Tancred and Gismund (Gismond of Salerne) · chunk 18 of 29
Wilmot, Robert / Hatton, Christopher / Noel, HenryAl., G.Stafford, Roderick · published 1591 · first performed or written 1567 [1567-1568; revised 1591] (Annals) tragedy · before the Court unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
But I unhappiest have beheld the same, And seeing it, yet feeleth' exceeding grief That slays my heart with horror of that thought. Which grief commands me to obey my rage, And justice urgeth some extreme revenge, To wreak the wrongs that have been offered us. But Nature that hath locked within thy breast Two lives: the same inclineth me to spare Thy blood, and so to keep mine own unspilled. This is that overweening-love I bear To thee undutiful, and undeserved. But for that traitor, he shall surely die, For neither right nor nature doth entreat For him, that wilfully without all awe Of gods, or men, or of our deadly hate, Incurred the just displeasure of his king. And to be brief, I am content to know What for thyself thou canst object to us, Why thou shouldst not together with him die, So to assuage the griefs that overthrow Thy father's heart. O king, and father, humbly give her leave To plead for grace, that stands in your disgrace. Not that she recks this life: for I confess I have deserved, when so it pleaseth you, To die the death. Mine honour and my name (As you suppose) distained with reproach, And well contented shall I meet the stroke That must dissever this detested head From these lewd limbs. But this I wish were known That now I live not for myself alone. For when I saw that neither my request, Nor the entreaty of my careful Aunt, Could win your highness pleasure to our will: " Than Love, heat of the heart, life of the soul, Fed by desire, increasing by restraint, Would not endure controlment any more: But violently enforced my feebled heart. For who am I alas, still to resist Such endless conflicts? To relent and yield Therewith I chose him for my Lord and fere. Guiszard mine Earl that holds my love full dear, Then if it be so settled in your mind, He shall not live because he dared to love Your daughter. Thus I give your Grace to know Within his heart there is enclosed my life. Therefore O father, if that name may be Sweet to your ears, and that we may prevail By name of father, that you favour us. But otherwise, if now we cannot find That which our falsed hope did promise us. Why then proceed, and rid our trembling hearts Of these suspicions: since neither in this case His good deserts in service to your Grace, Which always have been just, nor in desires May mitigate the cruel rage of grief. That strains your heart, but that mine Earl must die Then all in vain you ask what I can say Why I should live, sufficeth for my part To say I will not live, and so resolve. Dar'st thou so desperate decree thy death. A dreadless heart delights in such decrees. Thy kind abhorreth such unkindly thoughts. Unkindly thoughts they are to them that live In kindly love.
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)
But I vnhappiest haue beheld the same, And seeing it, yet feeleth' exceding griefe That slaies my heart with horror of that thought. Which griefe commandes me to obey my rage, And Iustice vrgeth some extreame reuenge, To wreake the wrongs that haue been offred vs. But Nature that hath lockt within thy brest Two liues: the same inclineth me to spare Thy bloud, and so to keep mine owne vnspilt. This is that ouerweening-loue I bear To thee vnduetifull, and vndeserued. But for that traitor, he shal surelie die, For neither right nor nature doth intreat For him, that wilfully without all awe Of gods, or men, or of our deadly hate, Incurde the iust displeasure of his king. And to be briefe, I am content to know What for thy selfe thou canst obiect to vs, Why thou shouldst not together with him die, So to asswage the griefes that ouerthrow Thy fathers heart. O king, and father, humbly geue her leaue To plead for grace, that stands in your disgrace. Not that she recks this life: for I confesse I haue deseru'd, when so it pleaseth you, To die the death. Mine honor and my name (As you suppose) distained with reproach, And wel contented shall I meet the stroke That must disseuer this detested head Frō these lewd limmes. But this I wish were known That now I liue not for my selfe alone. For when I saw that neither my request, Nor the intreatie of my carefull Aunt, Could winne your Highnes pleasure to our will: "Then Loue, heate of the heart, life of the soule, "Fed by desire, increasing by restraint, Would not endure controlment any more: But violently enforst my feebled heart. For who am I alas, still to resist Such endlesse conflicts? To relent and yeelde Therewith I chose him for my Lord and pheare. Guiszard mine Earle that holds my loue full deare, Then if it be so setled in your mind, He shall not liue because he dar'd to loue Your daughter. Thus I geue your Grace to know Within his heart there is inclosde my life. Therfore O father, if that name may be Sweet to your eares, and that we may preuaile By name of father, that you fauour vs. But otherwise, if now we cannot finde That which our falsed hope did promise vs. Why then proceed, and rid our trembling hearts Of these suspitions: since neither in this case His good deserts in seruice to your Grace, Which alwaies haue bin iust, nor in desires May mittigate the cruel rage of griefe. That straines your heart, but that mine Earl must die Then all in vaine you aske what I can say Why I should liue, sufficeth for my part To say I wil not liue, and so resolue. Dar'st thou so desperat decree thy death. A dreadles heart delites in such decrees. Thy kind abhorreth such vnkindly thoughts. Vnkindly thoughts they are to them that liue In kindly loue.