2 The Troublesome Reign of King John · chunk 3 of 19
Anonymous · published 1611 · first performed or written 1591 (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men unassigned nearest T53 The crown: kingship claimed, resigned an · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T53: crown, king, state, life, lord, lords, live, queen, tullia, prince.
King Iohn, although the time I have prescribed Be but twelve hours remaining yet behind, Yet do I know by inspiration, Ere that fixed time be fully come about, King Iohn shall not be king as heretofore. Vain buzzard, what mischance can chance so soon, To set a king beside his regal seat? My heart is good, my body passing strong, My Land in peace, my enemies subdued, Only my barons storm at Arthur's death, But Arthur lives, I there the challenge grows, Were he dispatched unto his longest home, Then were the King secure of thousand foes. Hubert, what news with thee, where are my Lords? Hard news my Lord, Arthur the lovely prince, Seeking to escape over the castle walls, Fell headlong down, and in the cursed fall He broke his bones, and there before the gate Your barons found him dead, and breathless quite. Is Arthur dead? then Hubert without more words hang the Prophet. Away with Peter, villain out of my sight, I am deaf, be gone, let him not speak a word. Now Iohn, thy fears are vanished into smoke, Arthur is dead, thou guiltless of his death. Sweet youth, but that I strived for a crown, I could have well afforded to thine age, Long life, and happiness to thy content. Philip what news with thee? The news I heard was Peter's prayers, Who wished like fortune to befall us all: And with that word, the rope his latest friend, Kept him from falling headlong to the ground. There let him hang, and be the ravens food, While Iohn triumphs in spite of prophecies. But what's the tidings from the Popelings now? What say the Monks and Priests to our proceedings? Or where's the Barons that so suddenly Did leave the king upon a false surmise? The Prelate's storm and thirst for sharp revenge: But please your Majesty, were that the worst, It little skilled: a greater danger grows, Which must be weeded out by careful speed, Or all is lost, for all is leveled at. More frights and fears▪ what ere thy tidings be, I am prepared: then Philip, quickly say, Mean they to murder, or imprison me, To give my Crown away to Rome or France; Or will they each of them become a King? Worse than I think it is, it cannot be. Not worse my Lord, but every whit as bad. The Nobles have elected Lewis King, In right of Lady Blanch, your niece, his wife: His landing is expected every hour, The Nobles, Commons, Clergy, all Estates, Incited chiefly by the Cardinal, Pandulph that lies here Legate for the Pope, Think long to see their new elected King. And for undoubted proof, see here my Liege, Letters to me from your Nobility, To be a party in this action: Who under show of feigned holiness, Appoint their meeting at S. Edmund's Bury, There to consult, conspire, and conclude The overthrow and downfall of your State.
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)
King Iohn, although the time I haue preſcrib'd Be but twelue houres remaining yet behind, Yet doe I know by inſpiration, Ere that fixt time be fully come about, King Iohn ſhall not be king as heretofore. Vaine buzzard, what miſchance can chance ſo ſoone, To ſet a king beſide his regall ſeat? My heart is good, my body paſſing ſtrong, My Land in peace, my enemies ſubdu'd, Onely my barons ſtorme at Arthurs death, But Arthur liues, I there the challenge growes, Were he diſpatch'd vnto his longeſt home, Then were the King ſecure of thouſand foes. Hubert, what newes with thee, where are my Lords? Hard newes my Lord, Arthur the louely prince, Seeking to eſcape ouer the caſtle walles, Fell headlong downe, and in the curſed fall He brake his bones, and there before the gate Your barons found him dead, and breathleſſe quite. Is Arthur dead? then Hubert without more words hang the Prophet. Away with Peter, villain out of my ſight, I am deafe, be gone, let him not ſpeake a word. Now Iohn, thy feares are vaniſht into ſmoake, Arthur is dead, thou guiltleſſe of his death. Sweet youth, but that I ſtriued for a crowne, I could haue well affoarded to thine age, Long life, and happineſſe to thy content. Philip what newes with thee? The newes I heard was Peters prayers, Who wiſht like fortune to befall vs all: And with that word, the rope his lateſt friend, Kept him from falling headlong to the ground. There let him hang, and be the Rauens food, While Iohn triumphs in ſpite of prophecies. But whats the tydings from the Popelings now? What ſay the Monkes and Prieſts to our proceedings? Or where's the Barons that ſo ſuddainely Did leaue the king vpon a falſe ſurmiſe? The Prelates ſtorme and thirſt for ſharp reuenge: But pleaſe your Maieſtie, were that the worſt, It little skild: a greater danger growes, Which muſt be weeded out by carefull ſpeed, Or all is loſt, for all is leueld at. More frights and feares▪ what ere thy tidings be, I am prepar'd: then Philip, quickly ſay, Meane they to murder, or impriſon me, To giue my Crowne away to Rome or France; Or will they each of them become a King? Worſe than I thinke it is, it cannot be. Not worſe my Lord, but euery whit as bad. The Nobles haue elected Lewis King, In right of Lady Blanch, your neece, his wife: His landing is expected euery houre, The Nobles, Commons, Clergie, all Eſtates, Incited chiefly by the Cardinall, Pandulph that lies here Legate for the Pope, Thinke long to ſee their new elected King. And for vndoubted proofe, ſee here my Liege, Letters to me from your Nobilitie, To be a partie in this action: Who vnder ſhew of fained holineſſe, Appoint their meeting at S. Edmunds Burie, There to conſult, conſpire, and conclude The ouerthrowe and downefall of your State.