The Conspiracy of Charles Duke of Byron · chunk 22 of 33
Chapman, George · published 1608 · first performed or written 1608 [1607-1608] (Annals) history · Children of the Queen's Revels T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi typicality 0.74 · 520 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
The forts that favourites hold in princes' hearts, In common subjects loves; and their own strengths Are not so sure, and unexpugnable, But that the more they are presumed upon, The more they fail; daily and hourly proof, Tells us prosperity is at highest degree The fount and handle of calamity: Like dust before a whirlwind those men fly, That prostrate on the grounds of fortune lie: And being great (like trees that broadest sprout) Their own top-heavy state grubs up their root. These apprehensions startle all my powers, And arm them with suspicion 'gainst themselves, In my late projects; I have cast myself Into the arms of others; and will see It they will let me fall; or toss me up Into th'affected compass of a throne, God save you sir. You're welcome friend: what would you? I would entreat you, for some crowns I bring, To give your judgement of this figure cast. To know by his nativity there seen; What sort of end the person shall endure, Who sent me to you, and whose birth it is. I'll herein do my best, in your desire; The man is raised out of a good descent, And nothing older than yourself I think; Is it not you? I will not tell you that: But tell me on what end he shall arrive. My son, I see, that he whose end is cast In this set figure, is of Noble parts, And by his military valour raised, To princely honours; and may be a king, But that I see a Caput Algol here, That hinders it I fear. A Caput Algol? What's that I pray? Forbear to ask me, son, You bid me speak, what fear bids me conceal. You have no cause to fear, and therefore speak. You'll rather wish you had been ignorant, Then be instructed in a thing so ill. Ignorance is an idle salve for ill, And therefore do not urge me to enforce, What I would freely know: for by the skill Shown in thy aged hairs, I'll lay thy brain Here scattered at my feet, and seek in that, What safely thou must utter with thy tongue, If thou deny it. Will you not allow me To hold my peace? what less can I desire? If not, be pleased with my constrained speech. Was ever man yet punished for expressing What he was charged? be free, and speak the worst. Then briefly this; the man hath lately done An action that will make him lose his head. Cursed be thy throat & soul, Raven, screech-owl, hag. O hold, for heavens sake hold. Hold on, I will, Vault, and contractor of all horrid sounds, Trumpet of all the miseries in hell, Of my confusions; of the shameful end Of all my services; witch, fiend, accursed For ever be the poison on thy tongue, And let the black fume of thy venomed breath, Infect the air, shrink heaven, put out the stars, And rain so fell and blew a plague on earth, That all the world may falter with my fall. Pity my age, my Lord.
seed 43: T25 · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
The forts that fauorites hold in Princes hearts, In common subiects loues; and their owne strengths Are not so sure, and vnexpugnable, But that the more they are presum'd vpon, The more they faile; dayly and hourely proofe, Tels vs prosperity is at highest degree The founte and handle of calamitie: Like dust before a whirle-winde those men flie, That prostrate on the grounds of fortune lye: And being great (like trees that broadest sproyte) Their owne top-heauy state grubs vp their roote. These apprehensions startle all my powers, And arme them with suspition gainst them-selues, In my late proiects; I haue cast my selfe Into the armes of others; and will see It they will let me fall; or tosse me vp Into th'affected compasse of a throne, God saue you sir. Y'are welcome friend: what would you? I would entreate you, for some crownes I bring, To giue your iudgement of this figure cast. To know by his natiuitie there seene; What sort of end the person shall endure, Who sent me to you, and whose birth it is. Ile herein do my best, in your desire; The man is raisd out of a good descent, And nothing oulder then your selfe I thinke; Is it not you? I will not tell you that: But tell me on what end he shall arriue. My sonne, I see, that he whose end is cast In this set figure, is of Noble parts, And by his militarie valure raisde, To princely honors; and may be a king, But that I see a Caput Algol here, That hinders it I feare. A Caput Algol? What's that I pray? Forbeare to aske me, sonne, You bid me speake, what feare bids me conceale. You haue no cause to feare, and therefore speake. Youle rather wish you had beene ignorant, Then be instructed in a thing so ill. Ignorance is an idle salue for ill, And therefore do not vrge me to enforce, What I would freely know: for by the skill Showne in thy aged haytes, ile lay thy braine Here scattered at my feete, and seeke in that, What safely thou must vtter with thy tongue, If thou deny it. Will you not allow me To hold my peace? what lesse can I desire? If not, be pleasd with my constrained speech. Was euer man yet punisht for expressing What he was chargde? be free, and speake the wurst. Then briefly this; the man hath lately done An action that will make him loose his head. Curst be thy throte & soule, Rauen, Shriech-owle, hag. O hold, for heauens sake hold. Hold on, I will, Vault, and contractor of all horrid sounds, Trumpet of all the miseries in hell, Of my confusions; of the shamefull end Of all my seruices; witch, fiend, accurst For euer be the poison on thy tongue, And let the black sume of thy venomd breath, Infect the ayre, shrinke heauen, put out the starres, And raine so fell and blew a plague on earth, That all the world may falter with my fall. Pitty my age, my Lord.