The Reign of King Edward the Third · chunk 33 of 39
Anonymous / Shakespeare, William · published 1596 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1590-1595] (Annals) history · Derby's (Strange's) Men (?) unassigned nearest T13 Knights, squires and ladies · 506 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T13: knight, raph, lady, knights, george, master, squire, rafe, pray, god.
I now I call to mind the prophesy, But I must give no entrance to a fear, Return and hearten up these yielding souls, Tell them the ravens seeing them in arms, So many fair against a famished few, Come but to dine upon their handy work, and pray upon the carrion that they kill, For when we see a horse laid down to die, although not dead, the ravenous birds Sit watching the departure of his life, Even so these ravens for the carcases, Of those poor English that are marked to die, Hover about, and if they cry to us, 'tis but for meat that we must kill for them, Away and comfort up my soldiers, and sound the trumpets, and at once dispatch This little business of a silly fraud. Behold my liege, this knight and forty more, Of whom the better part are slain and fled, With all endeavour sought to break our ranks, And make their way to the encompassed prince, Dispose of him as please your majesty. Go, & the next bough, soldier, that thou seest, Disgrace it with his body presently, Eor I doo hold a tree in France too good, To be the gallows of an English thief. My Lord of Normandie, I have your pass, And warrant for my safety through this land. Villiers procured it for thee, did he not? He did. And it is currant, thou shalt freely pass. I freely to the gallows to be hanged, Without denial or impediment. Away with him. I hope your highness will not so disgrace me, and dash the virtue of my seal at arms, He hath my never broken name to show, Charactered with this princely hand of mine, and rather let me leave to be a prince, Than break the stable verdict of a prince, I do beseech you let him pass in quiet, Thou and thy word lie both in my command, What canst thou promise that I cannot break? Which of these twain is greater infamy, To disobey thy father or thyself? Thy word nor no man's may exceed his power, Nor that same man doth never break his word, That keeps it to the utmost of his power. The breach of faith dwells in the soul's consent, Which if thyself without consent do break, Thou art not charged with the breach of faith, Go hang him, for thy licence lies in me, and my constraint stands the excuse for thee. What am I not a soldier in my word? Then arms adieu, and let them fight that list, Shall I not give my girdle from my waist, But with a gardion I shall be controlled, To say I may not give my things away, Upon my soul, had Edward prince of Wales engaged his word, writ down his noble hand, For all your knights to pass his father's land, The royal king to grace his warlike son, Would not alone safe conduct give to them. But with all bounty feasted them and theirs.
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)
I now I call to mind the propheſie, But I muſt giue no enter to a feare, Returne and harten vp yeelding ſoules, Tell them the rauens ſeeing them in armes, So many faire againſt a famiſht few, Come but to dine vpon their handie worke, and praie vpon the carrion that they kill, For when we ſee a horſe laid downe to die, although not dead, the rauenous birds Sit watching the departure of his life, Euen ſo theſe rauens for the carcaſes, Of thoſe poore Engliſh that are markt to die, Houer about, and if they crie to vs, Tis but for meate that we muſt kill for them, Awaie and comfort vp my ſouldiers, and ſound the trumpets, and at once diſpatch This litle buſines of a ſilly fraude. Behold my liege, this knight and fortie mo, Of whom the better part are ſlaine and ſled, With all indeuor ſought to breake our rankes, And make their wae to the incompaſt prince, Diſpoſe of him as pleaſe your maieſtie. Go, & the next bough, ſouldier, that thou ſeeſt, Diſgrace it with his bodie preſently, Eor I doo hold a tree in France too good, To be the gallowes of an Engliſh theefe. My Lord of Normandie, I haue your paſſe, And warrant for my ſafetie through this land. Villiers procurd it for thee, did he not? He did. And it is currant, thou ſhalt freely paſſe. I freely to the gallows to be hangd, Without deniall or impediment. Awaie with him. I hope your highnes will not ſo diſgrace me, and daſh the vertue of my ſeale at armes, He hath my neuer broken name to ſhew, Carectred with this princely hande of mine, and rather let me leaue to be a prince, Than break the ſtable verdict of a prince, I doo beſeech you let him paſſe in quiet, Thou and thy word lie both in my command, What canſt thou promiſe that I cannot breake? Which of theſe twaine is greater infamie, To diſobey thy father or thy ſelfe? Thy word nor no mans may exceed his power, Nor that ſame man doth neuer breake his worde, That keepes it to the vtmoſt of his power. The breach of faith dwels in the ſoules conſent, Which if thy ſelfe without conſent doo breake, Thou art not charged with the breach of faith, Go hang him, for thy liſence lies in mee, and my conſtraint ſtands the excuſe for thee. VVhat am I not a ſoldier in my word? Then armes adieu, and let them fight that liſt, Shall I not giue my girdle from my waſt, But with a gardion I ſhall be controld, To ſaie I may not giue my things awaie, Vpon my ſoule, had Edward prince of VVales Ingagde his word, writ downe his noble hand, For all your knights to paſſe his fathers land, The roiall king to grace his warlike ſonne, VVould not alone ſafe conduct giue to them▪ But with all bountie ſeaſted them and theirs.