The Gentleman Usher (Vincentio and Margaret) · chunk 39 of 42
Chapman, George · published 1606 · first performed or written 1606 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (second) or Children of Paul’s (second) T14 Royal love, favour and dynastic relation typicality 0.77 · 501 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T14: prince, princess, love, king, lord, queen, madam, grace, lady, life.
What is a father? turn his entrails gulfs To swallow children, when they have begot them? And what's a Prince? Had all been virtuous men, There never had been Prince upon the earth, And so no subject; all men had been Princes: A virtuous man is subject to no Prince, But to his soul and honour; which are laws, That carry Fire and Sword within themselves Never corrupted never out of rule; What is there in a Prince? That his least lute Are valued at the lives of other men, When common faults in him should prodigies be, And his gross dotage rather loathed then soothed. How thick and heavily my plagues descend! Not giving my mazde powers a time to speak: Pour more rebuke upon me worthy Lord, For I have guilt and patience for them all: Yet know, dear son, I did forbid thy harm: This Gentleman can witness, whom I sent With all command of haste to interdict This forward man in mischief; not to touch thee: Did I not Julio? utter nought but truth. All your guard heard, my Lord, I gave your charge, With loud and violent iterations. After all which, Lord Medice cowardly hurt him. The Guard. He did my Princely Lord. Believe then son, And know me pierced as deeply with thy wounds: And pardon virtuous Lady that have lost The dearest treasure proper to your sex. Ay me, it seems by my unhappy means! O would to God, I could with present cure Of these unnatural wounds; and moaning right Of this abused beauty, join you both, (As last I left you) in eternal nuptials. My Lord, I know the malice of this man, Not your unkind consent hath used us thus. And since I make no doubt I shall survive These fatal dangers; and your grace is pleased, To give free course to my unwounded love; 'tis not this outward beauty's ruthful loss, Can any thought discourage my desires: And therefore, dear life, do not wrong me so, To think my love the shadow of your beauty, I woo your virtues, which as I am sure No accident can alter or impair; So, be you certain nought can change my love. I know your honourable mind my Lord, And will not do it that unworthy wrong, To let it spend her forces in contending (Spite of your sense) to love me thus deformed: Love must have outward objects to delight him, Else his content will be too grave and sour. It is enough for me my Lord, you love, And that my beauty's sacrifice redeemed My sad fear of your slaughter. You first loved me Closely for beauty; which being withered thus, Your love must fade; when the most needful rights Of Fate, and Nature, have dissolved your life, And that your love must needs be all in soul, Then will we meet again: and then (dear Love) Love me again; for then will beauty be Of no respect with loves eternity.
seed 43: T14 · seed 44: T9 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
What is a father? urne his entrailes gulfs To swallow children, whn they haue begot them? And whats a Prince? Had all beene vertuous men, There neuer had beene Prince vpon the earth, And so no subiect; all men had beene Princes: A vertuous an is subiect to o Prince, But to his soule and honour; which are lawes, That carrie Fire and Sword within themselues Neuer corrupted neuer out of rule; What is there in a Prince? That his least lute Are valued at the liues of other men, When common faults in him should prodigies be, And his grosse dotage rther then sooth'd. How thicke and my plagues descend▪ Not giuing m mazde powres a time to speake: Poure moe rebuke vpon me worthie Lord, For I haue guilt and patience for them all: Yet know, deare sonne, I did forbid thy harme: This Gentleman can witnes, whom I sent With all commnd of haste to terdict This forward man in mischiefe; not to touch thee: Did I not Iuio? vtter nought but truth. All your guard heard, my Lord, I gaue your charge, With lowd and violent erations. After all which, Lord Medice cowardly hurt him. The Guara. He did my Princely Lord. Beleeue then sonne, And know me pierst as deeply with thy wounds: And pardon vertuous Ladie that haue lost The dearest treasure proper to your sexe. Ay me, it seemes by my vnhappie meanes! O would to God, I could with present cure Of these vnnaturall wounds; and moning right Of this abused beautie, ioyne you both, (As last I left you) in eternall nuptals. My Lord, I know the malice of this man, Not your vnkinde consent hath vsde vs thus. And since I make no doubt I shall suruiue These fatall dangers; and your grace is pleasde, To giue free course to my vnwounded loue; T'is not this outward beauties ruthfull losse, Can any thought discourage my desires: And therefore, deare life, doe not wrong me so, To thinke my loue the shadow of your beautie, I wooe your vertues, which as I am sure No accident can alter or empaire; So, be you certaine nought can change my loue. I know your honourable minde my Lord, And will not do it that vnworthie wrong, To let it spend her forces in contending (Spite of your sence) to loue me thus deformed: Loue must haue outward obiects to delight him, Else his content will be too graue and sowre. It is inough for me my Lord, you loue, And that my beauties sacrifice redeemde My sad feare of your slaughter. You first lou'd me Closely for beautie; which being with'red thus, Your loue must fade; when the most needfull rights Of Fate, and Nature, haue dissolu'd your life, And that your loue must needs be all in soule, Then will we meete againe: and then (deare Loue) Loue me againe; for then will beautie be Of no respect with loues eternitie.