Norton, Thomas / Sackville, Thomas · published 1565 · first performed or written 1562 [Jan 18] (Annals) tragedy · before the Court unassigned nearest T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig · 530 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
THE silent night that brings the quiet pause, From painful travails of the weary Day: prolongs my careful thoughts and makes me blame The slow Aurore that so for love or shame Doth long delay to show her blushing face, And now the Day renews my griefful plaint. My gracious Lady and mother dear, Pardon my grief, for your so grieved mind To ask what cause tormenteth so your heart. So great a wrong and so unjust despite, Without all cause against all course of kind. such causeless wrong and so unjust despite, May have redress, or at the least revenge. Neither my Son, such is the froward will, The person such, such my mishap and thine. Mine know I none, but grief for your distress: Yes: mine for thine my son: A father? no: In kind a Father, but not in kindliness. My Father: why? I know nothing at all, Wherein I have misdone unto his Grace. Therefore, the more unkind to thee and me. For knowing well (my son) the tender love That I have ever borne and bear to thee, He grieved thereat, is not content alone, To spoil thee of my sight my chiefest joy, But thee, of the birth, right and Heritage Causeless, unkindly and in wrongful wise, Against all Law and right he will bereave, Half of his kingdom he will give away. To whom? even to Porrex his younger son Whose growing Pride I do so sore suspect, That being raised to equal Rule with thee, methinks I see his envious heart to swell Filled with Disdain and with ambitious Pride The end the Gods do know, whose Altars I Full oft have made in vain of Cattle slain, To send the sacred smoke to heavens Throne, For thee my son if things so succeed, As now my jealous mind misdeemeth sore. madam leave care and careful plaint for me. Just hath my Father been to every wight, His first unjustice he will not extend To me I trust, that give no cause thereof. My brother's pride shall hurt himself, not me. So grant the Gods: But yet thy father so Hath firmly fixed his unmoved mind That plaints & prayers can no whit avail, For those have I assayed, but even this day, He will endeavour to procure assent Of all his Counsel to his fond device. Their Ancestors from race to race have borne True faith to my forefathers and their seed, I trust they eke will bear the like to me. There resteth all, but if they fail thereof, And if the end bring forth an evil success On them and theirs the mischief shall befall, And so I pray the Gods requite it them, And so they will, for so is wont to be When Lords and trusted Rulers under kings To please the present fancy of the Prince, With wrong transpose the course of governance Murders, mischief, or civil sword at length, Or mutual treason, or a just revenge, When right succeeding Line returns again By Ioues just judgement and deserved wrath Brings them to civil and reproachful death, And roots their names & kindreds from the earth.
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)
THE ſilent night that bringes the quiet pawſe, From painefull trauailes of the wearie Daie: Prolonges my carefull thoughtes and makes me blame The ſlowe Aurore that ſo for loue or ſhame Doth longe delaye to ſhewe her bluſſhing face, And nowe the Daie renewes my griefull plainte. My gracious Lady and mother deare, Pardon my griefe, for your ſo grieued minde To aſke what cauſe tormenteth ſo your harte. So great a wronge and ſo vniuſt deſpite, Without all cauſe againſt all courſe of kinde. Suche cauſeles wronge and ſo vniuſt deſpite, Maye haue redreſſe, or at the leaſt reuenge. Neither my Sonne, ſuche is the frowarde will, The perſon ſuche, ſuche my miſhap and thyne. Myne know I none, but griefe for your diſtreſſe: Yes: myne for thyne my ſonne: A father? no: In kynde a Father, but not in kyndlynes. My Father: whie? I knowe nothynge at all, Wherin I haue miſdone vnto his Grace. Therfore, the more vnkinde to thee and mee. For knowynge well (my ſonne) the tendre loue▪ That I haue euer borne and beare to thee, He greued therat, is not content alone, To ſpoyle thee of my ſight my chiefeſt Ioye, But thee, of the birth, right and Heritage Cauſeles, vnkindly and in wrongfull wiſe, Againſt all Lawe and right he will bereaue, Halfe of his kyngdome he will geue awaye. To whome? Euen to Porrex his younger ſonne Whoſe growinge Pride I do ſo ſore ſuſpecte, That beynge rayſed to equall Rule with thee, Mee thinkes I ſee his enuious harte to ſwell Fyllde with Diſdaine and with ambicious Pride The ende the Goddes do know, whoſe Aulters I Full oft haue made in vaine of Cattell ſlayne, To ſende the ſacred ſmoke to Heauens Throne, For thee my ſonne if thinges ſo ſuccede, As nowe my Ielious minde miſdemeth ſore. Madame leaue care and carefull plaint for me. Iuſt hath my Father ben to euery wight, His firſte vniuſtice he will not extende To me I truſte, that geue no cauſe therof. My brothers pride ſhall hurt him ſelfe, not mee. So graunt the Goddes: But yet thy father ſo Hath firmely fixed his vnmoued mynde That plaints & praiers can no whit auaile, For thoſe haue I aſſaied, but euen this daie, He wyll endeuour to procure aſſent Of all his Counſell to his fonde deuiſe. Their Aunceſtours from race to race haue borne True fayth to my forefathers and their ſeede, I truſte thei eke wyll beare the lyke to me. There reſteth all, but if they fayle therof, And if the ende bringe forth an euyll ſucceſſe On them and theirs the miſchiefe ſhall befall, And ſo I praie the Goddes requite it them, And ſo they will, for ſo is wont to bee When Lordes and truſted Rulers vnder kynges To pleaſe the preſent fancie of the Prince, With wrong tranſpoſe the courſe of gouernaunce Murders, miſchiefe, or ciuyll ſworde at length, Or mutuall treaſon, or a iuſt reuenge, When right ſuccedinge Line returnes againe By Ioues iuſt Iudgement and deſerued wrathe Bringes them to ciuill and reprochefull death, And rootes their names & kindredes frō the earth.