The Tragedy of Charles Duke of Byron · chunk 28 of 37
Chapman, George · published 1608 · first performed or written 1608 [1607-1608] (Annals) tragedy · Children of the Queen's Revels unassigned nearest T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi · 523 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
Of so unjust an opposition; My envious stars cannot deny me this, That I may make my judges witnesses; And that my wretched fortunes have reserved For my last comfort; ye all know (my Lords) This body gashed with five and thirty wounds, Whose life and death you have in your award, Holds not a vein that hath not opened been, And which I would not open yet again, For you and yours; this hand that writ the lines alleged against me; hath enacted still, More good than there it only talked of ill. I must confess my choler hath transferred My tender spleen to all intemperate speech: But reason ever did my deeds attend. In worth of praise, and imitation, Had I borne any will to let them lose, I could have fleshed them with bad services, In England lately, and in Switzerland: There are a hundred Gentlemen by name, Can witness my demeanour in the first; And in the last embassage I adjure No other testimonies than the Seigneurs De Vio, and Sillerie; who amply know, In what sort, and with what fidelity I bore myself; to reconcile and knit, In one desire so many wills disjoined, And from the king's allegiance quite withdrawn. My acts ask many men, though done by one. And I were but one, I stood for thousands, And still I hold my worth, though not my place: Nor sleight me, judges, though I be but one, One man, in one sole expedition, Reduced into th'imperial power of Rome, Armenia, Pontus, and Arabia, Syria, Albania, and Iberia, Conquered th'Hyrcanians; and to Caucasus, His arm extended; the Numidians And Afrique to the shores Meridional, His power subjected; and that part of Spain Which stood from those parts that Sertorius ruled, Even to the Atlantic Sea he conquered. Th'Albanian kings, he from the kingdoms chased, And at the Caspian Sea, their dwellings placed: Of all the Earth's globe, by power and his advice, The round-eyed Ocean saw him victor thrice: And what shall let me (but your cruel doom,) To add as much to France, as he to Rome, And to leave justice neither Sword nor word, To use against my life; this Senate knows, That what with one victorious hand I took, I gave to all your uses, with another: With this I took, and propped the falling kingdom, And gave it to the King: I have kept Your laws of state from fire; and you yourselves, Fixed in this high Tribunal; from whose height The vengeful Saturnals of the League Had hurled ye headlong; do ye then return This retribution? can the cruel King, The kingdom, laws, and you, (all saved by me) Destroy their saver? what (ay me) I did Adverse to this; this damned Enchanter did, That took into his will, my motion; And being bankrupt both of wealth and worth, Pursued with quarrels, and with suits in law; Feared by the kingdom; threatened by the king; Would raise the loathed dunghill of his ruins, Upon the monumental heap of mine: Torn with possessed whirlwinds may he die, And dogs bark at his murderous memory,
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)
Of so vniust an opposition; My enuious starres cannot deny me this, That I may make my Iudges witnesses; And that my wretched fortunes haue reseru'd For my last comfort; yee all know (my Lords) This body gasht with fiue and thirty wounds, Whose life and death you haue in your award, Holds not a veine that hath not opened beene, And which I would not open yet againe, For you and yours; this hand that writ the lines Alledgd against me; hath enacted still, More good then there it onely talkt of ill. I must confesse my choller hath transferd My tender spleene to all intemperate speech: But reason euer did my deeds attend. In worth of praise, and imitation, Had I borne any will to let them loose, I could haue flesht them with bad seruices, In England lately, and in Swizerland: There are a hundred Gentlemen by name, Can witnesse my demeanure in the first; And in the last Ambassage I adiure No other testimonies then the Seigneurs De Vio, and Sillerie; who amply know, In what sort, and with what fidelitie I bore my selfe; to reconcile and knit, In one desire so many wills disioynde, And from the Kings allegiance quite with-drawne. My acts ask many men, though done by one. And I were but one, I stood for thousands, And still I hold my worth, though not my place: Nor sleight me, Iudges, though I be but one, One man, in one sole expedition, Reduc'd into th'imperiall powre of Rome, Armenia, Pontus, and Arabia, Syria, Albania, and Iberia, Conquerd th'Hyreanians; and to Caucasus, His arme extended; the Numidians And Affrick to the shores Meridionall, His powre subiected; and that part of Spaine Which stood from those parts that Sertorius rulde, Euen to the Atlantique Sea he conquered. Th'Albanian kings, he from the kingdoms chac'd, And at the Caspian Sea, their dwellings plac'd: Of all the Earths globe, by powre and his aduice, The round-eyd Ocean saw him victor thrice: And what shall let me (but your cruell doome,) To adde as much to France, as he to Rome, And to leaue Iustice neither Sword nor word, To vse against my life; this Senate knowes, That what with one victorious hand I tooke, I gaue to all your vses, with another: With this I tooke, and propt the falling kingdome, And gaue it to the King: I haue kept Your lawes of state from fire; and you your selues, Fixt in this high Tribunall; from whose height The vengefull Saturnals of the League Had hurld yee head-long; doe yee then returne This retribution? can the cruell King, The kingdome, lawes, and you, (all sau'd by me) Destroy their sauer? what (aye me) I did Aduerse to this; this damnd Enchanter did, That tooke into his will, my motion; And being banck-route both of wealth and worth, Pursued with quarrels, and with suites in law; Feard by the kingdome; threatned by the king; Would raise the loathed dung-hill of his ruines, Vpon the monumentall heape of mine: Torne with possessed whirle-winds may he dye, And dogs barke at his murthorous memory,