The True Tragedy of Richard the Third · chunk 25 of 40
Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1591 [1588-1594] (Annals) tragedy; history · Queen Elizabeth's Men unassigned nearest T43 York and Lancaster: dynastic claims and · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T43: henry, king, richard, warwick, york, edward, father, duke, crown, son.
Then thus my Lord. First, the proclamation was death to him that harboured your grace. Ah villain, and a thousand crowns to him that could betray me. Ah my Lord, my obeisance to my Prince is more. Ah villain, thou betrayd'st me for lucre, and not for duty to thy Prince, why Banister, a good servant thinks his life well spent, that spends it in the quarrel of his master. But villain make thyself ready, and here receive thy death. Henry Duke of Buckingham, I arrest thee in King Richard's name as a traitor. Well Herald, I will obey thy rest. But am I arrested in King Richard's name, usurping Richard, that insatiate bloodsucker, that traitor to God & man. Ah Richard, did I in Guildhall plead the Orator for thee, and held thee in all thy sly and wicked practises, and for my reward dost thou allot me death? Ah Buckingham, thou play'dst thy part and made him King, and put the lawful heirs beside: why then is Buckingham guilty now of his death? yet had not the Bishop of Ely fled, I had escaped. Come, the Duke of Buckingham shall not die: We will take him away by force. Why villains, will you be Traitors to your Prince? Nay good my friends give me leave to speak, and let me entreat you to lay your weapons by. Then know this country men, the cause I am thus this, Is for bringing in your lawful King, which is Henry Earl of Richmond now in Britain, and means ere long to land at Milford Haven in Wales, where I do know he shall have aid of the chiefest of the Welsh, he is your lawful King, and this a wrongful usurper. When you shall hear of him landed in that place, then take up weapons and amain to him, he is the man must reave you of this yoke, and send the usurper headless to his home, and poor Buckingham prays upon his knees; to bless good Richmond in his enterprise, and when the conquest shall be given to him, grant he may match with Lady Elizabeth, as promise hath tofore by him been passed, while then my friends, leave me alone to death, and let me take this punishment in peace. Ah Buckingham, was not thy meaning good in displacing the usurper, to raise a lawful king? Ah Buckingham, it was too late, the lawful heirs were smothered in the Tower, sweet Edward and thy brother, I near slept quiet thinking of your deaths. But vaunt Buckingham, thou wast altogether innocent of their deaths. But thou villain, whom of a child I nursed thee up, and hast so unjustly betrayed thy Lord? Let the curse of Buckingham near depart from thee. Let vengeance, mischiefs, tortures, light on thee and thine. And after death thou mayst more torture feel, then when Ixion turns the restless wheel. And ban thy soul where ere thou seem to rest. But come my my friends, let me away.
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)
Then thus my Lord. Firſt, the proclamation was death to him that harboured your grace. Ah villaine, and a thouſand crownes to him that could betraie me. Ah my Lord, my obeyſance to my Prince is more. Ah villain, thou betraiedſt me for lucre, and not for dutie to thy Prince, why Baniſter, a good ſeruant thinkes his life well ſpent, that ſpends it in the quarrel of his maiſter. But villain make thy ſelfe readie, and here receiue thy death. Henry Duke of Buckingham, I areſt thee in King Richards name as a traytor. Well Herald, I will obey thy reſt. But am I arreſted in King Richardes name, vſurping Richard, that inſatiate blood ſuccour, that traitor to God & man. Ah Richard, did I in Guild-Hall pleade the Orator for thee, and held thee in all thy ſlie and wicked practiſes, and for my reward doeſt thou alot me death? Ah Buckingham, thou plaidſt thy part and made him King, and put the lawfull heires beſides: why then is Buckingham guiltie now of his death? yet had not the Biſhop of Ely fled, I had eſcaped. Come, the Duke of Buckingham ſhall not die: We will take him away by force. Why villaines, will you bee Traytours to your Prince? Nay good▪ my friends giue me leaue to ſpeake, and let me intreate you to laie your weapons by. Then know this countrey men, the cauſe I am areſted this, Is for bringing in your lawfull King, which is Henry Earle of Richmond now in Bittaine, and meanes ere long to land at Milford Hauen in Wales, where I doo know hee ſhall haue ayde of the cheefeſt of the Welch, hee is your lawfull King, and this a wrongfull vſurper. When you ſhall heare of him landed in that plce, then take vp weapons and amaine to him, hee is the man muſt reaue you of this yoake, and ſend the vſurper headleſſe to his home, and poore Buckingham praies vpon his knees; to bleſſe▪ good Richmond in his enterpriſe, and when the conqueſt ſhall be giuen to him, graunt he may match with Ladie Elizabeth, as promiſe hath to fore by him bene paſt, while then my friendes, leaue mee alone to death, and let me take this puniſhment in peace. Ah Buckingham, was not thy meaning good in diſplacing the vſurper, to raiſe a lawfull king? Ah Buckingham, it was too late, the lawfull heires were ſmothered in the Tower, ſweet Edward and thy brother, I nere ſlept quiet thinking of your deaths. But vaunt Buckingham, thou waſt altogither innocent of their deaths. But thou vilain, whom of a child I nurſt thee vp, and haſt ſo vniuſtly betraied thy Lorde? Let the curſe of Buckingham nere depart from thee. Let vengeance, miſchiefes, tortures, light on thee and thine. And after death thou maiſt more torture feele, then when Excon turnes the reſtleſſe wheele. And banne thy ſoule where ere thou ſeeme to reſt. But come my my friends, let me away.