The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 24 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 · 502 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T11: sister, brother, love, friend, heart, father, mother, woman, lord, hear.
Hither my daughter means to come disguised I'll sit me down, and read until she come. she'll not be long, I warrant you, my Lord But say, a couple of these they call good fellows. Should step out of a hedge, and set upon us, We were in good case for to answer them. 'Twere not for us to stand upon our hands. I fear, we scant should stand upon our legs. But how should we do to defend ourselves? even pray to God, to bless us from their hands: For fervent prayer much ill hap withstands. I'll sit and pray with you for company; Yet was I ne'er so heavy in my life. Were it not a mad jest, lest two or three of my profession should meet me, and lay me down in a ditch, and play rob thief with me, & perforce take my gold away from me, whilst I act this stratagem, and by this means the grey beards should escape? Faith, when I were at liberty again, I would make no more to do, but go to the next tree, and there hang myself. But stay, methinks, my youths are here already, And with pure zeal have prayed themselves asleep. I think, they know to what intent they came, And are provided for another world. Now could I stab them bravely, while they sleep, And in a manner put them to no pain; And doing so, I showed them mighty friendship: For fear of death is worse than death itself. But that my sweet Queen willed me for to show This letter to them, ere I did the deed. Mass, they begin to stir: i'll stand aside; So shall I come upon them unawares. I marvel, that my daughter stays so long. I fear, we did mistake the place, my Lord. God grant we do not miscarry in the place: I had a short nap, but so full of dread, As much amazeth me to think thereof. Fear not, my Lord, dreams are but fantasies, And slight imaginations of the brain. Persuade him so; but i'll make him and you Confess, that dreams do often prove too true. I pray, my Lord, what was the effect of it? I may go near to guess what it pretends. Leave that to me, I will expound the dream. methought, my daughters, Gonorill & Ragan, Stood both before me with such grim aspects, Each brandishing a Falchion in their hand, Ready to lop a limb off where it fell, And in their other hands a naked poniard, Wherewith they stabbed me in a hundred places, And to their thinking left me there for dead: But then my youngest daughter, fair Cordella, Came with a box of balsam in her hand, And powered it into my bleeding wounds, By whose good means I was recovered well, In perfect health, as erst I was before: And with the fear of this I did awake, And yet for fear my feeble joints quake.
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)
Hither my daughter meanes to come disguis'd Ile sit me downe, and read vntill she come. Sheele not belong, I warrant you, my Lords But say, a couple of these they call good fellowes. Should step out of a hedge, and set vpon vs, We were in good case for to answere them. 'Twere not for vs to stand vpon our hands▪ I feare, we scant should stand vpon our legs. But how should we do to defend our selues? Euen pray to God, to blesse vs frō their hands: For feruent prayer much ill hap withstands. Ile sit and pray with you for company; Yet was I ne're so heauy in my life. Were it not a mad iest, lest two or three of my professiō should meet me, and lay me downe in a ditch, and play robbe thiere with me, & perforce take my gold away from me, whilest I act this stratagem, and by this meanes the gray beards should escape? Fayth, when I were at liberty againe, I would make no more to do, but go to the next tree, and there hang my selfe. But stay, me thinks, my youthes are here already, And with pure zeale haue prayed themselues asleepe. I thinke, they know to what intent they came, And are prouided for another world. Now could I stab them brauely, while they sleepe, And in a maner put them to no payne; And doing so, I shewed them mighty friendship: For feare of death is worse then death it selfe. But that my sweet Queene will'd me for to shew This letter to them, ere I did the deed. Masse, they begin to stirre: ile stand aside; So shall I come vpon them vnawares. I maruell, that my daughter stayes so long. I feare, we did mistake the place, my Lord. God graunt we do not miscarry in the place: I had a short nap, but so full of dread, As much amazeth me to think thereof. Feare not, my Lord, dreames are but fantasies, And slight imaginations of the brayne. Perswade him so; but ile make him and you Confesse, that dreames do often proue too true. I pray, my Lord, what was the effect of it? I may go neere to gesse what it pretends. Leaue that to me, I will expound the dreame. Me thought, my daughters, Gonorill & Ragan, Stood both before me with such grim aspects, Eche brandishing a Faulchion in their hand, Ready to lop a lymme off where it fell, And in their other hands a naked poynyard, Wherwith they stabd me in a hundred places, And to their thinking left me there for dead: But then my youngest daughter, fayre Cordella, Came with a boxe of Balsome in her hand, And powred it into my bleeding wounds, By whose good meanes I was recouered well, In perfit health, as earst I was before: And with the feare of this I did awake, And yet for feare my feeble ioynts quake.