The Tragedy of Charles Duke of Byron · chunk 18 of 37
Chapman, George · published 1608 · first performed or written 1608 [1607-1608] (Annals) tragedy · Children of the Queen's Revels unassigned nearest T53 The crown: kingship claimed, resigned an · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T53: crown, king, state, life, lord, lords, live, queen, tullia, prince.
I like not executions so informal, For which my predecessors have been blamed: My Subjects and the world shall know; my power, And my authority by laws usual course Dares punish; not the devilish heads of treason, But there confederates be they near so dreadful. The decent ceremonies of my laws, And their solemnities shall be observed, With all their Sternness and Severity. Where will your highness have him apprehended? Not in the Castle (as some have advised) But in his chamber; Rather in your own, Or coming out of it; for 'tis assured That any other place of apprehension, Will make the hard performance, end in blood. To shun this likelihood, my Lord 'tis best To make the apprehension near your chamber; For all respect and reverence given the place, More than is needful, to chastise the person, And save the opening of to many veins; Is vain and dangerous. Gather you your guard, And I will find fit time to give the word, When you shall seize on him and on D'Auvergne; we will be ready to the death; (my Lord) O thou that governest the keen swords of Kings, Direct my arm in this important stroke, Or hold it being advanced; the weight of blood, Even in the basest subject, doth exact Deep consultation, in the highest King; For in one subject, deaths unjust affrights, Passions, and pains, (though he be ne'er so poor) Ask more remorse, than the voluptuous spleens Of all Kings in the world, deserve respect; He should be borne grey-headed that will bear The sword of Empire; judgement of the life, Free state, and reputation of a man, (If it be just and worthy) dwells so dark That it denies access to Sun and Moon; The soul's eye sharpened with that sacred light, Of whom the Sun itself is but a beam, Must only give that judgement; O how much Err those Kings then, that play with life and death, And nothing put into their serious States, But humour and their lusts! For which alone Men long for kingdoms; whose huge counterpoise In cares and dangers, could a fool comprise, He would not be a King but would be wise; Here comes the man, with whose ambitious head (Cast in the way of Treason) we must stay His full chase of our ruin and our Realm; This hour shall take upon her shady wings His latest liberty and life to Hell. We are undone? What's that? I heard him not; Madam you're honoured much, that Duke Byron Is so observant; Some, to cards with him, You four, as now you come, sit to Primero; And I will fight a battle at the Chess; A good safe fight believe me; Other war Thirsts blood, and wounds, and his thirst quenched, is thankless; Lift, and then cut; 'tis right the end of lifting, When men are lifted to their highest pitch, They cut of those that lifted them so high.
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)
I like not executions so informall, For which my predecessors haue beene blam'd: My Subiects and the world shall knowe; my powre, And my authority by lawes vsuall course Dares punish; not the deuilish heads of treason, But there confederates be they nere so dreadfull▪ The decent ceremonies of my lawes, And their solemnities shall be obserued, With all their Stmenes and Seueritie. Where will your highnes haue him apprehended? Not in the Castle (as some haue aduis'd) But in his chamber; Rather in your owne, Or comming out of it; for tis assur'd That any other place of apprehension, Will make the hard performance, end in blood. To shun this likely-hood, my Lord tis best To make the apprehension neere your chamber; For all respect and reuerence giuen the place, More then is needfull, to chastice the person, And saue the opening of to many veines; Is vain and dangerous. Gather you your guard, And I will finde fit time to giue the word, When you shall seaze on him and on D'Avuergne; Wee will be readie to the death; (my Lord) O thou that gouernst the keene swords of Kings, Direct my arme in this important stroke, Or hold it being aduanc't; the weight of blood, Euen in the basest subiect, doth exact Deepe consultation, in the highest King; For in one subiect, deaths vniust affrights, Passions, and paines, (though he be n'ere so poore) Aske more remorse, then the voluptuous spleenes Of all Kings in the world, deserue respect; Hee should be borne grey-headed that will beare The sword of Empire; Iudgement of the life, Free state, and reputation of a man, (If it be iust and worthy) dwells so darke That it denies accesse to Sunne and Moone; The soules eye sharpned with that sacred light, Of whome the Sunne it selfe is but a beame, Must onely giue that iudgement; O how much Erre those Kings then, that play with life and death, And nothing put into their serious States, But humor and their lusts! For which alone Men long for kingdomes; whose huge counterpoise In cares and dangers, could a foole comprise, He would not be a King but would be wise; Heere comes the man, with whose ambitious head (Cast in the way of Treason) we must stay His full chace of our ruine and our Realme; This houre shall take vpon her shady winges His latest liberty and life to Hell. We are vndone? Whats that? I heard him not; Madam y'are honord much, that Duke Byron Is so obseruant; Some, to cardes with him, You foure, as now you come, sit to Primero; And I will fight a battayle at the Chesse; A good safe fight beleeue me; Other warre Thirsts blood, and wounds, and his thirst quencht, is thankles; Lift, and then cut; Tis right the end of lifting, When men are lifted to their highest pitch, They cut of those that lifted them so high.