Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1588 [1587-1594] (Annals) tragedy · Children of the Chapel (first) (Oxford's Boys) T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so typicality 0.74 · 517 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
This stout Assyrian hath a liberal look, And of my soul is far from treachery, Albeit Gobrias I mistrust thee not, yet tell me being so wealthy and so strong, Why rather yield'st thou to thy enemy, Then live with freedom in Assyria, O know my lord, whilst the Assyrian king, Which in this war was slain, enjoyed the crown, Being highly favoured of his majesty, He sent unto me for mine only son, Meaning to grace me with the nuptial, Of his fair daughter lovely Carmela. I glad to have alliance with the king, Sent him my son. Who coming to the court, Was fair entreated, gently entertained, And well was he that might he his copere, For fair he was and full of sweet demeanour. Pleasant, sharp, wise and liberal, And were he not my son, I would say more, Though his remembrance makes me weep outright. Noble Assyrian either leave to weep, Or speak no more, Cyrus is full of ruth, And when a man of thy estate laments, He cannot choose but weep for company, Dry up these tears and tell the rest. Began to grow familiar with my son, And with him rode a hunting in the woods, where first the hounds put up a russet bear, At which the king flung soon his hunting dart, And missed. But mine threw and pierced his heart. Then suddenly a Lion did arise, At whom likewise he let his javelin fly, And hit him not: which when my son perceived, He overthrew the Lion as the bear. which done, said he, twice have I thrown and sped, whereat the prince snatched from his page a spear, And in a rage murdered my guiltless son. And that (which grieves me more) when he was dead, Albeit the old king wept most bitterly, He neither did repent nor shed a tear, Nor would consent to give him burial, but left him in the field until I came, And took his body in these aged arms, which eke for grief made me to let him fall, And then a fresh made him to bleed again, And me to weep upon his naked breast, Oh judge my lord, if you have had a son, How heavily I brook his timeless death. Oh judge my lord, whether that I have cause To offer service to that murderer, On whom I cannot look, but in his face as in a glass I see my slaughtered son. Gobrias thou hast just cause to revolt, And we to trust thy welcome unto us, And for the thousand horse which thou hast lost, we will requite them with a greater gift, be thou lieutenant of the Arcanians. I humbly thank your royal majesty, And here in presence of the Persian lords, adopt you heir of all my provinces, My holds and castles, villages and towns, Conditionally that I may be revenged, On this arch-tyrant murderer of my son. Saving one daughter I have never a child, And she endued with jewels, plate and gold, shall be bestowed as you my lord think best.
seed 43: T18 · seed 44: T18 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
This ſtout Aſſyrian hath a liberall looke, And of my ſoule is farte from trecherie, Albeit Gobrias I miſtruſt thee not, yet tell me being ſo wealthie and ſo ſtrong, Why rather yeeldſt thou to thy enimie, Then liue with freedome in Aſſyria, O know my lord, whileſt the Aſſyrian king, Which in this warre was ſlaine, enioyed the crowne, Being highly fauoured of his maieſtie, He ſent vnto me for mine onely ſonne, Meaning to grace me with the nuptiall, Of his faire daughter louely Carmela. I glad to haue alyance with the king, Sent him my ſonne. Who comming to the court, Was faire entreated, gently entertained, And well was he that might he his copere, For faire he was and full of ſweete demeanour. Pleaſant, ſharpe, wiſe and liberall, And were he not my ſonne, I would ſay more, Though his remembrance makes me weepe outright. Noble Aſſyrian either leaue to weepe, Or ſpeake no more▪ Cyrus is full of ruth, And when a man of thy eſtate laments, He cannot chuſe but weepe for companie, Drie vp theſe teares and tell the reſt. Began to grow familiar with my ſonne, And with him rode a hunting in the woods, where firſt the hounds put vp a ruſſet beare, At which the king floong ſoone his hunting dart, And miſſed▪ But mine threw and pearced his heart. Then ſodainly a Lion did ariſe, At whom likewiſe he let his Iauelin flie, And hit him not: which when my ſonne perceyude, He ouerthrew the Lion as the beare. which done, ſaid he, twice haue I throwne and ſped, whereat the prince ſnatcht from his page a ſpeare, And in a rage murdered my guiltleſſe ſonne. And that (which greeues me more) when he was dead, Albeit the old king wept m oſt bitterly, He neither did repent nor ſhed a teare, Nor would conſent to giue him buriall, but left him in the field vntill I came, And tooke his bodie in theſe aged armes, which eke for griefe made me to let him fall, And then a freſh made him to bleed againe, And me to weepe vpon his haked breaſt, Oh iudge my lord, if you haue had a ſonne, How heauily I brooke his timeleſſe death. Oh iudge my lord, whether that I haue cauſe To offer ſeruice to that murtherer, On whom I cannot looke, but in his face as in a glaſſe I ſee my ſlaughtered ſonne. Gobrius thou haſt iuſt cauſe to reuolt, And we to truſt thy welcome vnto vs, And for the thouſand horſe which thou haſt loſt, we will requite them with a greater gift, be thou lieutenant of the Archaniaus. I humblie thanke your royall maieſtie, And here in preſence of the Perſian lords, adopt you heire of all my prouinces, My holdes and caſtels, villages and townes, Conditionally that I may be reuenged, On this archtyrant murderer of my ſonne. Sauing one daughter I haue neuer a child, And ſhe endued with iewels, plate and golde, ſhall be beſtowed as you my lord thinke beſt.