The Tragedy of Charles Duke of Byron · chunk 14 of 37
Chapman, George · published 1608 · first performed or written 1608 [1607-1608] (Annals) tragedy · Children of the Queen's Revels unassigned nearest T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour · 483 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Being friend and worthy fautor of myself, I am no foe of yours, nor no impairer, Since he can no way worthily maintain His PRINCE's honour that neglects his own: And if your will have been to my true reason, (Maintaining still the truth of loyalty) A check to my free nature and mine honour, And that on your free justice I presumed To cross your will a little, I conceive, You will not think this forfeit worth my head; Have you maintained your truth of loyalty? When since I pardoned foul intentions, Resolving to forget eternally, What they appeared in, And had welcomed you as the kind father doth his riotous son. I can approve facts fouler than th' intents, Of deep disloyalty and highest treason; May this right hand be thunder to my breast, If I stand guilty of the slenderest fact, Wherein the left of those two can be proved, For could my tender conscience but have touched, At any such unnatural relapse; I would not with this confidence have run, Thus headlong in the furnace of a wrath, Blown, and thrice kindled: having way enough, In my election both to shun and sleight it. You're grossly and vain gloriously abused, There is no way in Savoy nor in Spain, To give a fool that hope of your escape, And had you not (even when you did) arrived. (With horror to the proudest hope you had) I would have fetched you. You must then have used. A power beyond my knowledge, and a will, Beyond your justice. For a little stay More than I used would hardly have been worthy, Of such an open expedition; In which to all the censures of the world, My faith and Innocence had been foully foiled; Which (I protest) by heavens bright witnesses That shine far, far, from mixture with our fears. Retain as perfect roundness as their spheres; 'tis well my Lord, I thought I could have frighted Your firmest confidence: some other time, We will (as now in private) sift your actions. And pour more than you think into the side, Always reserving clemency and pardon Upon confession, be you near so foul, Come let's clear up our brows shall we to tennis. I my Lord if I may make the match. The Duke Espernon and myself will play, With you and Count Soissons; I know my Lord. You play well but you make your matches ill. Come 'tis a match. How like you my arrival? I'll tell you as your friend in your ear. You have given more preferment to your courage, Then to the provident counsels of your friends. I told him so my Lord, and much was grieved To see his bold approach, so full of will. Well I must bear it now, though but with th'head, The shoulders bearing nothing. By Saint Iohn, 'tis a good headless resolution.
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)
Being friend and worthy fautor of my selfe, I am no foe of yours, nor no empayrer, Since he can no way worthely maintaine His Princes honor that neglects his owne: And if your will haue beene to my true reason, (Maintaining still the truth of loyalty) A checke to my free nature and mine honor, And that on your free iustice I presum,d To crosse your will a little, I conceine, You will not thinke this forfaite worth my head; Haue you maintaind your truth of loyalty? When since I pardoned foule ententions, Resoluing to forget eternally, What they apperd in, And had welcomd you as the kind father doth his riotous son. I can approue facts fowler then th' intents, Of deepe disloyalty and highest treason; May this right hand be thunder to my brest, If I stand guilty of the slendrest fact, Wherein the left of those two can be prooued, For could my tender conscience but haue toucht, At any such vnnaturall relaps; I would not with this confidence haue runne, Thus headlong in the furnace of a wrath, Blowne, and thrice kindled: hauing way enough, In my election both to shunne and sleight it. Y'are grosely and vain gloriously abus'd, There is no way in Sauoy nor in Spaine, To giue a foole that hope of your escape, And had you not (euen when you did) arriued. (With horror to the proudest hope you had) I would haue fetcht you. You must then haue vs'd. A power beyond my knowledge, and a will, Beyond your iustice. For a little stay More then I vsd would hardly haue beene worthy, Of such an open expedition; In which to all the censures of the world, My faith and Innocence had beene fouly foyld; Which (I protest) by heauens bright wittnesses That shine farr, farr, from mixture with our feares. Retaine as perfect roundnes as their spheares; Tis well my Lord, I thought I could haue frighted Your firmest confidence: some other time, We will (as now in priuate) sift your actions. And poure more then you thinke into the sie, Alwaies reseruing clemency and pardon Vpon confession, be you nere so foule, Come lets cleere vp our browes shall we to tennis. I my Lord if I may make the match. The Duke Espernon and my selfe will play, With you and Count Soissons; I know my Lord. You play well but you make your matches ill. Come tis a match. How like you my ariuall? Ile tell you as your friend in your eare. You haue giuen more preferment to your courage, Then to the prouident counsailes of your friends. I told him so my Lord, and much was grieu'd To see his bold approach, so full of will. Well I must beare it now, though but with th'head, The shoulders bearing nothing. By Saint Iohn, Tis a good headlesse resolution.