The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 38 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 · 475 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
O, no men's children are unkind but mine. Condemn not all, because of others' crime: But look, dear father, look, behold and see Thy loving daughter speaketh unto thee. O, stand thou up, it is my part to kneel, And ask forgiveness for my former faults. O, if you wish I should enjoy my breath, Dear father rise, or I receive my death. Then I will rise, to satisfy your mind, But kneel again, till pardon be resigned. I pardon you: the word beseems not me: But I do say so, for to ease your knee. You gave me life, you were the cause that I Am what I am, who else had never been. But you gave life to me and to my friend, Whose days had else, had an untimely end. You brought me up, whenas I was but young, And far unable for to help myself. I cast thee forth, whenas thou wast but young, And far unable for to help thyself. God, world and nature say I do you wrong, That can endure to see you kneel so long. Let me break off this loving controversy, Which doth rejoice my very soul to see. Good father, rise, she is your loving daughter, And honours you with as respective duty, As if you were the Monarch of the world. But I will never rise from off my knee, Until I have your blessing, and your pardon Of all my faults committed any way, From my first birth unto this present day. The blessing, which the God of Abraham gave Unto the tribe of Judah, light on thee, And multiply thy days, that thou mayst see Thy children's children prosper after thee. Thy faults, which are just none that I do know, God pardon on high, and I forgive below. Now is my heart at quiet, and doth leap Within my breast, for joy of this good hap: And now (dear father) welcome to our Court, And welcome (kind Perillus) unto me, Mirror of virtue and true honesty. O, he hath been the kindest friend to me, That ever man had in adversity. My tongue doth fail, to say what heart doth think, I am so ravished with exceeding joy. All you have spoke: now let me speak my mind, And in few words much matter here conclude: If ere my heart do harbour any joy, Or true content repose within my breast, Till I have rooted out this viperous sect, And repossessed my father of his Crown, Let me be counted for the perjured'st man, That ever spoke word since the world began. Let me pray to, that never prayed before; If ere I resalute the British earth, (As (ere't be long) I do presume I shall) And do return from thence without my wench, Let me be gelded for my recompense.
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)
O, no mens children are vnkind but mine. Condemne not all, because of others crime: But looke, deare father, looke, behold and see Thy louing daughter speaketh vnto thee. O, stand thou vp, it is my part to kneele, And aske forgiuenesse for my former faults. O, if you wish I should inioy my breath, Deare father rise, or I receiue my death. Then I will rise, to satisfy your mind, But kneele againe, til pardon be resignd. I pardon you: the word beseemes not me: But I do say so, for to ease your knee. You gaue me life, you were the cause that I Am what I am, who else had neuer bin. But you gaue life to me and to my friend, Whose dayes had else, had an vntimely end. You brought me vp, when as I was but young, And far vnable for to helpe my selfe. I cast thee forth, when as thou wast but young, And far vnable for to helpe thy selfe. God, world and nature say I do you wrong, That can indure to see you kneele so long. Let me breake off this louing controuersy, Which doth reioyce my very soule to see. Good father, rise, she is your louing daughter, And honours you with as respectiue duty, As if you were the Monarch of the world. But I will neuer rise from off my knee, Vntill I haue your blessing, and your pardon Of all my faults committed any way, From my first birth vnto this present day. The blessing, which the God of Abraham gaue Vnto the trybe of Iuda, light on thee, And multiply thy dayes, that thou mayst see Thy childrens children prosper after thee. Thy faults, which are iust none that I do know, God pardon on high, and I forgiue below. Now is my heart at quiet, and doth leape Within my brest, for ioy of this good hap: And now (deare father) welcome to our Court, And welcome (kind Perillus) vnto me, Myrrour of vertue and true honesty. O, he hath bin the kindest friend to me, That euer man had in aduersity. My toung doth faile, to say what heart doth think, I am so rauisht with exceeding ioy. All you haue spoke: now let me speak my mind, And in few words much matter here conclude: If ere my heart do harbour any ioy, Or true content repose within my brest, Till I haue rooted out this viperous sect, And repossest my father of his Crowne, Let me be counted for the periurdst man, That euer spake word since the world began. Let me pray to, that neuer pray'd before; If ere I resalute the Brittish earth, (As (ere't be long) I do presume I shall) And do returne from thence without my wench, Let me be gelded for my recompence.