The True Tragedy of Richard the Third · chunk 24 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.
Nay then, new officers, new laws, would we had kept the old still. But who are they whose ghastly looks doth present a dying fear to my living body. I prithee tell me Miles what are they? One my Lord is called Iack Denten, the other is called Will Slawter. But why starts your grace? Slawter, I pray God he come not to slaughter my brother and me, for from murder and slaughter, good Lord deliver us. But tell me Miles is our lodging prepared? I my Lord, if it please your brother & you to walk up. Then come brother, we will go to bed. I will attend upon your grace. Come Miles Forest bear us company. Sirs stay you two here, and when they are asleep i'll call you up. I promise thee Will, it grieves me to see what moan these young Princes make, I had rather than forty pounds I had near ta'en it in hand, 'tis a dangerous matter to kill innocent princes, I like it not. Why you base slave, are you faint hearted, a little thing would make me strike thee, I promise thee. Nay go forward, for now I am resolute: but come, let's too it. I prithee stay, he'll call us up anon. But sirrah Jack, didst thou mark how the King started when he heard my name? What will he do when he feels me? But ho sirs, come softly, for now they are at rest. Come we are ready, by the mass they are asleep indeed. I hear they sleep, and sleep sweet Princes, never wake no more, for you have seen the last light in this world. Come press them down, it boots not to cry again, jack upon them so lustily. But master Forest now they are dead what shall we do with them? Why go and bury them at the heap of stones at the stair foot, while I go and tell master Tyrell that the deed is done. Well we will, farewell master Forest. I now Myles Forest, is this deed dispatcht? ay sir, a bloody deed we have performed. But tell me, what hast thou done with them? I have conveyed them to the stairs foot among a heap of stones, and anon i'll carry them where they shall be no more found again, nor all the chronicles shall near make mention what shall become of them: yet good master Tyrell, tell the King my name, that he may but reward me with a kingly thanks. I will go certify the King with speed, that Myles Forest, Will Slawter, and Iack Denten, they three have done the deed. And so farewell. Ah good my Lord, save my life. Ah villain, how canst thou ask for mercy, when thou hast so unjustly betrayed me? I desire your grace but give me leave to speak. I speak thy last villain, that those that hear it, may see how unjustly thou hast betrayed 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)
Nay then, new officers, new lawes, would we had kept the old ſtill. But who are they whoſe gaſtly lookes doth preſent a dying feare to my liuing bodie. I prethee tell me Myles what are they? One my Lord is called Iack Denten, the other is called Will Slawter. But why ſtarts your grace? Slawter, I pray God he come not to ſlaughter my brother and me, for from murther and ſlaughter, good Lord deliuer vs. But tell me Myles is our lodging prepared? I my Lord, if it pleaſe your brother & you to walke vp. Then come brother, we will go to bed. I will attend vpon your grace. Come Myles Foreſt beare vs company. Sirs ſtaie you two here, and when they are a ſleep ile call you vp. I promiſe thee Will, it greeues mee to ſee what mone theſe yoong Princes make, I had rather then fortie pounds I had nere tane it in hand, tis a dangerous matter to kill innocent princes, I like it not. Why you baſe ſlaue, are you faint hearted, a little thing would make me ſtrike thee, I promiſe thee. Nay go forward, for now I am reſolute: but come, lets too it. I prethee ſtaie, heele call vs vp anon. But ſirrha Iacke, didſt thou mark how the King ſtarted when he heard my name? What will he do when he feeles me? But ho ſirs, come ſoftly, for now they are at reſt. Come we are readie, by the maſſe they are a ſleepe indeed. I heare they ſleep, and ſleepe ſweet Princes, neuer wake no more, for you haue ſeene the laſt light in this world. Come preſſe them downe, it bootes not to cry againe, vpon them ſo luſtily. But maiſter Foreſt now they are dead t ſhall we do with them? Why goe and bury them at the heape of ſtones at the ſtaire foot I goe and tell maiſter Terrell that the deed is done. Well we will, farewell maiſter Foreſt. I now Myles Foreſt, is this deed diſpatcht? I ſir, a bloodie deed we haue performed. But tell me, what haſt thou done with them? I haue conueyd them to the ſtaires foote among a heape of ſtones, and anon ile carry them where they ſhall be no more found againe, nor all the cronicles ſhall nere make mentiō what ſhall become of them: yet good maiſter Terrell, tell the King my name, that he may but reward me with a kingly thanks. I wil go certifie the King with ſpeed, that Myles Foreſt, Will Slawter, and Iack Denten, they three haue done the deed. And ſo farewell. Ah good my Lord, ſaue my life. Ah villaine, how canſt thou aske for mercie, when thou haſt ſo vniuſtly betraied me? I deſire your grace but giue me leaue to ſpeake. I ſpeake thy laſt villain, that thoſe that heare it, may ſee how vniuſtly thou haſt betraied me.