The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 31 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 · 502 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
Entreaty needs not, where you may command, So you be pleased, I am right well content: Yet, as the Sea I much desire to see; So am I most unwilling to be seen. we'll go disguised, all unknown to any. Howsoever you make one, i'll make another. and I the third: oh, I am overjoyed! See what love is, which getteth with a word, What all the world beside could ne'er obtain! But what disguises shall we have, my Lord? faith thus: my Queen & I will be disguised, Like a plain country couple, and you shall be Roger Our man, and wait upon us: or if you will, You shall go first, and we will wait on you. 'Twere more than time; this device is excellent. Come le us about it. What strange mischance or unexpected hap Hath thus deprived us of our father's presence? Can no man tell us what's become of him, With whom we did converse not two days since? My Lords, let everywhere light-horse be sent, To scour about through all our Regiment. Dispatch a Post immediately to Cornwall, To see if any news by of him there; myself will make a strict inquiry here, And all about our Cities near at hand, Till certain news of his abode be brought. All sorrow is but counterfeit to mine, Whose lips are almost sealed up with grief: Mine is the substance, whilst they do but seem To weep the less, which tears cannot redeem. O, ne'er was heard so strange a misadventure, A thing so far beyond the reach of sense, Since no man's reason in the cause can enter. What hath removed my father thus from hence? O, I do fear some charm or invocation Of wicked spirits, or infernal fiends, stirred by Cordella, moves this innovation, And brings my father timeless to his end. But might I know, that the detested Witch Were certain cause of this uncertain ill, Myself to France would go in some disguise, And with these nails scratch out her hateful eyes: For since I am deprived of my father, I loathe my life, and wish my death the rather. The heavens are just, and hate impiety, And will (no doubt) reveal such heinous crimes: Censure not any, till you know the right: Let him be judge, that bringeth truth to light. O, but my grief, like to a swelling tide, Exceeds the bounds of common patience: Nor can I moderate my tongue so much, To conceal them, whom I hold in suspect. This matter shall be sifted: if it be she, A thousand Frances shall not harbour her. All happiness unto the Cambrian King. Welcome, my friend, from whence is thy embassage? I came from Gallia, unto Cornwall sent, With letters to your honourable father, Whom there not finding, as I did expect, I was directed hither to repair. Frenchman, what is thy message to my father? My letters, Madam, will import the same, Which my Commission is for to deliver.
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)
Entreaty needs not, where you may cōmaund, So you be pleasde, I am right well content: Yet, as the Sea I much desire to see; So am I most vnwilling to be seene. Weele go disguised, all vnknowne to any. Howsoeuer you make one, ile make another. and I the third: oh, I am ouer-ioyed! See what loue is, which getteth with a word, What all the world besides could ne're obtayne! But what disguises shall we haue, my Lord? Fayth thus: my Queene & I wil be disguisde, Like a playne country couple, and you shall be Roger Our man, and wayt vpon vs: or if you will, You shall go first, and we will wayt on you. 'Twere more then time; this deuice is excelent. Come le vs about it. What strange mischance or vnexpected hap Hath thus depriu'd vs of our fathers presence? Can no man tell vs what's become of him, With whom we did conuerse not two dayes since? My Lords, let euery where light-horse be sent, To scoure about through all our Regiment. Dispatch a Poste immediately to Cornwall, To see if any newes by of him there; My selfe will make a strickt inquiry here, And all about our Cities neere at hand, Till certayne newes of his abode be brought. All sorrow is but counterfet to mine, Whose lips are almost sealed vp with griefe: Mine is the substance, whilst they do but seeme To weepe the lesse, which teares cannot redeeme. O, ne're was heard so strange a misaduenture, A thing so far beyond the reach of sence, Since no mans reason in the cause can enter. What hath remou'd my father thus from hence? O, I do feare some charme or inuocation Of wicked spirits, or infernall fiends, Stird by Cordella, moues this innouation, And brings my father timelesse to his end. But might I know, that the detested Witch Were certayne cause of this vncertayne ill, Myselfe to Fraunce would go in some disguise, And with these nayles scratch out her hatefull eyes: For since I am depriued of my father, I loath my life, and wish my death the rather. The heauens are iust, and hate impiety, And will (no doubt) reueale such haynous crimes: Censure not any, till you know the right: Let him be Iudge, that bringeth truth to light. O, but my griefe, like to a swelling tyde, Exceeds the bounds of common patience: Nor can I moderate my toung so much, To conceale them, whom I hold in susect. This matter shall be sifted: if it be she, A thousand Fraunces shall not harbour her. All happinesse vnto the Cambrian King. Welcom, my friend, from whence is thy Ambassage? I came from Gallia, vnto Cornwall sent, With letters to your honourable father, Whom there not finding, as I did expect, I was directed hither to repayre. Frenchman, what is thy message to my father? My letters, Madam, will import the same, Which my Commission is for to deliuer.