Whetstone, George · published 1578 · first performed or written 1578 [1576-1579] (Annals) comedy · Unacted T40 Sin, guilt and violent loss within famil typicality 0.89 · 510 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T40: brother, death, life, die, heaven, sin, live, father, blood, soul.
Affirming it, to be by'r brother's head. Which done, by night, he sent me post away, None but supposed, that I in déde was dead: When as in truth, in uncouth haunts I lay. In fine, a Clown, came peaking through the wood, Wherein I lived, your Graces being here: And Promos death, by whom I understood, Glad of which news, how so I lyud in fear. I ventured to see his wretched fall: To free suspect, yet stranger like arrayed, I hither came: but lo, the inward thrall Of Cassandra, the hate, so sore dismayed. Which I conceived against my brother Promos, That lo, I chewsed, to yield myself to death, To set him free: for otherwise I knew, His death ere long, would sure have stopped her breath. Lo gracious king, in brief I here have shown, Such adventures, as wretched I have passed: Beseeching you with grace to think upon, The wight that wails, his follies at the last. A strange discourse, as strangely come to light, God's pleasure is, that thou shouldst pardoned be: To salve the fault, thou with Polina mad'st, But marry her, and hear I set thee free. Most gracious Prince, thereto I gladly 'gree: Polina, the happiest news of all for thee. Most gracious King, with these my joy to match, Vouchsafe, to give my damned husband life. If I do so, let him thank thee his Wife: Cassandra, I have noted thy distress, Thy virtues eke, from first, unto the last: And glad I am, without offence it lies, In me to ease, thy grief, and heaviness. Andrugio saved, the jewel of thy joy, And for thy sake, I pardon Promos fault. Yea let them both, thy virtues rare commend: In that their woes, with this delight doth end. God preserve your Majesty. Cassandra, how shall I discharge thy due? I did, but what a Wife, should do for you. Well, since all parts are pleased, as they would, Before I part, yet Promos, this to thee: Henceforth, forethink, of thy forepast faults, And measure Grace, with justice evermore. Unto the poor, have evermore an eye, And let not might, out countenance their right: Thy Officers, trust not in every tale. In chief, when they are means, in strifes and suits, Though thou be just, yet coin may them corrupt. And if by them, thou dost unjustice show, 'tis thou shalt bear, the burden of their faults. Be loving to good Cassandra, thy Wife: And friendly to thy brother Andrugio, Whom I command, as faithful for to be To thee, as beseems the duty of a brother. And now again, thy government receive, Enjoy it so, as thou in justice joy. If thou be wise, thy fall may make thee rise. The lost sheep found, for joy, the feast was made. Well, here an end, of my advise I make, As I have said, be good unto the poor. And justice join, with mercy evermore. Most gracious King, I will not fail my best, In these precepts, to follow your behest.
seed 43: T37 · seed 44: T36 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Affirming it, to be bir brothers head. Which done, by night, he ſent me poſt away, None but ſuppoſed, that I in déde was dead: When as in trueth, in vncouth hauntes I laye. In fine, a Clowne, came peaking through the wood, Wherin I lyu'd, your Graces being here: And Promos death, by whome I vnderſtood, Glad of which newes, howe ſo I lyud in feare. I ventured to ſée his wretched fall: To free ſuſpect, yet ſtraunger lyke arayde, I hether came: but loe, the inwarde thrall Of Caſſandra, the hate, ſo ſore diſmayde. Which I conceyued agaynſt my brother Promos, That loe, I chewſ'd, to yeeld my ſelfe to death, To ſet him free: for otherwyſe I knew, His death ere long, would ſure haue ſtopt her breath. Loe gratious king, in breefe I here haue ſhowne, Such aduentures, as wretched I haue paſt: Beſeeching you with grace to thinke vpon, The wight that wayles, his follyes at the laſt. A ſtrange diſcourſe, as ſtraungely come to light, Gods pleaſure is, that thou ſhould'ſt pardoned be: To ſalue the fault, thou with Polina mad'ſt, But marry her, and heare I ſet thee frée. Moſt gratious Prince, thereto I gladly grée: Polina, the happieſt newes of all for thee. Moſt gratious King, with theſe my ioye to match, Vouchſafe, to geue my dampned huſbande lyfe. If I doo ſo, let him thanke thée his Wife: Caſſandra, I haue noted thy diſtreſſe, Thy vertues eke, from firſt, vnto the laſt: And glad I am, without offence it lyes, In me to eaſe, thy griefe, and heauines. Andrugio ſau'd, the iuell of thy ioye, And for thy ſake, I pardon Promos faulte. Yea let them both, thy vertues rare commende: In that their woes, with this delyght doth ende. God preſerue your Maieſtie. Caſſandra, howe ſhall I diſcharge thy due? I dyd, but what a Wife, ſhoulde do for you. Well, fince all partes are pleaſed, as they woulde, Before I parte, yet Promos, this to thee: Henceforth, forethinke, of thy forepaſſed faultes, And meaſure Grace, with Iuſtice euermore. Vnto the poore, haue euermore an eye, And let not might, out countenaunce their right: Thy Officers, truſt not in euery tale. In chiefe, when they are meanes, in ſtrifes and ſutes, Though thou be iuſt, yet coyne maye them corrupt. And if by them, thou doſt vniuſtice ſhowe, Tys thou ſhalt beare, the burden of their faultes. Be louing to good Caſsandra, thy Wife: And friendlie to thy brother Andrugio, Whome I commaund, as faythfull for to be To thée, as beſeemes the duety of a brother. And now agayne, thy gouernment receyue, Inioye it ſo, as thou in Iuſtice ioye. If thou be wyſe, thy fall maye make thee ryſe. The loſt ſhéepe founde, for ioye, the feaſt was made. Well, here an ende, of my aduiſe I make, As I haue ſayde, be good vnto the poore. And Iuſtice ioyne, with mercie enermore. Moſt gratious King, I wyll not fayle my beſt, In theſe preceptes, to followe your beheaſt.