The Tragedy of Charles Duke of Byron · chunk 2 of 37
Chapman, George · published 1608 · first performed or written 1608 [1607-1608] (Annals) tragedy · Children of the Queen's Revels unassigned nearest T59 Spanish courts: war, honour and courtshi · 509 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T59: andrea, spain, portugal, tribute, horatio, king, bellimperia, prince, lord, lorenzo.
Can the poor keeping of a Citadel Which I denied, to be at his disposure, Make him forego the whole strength of his honours? It is impossible, though the violence, Of his hot spirit made him make attempt Upon our person for denying him; Yet well I found his loyal judgement served, To keep it from effect: beside being offered, Two hundred thousand crowns in yearly pension, And to be General of all the forces The Spaniards had in France; they found him still, As an unmatched Achilles in the wars, So a most wise Ulysses to their words, Stopping his ears at their enchanted sounds; And plain he told them that although his blood (Being moved) by Nature, were a very fire And boiled in apprehension of a wrong; Yet should his mind hold such a sceptre there, As would contain it from all act and thought Of treachery or ingratitude to his Prince. Yet do I long, methinks, to see La Fin, Who hath his heart in keeping; since his state, (Grown to decay and he to discontent) Comes near the ambitious plight of Duke Byron, My Lord Vidame, when does your Lordship think, Your uncle of La Fin will be arrived. I think (my Lord) he now is near arriving For his particular journey and devotion, vowed to the holy Lady of Loretto, Was long since past and he upon return. In him, as in a crystal that is charmed, I shall discern by whom and what designs, My rule is threatened and that sacred power That hath enabled this defensive arm, (When I enjoyed but in an unequal Nook, Of that I now possess) to front a King Far my Superior: And from twelve set battles, March home a victor: ten of them obtained, Without my personal service; will not see A traitorous subject foil me, and so end What his hand hath with such success begun. See the young dauphin brought to cheer your highness. My royal blessing, and the King of heaven, Make thee an aged, and a happy King: Help Nurse to put my sword into his hand; Hold Boy, by this; and with it may thy arm Cut from thy tree of rule, all traitorous branches, That strive to shadow and eclipse thy glories; Have thy old father's angel for thy guide, Redoubled be his spirit in thy breast; Who when this State ran like a turbulent sea, In civil hates and bloody enmity, Their wraths and envies, like so many winds, Settled and burst: and like the halcyon's birth, Be thine to bring a calm upon the shore, In which the eyes of war may ever sleep, As overmatched with former massacres, When guilty, made Noblesse, feed on Noblesse; All the sweet plenty of the realm exhausted; When the naked merchant, was pursued for spoil, When the poor Peasants frighted neediest thieves With their pale leanness; nothing left on them But meager carcases sustained with air, wandering like Ghosts affrighted from their graves, When with the often and incessant sounds
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)
Can the poore keeping of a Citadell Which I denyed, to be at his disposure, Make him forgoe the whole strength of his honours? It is impossible, though the violence, Of his hot spirtit made him make attempt Vpon our person for denying him; Yet well I found his loyall iudgment seru'd, To keepe it from effect: besides being offer'd, Two hundred thousand crownes in yearely pention, And to be Generall of all the forces The Spaniards had in France; they found him still, As an vnmatcht Achilles in the warres, So a most wise Vlisses to their words, Stopping his eares at their enchanted sounds; And plaine he tould them that although his blood (Being mou'd) by Nature, were a very fire And boyld in apprehension of a wrong; Yet should his mind hold such a scepter there, As would containe it from all act and thought Of treachery or ingratitude to his Prince. Yet do I long, me thinkes, to see La Fin, Who hath his heart in keeping; since his state, (Growne to decay and he to discontent) Comes neere the ambitious plight of Duke Byron, My Lord Vidame, when does your Lordship thinke, Your vnckle of La Fin will be arriu'd. I thinke (my Lord) he now is neere ariuing For his particular iourny and deuotion, Voud to the holy Lady of Loretto, Was long since past and he vpon returne. In him, as in a christall that is charm'd, I shall descerne by whome and what designes, My rule is threatened and that sacred power That hath enabled this defensiue arme, (When I enioyd but in an vnequall Nooke, Of that I now possesse) to front a King Farre my Superiour: And from twelue set battailes, March home a victor: ten of them obtaind, VVithout my personall seruice; will not see A traitrous subiect foile me, and so end VVhat his hand hath with such successe begunne. See the yong Daulphin brought to cheere your highnes. My royall blessing, and the King of heauen, Make thee an aged, and a happie King: Helpe Nurse to put my sword into his hand; Hold Boy, by this; and with it may thy arme Cut from thy tree of rule, all traitrous branches, That striue to shadow and eclips thy glories; Haue thy old fathers angell for thy guide, Redoubled be his spirit in thy brest; VVho when this State ranne like a turbulent sea, In ciuill hates and bloudy enmity, Their wrathes and enuies, like so many windes, Setled and burst: and like the Halcions birth, Be thine to bring a calme vpon the shore, In which the eyes of warre may euer sleepe, As ouermacht with former massacres, VVhen gultie, made Noblesse, feed on Noblesse; All the sweete plentie of the realme exhausted; VVhen the nak't merchant, was pursude for spoile, VVhen the pore Pezants frighted neediest theeues VVith their pale leaenesse; nothing left on them But meager carcases sustaind with ayre, Wandring like Ghosts affrighted from their graues, VVhen with the often and incessant sounds