2 The Troublesome Reign of King John · chunk 10 of 19
Anonymous · published 1611 · first performed or written 1591 (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men unassigned nearest T18 Rebels, barons and the king's wars at ho · 530 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T18: king, lord, wallace, earl, edward, england, scotland, rebels, bruce, english.
I rest assured on your holy oath, And on this Altar in like sort I swear Love to you all, and princely recompense To guerdon your good wills unto the full. And since I am at this religious shrine, My good well-willers give us leave awhile, To use some orisons ourselves apart, To all the holy company of heaven, That they will smile upon our purposes, And bring them to a fortunate event. We leave your Highness to your good intent. Now Viscount Meloun, what remains behind? Trust me these traitors to their Sovereign State, Are not to be believed in any sort. Indeed my Lord, they that infringe their oaths, And play the Rebels 'gainst their native King, Will for as little cause revolt from you, If ever opportunity incite them so: For once forsworn, and never after sound, There's no affiance after perjury. Well Meloun, well, let's smooth with them awhile, Until we have as much as they can do: And when their virtue is exhaled dry, I'll hang them for the guerdon of their help: Mean while we'll use them as a precious poison, To undertake the issue of our hope. 'tis policy (my Lord) to bait our hooks With merry smiles, and promise of much weight: But when your Highness needeth them no more. 'tis good make sure work with them, lest indeed They prove to you as to their natural King. Trust me my Lord, right well have you advised, Venom for use, but never for a sport Is to be dallied with, lest it infect. Were you installed, as soon I hope you shall: Be free from traitors, and dispatch them all. That so I mean, I swear before you all On this same Altar, and by heavens power, There's not an English traitor of them all, Iohn once dispatched, and I fair England's King, Shall on his shoulders bear his head one day, But I will crop it for their guilts desert: Nor shall their heirs enjoy their signiories, But perish by their parents foul amiss. This have I sworn, and this will I perform, If ere I come unto the height I hope. Lay down your hands, and swear the same with me. Why so, now call them in, and speak them fair, A smile of France will feed an English fool. Bear them in hand as friends, for so they be: But in the heart like traitors as they are. Now famous followers, chieftains of the world, Have we solicited with hearty prayer The heaven in favour of our high attempt. Leave we this place, and march we with our power To rouse the tyrant from his chiefest hold: And when our labours have a prosperous end, Each man shall reap the fruit of his desert. And so resolved, brave followers let us hence. Thus Iohn, thou art absolved from all thy sins, And freed by order from our Father's curse. Receive thy Crown again, with this proviso, That thou remain true liegeman to the Pope, And carry arms in right of holy Rome. I hold the same as tenant to the Pope, And thank your Holiness for your kindness shown.
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)
I reſt aſſured on your holy oath, And on this Altar in like ſort I ſweare Loue to you all, and princely recompence To guerdon your good wils vnto the full. And ſince I am at this religious ſhrine, My good wel-willers giue vs leaue awhile, To vſe ſome orizons our ſelues apart, To all the holy company of heauen, That they will ſmile vpon our purpoſes, And bring them to a fortunate euent. We leaue your Higneſſe to your good intent. Now Vicount Meloun, what remains behind? Truſt me theſe traytors to their Soueraigne State, Are not to be beleeu'd in any ſort. Indeed my Lord, they that infringe their oths, And play the Rebels gainſt their natiue King, Will for as little cauſe reuolt from you, If euer opportunitie incite them ſo: For once forſworne, and neuer after ſound, There's no affiance after periury. Well Meloun, wel, let's ſmooth with thē awhile, Vntill we haue as much as they can doe: And when their vertue is exhaled drie, Ile hang them for the guerdon of their helpe: Meane while wee'l vſe them as a pretious poyſon, To vndertake the iſſue of our hope. Tis policy (my Lord) to bait our hookes With merry ſmiles, and promiſe of much weight: But when your Highneſſe needeth them no more. Tis good make ſure worke with them, leſt indeede They prooue to you as to their naturall King. Truſt mee my Lord, right well haue you aduiſde, Venome for vſe, but neuer for a ſport Is to be dallied with, leſt it infect. Were you inſtald, as ſoone I hope you ſhall: Be free from traitors, and diſpatch them all. That ſo I meane, I ſweare before you all On this ſame Altar, and by heauens power, Theres not an Engliſh traitor of them all, Iohn once diſpatcht, and I faire Englands King, Shall on his ſhoulders beare his head one day, But I will crop it for their guilts deſert: Nor ſhall their heires inioy their Seigniories, But periſh by their parents foule amiſſe. This haue I ſworne, and this will I performe, If ere I come vnto the height I hope. Lay downe your hands, and ſweare the ſame with me. Why ſo, now call them in, and ſpeake them faire, A ſmile of Fraunce will feed an Engliſh foole. Beare them in hand as friends, for ſo they be: But in the heart like traitors as they are. Now famous followers, chiefetaines of the world, Haue we ſollicited with hearty prayer The heauen in fauour of our high attempt. Leaue we this place, and march we with our power To rowſe the tyrant from his chiefeſt hold: And when our labours haue a proſprous end, Each man ſhall reape the fruit of his deſert. And ſo reſolu'd, braue followers let vs hence. Thus Iohn, thou art abſolu'd from all thy ſinnes, And freed by order from our Fathers curſe. Receiue thy Crowne againe, with this prouiſo, That thou remaine true liegeman to the Pope, And carry armes in right of holy Rome. I holde the ſame as tenant to the Pope, And thanke your Holineſſe for your kindneſſe ſhewne.