The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 1 of 43
Anonymous · published 1605 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1588-1594] (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) unassigned nearest T53 The crown: kingship claimed, resigned an · 506 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T53: crown, king, state, life, lord, lords, live, queen, tullia, prince.
THus to our grief the obsequies performed Of our (too late) deceased and dearest Queen, Whose soul I hope, possessed of heavenvly joys, Doth ride in triumph 'mongst the Cherubins; Let us request your grave advice, my Lords, For the disposing of our princely daughters, For whom our care is specially employed, As nature bindeth to advance their states, In royal marriage with some princely mates: For wanting now their mother's good advice, Under whose government they have received A perfect pattern of a virtuous life: Left as it were a ship without a stern, Or silly sheep without a Pastor's care; Although ourselves do dearly tender them, Yet are we ignorant of their affairs: For fathers best do know to govern sons; But daughters' steps the mother's counsel turns. A son we want for to succeed our Crown, And course of time hath canceled the date Of further issue from our withered loins One foot already hangeth in the grave, And age hath made deep furrows in my face: The world of me, I of the world am weary, And I would fain resign these earthly cares, And think upon the welfare of my soul: Which by no better means may be effected, Then by resigning up the Crown from me, In equal dowry to my daughter's three. A worthy care, my Liege, which well declares, The zeal you bore unto our quondam Queen: And since your Grace hath licensed me to speak, I censure thus, Your Majesty knowing well, What several Suitors your princely daughters have, To make them each a jointure more or less, As is their worth, to them that love profess. No more, nor less, but even all alike, My zeal is fixed, all fashioned in one mould: Wherefore unpartial shall my censure be, Both old and young shall have alike for me. My gracious Lord, I heartily do wish, That God had lent you an heir indubitate, Which might have sat upon your royal throne, When fates should lose the prison of your life, By whose succession all this doubt might cease; And as by you, by him we might have peace. But after-wishes ever come too late, And nothing can revoke the course of fate: Wherefore, my Liege, my censure deems it best, To match them with some of your neighbour Kings, Bordering within the bounds of Albion, By whose united friendship, this our state May be protected 'gainst all foreign hate. Herein, my Lords, your wishes sort-with mine, And mine (I hope) do sort with heavenly powers: For at this instant two near neighbouring Kings Of Cornwall and of Cambria, motion love To my two daughters, Gonorill and Ragan. My youngest daughter, fair Cordella, vows No liking to a Monarch, unless love allows, She is solicited by divers Peers; But none of them her partial fancy hears. Yet, if my policy may her beguile, I'll match her to some King within this isle, And so establish such a perfect peace, As fortune's force shall ne'er prevail to cease.
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)
THus to our griefe the obsequies performd Of our (too late) deceast and dearest Queen, Whole soule I hope, possest of heauēly ioyes, Doth ride in triumph mōgst the Cherubins; Let vs request your graue aduice, my Lords, For the disposing of our princely daughters, For whom our care is specially imployd, As nature bindeth to aduaunce their states, In royall marriage with some princely mates: For wanting now their mothers good aduice, Vnder whose gouernment they haue receyued A perfit patterne of a vertuous life: Left as it were a ship without a sterne, Or silly sheepe without a Pastors care; Although our selues doe dearely tender them, Yet are we ignorant of their affayres: For fathers best do know to gouerne sonnes; But daughters steps the mothers counsell turnes. A sonne we want for to succeed our Crowne, And course of time hath cancelled the date Of further issue from our withered loynes One foote already hangeth in the graue, And age hath made deepe furrowes in my face: The world of me, I of the world am weary, And I would fayne resigne these earthly cares, And thinke vpon the welfare of my soule: Which by no better meanes may be effected, Then by resigning vp the Crowne from me, In equall dowry to my daughters three. A worthy care, my Liege, which well declares, The zeale you bare vnto our quondam Queene: And since your Grace hath licens'd me to speake, I censure thus▪ Your Maiesty knowing well, What seuerall Suters your princely daughters haue, To make them eche a Ioynter more or lesse, As is their worth, to them that loue professe. No more, nor lesse, but euen all alike, My zeale is fixt, all fashiond in one mould: Wherefore vnpartiall shall my censure be, Both old and young shall haue alike for me. My gracious Lord, I hartily do wish, That God had lent you an heyre indubitate, Which might haue set vpon your royall throne, When fates should loose the prison of your life, By whose succession all this doubt might cease; And as by you, by him we might haue peace. But after-wishes euer come too late, And nothing can reuoke the course of fate: Wherefore, my Liege, my censure deemes it best, To match them with some of your neighbour Kings, Bordring within the bounds of Albion, By whose vnited friendship, this our state May be protected gainst all forrayne hate. Herein, my Lords, your wishes sort-with mine, And mine (I hope) do sort with heauenly powers: For at this instant two neere neyghbouring Kings Of Cornwall and of Cambria, motion loue To my two daughters, Gonorill and Ragan. My youngest daughter, fayre Cordella, vowes No liking to a Monarch, vnlesse loue allowes, She is sollicited by diuers Peeres; But none of them her partiall fancy heares. Yet, if my policy may her beguyle, Ile match her to some King within this Ile, And so establish such a perfit peace, As fortunes force shall ne're preuayle to cease.