The True Tragedy of Richard the Third · chunk 19 of 40
Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1591 [1588-1594] (Annals) tragedy; history · Queen Elizabeth's Men unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 497 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
Ah unfortunate Shores wife, dishonour to the King, a shame to thy country, and the only blot of defame to all thy kindred: Ay why was I made fair that a King should favour me? But my friends should have preferred discipline before affection: for they know of my folly, yea my own husband knew of my breach of disloyalty, and yet suffered me, by reason he knew it bootless to kick against the prick. A sweet King Edward, little didst thou think Shore's wife should have been so hardly used, thy unnatural brother not content with my goods which are yet confiscate in his custody, but yet more to add to my present misery, hath proclaimed upon great penalty, that none whatsoever, shall either aid or succour me, but here being comfortless to die in the streets with hunger. I am constrained to beg, but I fear 'tis in vain, for none will pity me. Yet here comes one to whom I have done good, in restoring his lands that were lost, now will I try him to see if he will give me anything. A time how thou sufferest fortune to alter estates, & changest the minds of the good for the worst. How many headless Peers sleep in their graves, whose places are furnish with their inferiors? Such as are neither nobly borne, nor virtuously minded. My heart hardly bewails the loss of the young King, by the outrage of the Protector, who hath proclaimed himself King, by the name of Richard the third. The Commons murmur at it greatly, that the young King and his brother should be imprisoned, but to what end 'tis hard to say, but many think they shall never come forth again. But God do all for the best and that the right heirs may not be utterly overthrown. A gods what a grief is it for me to ask, where I have given. A my good Lord Hastings, how innocently thou diedst the heavens bear witness. Good sir take pity upon me, and relieve me. Indeed 'tis pity to see so fair a face to ask for alms; But tell me, hast thou no friends? Yes sir I had many friends, but when my chiefest friend of all died, the rest then forsook me. Belike then thy fact was notorious, that thy friends leaving thee would let thee go as a spoil for villains. But hearst thou, I prithee tell me the truth, and as I am a gentleman, I will pity thee? A Lodowick, tell thee the truth, why half this entreaty served thee, when thy lands had been clean gone had it not been for Shores wife, and dost thou make me so long to beg for a little. Indeed my lands I had restored me by mistress Shore, but may this be she? I Lodowick, I am she that begged thy lands of King Edward the fourth, therefore I pray thee bestow something on me.
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)
Ah vnfortunate Shores wife, diſhonour to the King, a ſhame to thy countrey, and the onely blot of defame to all thy kindred: Ay why was I made faire that a King ſhould fauour me? But my friends ſhould haue preferd diſcipline before affection: for they know of my folly, yea my owne husband knew of my breach of diſloyaltie, and yet ſuffered me, by reaſon hee knew it bootleſſe to kicke againſt the pricke. A ſweet King Edward, little didſt thou thinke Shores wife ſhould haue bene ſo hardly vſed, thy vnnaturall brother not concent with my goods which are yet confiſcate in his cuſtodie, but yet more to adde to my preſent miſerie, hath proclaimed vpon great penaltie, that none whatſoeuer, ſhall either aide or ſuccour me, but here being comfortleſſe to die in the ſtreets with hunger. I am conſtrained to beg, but I feare tis in vaine, for none will pittie me. Yet here come one to whom I haue done good, in reſtoring his lands that were loſt, now will I trie him to ſee if he will giue mee anything. A time how thou ſuffreſt fortune to alter eſtates, & changeſt the mindes of the good for the worſt. How many headleſſe Peeres ſleepe in their graues, whoſe places are furniſh with thei inferiours? Such as are neither nobly borne, nor vertuouſly minded. My heart hardly bewailes the loſſe of the yoong King, by the outrage of the Protector, who hath proclamed himſelfe King, by the name of Richard the third. The Commons murmure at it greatly, that the yoong King and his brother ſhould be impriſoned, but to what end tis hard to ſay, but many think they ſhall neuer come forth againe. But God do all for the beſt and that the right heires may not be vtterly ouerthrowne. A gods what a griefe is it for me to aske, where I haue giuen. A my good Lord Haſtings, how innocently thou diedſt the heauens beare witneſſe. Good ſir take pittie vppon mee, and releeue mee. Indeed tis pittie to ſee ſo faire a face to aske for almes; But tell me, haſt thou no friends? Yes ſir I had many frends, but when my chiefeſt friend of all died, the reſt then forſooke me. Belike then thy fact was notorious, that thy fiends leauing thee would let thee go as a ſpoyle for villaines. But hearſt thou, I prethie tell me the truth, and as I am a gentleman, I will pittie thee? A Lodowick, tell thee the truth, why halfe this intreatie ſerued thee, when thy lands had bene cleane gone had it not bene for Shores wife, and doeſt thou make me ſo long to begge for a litle. Indeed my lands I had reſtored me by miſtreſſe Shore, but may this be ſhe? I Lodowicke, I am ſhe that begged thy lands of King Edward the fourth, therefore I pray thee beſtow ſomething on me.