Norton, Thomas / Sackville, Thomas · published 1565 · first performed or written 1562 [Jan 18] (Annals) tragedy · before the Court T38 Death, parting and grief at court typicality 0.80 · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
O let us than repair, unto the place, And see if that Porrex, or thus be slame. Alas he liveth not, it is to true, That with these eyes of him a peerless Prince, Son to a King, and in the flower of youth, Even with a twink a senseless stock I saw. O dampned deed. But hear this ruthful end. The noble Prince pierced with the sudden wound Out of his wretched slumber hastily start Whole strength now failing straight he overthrew When in the fall his eyes even new unclosed Beheld the Queen and cried to her for help We then, alas, the Ladies which that time Did there attend, seeing that heinous deed And hearing him oft call the wretched name Of mother, and to cry to her for Aid Whose direful hand gave him the mortal wound Pitying, (alas, for nought else could we do) His ruthful end, ran to the woeful bed Despoiled straight his breast, and all we might wiped in vain with napkins next at hand, The sudden streams of blood that flushed fast Out of the gaping wound: O what a look, O what a ruthful steadfast eye methought He fixed upon my face, which to my death Will never part fro me, when with a bray A deep set sign he gave and therewith all Clasping his hands, to heaven he cast his sight. And straight pale death pressing within his face The flying ghost his mortal corpse forsook. Never did age bring forth so vile a fact. O hard and cruel hap, that thus assigned Unto so worthy a wight so wretched end But most hard cruel heart, that could consent To lend the hateful destinies that hand By which, alas, so heinous crime was wrought, O Queen of Adamant, O Marble breast If not the favour of his comely face, If not his Princely cheer and countenance, His valiant Active Arms, his manly breast. If not his fair and seemly parsonage His noble Limbs in such preparation cast As would have wrapped a silly woman's thought If this mought not have moved the bloody heart And that most cruel hand the wretched weapon Even to let fall, and kissed him in the face, With tears for ruth to reave such one by death Should nature yet consent to slay her son O mother, thou to murder thus thy child Even Ioue with justice must with lightening flames From heaven send down some strange revenge on thee. Ah noble Prince, how oft have I beheld Thee mounted on thy fierce and trampling stead Shining in Armour bright before the tilt And with thy Mistress Sleeve tied on thy Helm And charge thy staff to please thy lady's eye That bowed the head piece of thy friendly foe, How oft in Arms on horse to bend the Mace How oft in Arms on foot to break the sword, Which never now these eyes men see again.
seed 43: T44 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
O let vs than repaier, vnto the place, And ſee if that Porrex, or thus be ſlame. Alas he liueth not, it is to true, That with theſe eies of him a pereles Prince, Sonne to a King, and in the flower of youth, Euen with a twinke a cenſeles ſtocke I ſawe. O dampned deed. But heare this ruthefull ende. The noble Prince perſt with the ſodeine wounde Out of his wretched ſlombre haſtelie ſtarte Whole ſtrēgth now failyng ſtreight he ouerthrew When in the fall his eyes euen newe vncloſed Behelde the Quene and cryed to her for helpe We then, alas, the Ladies whiche that tyme Did there attende, ſeynge that heynous deede And hearing him oft call the wretched name Of mother, and to crie to her for Aide Whoſe direfull hand gaue him the mortal wound Pitieng, (alas, for nought els could we do) His ruthefull ende, ranne to the wofull bedde Diſpoyled ſtreight his breſt, and all we might wyped in vaine with napkyns next at hande, The ſodeine ſtreames of blood that fluſſhed faſt Out of the gaping wounde: O what a looke, O what a ruthefull ſtedfaſt eye me thought He fixed vpon my face, whiche to my deathe Will neuer parte fro me, when with a braide Adeepe ſet ſigne he gaue and therewith all Claſpinge his handes, to heauen he caſt his ſight▪ And ſtreight pale death preſſyng within his face The flyinge ghoſte his mortall corps forſooke. Neuer did age bring forth ſo vile a facte. O harde and cruell happe, that thus aſſigned Vnto ſo worthie a wighte ſo wretched ende But moſt harde cruell harte, that coulde conſent To lende the hatefnll deſtenies that hande By whiche, alas, ſo heynous cryme was wrought, O Queene of Adamante, O Marble breaſte If not the fauour of his comelie face, If not his Princelie chere and countenunce, His valiant Actiue Armes, his manlie breaſte. If not his faier and ſemelie perſonage His noble Lymmes in ſuche preparacion caſte As would haue wrapped a ſillie womans thought If this mought not haue moued the bloodie harte And that moſt cruell hande the wretched weapon Euen to let fall, and kiſte him in the face, With teares for ruthe to reaue ſuche one by death Should nature yet conſent to ſlaye her ſonne O mother, thou to murder thus thie childe Euen Ioue with Iuſtice muſt wt lightening flames From heauen ſend down ſome ſtrange reuenge on thee. Ah noble Prince, how oft haue I beheld Thee mounted on thy fierce and traumpling ſtede Shyning in Armour bright before the Tylte And with thy Miſtreſſe Sleaue tied on thy Helme And charge thy ſtaffe to pleaſe thy Ladies eie That howed the head peece of thy frendly foe, Howe oft in Armes on horſe to bende the Mace Howe oft in Armes on foote to breake the ſworde, Whiche neuer nowe theſe eyes men againe.