The Wars of Cyrus, King of Persia · chunk 21 of 26
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 0.85 · 531 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
I know and grant my Lord, the prince abounds with peerless gifts and graces of the mind, wherewith the gods have filled his kingly breast, There nought but virtuous motions taketh root, Nothing but honour harbours in that seat, And holy thoughts direct his royal deeds. That so his grace might every way be found, worthy the glory of so high a charge, Yet since these frailties that disgrace your thrall, are human faults and incident to mind, Where strong desires hold reason under yoke, The wonted mercy of my Lord the prince, So prone in favour to the penitent, May mitigate the shame of this my fault. With sweet compassion to his PRINCE's thrall. Araspas I remit thee this amiss, although blame worthy in the highest degree, and for your tried deserts in martial praise, I am content this folly to forget, Yet would I have it seem unto the world, That my displeasure made you fly from me, And so revolted to the Assyrian arms, There this suppose shall make you entertained, and highly favoured of that graceless king, By means whereof ull safely you may learn, The garrison and strength of Babylon, The utmost force and puissance of our foes, With every purpose of Antiochus, The time and place where he intents to fight, Then having learned the full of every thing, In secret you may scape again to me. With just relation of the' Assyrian camp. This service if you please to undertake, You shall effect a singular good turn, and reap mortal thanks at Cyrus' hands. No longer let Araspas live and breath, Then with the utmost venture of his life, He will perform what Cyrus shall command. And sacred price for this extended grace, Though in the compass of this hard affair, I leave th' Assyrian faction to maintain, yet vow to bear a trusty Persian heart. Then go with fortune, and return with health and grant the gods this enterprise of thine, May end and prosper with desired effect. And grant the gods that Cyrus still may live, happy in peace, and in arms victorious. To pacify the angry Panthea's mood, I will persuade her of Araspas flight. That he is revolted to the Assyrian king. Ready the humble handmaid of my Lord. To calm the heat of your offended mind, Thus have I lost as brave a warrior, As ever trod upon the Persian fields. What warrior means my Lord and conqueror? Araspas, who in fear of my displeasure, I fled from me unto th' Assyrian camp, And hath forsook the Persians colours quite, Thus madame for your sake hath Cyrus done, Even lost the worthiest soldier of his band. Cyrus let not his loss perplex your mind, If you will let me send a messenger, Unto my Lord and husband Abradates, I know for these your princely favours done, To me his wife in this my captives plight, He will attend your fortune in the wars. With more sincere affection, love and zeal, Then ever that ungracious person did. Again, my Lord my husband is a knight, As forward treads, and fortunate in arms, As ever spread his colours in the field.
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)
I know and grant my Lord, the prince abounds with peareleſſe gifts and graces of the minde, wherewith the gods haue fild his kingly breaſt, There nought but vertuous motions taketh roote, Nothing but honour harbours in that ſeate, And holy thoughts direct his royall deedes. That ſo his grace might euerie way be found, worthie the glorie of ſo hie a charge, Yet ſince theſe frailties that diſgrace your thrall, are humane faults and incident to minde, Where ſtrong deſires hold reaſon vnder yoke, The wonted mercie of my Lord the prince, So prone in fauour to the penetent, May mittigate the ſhame of this my fault. With ſweete compaſſion to his princes thrall. Araſpas I remit thee this amiſſe, although blame worthie in the hieſt degree, and for your tried deſerts in martiall praiſe, I am content this follie to forget, Yet would I haue it ſeeme vnto the world, That my diſpleaſure made you flie from me, And ſo reuolted to the Aſſyrian armes, There this ſuppoſe ſhall make you intertainde, and highly fauoured of that graceleſſe king, By meanes whereoffull ſafely you may learne, The garriſon and ſtrength of Babylon, The vtmoſt force and puiſſance of our foes, With euerie purpoſe of Antiochns, The time and place where he intents to fight, Then hauing learnde the full of euerie thing, In ſecrete you may ſcape againe to me. With iuſt relation of the▪ Aſſyrian campe. This ſeruice if you pleaſe to vndertake, You ſhall effect a ſinguler good turne, and reape mortall thanks at Cyrus hands. No longer let Araſpas liue and breath, Then with the vtmoſt venture of his life, He will performe what Cyrus ſhall command. And ſacred price for this extended grace, Though in the compaſſe of this hard affaire, I leaue th' Aſſyrian faction to maintaine, yet vow to beare a truſtie Perſian heart. Then go with fortune, and returne with health and grant the gods this enterprice of thine, May end and proſper with deſirde effect. And grant the gods that Cyrus ſtill may liue, happie in peace, and in armes victorious. To pacifie the angrie Pantbeas moode, I will perſwade her of Araſpas flight. That he is reuolted to the Aſſyrian king. Readie the humble handmaid of my Lord. To calme the heate of your offended mind, Thus haue I loſt as braue a warriour, As euer trode vpon the Perſian fields. What warrior means my Lord and conqueror? Araſpas, who in feare of my diſpleaſure, I fled from me vnto th' Aſſyrian campe, And hath forſooke the Perſians colours quite, Thus madame for your ſake hath Cyrus done, Euen loſt the worthieſt ſouldier of his band. Cyrus let not his loſſe perplex your minde, If you will let me ſend a meſſenger, Vnto my Lord and husband Abradates, I know for theſe your princely fauours done, To me his wife in this my captiues plight, He will attend your fortune in the warres. With more ſincere affection, loue and zeale, Then euer that vngracious perſon did. Againe, my Lord my husband is a knight, As forward treads, and fortunate in armes, As euer ſpred his colours in the field.