2 The Troublesome Reign of King John · chunk 15 of 19
Anonymous · published 1611 · first performed or written 1591 (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men T15 Friars and holy orders in plot typicality 0.77 · 487 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T15: friar, lord, holy, friars, robin, peggy, lacie, angelo, love, nun.
I'll set a dudgeon dagger at his heart, And with a mallet knock him on the head. Alas, what means this Monk to murder me? Dare lay my life he'll kill me for my place. I'll poison him, and it shall ne'er be known, And then shall I be chiefest of my house. If I were dead indeed he is the next, But I'll away, for why the Monk is mad, And in his madness he will murder me. My L. I cry your Lordship mercy, I saw you not. Alas good Thomas do not murder me, and thou shalt have my place with thousand thanks. I murder you! God shield from such a thought. If thou wilt needs, yet let me say my prayers. I will not hurt your Lordship good my Lord: but if you please, I will impart a thing that shall be beneficial to us all. Wilt thou not hurt me holy Monk? say on. You know my Lord, the King is in our house. True. You know likewise the King abhors a Friar. True. And he that loves not a Friar is our enemy. Thou sayst true. Then the King is our enemy. True. Why then should we not kill our enemy, and the king being our enemy, why then should we not kill the K. O blessed Monk! I see God moves thy mind to free this land from tyrant's slavery. But who dare venture for to do this deed? Who dare? why I my Lord dare do the deed, I'll free my Country and the Church from foes, And merit heaven by killing of a King. Thomas kneel down, and if thou art resolved, I will absolve thee here from all thy sins, For why the deed is meritorious. Forward, and fear not man, for every month, Our Friars shall sing a Mass for Thomas soul. God and S. Francis prosper my attempt, For now my Lord I go about my work. Thus victory in bloody Laurel clad, Follows the fortune of young Lodowick, The Englishmen as daunted at our sight, Fall as the foul before the eagle's eyes, Only two crosses of contrary change Do nip my heart, and vex me with unrest. Lord Melun's death, the one part of my soul, A braver man did never live in France. The other grief, I that's a gall indeed, To think that Dover Castle should hold out 'Gainst all assaults, and rest impregnable. Ye warlike race of Francus Hector's son, Triumph in conquest of that tyrant Iohn, The better half of England is our own: And towards the conquest of the other part, We have the face of all the English Lords, What then remains but overrun the land? Be resolute my warlike followers, And if good fortune serve as she begins, The poorest peasant of the realm of France shallbe a master o'er an English Lord. Fellow, what news?
seed 43: T19 · seed 44: T20 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Ile ſet a dudgeon dagger at his heart, And with a mallet knocke him on the head. Alas, what meanes this Monke to murder me? Dare lay my life hee'l kill me for my place. Ile poyſon him, and it ſhall ne'r be knowne, And then ſhall I be chiefeſt of my houſe. If I were dead indeed he is the next, But Ile away, for why the Monke is mad, And in his madneſſe he will murder me. My L.I cry your Lordſhip mercy, I ſaw you not. Alas good Thomas do not murder me, and thou ſhalt haue my place with thouſand thanks. I murder you! God ſhield from ſuch a thought. If thou wilt needs, yet let me ſay my prayers. I will not hurt your Lordſhip good my Lord: but if you pleaſe, I will impart a thing that ſhall be beneficiall to vs all. Wilt thou not hurt me holy Monke? ſay on. You know my Lord, the King is in our houſe. True. You know likewiſe the King abhorres a Frier. True. And he that loues not a Frier is our enemy. Thou ſaiſt true. Then the King is our enemy. True. Why then ſhould we not kil our enemy, and the king being our enemy, why then ſhould we not kill the K. O bleſſed Monke! I ſee God moues thy minde to free this land from tyrants ſlauery. But who dare venter for to do this deede? Who dare? why I my Lord dare do the deed, Ile free my Countrey and the Church from foes, And merit heauen by killing of a King. Thomas kneele downe, and if thou art reſolu'd, I will abſolue thee here from all thy ſinnes, For why the deede is meritorious. Forward, and feare not man, for euery month, Our Friers ſhall ſing a Maſſe for Thomas ſoule. God and S. Francis proſper my attempt, For now my Lord I goe about my worke. Thus victorie in bloudie Lawrell clad, Followes the fortune of yong Lodowike, The Engliſhmen as danted at our ſight, Fall as the fowle before the Eagles eies, Onely two croſſes of contrary change Do nip my heart, and vex me with vnreſt. Lord Meluns death, the one part of my ſoule, A brauer man did neuer liue in Fraunce. The other griefe, I that's a gall indeed, To thinke that Douer Caſtle ſhould hold out Gainſt all aſſaults, and reſt impregnable. Yee warrelike race of Francus Hectors ſonne, Triumph in conqueſt of that tyrant Iohn, The better halfe of England is our owne: And towards the conqueſt of the other part, We haue the face of all the Engliſh Lords, What then remaines but ouerrunne the land? Be reſolute my warrelike followers, And if good fortune ſerue as ſhee begins, The pooreſt peſant of the realme of France Shalbe a maſter ore an Engliſh Lord. Fellow, what newes?