on the Earth, And not ſhine upwards as they were wont to doe? Why doe thoſe Armes thus twine into a locke, As if diſpaire had ſeiz'd upon thy thoughts, And b'laſted quite the flower of thy youth? Speake my lov'd Nurſling, can Calib give thee eaſe? You may, you can. Why then beſure I will: Let day-light ſhine then, and expell thoſe clouds, For here I vow, by that infernall power, By whom I may command to grant what ere it be, Thy full demand, not dangering of our ſelfe. I wiſh it not, but ſo much love To my kind Nurſe, as ſhews a tender mother To her Child, when ſhe firſt bleſſes him After a long abſence. This ſtronger tyes our love; thy demand? Then thus: Although I want no Parent in your ſelfe, By your kind foſtring and indulgency: Be not offended, that I here renew my former ſuite, Which though ſo long put by, Your Oath ſtands now unto me for to grant. Say on. The knowledge of my Parents, that by them I may not be a ſtranger to my ſelfe.