The Seven Champions of Christendom · chunk 4 of 43
Kirke, John · published 1638 · first performed or written 1635 [1634-1638] (Annals) romance · Red Bull Company (second) · Red Bull unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 494 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
That string's not out of Tune, yet still 'tis touched, And I no longer now can put him off: George, you shall, your suit is granted; But this condition I must have ye seal to, And then we will deliver either's deed. 'Tis granted. Then know sweet boy that Calib loves thee dear, Witness my pity on thee at thy birth, When thy adulterous mother cast thee off, As fearful lest their close lascivious sin Should play the tell-tale of them to the world: Wherefore thy Mother striven by Art to kill thee, Even in thy first conception, but still my charms I mixed amongst her drugs, whose greater poison Proved thy Antidotes, killed what should kill, And in the Casket safe preserved my gem. O my unhappy Fate! am I a Bastard then? give't not so gross a title, but list a little more: Thy mother saw the more she strove to kill, The more thou quicken'st, and grew'st stronger still, Gave over the child-bane pills, and from the world's Quick censuring, screened up the knowledge by obscurity, Save unto me the closet of her thoughts, And an attendant handmaid. But to be brief, Maturity being to ripeness grown, I played Lucida's part, and snatched thee From the knife, aimed at thy heart; thus having saved Thee, going from thy unnatural Dam I bore thee to life's safety; and since Thou hast a tongue to speak how I have used thee. Both Nurse and Mother, my duty, With my thanks gives it acknowledgement: But could my mother, finding painful throws, Through which I hastened to give her ease, Before my tender eyes did ope to see the world, Seek to entomb me up again? Urge it no more she did. Were they ashamed of their own work? How were they titled, Base or Noble pray? Base, and Noble too: Both base by thee, but noble by descent; And thou got base, yet mayst thou write true gent: No further satisfaction seek to know, I call thee George, thy surname I must not show. I have enough: I'm glad I soar above the common wing, Both base and noble too, they are bloods that keep Two currents in my veins, but they must meet: Smile honour and assist me, Let me thy footsteps trace, My noble deeds shall purge the blood that's base. I fear I have said too much: Come George for me. I am ready mother; farewell the name of Nurse: Speak, and I grant. Then thus my George; Thou yet art but an April tender bud: Before that Month in thee be quite expired Look for thy Mother here, an Autumn shaken Leaf, and fall'n to th' earth, dead and forgot; Now if thou lov'st me, as I hope thou dost, Stay but a little, next puff of wind makes me but kiss the earth, And thou hast freedom; say, is it done? My tears deliver't as my deed; 'tis done.
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)
That ſtring's not out of Tune, yet ſtill 'tis toucht, And I no longer now can put him off: George, you ſhall, your ſuit is granted; But this condition I muſt have ye ſale to, And then we will deliver eithers deed. 'Tis granted. Then know ſweet boy that Calib loves thee deare, Witneſſe my pitty on thee at thy birth, When thy adultrous mother caſt thee off, As fearefull leaſt their cloſe laſcivious ſinne Should play the tell-tale of them to the world: Wherefore thy Mother ſtrove by Art to kill thee, Even in thy firſt conception, but ſtill my charmes I mixt amongſt her drugges, whoſe greater poyſon Prov'd thy Antidotes, kild what ſhould kill, And in the Casket ſafe preſerv'd my jemme. O my unhappy Fate! am I a Baſtard then? Giv't not ſo groſſe a title, but liſt a little more: Thy mother ſaw the more ſhe ſtrove to kill, The more thou quickneſt, and grewſt ſtronger ſtill, Gave ore the child-bane pills, and from the worlds Quicke cenſuring, ſcreend up the knowledge by obſcurity, Save unto me the cloſet of her thoughts, And an attendant hand-maid. But to be briefe, Maturity being to ripeneſſe growne, I plaide Luciaes part, and ſnatcht thee From the knife, aim'd at thy heart; thus having ſav'd Thee, going from thy unnaturall Damme I bore thee to lifes ſafety; and ſince Thou haſt a tongue to ſpeake how I have us'd thee. Both Nurſe and Mother, my duty, With my thankes gives it acknowledgement: But could my mother, finding painfull throwes, Through which I haſtned to give her eaſe, Before my tender eyes did ope to ſee the world, Seeke to intombe me up agen? Urge it no more ſhe did. Were they aſham'd of their owne worke? How were they titled, Baſe or Noble pray? Baſe, and Noble too: Both baſe by thee, but noble by deſcent; And thou got baſe, yet maiſt thou write true gent: No further ſatisfaction ſeeke to know, I call thee George, thy ſur-name I muſt not ſhew. I have enough: Ime glad I ſoare above the common wing, Both baſe and noble too, they ar bloods that keepe Two currents in my veines, but they muſt meete: Smile honour and aſſiſt mee, Let me thy foote-ſteppes trace, My noble deedes ſhall purge the blood that's baſe. I feare I have ſaid too much: Come George for mee. I am ready mother; farewell the name of Nurſe: Speake, and I grant. Then thus my George; Thou yet art but an April tender bud: Before that Month in thee be quite expired Looke for thy Mother here, an Autumne ſhaken Leafe, and falne to th' earth, dead and forgot; Now if thou lov'ſt me, as I hope thou doſt, Stay but a little, next puffe of winde makes me but kiſſe the earth, And thou haſt freedome; ſay, is it done? My teares deliver't as my deede; 'tis done.