Shakespeare, William · published 1600 · first performed or written 1597 [c.1597-1598] (Annals) history · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T53 The crown: kingship claimed, resigned an typicality 0.90 · 497 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T53: crown, king, state, life, lord, lords, live, queen, tullia, prince.
O pardon me, my liege, but for my tears, The moist impediments unto my speech, I had forestald this dear and deep rebuke, Ere you with grief had spoke, and I had heard The course of it so far: there is your crown: And he that wears the crown immortally, Long guard it yours: if I affect it more, Then as your honour, and as your renown, Let me no more from this obedience rise, Which my most inward true and duteous spirit, Teacheth this prostrate and exterior bending, God witness with me. When I here came in, And found no course of breath within your majesty, How cold it struck my heart! if I do feign, O let me in my present wildness die, And never live to show th'incredulous world, The noble change that I have purposed. Coming to look on you, thinking you dead, And dead almost, my liege, to think you were, I spoke unto this crown as having fence, And thus upbraided it: the care on thee depending, Hath fed upon the body of my father, Therefore thou best of gold, art worse than gold, Other less fine, in karrat more precious, Preserving life in medicine potable: But thou, most fine, most honoured, most renowned, Hast eat thy bearer up: thus my most royal liege, Accusing it, I put it on my head, To try with it as, with an enemy, That had before my face murdered my father, The quarrel of a true inheritor, But if it did infect my blood with joy, Or swell my thoughts to any strain of pride, If any rebel or vain spirit of mine, Did with the least affection of a welcome, Give entertainment to the might of it, Let God for ever keep it from my head, And make me as the poorest vassal is, That doth with awe and terror kneel to it. God put in thy mind to take it hence, That thou mightst win the more thy father's love, Pleading so wisely in excuse of it: Come hither Harry, sit thou by my bed, And hear (I think) the very latest counsel That ever I shall breath. God knows (my son) By what bypaths, and indirect crooked ways, I met this crown, and I myself know well, How troublesome it sat upon my head: To thee it shall descend with better quiet, Better opinion, better confirmation, For all the soil of the achievement goes, With me into the earth, it seemed in me, But as an honour snatched with boisterous hand, And I had many living to upbraid My gain of it, by their assistances, Which daily grew to quarrel and to bloodshed, Wounding supposed peace: all these bold fears Thou seest with peril I have answered: For all my reign hath been but as a Scene, Acting that argument: and now my death Changes the mood, for what in me was purchased, Falls upon thee in a more fairer sort.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
O pardon me, my liege, but for my teares, The moist impediments vnto my speech, I had forestald this deere and deep rebuke, Ere you with griefe had spoke, and I had heard The course of it so far: there is your crowne: And he that weares the crowne immortally, Long gard it yours: if I affect it more, Then as your honour, and as your renowne, Let me no more from this obedience rise, VVhich my most inward true and duteous spirit, Teacheth this prostrate and exterior bending, God witnesse with me. When I here came in, And found no course of breath within your maiesty, How cold it strooke my heart! if I do faine, O let me in my present wildnesse die, And neuer liue to shew th'incredulous world, The noble change that I haue purposed. Comming to looke on you, thinking you dead, And dead almost, my liege, to thinke you were, I spake vnto this crowne as hauing fence, And thus vpbraided it: the care on thee depending, Hath fed vpon the body of my father, Therefore thou best of gold, art worse then gold, Other lesse fine, in karrat more precious, Preseruing life in medcine potable: But thou, most fine, most honourd, most renown'd, Hast eate thy bearer vp: thus my most royall liege, Accusing it, I put it on my head, To trie with it as, with an enemy, That had before my face murdered my father, The quarrell of a true inheritour, But if it did infect my bloud with ioy, Or swell my thoughts to any straine of pride, If any rebel or vaine spirit of mine, Did with the least affection of a welcome, Giue entertainement to the might of it, Let God for euer keep it from my head, And make me as the poorest vassaile is, That doth with aw and terror kneele to it. God put in thy mind to take it hence, That thou mightst win the more thy fathers loue, Pleading so wisely in excuse of it: Come hither Harry, sit thou by my bed, And heare (I thinke) the very latest counsaile That euer I shal breathe. God knowes (my sonne) By what by-paths, and indirect crookt waies, I met this crowne, and I my selfe know well, How troublesome it sate vpon my head: To thee it shall descend with better quiet, Better opinion, better confirmation, For al the soyle of the atchieuement goes, With me into the earth, it seemd in me, But as an honor snatcht with boistrous hand, And I had many liuing to vpbraide My gaine of it, by their assistances, Which daily grew to quarrell and to bloudshed, Wounding supposed peace: all these bold feares Thou seest with perill I haue answerd: For all my raigne hath beene but as a Scene, Acting that argument: and now my death Changes the mood, for what in me was purchast, Fals vpon thee in a more fairer sort.