The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 21 of 43
Anonymous · published 1605 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1588-1594] (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 488 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
But thou art now graft in another stock; I am the stock, and thou the lovely branch: And from my root continual sap shall flow, To make thee flourish with perpetual spring. Forget thy father and thy kindred now, Since they forsake thee like inhuman beasts, Think they are dead, since all their kindness dies, And bury them, where black oblivion lies. Think not thou art the daughter of old Leir, Who did unkindly disinherit thee: But think thou art the noble Gallian Queen, And wife to him that dearly loveth thee: Embrace the joys that present with thee dwell, Let sorrow pack and hide herself in hell. Not that I miss my country or my kin, My old acquaintance or my ancient friends, Doth any whit distemperate my mind, Knowing you, which are more dear to me, Than Country, kin, and all things else can be. Yet pardon me, my gracious Lord, in this: For what can stop the course of nature's power? As easy is it for four-footed beasts, To stay themselves upon the liquid air, And mount aloft into the element, And overstrip the feathered Fowls in flight: As easy is it for the slimy Fish, To live and thrive without the help of water: As easy is it for the Blackamoor, To wash the tawny colour from his skin, Which all oppose against the course of nature, As I am able to forget my father. Mirror of virtue, Phoenix of our age! Too kind a daughter for an unkind father, Be of good comfort; for I will dispatch Ambassadors immediately for Britain, Unto the King of Cornwall's Court, whereas Your father keepeth now his residence, And in the kindest manner him entreat, That setting former grievances apart, He will be pleased to come and visit us. If no entreaty will suffice the turn, I'll offer him the half of all my Crown: If that moves not, we'll furnish out a Fleet, And sail to Cornwall for to visit him; And there you shall be firmly reconciled In perfect love, as erst you were before. Where tongue cannot sufficient thanks afford, The King of heaven remunerate my Lord. Only be blithe, and frolic (sweet) with me: This and much more i'll do to comfort thee. It is a world to see now I am flush, How many friends I purchase everywhere! How many seeks to creep into my favour, And kiss their hands, and bend their knees to me! No more, here comes the Queen, now shall I know her mind, And hope for to derive more crowns from her. My friend, I see thou mindest thy promise well, And art before me here, methinks, today. I am a poor man, and it like your Grace; But yet I always love to keep my word. Well, keep thy word with me, & thou shalt see, That of a poor man I will make thee rich.
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)
But thou art now graft in another stock; I am the stock, and thou the louely branch: And from my root continuall sap shall flow, To make thee flourish with perpetuall spring. Forget thy father and thy kindred now, Since they forsake thee like inhumane beastes, Thinke they are dead, since all their kindnesse dies, And bury them, where black obliuion lyes. Think not thou art the daughter of old Leir, Who did vnkindly disinherit thee: But think thou art the noble Gallian Queene, And wife to him that dearely loueth thee: Embrace the ioyes that present with thee dwell, Let sorrow packe and hide her selfe in hell. Not that I misse my country or my kinne, My old acquaintance or my ancient friends, Doth any whit distemperate my mynd, Knowing you, which are more deare to me, Then Country, kin, and all things els can be. Yet pardon me, my gracious Lord, in this: For what can stop the course of natures power? As easy is it for foure-footed beasts, To stay themselues vpon the liquid ayre, And mount aloft into the element, And ouerstrip the feathered Fowles in flight: As easy is it for the slimy Fish, To liue and thriue without the helpe of water: As easy is it for the Blackamoore, To wash the tawny colour from his skin, Which all oppose against the course of nature, As I am able to forget my father. Myrrour of vertue, Phoenix of our age! Too kind a daughter for an vnkind father, Be of good comfort; for I will dispatch Ambassadors immediately for Brittayne, Vnto the King of Cornwalls Court, whereas Your father keepeth now his residence, And in the kindest maner him intreat, That setting former grieuances apart, He will be pleasde to come and visit vs. If no intreaty will suffice the turne, Ile offer him the halfe of all my Crowne: If that moues not, weele furnish out a Fleet, And sayle to Cornwall for to visit him; And there you shall be firemly reconcilde In perfit loue, as earst you were fore. Where toung cannot suft thanks afford, The King of heauen remunerate my Lord. Only be blithe, and frolick (sweet) with me: This and much more ile do to comfort thee. It is a world to see now I am flush, How many friends I purchase euery where! How many seekes to creepe into my fauour, And kisse their hands, and bend their knees to me! No more, here comes the Queene, now shall I know her mind, And hope for to deriue more crownes from her. My friend, I see thou mind'st thy promise well, And art before me here, me thinks, to day. I am a poore man, and it like your Grace; But yet I alwayes loue to keepe my word. Wel, keepe thy word with me, & thou shalt see, That of a poore man I will make thee rich.