The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 18 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 · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
It sufficeth, conceit it is already done: I will so tongue-whip him, that I will Leave him as bare of credit, as a Poulter leaves a coney, when she pulls off his skin. Yet there is a further matter. I thirst to hear it. If my sister thinketh convenient, as my letters importeth, to make him away, hast thou the heart to effect it? Few words are best in so small a matter: These are but trifles. By this book I will. About it presently, I long till it be done, I fly, I fly. I have been over-negligent today, In going to the Temple of my God, To render thanks for all his benefits, Which he miraculously hath bestowed on me, In raising me out of my mean estate, whenas I was devoid of worldly friends, And placing me in such a sweet content, As far exceeds the reach of my deserts. My kingly husband, mirror of his time, For zeal, for justice, kindness, and for care To God, his subjects, me, and Common weal, By his appointment was ordained for me. I cannot with the thing that I do want; I cannot want the thing but I may have, Save only this which I shall ne'er obtain, My father's love, oh this I ne'er shall gain. I would abstain from any nutriment, And pine my body to the very bones: Bare foot I would on pilgrimage set forth Unto the furthest quarters of the earth, And all my life time would I sackcloth wear, And mourning-wise power dust upon my head: So he but to forgive me once would please, That his grey hairs might go to heaven in peace. And yet I know not how I him offended, Or wherein justly I have deserved blame. Oh sisters! you are much to blame in this, It was not he, but you that did me wrong. Yet God forgive both him, and you and me, Even as I do in perfect charity. I will to Church, and pray unto my Saviour, That ere I die, I may obtain his favour. Rest on me, my Lord, and stay yourself, The way seems tedious to your aged limbs. Nay, rest on me, kind friend, and stay thyself, Thou art as old as I, but more kind. Ah, good my Lord, it ill befits, that I Should lean upon the person of a King. But it fits worse, that I should bring thee forth, That had no cause to come along with me, Through these uncouth paths, and tireful ways, And never ease thy fainting limbs a whit. Thou hast left all, ay, all to come with me, And I, for all, have nought to guerdon thee. Cease, good my Lord, to aggravate my woes, With these kind words, which cuts my heart in two, To think your will should want the power to do. Cease, good Perillus, for to call me Lord, And think me but the shadow of myself.
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)
It sufficeth, conceyt it is already done: I will so toung-whip him, that I will Leaue him as bare of credit, as a Poulter Leaues a Cony, when she pulls off his skin. Yet there is a further matter. I thirst to heare it. If my sister thinketh conuenient, as my letters importeth, to make him away, hast thou the heart to effect it? Few words are best in so small a matter: These are but trifles. By this booke I will. About it presently, I long till it be done, I fly, I fly. I haue bin ouer-negligent to day, In going to the Temple of my God, To render thanks for all his benefits, Which he miraculously hath bestowed on me, In raysing me out of my meane estate, When as I was deuoyd of worldly friends, And placing me in such a sweet content, As far exceeds the reach of my deserts. My kingly husband, my rrour of his time, For zeale, for iustice, kindnesse, and for care To God, his subiects, me, and Common weale, By his appoyntment was ordaynd for me. I cannot with the thing that I do want; I cannot want the thing but I may haue, Saue only this which I shall ne're obtayne, My fathers loue, oh this I ne're shall gayne. I would abstayne from any nutryment, And pyne my body to the very bones: Bare foote I would on pilgrimage set forth Vnto the furthest quarters of the earth, And all my life time would I sackcloth weare, And mourning-wise powre dust vpon my head: So he but to forgiue me once would please, That his gray haires might go to heauen in peace. And yet I know not how I him offended, Or wherein iustly I haue deserued blame. Oh sisters! you are much to blame in this, It was not he, but you that did me wrong. Yet God forgiue both him, and you and me, Euen as I doe in perfit charity. I will to Church, and pray vnto my Sauiour, That ere I dye, I may obtayne his fauour. Rest on me, my Lord, and stay your selfe, The way seemes tedious to your aged lymmes. Nay, rest on me, kind friend, and stay thy selfe, Thou art as old as I, but more kind. Ah, good my Lord, it ill befits, that I Should leane vpon the person of a King. But it fits worse, that I should bring thee forth, That had no cause to come along with me, Through these vncouth paths, and tirefull wayes, And neuer ease thy faynting limmes a whit. Thou hast left all, I, all to come with me, And I, for all, haue nought to guerdon thee. Cease, good my Lord, to aggrauate my woes, With these kind words, which cuts my heart in two, To think your will should want the power to do. Cease, good Perillus, for to call me Lord, And think me but the shaddow of my selfe.