Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1592 [Jun 10] (Annals) moral · Derby's (Strange's) Men unassigned nearest T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
I Dunston, now thou speakest as fits a counsellor, But not as friend to him whom Edgar loves: Father, what wouldest thou have me do in this? Thou seest thy son is sorry for his fault, And I am sure thou would not wish his death, Because a father's care commands the contrary, Then (gentle Father) let me plead for him, And be his pledge for shunning wilful ills. Will Edgar now be found a partial judge, In pleading pardon for a graceless child? Is it not true, that one coal of fire will burn many houses? And one small brack in finest cloth that is, Will both disgrace and blemish the whole piece: So wilful children, spotted with one ill, Are apt to fall to twenty thousand more. And therefore (mighty Sovereign) leave to speak, And pass just sentence on Philarchus' life. My life (dear father) that sentence were too hard, Let me be banished from my country's bounds, And live as exiled in some wilderness, bar from society and sight of men, Or let me hazard fortune on the seas, In setting me aboard some helmless ship, That either I may split upon so me rock, Or else be swallowed in the purple main, Rather than die in presence of my King, Or bring that sorrow to your aged years: If this suffice not, then let me be armed, And left alone among thousand foes, And if my weapon cannot set me free, Let them be means to take my life from me. Father, what say you to Philarchus now? Are you content to pardon his amiss: Dunston, I promise thee, it grieves me much, To hear what piteous moan Philarchus makes: And his humility argues him penitent. But Father, for I will not be the judge, To doom Philarchus either life or death, Here take my robes, and judge him as thou wilt, Then virtuous Prince, seeing you will have it so, Although the place be far unfit for me, I am content your Grace shall have your mind, Thus like an Ass attired in costly robes, Or like a ring thrust in a foul sows snout, So do these robes and sceptre fit mine age: But for I am judge, Philarchus, stand thou forth, And know, as there is nothing so good, but it hath some inconvenience, So there is no man whatsoever without some fault: Yet this is no argument to maintain thy wilful disobedience, As the Rose hath his prickle, the finest Velvet his brack, The fairest flower his bran, so the best wit his wanton will: But (Philarchus) thou hast been more than wanton, Because thou hast disobeyed the laws both of God and nature, The tears that thou hast shed, might warrant me That thou art penitent for thy amiss: Besides (my son) a father's natural care, Doth challenge pardon for thy first amiss. Father, well said, I see thou pitiest him.
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 Dunston, now thou speakest as fits a counsellor, But not as friend to him whom Edgar loues: Father, what wouldest thou haue me doe in this? Thou seest thy sonne is sory for his fault, And I am sure thou would not wish his death, Because a fathers care commands the contrarie, Then (gentle Father) let me plead for him, And be his pledge for shunning wilfull illes. Will Edgar now be found a partiall Iudge, In pleading pardon for a gracelesse childe? Is it not true, that one cole of fyre will burne many houses? And one small bracke in finest cloath that is, Will both disgrace and blemish the whole peece: So wilfull children, spotted with one ill, Are apt to fall to twentie thousand more. And therefore (mightie Soueraigne) leaue to speake, And passe iust sentence on Philarchus lyfe. My life (dear father) that sentence wer too hard, Let me be banisht from my countries bounds, And liue as exilde in some wildernes, Bard from societie and sight of men, Or let me hazard fortune on the seas, In setting me aboord some helmlesse ship, That either I may split vpon so me rocke, Or els be swallowed in the purple Maine, Rather than die in presence of my King, Or bring that sorrow to your aged yeares: If this suffise not, then let me be armde, And left alone ousand foes, And if my weapon cannot set me free, Let them be means to take my lyfe from me. Father, what say you to Philarchus now? Are you content to pardon his amisse: Dunston, I promise thee, it greeues me much, To heare what piteous moane Philarchus makes: And his humilitie argues him penitent. But Father, for I will not be the Iudge, To doome Philarchus either lyfe or death, Here take my robes, and iudge him as thou wilt, Then vertuus Prince, seeing you will haue it so, Although the place be farre vnfit for me, I am content your Grace shall haue your mind, Thus lyke an Asse attyred in costlie robes, Or lyke a ring thrust in a foule Sowes snowt, So doe these robes and scepter fit mine age: But for I am Iudge, Philarchus, stand thou foorth, And know, as ther is nothing so good, but it hath some inconuenience, So there is no man whatsoeuer without some fault: Yet this is no argument to maintaine thy wilfull disobedience, As the Rose hath his prickle, the finest Ueluet his bracke, The fayrest flower his bran, so the best wit his wanton will: But (Philarchus) thou hast bene more than wanton, Because thou hast disobeyed the lawes both of God and nature, The teares that thou hast shed, might warrant me That thou art penitent for thy amisse: Besides (my sonne) a fathers naturall care, Doth chalenge pardon for thy first amisse. Father, well said, I see thou pitiest him.