The Seven Champions of Christendom · chunk 41 of 43
Kirke, John · published 1638 · first performed or written 1635 [1634-1638] (Annals) romance · Red Bull Company (second) · Red Bull unassigned nearest T18 Rebels, barons and the king's wars at ho · 510 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T18: king, lord, wallace, earl, edward, england, scotland, rebels, bruce, english.
Further he told us 'twas your fair request, Having sweet Music and fair Ladies with you, We should come in unarmed and weaponless: We being joyful, thinking truth he spoke, Were all betrayed, and so to Brandron led, And so our lives were granted, on condition, His wrong or right to guard against the world. Brood of the Devil thou shalt pay for this. Thy worst, I defy thee. What we must fight then? Brother we must. Well then, what remedy? But tell me Brandron, ere we begin, Since thou hast set this quarrel on our heads, Shall I have fair and single opposition? Champion thou shalt. Seal it with your oath, and then 'tis firm. Why by the Ethiopes stamp, yond burning ball, I vow; and this I furthermore will promise, That each several Combatant shall bear several arms; And to thyself, from our rich Armoury, Weapons I'll send complete, although mine enemy: Here, take the keys, my boy, and see each weapon fitted Both for him and them: mean time, here will we sit Spectators of their deeds: Oh they are met. Y'are welcome to our castle: I'm your first man brother You are welcome. For Brandron, and his right. For England, and the Britons do I fight. Brother y'are mine, your quarrel is not good. What I have lost, then call it Brandron's blood. You are noble. Come the next. That's I for Brandron. I stand for Scotland now. You have won it fairly; take it as your own. Y'are welcome home. And I am glad it is so well fall'n out. Let us unite our brotherhoods again. You are welcome to your liberty. We joy to see't. There are the keys, enter, and seize on Brandron. Am I betrayed? Each hath the best done to defend your state, Then yield thee to the mercy of our brother. First will I head long throw me from this Tower, And dash my brains 'gainst the craggy rocks, That murmurs at the fall of Brandron: No, Christian slaves, you shall not write Your glories in my blood, to say, The mighty Brandron fell by you: Brandron wins glory to himself to yield, And thus will conquer Brandron in the field, One ruin ends for to begin another: Enter the Castle, seek the slave his man. And give his guerdon for his treachery. That will we do; follow me Anthony. What drum is that? let's in, and stand upon our guard, It is our friend, the King of Macedon. That comes to gratify our victory. we'll greet him with a token of our loves. I come in loving quest of you, brave Christian Knights, Who since your absence from our mournful Court, In this adventure took in our behalfs, Fear made us doubt your safety and your lives: Wherefore resolved, in quittance of your loss, More than the wrongs I did sustain before, Made us thus change our mournful black for steel, And armed with dread less danger of our lives, Came thus resolved, to fight, and die for you.
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)
Further he told us 'twas your faire requeſt, Having ſweete Muſicke and faire Ladyes with you, We ſhould come in unarm'd and weaponleſſe: We being joyfull, thinking truth he ſpake, Were all betray'd, and ſo to Brandron led, And ſo our lives were granted, on condition, His wrong or right to guard againſt the world. Brood of the Divell thou ſhalt pay for this. Thy worſt, I defie thee. What we muſt fight then? Brother we muſt. Well then, what remedy? But tell me Brandron, ere we beginne, Since thou haſt ſet this quarrell on our heads, Shall I have faire and ſingle oppoſition? Champion thou ſhalt. Seale it with your oath, and then 'tis firme. Why by the Ethiopes ſtampe, yon burning ball, I vow; and this I furthermore will promiſe, That each ſeverall Combatant ſhall beare ſeverall armes; And to thy ſelfe, from our rich Armory, Weapons Ile ſend compleat, although mine enemy: Here, take the keyes, my boy, and ſee each weapon fitted Both for him and them: meane time, heare will we ſit Spectators of their deedes: Oh they are met. Y'are welcom to our caſtle: I'me your firſt man brother You are welcome. For Brandron, and his right. For England, and the Brittaines doe I fight. Brother y'are mine, your quarrell is not good. What I have loſt, then call it Brandrons blood. You are noble. Come the next. That's I for Brandron. I ſtand for Scotland now. You have wonne it fairely; take it as your owne. Y'are welcome home. And I am glad it is ſo well falne out. Let us unite our brother-hoods againe. You are welcome to your liberty. We joy to ſee't. There are the keyes▪ enter, and ſieze on Brandron. Am I betray'd? Each hath the beſt done to defend your ſtate, Then yeeld thee to the mercy of our brother. Firſt will I head long throw me from this Tower, And daſh my braines 'gainſt the craggy rocks, That murmures at the fall of Brandron: No, Chriſtian ſlaves, you ſhall not write Your glories in my blood, to ſay, The mighty Brandron fell by you: Brandron wins glory to himſelfe to yeeld, And thus will conquer Brandron in the field, One ruine ends for to beginne another: Enter the Caſtle, ſeeke the ſlave his man. And give his guerdon for his treachery. That will we doe; follow me Anthony. What drum is that? lets in, and ſtand upon our guard, It is our friend, the King of Macedon. That comes to gratifie our victory. Wee'le greete him with a token of our loves. I come in loving queſt of you, brave Chriſtian Knights, Who ſince your abſence from our mournfull Court, In this adventure tooke in our behalfes, Feare made us doubt your ſafety and your lives: Wherefore reſolv'd, in quittance of your loſſe, More than the wrongs I did ſuſtaine before, Made us thus change our mournfull blacke for ſteele, And arm'd with dread leſſe danger of our lives, Came thus reſolv'd, to fight, and dye for you.