The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 2 of 43
Anonymous · published 1605 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1588-1594] (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) unassigned nearest T11 Siblings, kin and confidants · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T11: sister, brother, love, friend, heart, father, mother, woman, lord, hear.
Of us & ours, your gracious care, my Lord, Deserves an everlasting memory, To be enrolled in Chronicles of fame, By never-dying perpetuity: Yet to become so provident a Prince, Lose not the title of a loving father: Do not force love, where fancy cannot dwell, Lest streams being stopped, above the banks do swell. I am resolved, and even now my mind Doth meditate a sudden stratagem, To try which of my daughters loves me best: Which till I know, I cannot be in rest. This granted, when they jointly shall contend, Each to exceed the other in their love: Then at the vantage will I take Cordella, Even as she doth protest she loves me best, I'll say, Then, daughter, grant me one request, To show thou lovest me as thy sisters do, Accept a husband, whom myself will woo. This said, she cannot well deny my suit, Although (poor soul) her senses will be mute: Then will I triumph in my policy, And match her with a King of Brittany. I'll to them before, and bewray your secrecy. Thus fathers think their children to beguile, And oftentimes themselves do first repent, When heavenly powers do frustrate their intent. I marvel, Ragan, how you can endure To see that proud pert pet, our youngest sister, So slightly to account of us, her elders, As if we were no better than herself! We cannot have a quaint device so soon, Or new made fashion, of our choice invention; But if she like it, she will have the same, Or study newer to exceed us both. Besides, she is so nice and so demure; So sober, courteous, modest, and precise, That all the Court hath work enough to do, To talk how she exceedeth me and you. What should I do? would it were in my power, To find a cure for this contagious ill: Some desperate medicine must be soon applied, To dim the glory of her mounting fame; Else ere't be long, she'll have both prick and praise, And we must be set by for working days. Do you not see what several choice of Suitors She daily hath, and of the best degree? Say, amongst all, she hap to fancy one, And have a husband whenas we have none: Why then, by right, to her we must give place, Though it be ne'er so much to our disgrace. By my virginity, rather than she shall have A husband before me, I'll marry one or other in his shirt: And yet I have made half a grant already Of my good will unto the King of Cornwall. Swear not so deeply (sister) here cometh my L. Scaliger. Something his hasty coming doth import. Sweet Princesses, I am glad I met you here so luckily, Having good news which doth concern you both, And craveth speedy expedition. For God's sake tell us what it is, my Lord, I am with child until you utter it.
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)
Of vs & ours, your gracious care, my Lord, Deserues an euerlasting memory, To be inrol'd in Chronicles of fame, By neuer-dying perpetuity: Yet to become so prouident a Prince, Lose not the title of a louing father: Do not sorce loue, wherefancy cannot dwell, Lest streames being stopt, aboue the banks do swell. I am resolu'd, and euen now my mind Doth meditate a sudden stratagem, To try which of my daughters loues me best: Which till I know, I cannot be in rest. This graunted, when they ioyntly shall contend, Eche to exceed the other in their loue: Then at the vantage will I take Cordella, Euen as she doth protest she loues me best, Ile say, Then, daughter, graunt me one request, To shew thou louest me as thy sisters doe, Accept a husband, whom my selfe will woo. This sayd, she cannot well deny my sute, Although (poore soule) her sences will be mute: Then will I tryumph in my policy, And match her with a King of Brittany. Ile to them before, and bewray your secrecy. Thus fathers think their children to beguile, And oftentimes themselues do first repent, When heauenly powers do frustrate their intent. I maruell, Ragan, how you can indure To see that proud pert Peat, our youngest sister, So slightly to account of vs, her elders, As if we were no better then her selfe! We cannot haue a quaynt deuice so soone, Or new made fashion, of our choyce inuention; But if she like it, she will haue the same, Or study newer to exceed vs both. Besides, she is so nice and so demure; So sober, courteous, modest, and precise, That all the Court hath worke ynough to do, To talke how she exceedeth me and you. What should I do? would it were in my power, To find a cure for this contagious ill: Some desperate medicine must be soone applyed, To dimme the glory of her mounting fame; Els ere't belong, shee'le haue both prick and praise, And we must be set by for working dayes. Doe you not see what seuerall choyce of Suters She daily hath, and of the best degree? Say, amongst all, she hap to fancy one, And haue a husband when as we haue none: Why then, by right, to her we must giue place, Though it be ne're so much to our disgrace. By my virginity, rather then she shall haue A husband before me, Ile marry one or other in his shirt: And yet I haue made halfe a graunt already Of my good will vnto the King of Cornwall. Sweare not so deeply (sister) here cōmeth my L. Skalliger ▪ Something his hasty comming doth import. Sweet Princesses, I am glad I met you heere so luckily, Hauing good newes which doth concerne you both, And craueth speedy expedition. For Gods sake tell vs what it is, my Lord, I am with child vntill you vtter it.