1 The Troublesome Reign of King John · chunk 15 of 29
Anonymous · published 1611 · first performed or written 1591 (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men unassigned nearest T43 York and Lancaster: dynastic claims and · 472 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T43: henry, king, richard, warwick, york, edward, father, duke, crown, son.
We joy to see so sweet a peace begun. Lewis with Blanch shall ever live content. But now King Iohn, what say you to the Duke? Father, speak as you may in his behalf. K. Iohn, be good unto thy Nephew here, And give him somewhat that shall please you best. Arthur, although thou troublest England's peace Yet here I give thee Britain for thine own, Together with the Earldom of Richmont, And this rich city of Angiers withal, And if thou seek to please thine Uncle Iohn, Shalt see my son how I will make of thee. Now every thing is sorted to this end, Let's in, and there prepare the marriage rites, Which in S. Mary's Chapel presently Shall be performed ere this Presence part. Madam good cheer, these drooping languishments Add no redress to salve our awkward haps, If heavens have concluded these events, To small avail is bitter pensiveness: Seasons will change, and so our present grief May change with them, and all to our relief. Ah boy, thy years I see are far too green To look into the bottom of these cares. But I, who see the poise that weigheth down Thy weal, my wish, and all the willing means Wherewith thy fortune and thy fame should mount. What joy, what ease, what rest can lodge in me, With whom all hope and hap do disagree? Yet Ladies tears, and cares, and solemn shows, Rather than helps, heap up more work for woes. If any power will hear a widows plaint, That from a wounded soul implores revenge; Send fell contagion to infect this clime, This cursed country, where the traitor's breath, Whose perjury (as proud Briareus,) Beleaguers all the Sky with misbelief. He promised Arthur, and he swore it too, To fence thy right, and check thy foe-man's pride: But now black-spotted Perjure as he is, He takes a truce with Elnor's damned brat, And marries Lewis to her lovely Niece, Sharing thy fortune, and thy birthdays gift Between these lovers: ill betid the match. And as they shoulder thee from out thine own, And triumph in a widows tearful cares: So heavens cross them with a thriftless course, Is all the blood yspilt on either part, Closing the crannies of the thirsty earth, Grown to a love-game and a Bridal feast? And must thy birthright bid the wedding banes? Poor helpless boy, hopeless and helpless too, To whom misfortune seems no yoke at all. Thy stay, thy state, thy imminent mishaps Woundeth thy mother's thoughts with feeling care, Why look'st thou pale? the colour flies thy face: I trouble now the fountain of thy youth, And make it muddy with my doles discourse, Go in with me, reply not lovely boy, We must obscure this moan with melody, Lest worser wrack ensue our malcontent.
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)
We ioy to ſee ſo ſweete a peace begun. Lewis with Blanch ſhall euer liue content. But now King Iohn, what ſay you to the Duke? Father, ſpeake as you may in his behalfe. K. Iohn, be good vnto thy Nephew here, And giue him ſomewhat that ſhall pleaſe you beſt. Arthur, although thou troubleſt Englands peace Yet here I giue thee Brittaine for thine owne, Together with the Earledome of Richmont, And this rich cittie of Angiers withall, And if thou ſeeke to pleaſe thine Vncle Iohn, Shalt ſee my ſonne how I will make of thee. Now euery thing is ſorted to this end, Lets in, and there prepare the marriage rites, Which in S. Maries Chappell preſently Shall be performed ere this Preſence part. Madam good cheere, theſe drouping languiſhments Adde no redreſſe to ſalue our awkward haps, If heauens haue concluded theſe euents, To ſmall auaile is bitter penſiueneſſe: Seaſons will change, and ſo our preſent greefe May change with them, and all to our releefe. Ah boy, thy yeares I ſee are farre too greene To looke into the bottome of theſe cares. But I, who ſee the poyſe that weigheth downe Thy weale, my wiſh, and all the willing meanes Wherewith thy fortune and thy fame ſhould mount. What ioy, what eaſe, what reſt can lodge in me, With whom all hope and hap doe diſagree? Yet Ladies teares, and cares, and ſolemn ſhewes, Rather then helpes, heape vp more worke for woes. If any power will heare a widowes plaint, That from a wounded ſoule implores reuenge; Send fell contagion to infect this clime, This curſed countrey, where the traitors breath, Whoſe periurie (as proud Briareus,) Beleaguers all the Skie with miſ-beleefe. He promiſt Arthur, and he ſware it too, To fence thy right, and check thy fo-mans pride: But now black-ſpotted Periure as he is, He takes a truce with Elnors damned brat, And marries Lewis to her louely Neece, Sharing thy fortune, and thy birth-dayes gift Betweene theſe louers: ill betide the match. And as they ſhoulder thee from out thine owne, And triumph in a widowes teareful cares: So heau'ns croſſe them with a thriftleſſe courſe, Is all the bloud yſpilt on either part, Cloſing the cranies of the thirſtie earth, Growne to a loue-game and a Bridall feaſt? And muſt thy birth-right bid the wedding banes? Poore helpeleſſe boy, hopeleſſe and helpleſſe too, To whom miſfortune ſeemes no yoake at all. Thy ſtay, thy ſtate, thy imminent miſhaps Woundeth thy mothers thoughts with feeling care, Why lookſt thou pale? the colour flies thy face: I trouble now the fountaine of thy youth, And make it muddie with my doles diſcourſe, Goe in with me, reply not louely boy, We muſt obſcure this mone with melodie, Leaſt worſer wrack enſue our male-content.