Norton, Thomas / Sackville, Thomas · published 1565 · first performed or written 1562 [Jan 18] (Annals) tragedy · before the Court unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 443 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
madam, alas, in vain these plaints are shed. Rather with me depart and help to assuage, The thoughtful griefs that in the aged kings Must needs by nature grow by death of this His only son, whom he did hold so dear. What wight is that which saw that I did see And could refrain to wail with plaint & tears Not I, alas, that heart is not in me, But let us go, for I am grieved anew, To call to mind the wretched father's woe. When greedy lust in Royal seat to reign Hath reft all care of gods and eke of men, And cruel heart, wrath, Treason and disdain Within the ambitious breast are lodged then Behold how mischief wide herself displays And with the brother's hand the brother slays. When blood thus shed, doth stain this heavens face Crying to Ioue for vengeance of the deed, The mighty God even moveth from his place With wrath to wreak, then sends he forth with speed The dreadful furies, daughters of the night With Serpents girt, carrying the whip of Ire, With hear of stinging snakes and shining bright With flames and blood, and with a brand of fire: These for revenge of wretched Murder done Do make the Mother kill her only son. Blood asketh blood, & death must death requite Ioue by his just and everlasting doom justly hath ever so requited it These times before record, and times to come, Shall find it true, and so doth present proof, Present before our eyes for our behoof. O happy wight that suffres not the snare Of murderous mind to tangle him in blood: And happy he that can in time beware By other harms and turn it to his good But woe to him that fearing not to offend Doth serve his lust, and will not see the end. DId ever age bring forth such tyrants hearts The Brother hath bereft the Brother's life, The Mother she hath died her cruel hands In blood of her own son, and now at last The people lo forgetting truth and love, contemning quite both Law and loyal heart Even they have slain their sovereign Lord and Queen. Shall this their traitorous crime unpunished rest Even yet they cease not, carried out with rage, In their rebellious routs, to threaten still A new blood shed unto the PRINCE's kin To slay them all, and to uproot the race Both of the king and Queen, so are they moved With Porrex death, wherein they falsely charge The guiltless king without desert at all And traitorously have murdered him therefore, And eke the Queen.
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)
Madame, alas, in vaine theſe plaints are ſhed. Rather with me departe and helpe to aſſwage, The thoughtfull griefes that in the aged kings Muſt nedes by nature growe by death of this His onelie ſonne, whome he did holde ſo deare. What wight is that whiche ſawe that I did ſee And could refraine to waile with plainte & teares Not I, alas, that harte is not in me, But let vs goe, for I am greued anewe, To call to minde the wretched fathers woe. Whan gredie luſt in Royall ſeate to reigne Hath reft all care of goddes and eke of men, And cruell hart, wrathe, Treaſon and diſdaine Within the ambicious breaſt are lodged then Beholde howe miſchiefe wide her ſelfe diſplaies And with the brothers hande the brother ſlaies. When blood thus ſhed, doth ſtaine this heauens face Crying to Ioue for vengeaunce of the deede, The mightie God euen moueth from his place With wrathe to wreke, then ſendes he forth with ſpede The dreadful furies, daughters of ye night With Serpents girt, carying the whip of Ire, With heare of ſtinging ſnakes and ſhining bright With flames and blood, and with a brande of fire: Theſe for reuenge of wretched Murder done Do make the Mother kill her onelie ſonne. Blood aſketh blood, & death muſt death requite Ioue by his iuſt and euerlaſting dome Iuſtly hath euer ſo requited it Theſe times before recorde, and tymes to come, Shall finde it true, and ſo doth preſent proofe, Preſent before our eies for our behoofe. O happie wight that ſuffres not the ſnare Of murderous minde to tangle him in bloode▪ And happie he that can in time beware By others harmes and tourne it to his goode But wo to him that fearing not to offende Doth ſerue his luſt, and will not ſee the ende. DId euer age bring forth ſuch Tirants hartes The Brother hath bereft the Brothers lyfe, The Mother ſhe hath died her cruell handes In bloud of her owne ſonne, and nowe at laſt The people loe forgettyng trouthe and loue, Contemnynge quite both Lawe and loyall harte Euen they haue ſlayne their ſoueraigne Lord and Quene. Shall this their trayterous crime vnpuniſhed reſt Euen yet they ceaſe not, caryed out with rage, In their rebellious routes, to threaten ſtil A newe bloode ſhedde vnto the Princes kinne To ſlaie them all, and to vproote the race Both of the kyng and Queene, ſo are they moued With Porrex deathe, wherin they falſely charge The giltles kinge without deſarte at all And traiterouſlie haue murdered him therfore, And eke the Queene.