2 Henry the Sixth (The First Part of the Contention betwixt the Two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster) · chunk 9 of 49
Anonymous / Marlowe, Christopher / Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written c.1590 (Annals) history · Pembroke's Men (?) unassigned nearest T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour · 503 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
That can I witness, and a fouler fact Did never Traitor in the Land commit. Peace headstrong Warwick. Image of Pride, why should I hold my peace? Because here is a man accused of Treason, Pray God the Duke of York excuse himself. Doth any one accuse York for a Traitor? What meanest thou, Suffolk? tell me, what are these? Please it your Majesty, this is the man That doth accuse his Master of High Treason; His words were these: That Richard, Duke of York, Was rightful Heir unto the English Crown, And that your Majesty was an Usurper. Say man, were these thy words? an't shall please your Majesty, I never said nor thought any such matter: God is my witness, I am falsely accused by the Villain. By these ten bones, my Lords, he did speak them to me in the Garret one Night, as we were scouring my Lord of York's Armour. Base Dunghill Villain, and Mechanical, I'll have thy Head for this thy Traitor's speech: I do beseech your Royal Majesty, Let him have all the rigour of the Law. Alas, my Lord, hang me if ever I spoke the words: my accuser is my Apprentice, and when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did vow upon his knees he would be even with me: I have good witness of this; therefore I beseech your Majesty, do not cast away an honest man for a Villain's accusation. Uncle, what shall we say to this in law? This doom, my Lord, if I may judge: Let Somerset be Regent o'er the French, Because in York this breeds suspicion; And let these have a day appointed them For single Combat, in convenient place, For he hath witness of his servant's malice: This is the Law, and this Duke Humfrey's doom. I humbly thank your Royal Majesty. And I accept the Combat willingly. Alas, my Lord, I cannot fight; for God's sake pity my case: the spite of man prevaileth against me. O Lord have mercy upon me, I shall never be able to fight a blow: O Lord my heart. Sirrah, or you must fight, or else be hanged. Away with them to Prison: and the day of Combat, shall be the last of the next month. Come Somerset, we'll see thee sent away. Come my Masters, the Duchess I tell you expects performance of your promises. Master Hume, we are therefore provided: will her Ladyship behold and hear our Exorcisms? I, what else? fear you not her courage. I have heard her reported to be a Woman of an invincible spirit: but it shall be convenient, Master Hume, that you be by her aloft, while we be busy below; and so I pray you go in God's Name, and leave us. Mother Iordan, be you prostrate, and grovel on the Earth; Iohn Southwell read you, and let us to our work. Well said my Masters, and welcome all: To this gear, the sooner the better.
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)
That can I witneſſe, and a fouler fact Did neuer Traytor in the Land commit. Peace head-ſtrong Warwicke. Image of Pride, why ſhould I hold my peace? Becauſe here is a man accuſed of Treaſon, Pray God the Duke of Yorke excuſe himſelfe. Doth any one accuſe Yorke for a Traytor? What mean'ſt thou, Suffolke? tell me, what are theſe? Pleaſe it your Maieſtie, this is the man That doth accuſe his Maſter of High Treaſon; His words were theſe: That Richard, Duke of Yorke, Was rightfull Heire vnto the Engliſh Crowne, And that your Maieſtie was an Vſurper. Say man, were theſe thy words? And't ſhall pleaſe your Maieſtie, I neuer ſayd nor thought any ſuch matter: God is my witneſſe, I am falſely accus'd by the Villaine. By theſe tenne bones, my Lords, hee did ſpeake them to me in the Garret one Night, as wee were ſcowring my Lord of Yorkes Armor. Baſe Dunghill Villaine, and Mechanicall, Ile haue thy Head for this thy Traytors ſpeech: I doe beſeech your Royall Maieſtie, Let him haue all the rigor of the Law. Alas, my Lord, hang me if euer I ſpake the words: my accuſer is my Prentice, and when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did vow vpon his knees he would be euen with me: I haue good witneſſe of this; therefore I beſeech your Maieſtie, doe not caſt away an honeſt man for a Villaines accuſation. Vnckle, what ſhall we ſay to this in law? This doome, my Lord, if I may iudge: Let Somerſet be Regent o're the French, Becauſe in Yorke this breedes ſuſpition; And let theſe haue a day appointed them For ſingle Combat, in conuenient place, For he hath witneſſe of his ſeruants malice: This is the Law, and this Duke Humfreyes doome. I humbly thanke your Royall Maieſtie. And I accept the Combat willingly. Alas, my Lord, I cannot fight; for Gods ſake pitty my caſe: the ſpight of man preuayleth againſt me. O Lord haue mercy vpon me, I ſhall neuer be able to fight a blow: O Lord my heart. Sirrha, or you muſt fight, or elſe be hang'd. Away with them to Priſon: and the day of Combat, ſhall be the laſt of the next moneth. Come Somerſet, wee'le ſee thee ſent away. Come my Maſters, the Ducheſſe I tell you expects performance of your promiſes. Maſter Hume, we are therefore prouided: will her Ladyſhip behold and heare our Exorciſmes? I, what elſe? feare you not her courage. I haue heard her reported to be a Woman of an inuincible ſpirit: but it ſhall be conuenient, Maſter Hume, that you be by her aloft, while wee be buſie below; and ſo I pray you goe in Gods Name, and leaue vs. Mother Iordan, be you proſtrate, and grouell on the Earth; Iohn Southwell reade you, and let vs to our worke. Well ſaid my Maſters, and welcome all: To this geere, the ſooner the better.