The Bloody Brother (Rollo, Duke of Normandy) · chunk 6 of 39
Fletcher, John / Field, Nathan / Massinger, Philip · published 1639 · first performed or written 1617 [revised 1627-1630] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men unassigned nearest T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig · 481 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
Mother, I'll leave you; And sir, be thankful for the time you live, Till we meet next (which shall be soon and sudden) To her persuasion for you. O yet, stay, And rather than part thus, vouchsafe me hearing As enemies; how is my soul divided? My love to both, is equal, as my wishes; But are returned by neither; my grieved heart, Hold yer a little longer, and then break. I kneel to both, and will speak so, but this Takes from me th' authority of a mother's power; And therefore, like myself, Otto, to thee, (And yet observe, son, how thy mother's tears Outstrip her forward words, to make way for'em.) Thou art the younger, Otto, yet be now The first example of obedience to me, And grow the elder in my love. The means to be so happy? This; yield up thy sword, And let thy piety give thy mother strength To take that from thee which no enemy's force Could e'er despoil thee of: why dost thou tremble, And with a fearful eye fixed on thy brother, Observest his ready sword, as bend against thee? I am thy armour, and will be pierced through, Ten thousand times, before I will give way To any peril may arrive at thee; And therefore fear not. 'Tis not for myself, But for you, mother; you are now engaged In more that lies in your unquestioned virtue; For, since you have disarmed me of defence, Should I fall now, though by his hand, the world May say it was your practice. All worlds perish, Before my piety turn treasons parent, Take it again, and stand upon your guard, And while your brother is, continue armed; And yet, this fear is needless, for I know, My Rollo, though he dares as much as man, So tender of his yet untainted valour, So noble, that he dares do nothing basely. You doubt him; he fears you; I doubt and fear Both; for others safety, and not mine own. Know yet, my sons, when of necessity You must deceive, or be deceived; 'tis better To suffer treason, than to act the traitor; And in a war like this, in which the glory Is his that's overcome: consider then What 'tis for which you strive: is it the dukedom? Or the command of these so ready subjects? Desire of wealth? or whatsoever else Fires your ambition? This still desperate madness, To kill the people which you would be lords of; With fire, and sword, to lay that country waste Whose rule you seek for: to consume the treasures, Which are the sinews of your government, In cherishing the factions that destroy it: Far, far be this from you: make it not questioned Whether you have interest in that dukedom, Whose ruin both contend for. I desire but to enjoy my own, which I will keep.
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)
Mother, I'le leave you; And sir, be thankfull for the time you live, Till wee meeet next (which shall bee soon and sudden) To her perswasion for you. O yet, stay, And rather than part thus, vouchsafe mee hearing As enemies; how is my soule divided? My love to both, is equall, as my wishes; But are return'd by neither; my griev'd heart, Hold yer a little longer, and then break. I kneele to both, and will speak so, but this Takes from mee th' authority of a mothers power; And therefore, like my selfe, Otto, to thee, (And yet observe, son, how thy mothers teares Outstrip her forward words, to make way for'em.) Thou art the yonger, Otto, yet be now The first example of obedience to mee, And grow the elder in my love. The meanes to be so happy? This; yeeld up thy sword, And let thy piety give thy mother strength To take that from thee which no enemies force Could e're dispoyle thee of: why do'st thou tremble, And with a fearefull eye fixt on thy brother, Observ'st his ready sword, as bent against thee? I am thy armour, and will be pierc'd through, Ten thousand times, before I will give way To any perill may arrive at thee; And therefore feare not. 'Tis not for my selfe, But for you, mother; you are now ingag'd In more that lies in your unquestion'd vertue; For, since you have disarm'd me of defence, Should I fall now, though by his hand, the world May say it was your practise. All worlds perish, Before my piety turne treasons parent, Take it againe, and stand upon your guard, And while your brother is, continue arm'd; And yet, this feare is needlesse, for I know, My Rollo, though hee dares as much as man, So tender of his yet untainted valour, So noble, that he dares doe nothing basely. You doubt him; he feares you; I doubt and feare Both; for others safety, and not mine owne. Know yet, my sons, when of necessity You must deceive, or be deceiv'd; 'tis better To suffer treason, than to act the traytor; And in a war like this, in which the glory Is his that's overcome: consider then What 'tis for which you strive: is it the dukedome? Or the command of these so ready subjects? Desire of wealth? or whatsoever else Fires your ambition? This still desp'rate madnesse, To kill the people which you would be lords of; With fire, and sword, to lay that countrey waste Whose rule you seeke for: to consume the treasures, Which are the sinewes of your government, In cherishing the factions that destroy it: Far, far be this from you: make it not questiond Whether you have intrest in that dukedome, Whose ruine both contend for. I desire but to enjoy my owne, which I will keep.