1 The Troublesome Reign of King John · chunk 16 of 27
Anonymous · published 1591 · first performed or written 1591 (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men unassigned nearest T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour · 543 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Then Duke sit fast, I level at thy head, Too base a ransom for my father's life. Princes, I crave the Combat with the Duke That braves it in dishonour of my Sire. Your words are past nor can you now reverse The Princely promise that revives my soul, Whereat me thinks I see his sinews shake: This is the boon (dread Lords) which granted once Or life or death are pleasant to my soul; Since I shall live and die in Richard's right. Base Bastard, misbegotten of a King. To interrupt these holy nuptial rites With brawls and tumults to a Duke's disgrace: Let it suffice, I scorn to join in fight, With one so far unequal to myself. A fine excuse, Kings if you willbe Kings, Then keep your words, and let us combat it. Philip, We cannot force the Duke to fight, Being a subject unto neither Realm: But tell me Austria, if an English Duke Should dare thee thus, wouldst thou accept the challenge? Else let the world account the Austrich Duke The greatest coward living on the Earth. Then cheer thee Philip, Iohn will keep his word, Kneel down, in sight of Philip King of France And all these Princely Lords assembled here, I gird thee with the sword of Normandy, And of that land I do invest thee Duke: So shalt thou be in living and in land Nothing inferior unto Austria. K. Iohn, I tell thee flatly to thy face Thou wrong'st mine honour: and that thou mayst see How much I scorn thy new made Duke and thee, I flatly say, I will not be compelled: And so farewell Sir Duke of low degree, I'll find a time to match you for this gear. Stay Philip, let him go the honours thine. I cannot live unless his life be mine. Thy forwardness this day hath joyed my soul. And made me think my Richard lives in th●●. Lordings lets in, and spend the wedding day In masks and triumphs, letting quarrels cease. Stay King of France, I charge thee join not hands With him that stands accursed of God and men. Know Iohn, that I Pandulph Cardinal of Milan, and Legate from the Sea of Rome, demand of thee in the name of our holy Father the Pope Innocent, why thou dost (contrary to the laws of our holy mother the Church, and our holy father the Pope) disturb the quiet of the Church, and disannul the election of Stephen Langhton, whom his Holiness hath elected Archbishop of Canterbury: this in his Holiness name I demand of thee? And what hast thou or the Pope thy master to do to demand of me, how I employ mine own? Know sir Priest as I honour the Church and holy Churchmen, so I scorn to be subject to the greatest Prelate in the world. Tell thy Master so from me, and say, Iohn of England said it, that never an Italian Priest of them all, shall either have tithe, toll, or poling penny out of England, but as I am King, so will I reign next under God, supreme head both over spiritual and temrall: and he that contradicts me in this, I'll make him hop headless.
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)
Then Duke ſit faſt, I leuell at thy head, Too baſe a ranſome for my fathers life. Princes, I craue the Combat with the Duke That braues it in diſhonor of my Sire. Your words are paſt nor can you now reuerſe The Princely promiſe that reuiues my ſoule, Whereat me thinks I ſee his ſinnews ſhake: This is the boon (dread Lords) which granted once Or life or death are pleaſant to my ſoule; Since I ſhall liue and die in Richards right. Baſe Baſtard, miſbegotten of a King. To interrupt theſe holy nuptiall rytes With brawles and tumults to a Dukes diſgrace: Let it ſuffice, I ſcorne to ioyne in fight, With one ſo farre vnequall to my ſelfe. A fine excuſe, Kings if you wilbe Kings, Then keepe your words, and let vs combat it. Philip, We cannot force the Duke to fight, Being a ſubiect vnto neither Realme: But tell me Auſtria, if an Engliſh Duke Should dare thee thus, wouldſt thou accept the challendge? Els let the world account the Auſtrich Duke The greateſt coward liuing on the Earth. Then cheere thee Philip, Iohn will keepe his word, Kneele downe, in ſight of Philip King of Fraunce And all theſe Princely Lords aſſembled here, I gird thee with the ſword of Normandie, And of that land I doo inueſt thee Duke: So ſhalt thou be in liuing and in land Nothing inferiour vnto Auſtria. K. Iohn, I tell thee flatly to thy face Thou wrongſt mine honour: and that thou maiſt ſee How much I ſcorne thy new made Duke and thee, I flatly ſay, I will not be compeld: And ſo farewell Sir Duke of low degree, Ile finde a time to match you for this geere. Stay Philip, let him goe the honors thine. I cannot liue vnles his life be mine. Thy forwardnes this day hath ioyd my ſoule. And made me thinke my Richard liues in th. Lordings lets in, and ſpend the wedding day In maſkes and triumphs, letting quarrells ceaſe. Stay King of France, I charge thee ioyn not hands With him that ſtands accurſt of God and men. Know Iohn, that I Pandulph Cardinall of Millaine, and Legate from the Sea of Rome, demaund of thee in the name of our holy Father the Pope Innocent, why thou doſt (contrarie to the lawes of our holy mother the Church, and our holye father the Pope) diſturbe the quiet of the Church, and diſanull the election of Stephen Langhton, whom his Holines hath elected Archbiſhop of Canterburie: this in his Holines name I demaund of thee? And what haſt thou or the Pope thy maiſter to doo to demaund of me, how I employ mine owne? Know ſir Prieſt as I honour the Church and holy Churchmen, ſo I ſcorne to be ſubiect to the greateſt Prelate in the world. Tell thy Maiſter ſo from me, and ſay, Iohn of England ſaid it, that neuer an Italian Prieſt of them all, ſhall either haue tythe, tole, or poling penie out of England, but as I am King, ſo wil I raigne next vnder God, ſupreame head both ouer ſpirituall and temrall: and hee that contradicts me in this, Ile make him hoppe headleſſe.