The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 15 of 43
Anonymous · published 1605 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1588-1594] (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) unassigned nearest T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig · 486 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
Ah, do not so disconsolate yourself, Nor dew your aged cheeks with wasting tears. What man art thou that takest any pity Upon the worthless state of old Leir? One, who doth be are as great a share of grief, As if it were my dearest father's case. Ah, good my friend, how ill art thou advised, For to consort with miserable men: Go learn to flatter, where thou mayst in time Get favour 'mongst the mighty, and so climb; For now I am so poor and full of want. As that I ne'er can recompense thy love. What's got by flattery, doth not long endure; And men in favour live not most secure. My conscience tells me, if I should forsake you, I were the hatefulst excrement on the earth: Which well do know, in course of former time, How good my Lord hath been to me and mine. Did I e'er raise thee higher than the rest Of all thy ancestors which were before? I ne'er did seek it; but by your good Grace, I still enjoyed my own with quietness, Did I ere give thee living, to increase The due revenues which thy father left? I had enough, my Lord, and having that, What should you need to give me any more? Oh, did I ever dispossess myself, And give thee half my Kingdom in good will: Alas, my Lord, there were no reason, why You should have such a thought, to give it me. Nay, if thou talk of reason, then be mute; For with good reason I can thee confute. If they, which first by natures sacred law, Do owe to me the tribute of their lives; If they to whom I always have been kind, And bountiful beyond comparison; If they, for whom I have undone myself, And brought my age unto this extreme want, Do now reject, contemn, despise, abhor me, What reason moveth thee to sorrow for me: Where reason fails, let tears confirm my love, And speak how much your passions do me move. Ah, good my Lord, condemn not all for one: You have two daughters left, to whom I know You shall be welcome, if you please to go. Oh, how thy words add sorrow to my soul, To think of my unkindness to Cordella! Whom causeless I did dispossess of all, Upon th'unkind suggestions of her sisters: And for her sake, I think this heavy doom Is fallen on me, and not without desert: Yet unto Ragan was I always kind, And gave to her the half of all I had: It may be, if I should to her repair, She would be kinder, and entreat me fair. No doubt she would, & practise ere't be long, By force of Arms for to redress your wrong. Well, since thou dost advise me for to go, I am resolved to try the worst of woe.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T49 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Ah, do not so disconsolate your selfe, Nor dew your aged cheeks with wasting teares. What man art thou that takest any pity Vpon the worthlesse state of old Leir? One, who doth be are as great a share of griefe, As if it were my dearest fathers case. Ah, good my friend, how ill art thou aduisde, For to consort with miserable men: Go learne to flatter, where thou mayst in time Get fauour 'mongst the mighty, and so clyme; For now I am so poore and full of want. As that I ne're can recompence thy loue. What's got by flattery, doth not long indure; And men in fauour liue not most secure. My conscience tels me, if I should forsake you, I were the hatefulst excrement on the earth: Which well do know, in course of former time, How good my Lord hath bin to me and mine. Did I ererayse thee higher then the rest Of all thy ancestors which were before? I ne're did seeke it; but by your good Grace, I still inioyed my owne with quietnesse, Did I ere giue thee liuing, to increase The due reuennues which thy father left? I had ynough, my Lord, and hauing that, What should you need to giue me any more? Oh, did I euer dispossesse my selfe, And giue thee halfe my Kingdome in good will: Alas, my Lord, there were no reason, why You should haue such a thought, to giue it me. Nay, if thou talke of reason, then be mute; For with good reason I can thee confute. If they, which first by natures sacred law, Do owe to me the tribute of their liues; If they to whom I alwayes haue bin kinde, And bountifull beyond comparison; If they, for whom I haue vndone my selfe, And brought my age vnto this extreme want, Do now reiect, contemne, despise, abhor me, What reason moueth thee to sorrow for me: Where reason fayles, let teares confirme my loue, And speake how much your passions do me moue. Ah, good my Lord, condemne not all for one: You haue two daughters left, to whom I know You shall be welcome, if you please to go. Oh, how thy words adde sorrow to my soule, To thinke of my vnkindnesse to Cordella! Whom causelesle I did dispossesse of all, Vpon th'vnkind suggestions of her sisters: And for her sake, I thinke this heauy doome Is falne on me, and not without desert: Yet vnto Ragan was I alwayes kinde, And gaue to her the halfe of all I had: It may be, if I should to her repayre, She would be kinder, and intreat me fayre. No doubt she would, & practise ere't be long, By force of Armes for to redresse your wrong. Well, since thou doest aduise me for to go, I am resolu'd to try the worst of wo.