The True Tragedy of Richard the Third · chunk 34 of 40
Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1591 [1588-1594] (Annals) tragedy; history · Queen Elizabeth's Men unassigned nearest T18 Rebels, barons and the king's wars at ho · 517 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T18: king, lord, wallace, earl, edward, england, scotland, rebels, bruce, english.
Why son, see how contrary you are, for I assure you, the chiefest of his company are liker to fly to thee, than to fight against thee: and for me, think me not so simple but that I can at my pleasure fly to thee, or being with them, fight so faintly, that the battle shall be won on thy part with small encountering. And note this beside, that the King is now come to Lester, and means tomorrow to bid thee battle in Bosworth. Come my Lord, I do descry the enemy. Why then son farewell, I can stay no longer. Yet good father, one word more ere you depart, What number do you think the king's power to be? marry some twenty thousand. And so farewell. And we hardly five thousand, being beset with many enemies, hoping upon a few friends, yet despair not Richmond, but remember thou fightest in right, to defend thy country from the tyranny of an usurping tyrant, therefore Richmond go forward, the more dangerous the battle is in attaining, it proves the more honourable being obtained. Then forward Richmond, God and saint George, for me. The hell of life that hangs upon the Crown, The daily cares, the nightly dreams, The wretched crews, the treason of the foe, And horror of my bloody practice passed, Strikes such a terror to my wounded conscience, That sleep I, wake I, or whatsoever I do, methinks their ghosts comes gaping for revenge, Whom I have slain in reaching for a Crown. Clarence complains, and crieth for revenge. My nephew's bloods, Revenge, revenge, doth cry. The headless Peers comes pressing for revenge. And every one cries, let the tyrant die. The Sun by day shines hotly for revenge. The Moon by night eclipseth for revenge. The stars are turned to Comets for revenge. The Planets change their curtsies for revenge. The birds sing not, but sorrow for revenge. The silly lambs sits bleating for revenge. The shrieking Raven sits croaking for revenge. Whole heads of beasts comes bellowing for revenge. And all, yea all the world I think, Cries for revenge, and nothing but revenge. But to conclude, I have deserved revenge. In company I dare not trust my friend, Being alone, I dread the secret foe: I doubt my food, lest poison lurk therein. My bed is uncouth, rest refrains my head. Then such a life I count far worse to be, Than thousand deaths unto a damned death: How was't death I said? who dare attempt my death? Nay who dare so much as once to think my death? Though enemies there be that would my body kill, Yet shall they leave a never dying mind. But you villains, rebels, traitors as you are, How came the foe in, pressing so near? Where, where, slept the garrison that should a beat them back? Where was our friends to intercept the foe? All gone, quite fled, his loyalty quite laid a-bed? Then vengeance, mischief, horror, with mischance, Wildfire, with whirl winds, light upon your heads, That thus betrayed your Prince by your untruth.
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)
Why ſonne, ſee how contrarie you are, for I aſſure you, the chiefeſt of his company are liker to flie to thee, then to fight againſt thee: and for me, thinke me not ſo ſimple but that I can at my pleaſure flie to thee, or being with them, fight ſo faintly, that the battell ſhall be wonne on thy part with ſmall incountring. And note this beſides, that the King is now come to Leſter, and means to morrow to bid thee battel in Boſworth. Come my Lord, I do diſcry the enemy. Why then ſonne farewell, I can ſtaie no longer. Yet good father, one word more ere you depart, What number do you thinke the kings power to be? Mary ſome twentie thouſand. And ſo farewell. And we hardly fiue thouſand, being beſet with many enemies, hoping vpon a few friends, yet diſpair not Richmond, but remember thou fighteſt in right, to defende thy countrey from the tyrannie of an vſurping tyrant, therefore Richmond goe foreward, the more dangerous the battell is in atteining, it prooues the more honourable being obteined. Then forward Richmond, God and ſaint George, for me. The hell of life that hangs vpon the Crowne, The daily cares, the nightly dreames, The wretched crewes, the treaſon of the foe, And horror of my bloodie practiſe paſt, Strikes ſuch a terror to my wounded conſcience, That ſleepe I, wake I, or whatſoeuer I do, Meethinkes their ghoaſts comes gaping for reuenge, Whom I haue ſlaine in reaching for a Crowne. Clarence complaines, and crieth for reuenge. My Nephues bloods, Reuenge, reuenge, doth crie. The headleſſe Peeres comes preaſing for reuenge. And euery one cries, let the tyrant die. The Sunne by day ſhines hotely for reuenge. The Moone by night eclipſeth for reuenge. The ſtars are turnd to Comets for reuenge. The Planets chaunge their courſies for reuenge. The birds ſing not, but ſorrow for reuenge. The ſilly lambes ſits bleating for reuenge. The ſcreeking Rauen ſits croking for reuenge. Whole heads of beaſts comes bellowing for reuenge. And all, yea all the world I thinke, Cries for reuenge, and nothing but reuenge. But to conclude, I haue deſerued reuenge. In company I dare not truſt my friend, Being alone, I dread the ſecret foe: I doubt my foode, leaſt poyſon lurke therein. My bed is vncoth, reſt refraines my head. Then ſuch a life I count far worſe to be, Then thouſand deaths vnto a damned death: How waſt death I ſaid? who dare attempt my death? Nay who dare ſo much as once to thinke my death? Though enemies there be that would my body kill, Yet ſhall they leaue a neuer dying minde. But you villaines, rebels, traitors as you are, How came the foe in, preaſing ſo neare? Where, where, ſlept the garriſon that ſhould a beat them back? Where was our friends to intercept the foe? All gone, quite fled, his loyaltie quite laid a bed? Then vengeance, miſchiefe, horror, with miſchance, Wilde-fire, with whirle winds, light vpon your heads, That thus betrayd your Prince by your vntruth.