The Reign of King Edward the Third · chunk 27 of 39
Anonymous / Shakespeare, William · published 1596 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1590-1595] (Annals) history · Derby's (Strange's) Men (?) T10 England and France: war, embassy and pea typicality 0.82 · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T10: france, french, england, king, lord, english, edward, talbot, peace, lords.
Why so thou shalt, take Horse and post from hence, Only before thou goest, swear by thy faith, That if thou canst not compass my desire, Thou wilt return my prisoner back again, And that shallbe sufficient warrant for me. To that condition I agree my Lord, And will unfeignedly perform the same. Farewell Villiers, Thus once I mean to try a French man's faith. Since they refuse our proffered league my Lord, And will not ope their gates and let us in, We will entrench ourselves on every side, That neither victuals, nor supply of men, May come to succour this accursed town, Famine shall combat where our swords are stopped. The promised aid that made them stand aloof, Is now retired and gone another way: It will repent them of their stubborn will, But what are these poor ragged slaves my Lord? Ask what they are, it seems they come from Callis. You wretched patterns of despair and woe, What are you living men, ere gliding ghosts, Crept from your graves to walk upon the earth, No ghosts my Lord, but men that breathe a life, Far worse than is the quiet sleep of death: we are distressed poor inhabitants, That long have been diseased, sick and lame; And now because we are not fit to serve, The Captain of the town hath thrust us forth, That so expense of victuals may be saved. A charitable deed no doubt, and worthy praise: But how do you imagine then to speed? We are your enemies in such a case, We can no less but put ye to the sword, Since when we proffered truce, it was refused, And if your grace no otherwise vouchsafe, As welcome death is unto us as life. Poor silly men, much wronged, and more distressed, Go Derby go, and see they be relieved, Command that victuals be appointed them, And give to every one five Crowns a piece: The Lion scorns to touch the yielding prey, And Edward's sword must fresh itself in such, As wilful stubbornness hath made perverse. Lord Persie welcome: what's the news in England: The Queen my Lord comes here to your Grace, And from her highness, and the Lord vicegerent, I bring this happy tidings of success, David of Scotland lately up in arms, Thinking belike he soonest should prevail, Your highness being absent from the Realm, Is by the fruitful service of your peers, And painful travel of the Queen herself: That big with child was every day in arms, Vanquished, subdued, and taken prisoner. Thanks Persie for thy news with all my heart, What was he took him prisoner in the field. A Esquire my Lord, Iohn Copland is his name: Who since entreated by her Majesty, Denies to make surrender of his prize, To any but unto your grace alone: Whereat the Queen is grievously displeased. Well then we'll have a Pursuant dispatch, To summon Copland hither out of hand, And with him he shall bring his prisoner king.
seed 43: T8 · seed 44: T8 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Why ſo thou ſhalt, take Horſe and poſt from hence, Onely before thou goeſt, ſweare by thy faith, That if thou canſt not compaſſe my deſire, Thou wilt returne my priſoner backe againe, And that ſhalbe ſufficient warrant for mee. To that condition I agree my Lord, And will vnfaynedly performe the ſame. Farewell Villiers, Thus once I meane to trie a French mans faith. Since they refuſe our profered league my Lord, And will not ope their gates and let vs in, We will intrench our ſelues on euery ſide, That neither vituals, nor ſupply of men, May come to ſuccour this accurſed towne, Famine ſhall combate where our ſwords are ſtopt. The promiſed aid that made them ſtand aloofe, Is now retirde and gone an other way: It will repent them of their ſtubborne will, But what are theſe poore ragged ſlaues my Lord? Aske what they are, it ſeemes they come from Callis. You wretched patterns of diſpayre and woe, What are you liuing men, er glyding ghoſts, Crept from your graues to walke vpon the earth, No ghoſts my Lord, but men that breath a life, Farre worſe then is the quiet ſleepe of death: Wee are diſtreſſed poore inhabitants, That long haue been deſeaſed, ſicke and lame; And now becauſe we are not fit to ſerue, The Captayne of the towne hath thruſt vs foorth, That ſo expence of victuals may be ſaued. A charitable deed no doubt, and worthy praiſe: But how do you imagine then to ſpeed? We are your enemies in ſuch a caſe, We can no leſſe but put ye to the ſword, Since when we proffered truce, it was refuſde, And if your grace no otherwiſe vouchſafe, As welcome death is vnto vs as life. Poore ſilly men, much wrongd, and more diſtreſt, Go Derby go, and ſee they be relieud, Command that victuals be appoynted them, And giue to euery one fiue Crownes a peece: The Lion ſcornes to touch the yeelding pray, And Edwards ſword muſt freſh it ſelfe in ſuch, As wilfull ſtubbornnes hath made peruerſe. Lord Perſie welcome: whats the newes in England: The Queene my Lord comes heere to your Grace, And from hir highneſſe, and the Lord vicegerent, I bring this happie tidings of ſucceſſe, Dauid of Scotland lately vp in armes, Thinking belike he ſooneſt ſhould preuaile, Your highnes being abſent from the Realme, Is by the fruitfull ſeruice of your peeres, And painefull trauell of the Queene her ſelfe: That big with child was euery day in armes, Vanquiſht, ſubdude, and taken priſoner. Thanks Perſie for thy newes with all my hart, What was he tooke him priſoner in the field. A Eſquire my Lord, Iohn Copland is his name: Who ſince intreated by her Maieſtie, Denies to make ſurrender of his prize, To anie but vnto your grace alone: Whereat the Queene is greououſly diſpleaſd. Well then wele haue a Purſiuaunt diſpatch, To ſummon Copland hither out of hand, And with him he ſhall bring his priſoner king.