Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1592 [1591-1592] (Annals) tragedy; history · Derby's (Strange's) Men (?) unassigned nearest T52 Prodigals, portions and poor kin · 505 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T52: brother, father, uncle, cousin, son, poor, bread, old, given, master.
My Lord, this argues Conscience in your Grace, But the respects thereof are nice, and trivial, All circumstances well considered. You say, that Edward is your Brother's Son, So say we too, but not by Edward's Wife: For first was be contract to Lady Lucy, Your Mother lives a Witness to his Vow; And afterward by substitute betrothed To Bona, Sister to the King of France. These both put off, a poor Petitioner, A Care-crased Mother to a many Sons, A Beautie-waining, and distressed Widow, Even in the afternoon of her best days, Made prize and purchase of his wanton Eye, Seduced the pitch, and height of his degree, To base declension, and loathed Bigamy. By her, in his unlawful Bed, he got This Edward, whom our Manners call the Prince. More bitterly could I expostulate, Save that for reverence to some alive, I give a sparing limit to my Tongue. Then good, my Lord, take to your Royal self This proffered benefit of Dignity: If not to bless us and the Land withal, Yet to draw forth your Noble Ancestry From the corruption of abusing times, Unto a Lineal true derived course. Do good my Lord, your Citizens entreat you. Refuse not, mighty Lord, this proffered love. O make them joyful, grant their lawful suit. Alas, why would you heap this Care on me? I am unfit for State, and Majesty: I do beseech you take it not amiss, I cannot, nor I will not yield to you. If you refuse it, as in love and zeal, Loath to depose the Child, your Brother's Son, As well we know your tenderness of heart, And gentle, kind, effeminate remorse, Which we have noted in you to your Kindred, And equally indeed to all Estates; Yet know, where you accept our suit, or no, Your Brother's Son shall never reign our King, But we will plant some other in the Throne, To the disgrace and downfall of your House: And in this resolution here we leave you. Come Citizens, we will entreat no more. Call him again, sweet Prince, accept their suit: If you deny them, all the Land will rue it. Will you enforce me to a world of Cares. Call them again, I am not made of Stones, But penetrable to your kind entreaties, Albeit against my Conscience and my Soul. Cousin of Buckingham, and sage grave men, Since you will buckle fortune on my back, To bear her burden, where I will or no. I must have patience to endure the Load: But if black Scandal, or foule-faced Reproach, Attend the sequel of your Imposition, Your mere enforcement shall acquittance me From all the impure blots and stains thereof; For God doth know, and you may partly see, How far I am from the desire of this. God bless your Grace, we see it, and will say it. In saying so, you shall but say the truth. Then I salute you with this Royal Title, Long live King Richard, England's worthy King. Amen.
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)
My Lord, this argues Conſcience in your Grace, But the reſpects thereof are nice, and triuiall, All circumſtances well conſidered. You ſay, that Edward is your Brothers Sonne, So ſay we too, but not by Edwards Wife: For firſt was be contract to Lady Lucie, Your Mother liues a Witneſſe to his Vow; And afterward by ſubſtitute betroth'd To Bona, Siſter to the King of France. Theſe both put off, a poore Petitioner, A Care-cras'd Mother to a many Sonnes, A Beautie-waining, and diſtreſſed Widow, Euen in the after-noone of her beſt dayes, Made prize and purchaſe of his wanton Eye, Seduc'd the pitch, and height of his degree, To baſe declenſion, and loath'd Bigamie. By her, in his vnlawfull Bed, he got This Edward, whom our Manners call the Prince. More bitterly could I expoſtulate, Saue that for reuerence to ſome aliue, I giue a ſparing limit to my Tongue. Then good, my Lord, take to your Royall ſelfe This proffer'd benefit of Dignitie: If not to bleſſe vs and the Land withall, Yet to draw forth your Noble Anceſtrie From the corruption of abuſing times, Vnto a Lineall true deriued courſe. Do good my Lord, your Citizens entreat you. Refuſe not, mightie Lord, this proffer'd loue. O make them ioyfull, grant their lawfull ſuit. Alas, why would you heape this Care on me? I am vnfit for State, and Maieſtie: I doe beſeech you take it not amiſſe, I cannot, nor I will not yeeld to you. If you refuſe it, as in loue and zeale, Loth to depoſe the Child, your Brothers Sonne, As well we know your tenderneſſe of heart, And gentle, kinde, effeminate remorſe, Which we haue noted in you to your Kindred, And egally indeede to all Eſtates; Yet know, where you accept our ſuit, or no, Your Brothers Sonne ſhall neuer reigne our King, But we will plant ſome other in the Throne, To the diſgrace and downe-fall of your Houſe: And in this reſolution here we leaue you. Come Citizens, we will entreat no more. Call him againe, ſweet Prince, accept their ſuit: If you denie them, all the Land will rue it. Will you enforce me to a world of Cares. Call them againe, I am not made of Stones, But penetrable to your kinde entreaties, Albeit againſt my Conſcience and my Soule. Couſin of Buckingham, and ſage graue men, Since you will buckle fortune on my back, To beare her burthen, where I will or no. I muſt haue patience to endure the Load: But if black Scandall, or foule-fac'd Reproach, Attend the ſequell of your Impoſition, Your meere enforcement ſhall acquittance me From all the impure blots and ſtaynes thereof; For God doth know, and you may partly ſee, How farre I am from the deſire of this. God bleſſe your Grace, wee ſee it, and will ſay it. In ſaying ſo, you ſhall but ſay the truth. Then I ſalute you with this Royall Title, Long liue King Richard, Englands worthie King. Amen.