The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 26 of 43
Anonymous · published 1605 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1588-1594] (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 508 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
I am the last of any mortal race, That ere your eyes are likely to behold, And hither sent of purpose to this place, To give a final period to your days, Which are so wicked, and have lived so long, That your own children seek to short your life. camest thou from France, of purpose to do this? From France? zounds, do I look like a Frenchman? Sure I have not mine own face on; somebody hath changed faces with me, and I know not of it: But I am sure, my apparel is all English. Sirrah, what meanest thou to ask that question? I could spoil the fashion of this face for anger. A French face! Because my daughter, whom I have offended, And at whose hands I have deserved as ill, As ever any father did of child, Is Queen of France, no thanks at all to me, But unto God, who my injustice see. If it be so, that she doth seek revenge, As with good reason she may justly do, I will most willingly resign my life, A sacrifice to mitigate her ire: I never will entreat thee to forgive, Because I am unworthy for to live. Therefore speak soon, & I will soon make speed: Whether Cordella willed thee do this deed? As I am a perfect gentleman, thou speakst French to me: I never heard Cordella's name before, Nor never was in France in all my life: I never knew thou hadst a daughter there, To whom thou didst prove so unkind a churl: But thy own tongue declares that thou hast been A vile old wretch, and full of heinous sin. Ah no, my friend, thou art deceived much: For her except, whom I confess I wronged, Through doting frenzy, and o'er-jealous love. There lives not any under heavens bright eye, That can convict me of impiety. And therefore sure thou dost mistake the mark: For I am in true peace with all the world. You are the fitter for the King of heaven: And therefore, for to rid thee of suspense, Know thou, the Queens of Cambria and Cornwall, Thy own two daughters, Gonorill and Ragan, Appointed me to massacre thee here. Why wouldst thou then persuade me, that thou art In charity with all the world? but now When thy own issue hold thee in such hate, That they have hired me t'abridge thy fate, Oh, fie upon such vile dissembling breath, That would deceive, even at the point of death. Am I awake, or is it but a dream? Fear nothing, man, thou art but in a dream, And thou shalt never wake until dooms day, By they, I hope, thou wilt have slept enough. Yet, gentle friend, grant one thing ere I die. I'll grant you any thing, except your lives. Oh, but assure me by some certain token, That my two daughters hired thee to this deed: If I were once resolved of that, than I Would wish no longer life, but crave to die.
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)
I am the last of any mortall race, That ere your eyes are likely to behold, And hither sent of purpose to this place, To giue a finall period to your dayes, Which are so wicked, and haue liued so long, That your owne children seeke to short your life. Camst thou from France, of purpose to do this? From France? zoones, do I looke like a Frenchman? Sure I haue not mine owne face on; some body hath chang'd faces with me, and I know not of it: But I am sure, my apparell is all English. Sirra, what meanest thou to aske that question? I could spoyle the fasion o this face for anger. A French face! Because my daughter, whom I haue offended, And at whose hands I haue deseru'd as ill, As euer any father did of child, Is Queene of Fraunce, no thanks at all to me, But vnto God, who my iniustice see. If it be so, that shee doth seeke reuenge, As with good reason she may iustly do, I will most willingly resigne my life, A sacrifice to mittigate her ire: I neuer will intreat thee to forgiue, Because I am vnworthy for to liue. Therefore speake soone, & I will soone make speed: Whether Cordella will'd thee do this deed? As I am a perfit gentleman, thou speakst French to me: I neuer heard Cordellaes name before, Nor neuer was in Fraunce in all my life: I neuer knew thou hadst a daughter there, To whom thou didst proue so vnkind a churle: But thy owne toung declares that thou hast bin A vyle old wretch, and full of heynous sin. Ah no, my friend, thou art deceyued much: For her except, whom I confesse I wrongd, Through doting frenzy, and o're-ielous loue. There liues not any vnder heauens bright eye, That can conuict me of impiety. And therfore sure thou dost mistake the marke: For I am in true peace with all the world. You are the fitter for the King of heauen: And therefore, for to rid thee of suspence, Know thou, the Queenes of Cambria and Cornwall, Thy owne two daughters, Gonorill and Ragan, Appoynted me to massacre thee here. Why wouldst thou then perswade me, that thou art In charity with all the world? but now When thy owne issue hold thee in such hate, That they haue hyred me t'abbridge thy fate, Oh, fy vpon such vyle dissembling breath, That would deceyue, euen at the poynt of death. Am I awake, or is it but a dreame? Feare nothing, man, thou art but in a dreame, And thou shalt neuer wake vntill doomes day, By they, I hope, thou wilt haue slept ynough. Yet, gentle friend, graunt one thing ere I die. Ile graunt you any thing, except your liues. Oh, but assure me by some certayne token, That my two daughters hyred thee to this deed: If I were once resolu'd of that, then I Would wish no longer life, but craue to dye.