The Seven Champions of Christendom · chunk 43 of 43
Kirke, John · published 1638 · first performed or written 1635 [1634-1638] (Annals) romance · Red Bull Company (second) · Red Bull unassigned nearest T55 Fairies, fairy queens and enchanted desi · 472 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T55: fairy, fairies, oberon, mopsus, queen, land, grace, babylon, mab, thestylis.
Those were the Swans that in the fountain lived: Did not I tell you what this slave would do? Dispatch and hang him straight. I do beseech ye spare him; And noble Knights, thus for to let you know, I do give faithful credit to his words; Hear me relate what once my daughters told me; The eldest having privilege of Birth, Came to me first for to relate her dream, And asked me if I could interpret it; I answered, as I had small faith in dreams, So I had less knowledge to expound the meaning. Yet went she on; I dreamed, said she, my sisters and myself Were playing round about your golden fountain, When suddenly we all three were surprised, By a fierce savage and inhuman Monster, And as his flaming Lust did us pursue, We turned to Swans, and in the fountain flew. As she related so did both the rest, And all three had one dream. I'll assure you, the Giant that is dead told me the self same tale, and how he would have done something to 'em, but having three Eels by the tail they slipped out of his fingers, & flew like Swans into the golden fountain. This doth confirm it more: oh my Swans, my girls! Come shall we sing our Requiem together? And at the stretching out your silver wings, Your aged father falls and dies with you. Take comfort, royal Macedon, as heaven for to preserve Their honours, changed their shapes it may be pleased For to restore again, for after prescripts to believing men, And would you but become— In that I'll interrupt ye: hold I pray, Let me embrace you all; nay, take sure hold: Though clouds of darkness did my clear shine smother, I am converted to each here a brother. A happy conversion. Blessed Macedon, thou hast sent a gift to heaven, Borne upon Angels wings; And is by us on earth here ratified, Which without this could never have been done. O father, father, happy are we now. My blessing on my Swans, my new found joys: We all are Christians now. Oh happy state! Each Lady doth deserve a monarch's bed. Renowned Knights, may we desire to know, Which of you are unmarried? We are. Then here's three Ladies, take 'em to your beds. George highly honours aged Macedon. But can the lady's love accord with us? Most willingly. We thus then seal our contracts. Which thus we ratify: Sit with the Brides, most noble Macedon, And since kind fortune sent such happy chance, we'll grace your Nuptials with a soldier's dance. True noble Knights, how am I honoured in you? No more good Macedon: pray lead the way, we'll see your Nuptial Rites, That task once done, We must abroad for fame of Christendom.
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)
Thoſe were the Swans that in the fountaine liv'd: Did not I tell you what this ſlave would do? Diſpatch and hang him ſtraight. I doe beſeech yee ſpare him; And noble Knights, thus for to let you know, I doe give faithfull credit to his words; Heare me relate what once my daughters told me; The eldeſt having priviledge of Birth, Came to me firſt for to relate her dreame, And askt me if I could interprete it; I anſwerd, as I had ſmall faith in dreames, So I had leſſe knowledge to expound the meaning. Yet went ſhe on; I dreamt, ſaid ſhe, my ſiſters and my ſelfe Were playing round about your golden fountaine, When ſuddenly we all three were-ſurpris'd, By a fierce ſavage and inhumane Monſter, And as his flaming Luſt did us purſue, We turnd to Swans, and in the fountaine flew. As ſhe related ſo did both the reſt, And all three had one dreame. Ile aſſure you, the Giant that is dead told me the ſelfe ſame tale, and how he would have done ſomething to 'em, but having three Eeles by the taile they ſlipt out of his fingers, & flew like Swans into the golden fountaine. This doth confirme it more: oh my Swans, my girles! Come ſhall we ſing our Requiem together? And at the ſtretching out your ſilver wings, Your aged father falls and dies with you. Take comfort, royal Macedon, as heaven for to preſerve Their honours, chang'd their ſhapes it may be pleas'd For to reſtore't agen, for after preſcripts to beleeving men, And would you but become— In that Ile interrupt yee: hold I pray, Let me imbrace you all; nay, take ſure hold: Though clouds of darkneſſe did my cleare ſhine ſmother, I am converted to each here a brother. A happy converſion. Bleſt Macedon, thou haſt ſent a gift to heaven, Borne upon Angels wings; And is by us on earth here ratified, Which without this could never have beene done. O father, father, happy are we now. My bleſſing on my Swans, my new found joyes: We all are Chriſtians now. Oh happy ſtate! Each Lady doth deſerve a Monarchs bed. Renowned Knights, may we deſire to know, Which of you are unmarried? We are. Then here's three Ladies, take 'em to your beds. George highly honours aged Macedon. But can the Ladies love accord with us? Moſt willingly. We thus then ſeale our contracts. Which thus we ratifie: Sit with the Brides, moſt noble Macedon, And ſince kinde fortune ſent ſuch happy chance, Wee'le grace your Nuptialls with a ſouldiers dance. True noble Knights, how am I honour'd in you? No more good Macedon: pray lead the way, Wee'le ſee your Nuptiall Rites, That taske once done, We muſt abroad for ſame of Chriſtendome.