The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 3 of 43
Anonymous · published 1605 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1588-1594] (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) unassigned nearest T33 Fathers, daughters and marriage negotiat · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T33: daughter, marriage, father, love, davus, matter, son, chremes, wife, mother.
Madam, to save your longing, this it is: Your father in great secrecy today, Told me, he means to marry you out of hand, Unto the noble Prince of Cambria; You, Madam, to the King of Cornwall's Grace: Your younger sister he would fain bestow Upon the rich King of Hibernia: But that he doubts, she hardly will consent; For hitherto she ne'er could fancy him. If she do yield, why then, between you three, He will divide his kingdom for your dowries. But yet there is a further mystery, Which, so you will conceal, I will disclose. whatever thou speak'st to us, kind Scaliger, Think that thou speakst it only to thyself. He earnestly desireth for to know, Which of you three do bear most love to him, And on your loves he so extremely dotes, As never any did, I think, before. He presently doth mean to send for you, To be resolved of this tormenting doubt: And look, whose answer pleaseth him the best, They shall have most unto their marriages. O that I had some pleasing Mermaid's voice, For to enchant his senseless senses with! For he supposeth that Cordella will (Striving to go beyond you in her love) Promise to do whatever he desires: Then will he straight enjoin her for his sake, The Hibernian King in marriage for to take. This is the sum of all I have to say; Which being done, I humbly take my leave, Not doubting but your wisdoms will foresee, What course will best unto your good agree. Thanks, gentle Scaliger, thy kindness undeserved, Shall not be unrequited, if we live. Now have we fit occasion offered us, To be revenged upon her unperceived. Nay, our revenge we will inflict on her, Shall be accounted piety in us: I will so flatter with my doting father, As he was ne'er so flattered in his life. Nay, I will say, that if it be his pleasure, To match me to a beggar, I will yield: For why, I know whatever I do say, He means to match me with the Cornwall King. I'll say the like: for I am well assured; whate'er I say to please the old man's mind. Who dotes, as if he were a child again; I shall enjoy the noble Cambrian Prince: Only, to feed his humour, will suffice, To say, I am content with any one Whom he'll appoint me; this will please him more. Then e'er Apollo's music pleased Ioue. I smile to think, in what a woeful plight Cordella will be, when we answer thus: For she will rather die, than give consent To join in marriage with the Irish King: So will our father think, she loveth him not, Because she will not grant to his desire, Which we will aggravate in such bitter terms, That he will soon convert his love to hate: For he, you know, is always in extremes.
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)
Madam, to saue your longing, this it is: Your father in great secrecy to day, Told me, he meanes to marry you out of hand, Vnto the noble Prince of Cambria; You, Madam, to the King of Cornwalls Grace: Your yonger sister he would fayne bestow Vpon the rich King of Hibernia: But that he doubts, she hardly will consent; For hitherto she ne're could fancy him. If she do yeeld, why then, betweene you three, He will deuide his kingdome for your dowries. But yet there is a further mystery, Which, so you will conceale, I will disclose. What e're thouspeakst to vs, kind Skalliger, Thinke that thou speakst it only to thy selfe. He earnestly desireth for to know, Which of you three do beare most loue to him, And on your loues he so extremely dotes, As neuer any did, I thinke, before. He presently doth meane to send for you, To be resolu'd of this tormenting doubt: And looke, whose answere pleaseth him the best, They shall haue most vnto their marriages. O that I had some pleasing Mermayds voyce, For to inchaunt his sencelesse sences with! For he supposeth that Cordella will (Striuing to go beyond you in her loue) Promise to do what euer he desires: Then will he straight enioyne her for his sake, The Hibernian King in marriage for to take. This is the summe of all I haue to say; Which being done, I humbly take my leaue, Not doubting but your wisdomes will foresee, What course will best vnto your good agree. Thanks, gentle Skalliger, thy kindnes vndeserued, Shall not be vnrequited, if we liue. Now haue we fit occasion offred vs, To be reueng'd vpon her vnperceyu'd. Nay, our reuenge we will inflict on her, Shall be accounted piety in vs: I will so flatter with my doting father, As he was ne're so flattred in his life. Nay, I will say, that if it be his pleasure, To match me to a begger, I will yeeld: For why, I know what euer I do say, He meanes to match me with the Cornwall King. Ile say the like: for I am well assured; What e're I say to please the old mans mind. Who dotes, as if he were a child agayne; I shall inioy the noble Cambrian Prince: Only, to feed his humour, will ffice, To say, I am content with any one Whom heele appoynt me; this will please him more. Then e're Apolloes musike pleased Ioue. I smile to think, in what a wofull plight Cordella will be, when we answere thus: For she will rather dye, then giue consent To ioyne in marriage with the Irish King: So will our father think, she loueth him not, Because she will not graunt to his desire, Which we will aggrauate in such bitter termes, That he will soone conuert his loue to hate: For he, you know, is alwayes in extremes.