The True Chronicle of King Leir (King Lear and his Three Daughters) · chunk 41 of 43
Anonymous · published 1605 · first performed or written 1590 [c.1588-1594] (Annals) history · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) unassigned nearest T47 Knaves, thieves and bawds · 480 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T47: knave, rogue, money, knaves, thief, rogues, pray, whore, nichol, book.
Where are these villains that were set to watch, And fire the Beacon, if occasion served, That thus have suffered us to be surprised, And never given notice to the town? We are betrayed, and quite devoid of hope, By any means to fortify ourselves. 'tis ten to one the peasants are o'ercome with drink and sleep, and so neglect their charge. A whirlwind carry them quick to a whirlpool, That there the slaves may drink their bellies full. This 'tis, to have the Beacon so near the Alehouse. Out on ye, villains, whither run you now? To fire the town, and call up the Beacon. No, no, sir, to fire the Beacon. What, with a pot of ale, you drunken Rogues? You'll fire the Beacon, when the town is lost: I'll teach you how to tend your office better. Yield, yield, yield. Reel? no, we do not reel: You may lack a pot of Ale ere you die. But in mean space, I answer, you want none. Well, there's no dealing with you, you're tall men, & well weaponed, I would there were no worse than you in the town. A speaks like an honest man, my choler's passed already. Come, neighbour, let's go. Nay, first let's see and we can stand. Fear not, my friends, you shall receive no hurt, If you'll subscribe unto your lawful King, And quite revoke your fealty from Cambria, And from aspiring Cornwall too, whose wives Have practised treason 'gainst their father's life. we come in justice of your wronged King, And do intend no harm at all to you, So you submit unto your lawful King. Kind Countrymen, it grieves me, that perforce, I am constrained to use extremities. Long have you here been looked for, good my Lord, And wished for by a general consent: And had we known your Highness had arrived, We had not made resistance to your Grace: And now, my gracious Lord, you need not doubt, But all the Country will yield presently, Which since your absence have been greatly taxed, For to maintain their overswelling pride. we'll presently send word to all our friends; When they have notice, they will come apace. Thanks, loving subjects; and thanks, worthy son, Thanks, my kind daughter, thanks to you, my Lord, Who willingly adventured have your blood, (Without desert) to do me so much good. O, say not so: I have been much beholding to your Grace: I must confess, I have been in some skirmishes, But I was never in the like to this: For where I was wont to meet with armed men, I was now encountered with naked women, We that are feeble, and want use of Arms, Will pray to God, to shield you from all harms. The while your hands do manage ceaseless toil, Our hearts shall pray, the foes may have the foil.
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)
Where are these villaines that were set to watch, And fire the Beacon, if occasion seru'd, That thus haue suffred vs to be surprisde, And neuer giuen notice to the towne? We are betrayd, and quite deuoyd of hope, By any meanes to fortify our selues. Tis ten to one the peasants are o'recome with drinke and sleep, and so neglect their charge. A whirl-wind carry them quick to a whirl-poole, That there the slaues may drinke their bellies full. This tis, to haue the Beacon so neere the Ale-house. Out on ye, villaynes, whither run you now? To fire the towne, and call vp the Beacon. No, no, sir, to fire the Beacon. What, with a pot of ale, you drunken Rogues? You'l fire the Beacon, when the towne is lost: Ile teach you how to tend your office better. Yeeld, yeeld, yeeld. Reele? no, we do not reele: You may lacke a pot of Ale ere you dye. But in meane space, I answer, you want none. Wel, theres no dealing with you, y'are tall men, & wel weapōd, I would there were no worse then you in the towne. A speaks like an honest man, my cholers past already. Come, neighbour, let's go. Nay, first let's see and we can stand. Feare not, my friends, you shall receyue no hurt, If you'l subscribe vnto your lawfull King, And quite reuoke your fealty from Cambria, And from aspiring Cornwall too, whose wiues Haue practisde treason 'gainst their fathers life. Wee come in iustice of your wronged King, And do intend no harme at all to you, So you submit vnto your lawfull King. Kind Countrymen, it grieues me, that perforce, I am constraind to vse extremities. Long haue you here bin lookt for, good my Lord, And wish'd for by a generall consent: And had we known your Highnesse had arriued, We had not made resistance to your Grace: And now, my gracious Lord, you need not doubt, But all the Country will yeeld presently, Which since your absence haue bin greatly tax'd, For to maintayne their ouerswelling pride. Weele presently send word to all our friends; When they haue notice, they will come apace. Thanks, louing subiects; and thanks, worthy son, Thanks, my kind daughter, thanks to you, my Lord, Who willingly aduentured haue your blood, (Without desert) to do me so much good. O, say not so: I haue bin much beholding to your Grace: I must confesse, I haue bin in some skirmishes, But I was neuer in the like to this: For where I was wont to meet with armed men, I was now incountred with naked women, We that are feeble, and want vse of Armes, Will pray to God, to sheeld you from all harmes. The while your hands do manage ceaselesse toyle, Our hearts shall pray, the foes may haue the foyle.