The True Tragedy of Richard the Third · chunk 37 of 40
Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1591 [1588-1594] (Annals) tragedy; history · Queen Elizabeth's Men T18 Rebels, barons and the king's wars at ho typicality 0.72 · 526 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T18: king, lord, wallace, earl, edward, england, scotland, rebels, bruce, english.
He is this day beheaded on a stage at Lester, because he took part with my Lord the King. But stay Report, & thou shalt hear me tell the brief discourse. And how the battle fell then know Report, that Richard came to field mounted on horseback, with as high resolve as fierce Achilles 'mongst the sturdy Greeks, whom to encounter worthy Richmond, came accompanied with many followers, and then my Lord displayed his colours straight, and with the charge of Trumpet, Drum, and fife, these brave batallions straight encountered, but in the skirmish which continued long, my Lord 'gan faint, which Richmond straight perceived, and presently did sound afresh alarm, but worthy Richard that did never fly, but followed honour to the gates of death, straight spurred his horse to encounter with the Earl, in which encounter Richmond did prevail, & taking Richard at advantage, then he threw his horse and him both to the ground, and there was worthy Richard wounded, so that after that he near recovered strength. But to be brief, my master would not yield, but with his loss of life he lost the field. Report farewell. Now noble Peers and worthy countrymen, since God hath given us fortune of the day, let us first give thanks unto his Deity, & next with honours fitting your deserts, I must be grateful to my country men, and worthy Oxford for thy service shown in hot encountering of the enemy, Earl Richmond binds himself in lasting bonds of faithful love & perfect unity. Sorry I am for those that I have lost by our so dangerous encountering with the foe, but sorrow cannot bring the dead to life: and therefore are my sorrows spent in vain. Only to those that live, thus much I say, I will maintain them with a manual pay. And loving father, lastly to yourself, though not the least in our expected aid, we give more thanks for your unlooked for aid, than we have power on sudden to declare, but for your thanks I hope it shall suffice that I in nature love & honour you. Well spoken son, and like a man of worth, whose resolution in this battle past, hath made thee famous 'mongst thy enemies. And think my son, I glory more to hear what praise the common people gave of thee, than if the Peers by general full consent had set me down to wear the Diadem. Then live my son thus loved of thy friends, and for thy foes prepare to combat them. And Oxford vows perpetual love to thee, wishing as many honours to Earl Richmond, as Caesar had in conquering the world, & I doubt not but if fair fortune follow thee, to see thee honoured 'mongst thy country men, as Hector was among the Lords of Troy, or Tully 'mongst the Roman Senators. How fares our lovely mother Queen? In health earl Richmond, glad to hear the news that God hath given thee fortune of the day. But tell me Lords, where is my son Lord marquess Dorset, that he is not here? what was he murdered in this Tragedy?
seed 43: T22 · seed 44: T13 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Hee is this day beheaded on a ſtage at Leſter, becauſe he tooke part with my Lord the King. But ſtay Report, & thou ſhalt heare me tell the briefe diſcourſe. And how the battell fell then knowe Report, that Richard came to fielde mounted on horsback, with as high reſolue as fierce Achillis mongſt the ſturdie Greekes, whom to encounter worthie Richmond, came accompanied with many followers, and then my Lord diſplayde his colours ſtraight, and with the charge of Trumpet, Drum, and Fyfe, theſe braue batalians ſtraight encountred, but in the skirmiſh which cōtinued long, my Lord gan faint, which Richmond ſtraight perceiued, and preſently did ſound afreſh alarme, but worthie Richard that did neuer flie, but followed honour to the gates of death, ſtraight ſpurd his horſe to encounter with the Earle, in which encountry Richmond did preuaile, & taking Richard at aduantage, then he threw his horſe and him both to the ground, and there was woorthie Richard wounded, ſo that after that he nere recouered ſtrength. But to be briefe, my maiſter would not yeeld, but with his loſſe of life he loſt the field. Report farewell. Now noble Peeres and woorthie country-men, ſince God hath giuen vs fortune of the day, let vs firſt giue thankes vnto his Deitie, & next with honors fitting your deſerts, I muſt be gratefull to my country men, and woorthie Oxford for thy ſeruice ſhowne in hote encountring of the enemy, Earle Richmond bindes himſelfe in laſting bondes of faithfull loue & perfect vnitie. Sory I am for thoſe that I haue loſt by our ſo dangerous encountring with the foe, but ſorow cannot bring the dead to life: and therefore are my ſorrows ſpent in vaine. Onely to thoſe that liue, thus much I ſay, I will maintain them with a manuall paie. And louing father, laſtly to your ſelf, tho not the leaſt in our expected aide, we giue more thankes for your vnlooked for aide, then we haue power on ſodaine to declare, but for your thanks I hope it ſhall ſuffiſe that I in nature loue & honor you. Well ſpoken ſonne, and like a man of worth, whoſe reſolutiō in this battell paſt, hath made thee famous mongſt thy enemies. And thinke my ſon, I glory more to heare what praiſe the common people gaue of thee, then if the Peeres by general full conſent had ſet me downe to weare the Diadem. Then liue my ſonne thus loued of thy friends, and for thy foes prepare to combate them. And Oxford vowes perpetuall loue to thee, wiſhing as many honours to Earle Richmond, as Caeſar had in conquering the world, & I doubt not but if faire fortune follow thee, to ſee thee honoured mongſt thy country men, as Hector was among the Lords of Troy, or Ylley mongſt the Romane Senators. How fares our louely mother Queene? In health Earle Richmond, glad to heare the newes that God hath giuen thee fortune of the day. But tell me Lords, where is my ſonne Lord Marqueſſe Dorſet, that he is not here? what was he murthered in this Tragedie?