2 Henry the Sixth (The First Part of the Contention betwixt the Two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster) · chunk 15 of 49
Anonymous / Marlowe, Christopher / Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written c.1590 (Annals) history · Pembroke's Men (?) unassigned nearest T43 York and Lancaster: dynastic claims and · 470 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T43: henry, king, richard, warwick, york, edward, father, duke, crown, son.
Long live our Sovereign Richard, England's King. We thank you Lords: But I am not your King, till I be Crowned, And that my Sword be stained With heartblood of the House of Lancaster: And that's not suddenly to be performed, But with advice and silent secrecy. Do you as I do in these dangerous days, Wink at the Duke of Saffolkes' insolence, At Beauford's Pride, at Somersets' Ambition, At Buckingham, and all the Crew of them, Till they have snared the Shepherd of the Flock, That virtuous Prince, the good Duke Humphrey: 'Tis that they seek; and they, in seeking that, Shall find their deaths, if Yorke can prophesy. My Lord, break we off; we know your mind at full. My heart assures me, that the Earl of Warwick Shall one day make the Duke of York a King. And Nevil, this I do assure myself, Richard shall live to make the Earl of Warwick The greatest man in England, but the King. Stand forth Dame Elinor Cobham, Gloucester's Wife: In sight of God, and us, your guilt is great, Receive the Sentence of the Law for sin, Such as by God's Book are adjudged to death. You four from hence to Prison, back again; From thence, unto the place of Execution: The Witch in Smithfield shall be burnt to ashes, And you three shall be strangled on the Gallows. You Madame, for you are more Nobly-borne, Despoiled of your Honour in your Life, Shall, after three days open Penance done, Live in your Country here, in Banishment, With Sir Iohn Stanley, in the I'll of Man. Welcome is Banishment, welcome were my Death. Elinor, the Law thou seest hath judged thee, I cannot justify whom the Law condemns: Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief. Ah Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age, Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground. I beseech your Majesty give me leave to go; Sorrow would solace, and mine Age would ease. Stay Humphrey, Duke of Gloster, Ere thou go, give up thy Staff, Henry will to himself Protector be, And God shall be my hope, my stay, my guide, And Lantern to my feet: And go in peace, Humphrey, no less beloved, Then when thou wert Protector to thy King. I see no reason, why a King of years Should be to be protected like a Child, God and King Henry govern England's Realm: Give up your Staff, Sir, and the King his Realm. My Staff? Here, Noble Henry, is my Staff: As willingly do I the same resign, As ere thy Father Henry made it mine; And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it, As others would ambitiously receive it. Farewell good King: when I am dead, and gone, May honourable Peace attend thy Throne.
seed 43: T8 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Long liue our Soueraigne Richard, Englands King. We thanke you Lords: But I am not your King, till I be Crown'd, And that my Sword be ſtayn'd With heart-blood of the Houſe of Lancaſter: And that's not ſuddenly to be perform'd, But with aduice and ſilent ſecrecie. Doe you as I doe in theſe dangerous dayes, Winke at the Duke of Saffolkes inſolence, At Beaufords Pride, at Somerſets Ambition, At Buckingham, and all the Crew of them, Till they haue ſnar'd the Shepheard of the Flock, That vertuous Prince, the good Duke Humfrey: 'Tis that they ſeeke; and they, in ſeeking that, Shall finde their deaths, if Yorke an prophecie. My Lord, breake we off; we know your minde at full. My heart aſſures me, that the Earle of Warwick Shall one day make the Duke of Yorke a King. And Neuill, this I doe aſſure my ſelfe, Richard ſhall liue to make the Earle of Warwick The greateſt man in England, but the King. Stand forth Dame Elianor Cobham, Glosters Wife: In ſight of God, and vs, your guilt is great, Receiue the Sentence of the Law for ſinne, Such as by Gods Booke are adiudg'd to death. You foure from hence to Priſon, back againe; From thence, vnto the place of Execution: The Witch in Smithfield ſhall be burnt to aſhes, And you three ſhall be ſtrangled on the Gallowes. You Madame, for you are more Nobly-borne, Deſpoyled of your Honor in your Life, Shall, after three dayes open Penance done, Liue in your Countrey here, in Baniſhment, With Sir Iohn Stanly, in the Ile of Man. Welcome is Baniſhment, welcome were my Death. Elianor, the Law thou ſeeſt hath iudged thee, I cannot iuſtifie whom the Law condemnes: Mine eyes are full of teares, my heart of griefe. Ah Humfrey, this diſhonor in thine age, Will bring thy head with ſorrow to the ground. I beſeech your Maieſtie giue me leaue to goe; Sorrow would ſollace, and mine Age would eaſe. Stay Humfrey, Duke of Gloſter, Ere thou goe, giue vp thy Staffe, Henry will to himſelfe Protector be, And God ſhall be my hope, my ſtay, my guide, And Lanthorne to my feete: And goe in peace, Humfrey, no leſſe belou'd, Then when thou wert Protector to thy King. I ſee no reaſon, why a King of yeeres Should be to be protected like a Child, God and King Henry gouerne Englands Realme: Giue vp your Staffe, Sir, and the King his Realme. My Staffe? Here, Noble Henry, is my Staffe: As willingly doe I the ſame reſigne, As ere thy Father Henry made it mine; And euen as willingly at thy feete I leaue it, As others would ambitiouſly receiue it. Farewell good King: when I am dead, and gone, May honorable Peace attend thy Throne.