2 Henry the Sixth (The First Part of the Contention betwixt the Two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster) · chunk 15 of 32
Anonymous / Marlowe, Christopher / Shakespeare, William · published 1600 · first performed or written c.1590 (Annals) history · Pembroke's Men (?) T29 Disguise and pursuit in Look About You typicality 0.85 · 528 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T29: gloster, faukenbridge, skinke, hermit, richard, prince, iohn, porter, henry, brother.
Well hath your grace foreseen into that Duke, And if I had been licensed first to speak, I think I should have told your grace's tale, Smooth runs the brook whereas the stream is deepest. No, no my sovereign, Gloster is a man Unsounded yet, and full of deep deceit. Welcome Lord Somerset, what news from France? Cold news my lord, and this it is, That all your holds and Towns within those Territories. Is over come my Lord, and all is lost. Cold news indeed Lord Somerset, But Gods will be done. Cold news for me, for I had hope of France, Even as I have of fertile England. Pardon my liege, that I have stayed so long. Nay Gloster, know, that thou art come too soon, Unless thou prove more loyal than thou art, We do arrest thee on high treason here. Why Suffolk's duke thou shalt not see me blush Nor change my countenance for thine arrest, Whereof am I guilty, who are my accusers? 'tis thought my lord, your grace took bribes from France, And stopped the soldiers of their pay, By which his majesty hath lost all France. Is it but thought so, and who are they that think so? So God help me, as I have watched the night, Ever intending good for England still, That penny that ever I took from France, Be brought against me at the judgement day, I never robbed the soldiers of their pay, Many a pound of mine own proper cost Have I sent over for the soldiers wants, Because I would not rack the needy Commons. In your Protectorship you did devise, Strange torments for offenders, by which means England hath been defamed by tyranny. Why 'tis well known that whilst I was protector, Pity was all the fault that was in me: A murderer, or foul felonious thief, That robs and murders silly passengers, I tortured above the rate of common law. Tush my lord, these be things of no account. But greater matters are laid unto your charge, I do arrest thee on high treason here, And commit thee to my good Lord Cardinal, Until such time as thou canst clear thyself. Good uncle obey to his arrest, I have no doubt but thou shalt clear thyself, My conscience tells me thou are innocent. Ah gracious Henry these days are dangerous, And would my death might end these miseries, And stay their moods for good King Henry's sake, But I am made the Prologue to their play, And thousands more must follow after me, That dreads not yet their lives destruction, Suffolk's hateful tongue blabs his heart's malice. Gewfords fiery eyes shows his envious mind, Buckingham's proud looks bewrays his cruel thoughts, And dogged York that levels at the Moon. Whose overweening arm I have held back: All you have joined to betray me thus: And you my gracious lady, and Sovereign mistress, Causeless have laid complaints upon my head, I shall not want false witnesses enough, That so amongst you, you may have my life. The proverb no doubt will be well performed, A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.
seed 43: T34 · seed 44: T31 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Well hath your grace foreſeene into that Duke, And if I had beene licenſt firſt to ſpeake, I thinke I ſhould haue told your graces tale, Smooth runs the brooke whereas the ſtreame is deepeſt▪ No, no my ſoueraigne▪ Gloſter is a man Vnſounded yet, and full of deepe deceit. Welcome Lord Somerſet, what newes from France▪ Cold newes my lord, and this it is, That all your holds and Townes within thoſe Territories. Is ouer come my Lord, and all is loſt. Cold newes indeede Lord Somerſet, But Gods will be done. Cold newes for me, for I had hope of France, Euen as I haue of fertill England. Pardon my liege, that I haue ſtaid ſo long. Nay Gloſter, know, that thou art come too ſoon, Vnleſſe thou proue more loyall then thou art, We do arreſt thee on high treaſon here. Why Suffolkes duke thou ſhalt not ſee me bluſh Nor change my countenance for thine arreſt, Whereof am I guiltie, who are my accuſers? Tis thought my lord, your grace tooke bribes from France, And ſtopt the ſouldiers of their pay, By which his maieſtie hath loſt all France. Is it but thought ſo, and who are they that think ſo? So God help me, as I haue watcht the night, Euer intending good for England ſtill, That pennie that euer I tooke from France, Be brought againſt me at the iudgement day, I neuer robd the ſouldiers of their pay, Many a pound of mine owne proper coſt Haue I ſent ouer for the ſouldiers wants, Becauſe I would not racke the needie Commons. In your Protectorſhip you did deuiſe, Strange torments for offendors, by which meanes England hath beene defamde by tyrannie. Why tis well knowne that whilſt I was protector, Pittie was all the fault that was in me: A murtherer, or foule felonious theefe, That robs and murthers ſeely paſſengers, I torturd aboue the rate of common law. Tuſh my lord, theſe be things of no account▪ But greater matters are laid vnto your charge, I do arreſt thee on high treaſon here, And commit thee to my good Lord Cardinall, Vntill ſuch time as thou canſt cleere thy ſelfe. Good vnckle obey to his arreſt, I haue no doubt but thou ſhalt cleere thy ſelfe, My conſcience tels me thou are innocent. Ah gracious Henry theſe daies are dangerous, And would my death might end theſe miſeries, And ſtay their moodes for good King Henries ſake, But I am made the Prologue to their play, And thouſands more muſt follow after me, That dreads not yet their liues deſtruction, Suffolkes hatefull tongue blabs his hearts malice. Gewfords firie eies ſhewes his enuious mind, Buckinghams prowd lookes bewraies his cruel thoughts, And dogged Yorke that leuells at the Moone. Whoſe ouerweening arme I haue held backe: All you haue ioynd to betray me thus: And you my gracious lady, and Soueraigne miſtris, Cauſeleſſe haue laid complaints vpon my head, I ſhall not want falſe witneſſes inow, That ſo amongſt you, you may haue my life. The prouerb no doubt will be well performde, A ſtaffe is quickly found to beate a dog.