Markham, Gervase / Machin, Lewis · published 1608 · first performed or written 1608 [1607-1608] (Annals) tragicomedy · Children of the King's Revels unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 489 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Pass and respect me not lascivious woman, Thy tears are of the spears of crocodiles, See how I stop mine ears against thy plaints, And glue mine understandings from thy charms, Nay call on him thou hast offended most, Mercy from me were worse than cruelty. My dearest dread, my best best sovereign, Whom I have near offended but with zeal And constant love, loyal and honourable, Vouchsafe me though a Queen a subjects right, And let me know for what offence I perish. For thine adulterate and monstrous lust, Shameful and gross and most unsufferable. Who doth accuse us? Ourself, and our own soul that have beheld Your vile and most lascivious passages. O that my tongue would not betray my knowledge Then would I amaze them all with mine assertions: Madam, challenge the law. My gracious Lord, since no desert in me, Can merit your belief, nor that your eye, Can rightly judge my pure complexion: Yet as your handmaid, let me beg the right, Due unto wretches from our country's laws. The tenure of the law you do demand. That in the case of slander, where the proof Proceeds as much from envy as from truth, We are allowed our champions to defend Our innocence, with a well ordered sword. I looked for this objection and allow it, Nor am I unprovided for your best And strongest hope in any victory; Lords attend in my Champion. Will you my Lord approve the King's assertion. Madame, although against the nature of my spirit, And my first duty, bound to your allegiance, Yet now compelled by duty and by truth, I must of force become your opposite. Thou art no true Italian, nor true gentleman, Thus to confound the glory of thy judgement. Hath not that arm which now is armed against me That valour, spirit, judgement and that worth, Which only makes you worthy, stood t'approve More than myself will challenge to my virtues? And are you now basely turned retrograde? Well, I perceive there's nought in you but spleen, And times observance, still to hold the best: Still I demand the Law. And you shall have it in the amplest manner. Sound cornets. There is a combatant on the defendants part; your majesties pleasure. Give him his oath according to the laws. Are the fair ends of this your warlike posture, To prove the innocence of these two condemned? So help you Jove. They are. Then give the warlike signal to the fight. Thou art my slave, either confess or die. Didst thou speak true, I would not sound a word To save the world from cinders; yet that thou Mayest With more resolved fury murder me, This I confess, 'twas I that only stirred, Out of strong falsehoods hate and jealousy The kings eternal wrath, and made him think Untruths, that even untruth would not suggest: And all my malice sprung from that Prince Philocles.
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)
Passe and respect me not lasciuious woman, Thy teares are of the speares of Crocodils, See how I stop mine eares against thy plaints, And glue mine vnderstandings from thy charmes, Nay call on him thou hast offended most, Mercy from me were worse then cruelty. My dearest dreade, my best best soueraigne, Whom I haue nere offended but with zeale And constant loue, loyall and honorable, Vouchsafe me though a Queene a subiects right, And let me know for what offence I perish. For thine adulterat and monstrous lust, Shamefull and grosse and most vnsufferable. Who doth accuse vs? Our selfe, and our owne soule that haue beheld Your vile and most lasciuious passages. O that my tongue would not betray my knowledge Then would I amaze them all with mine assertions: Madame, challenge the law. My gratious Lord, since no desert in me, Can merit your beliefe, nor that your eie, Can rightly iudge my pure complexion: Yet as your handmaid, let me beg the right, Due vnto wretches from our countries lawes. The tenure of the law you do demand. That in the case of slander, where the proofe Proceedes as much from enuy as from truth, We are allow'd our champions to defend Our innocence, with a well ordered sword. I lookt for this obiection and allow it, Nor am I vnprouided for your best And strongest hope in any victory; Lords attend in my Champion. Will you my Lord approue the Kings assertion. Madame, although against the nature of my spirit, And my first duty, bound to your allegeance, Yet now compeld by duty and by truth, I must of force become your opposite. Thou art no true Italian, nor true gentleman, Thus to confound the glory of thy iudgement. Hath not that arme which now is arm'd against me That valour, spirit, iudgement and that worth, Which onely makes you worthy, stood t'approue More then my selfe will challenge to my vertues? And are you now basely turnd retrograde? Well, I perceiue ther's nought in you but spleene, And times obseruance, still to hold the best: Still I demand the Law. And you shall haue it in the amplest manner. Sound cornets. There is a cōbatant on the defēdāts part; your maiesties pleasure. Giue him his oath according to the lawes. Are the faire ends of this your warlike posture, To proue the innocence of these two condemnd? So help you Ioue. They are. Then giue the warlicke signall to the fight. Thou art my slaue, either confesse or die. Didst thou speake true, I would not sound a word To saue the world from cinders; yet that thou maiest With more resolued fury murder me, This I confesse, twas I that onely stird, Out of strong falshoods hate and iealousie The kings eternall wrath, and made him thinke Vntruths, that euen vntruth would not suggest: And all my malice sprung from that Prince Philocles.