Norton, Thomas / Sackville, Thomas · published 1565 · first performed or written 1562 [Jan 18] (Annals) tragedy · before the Court unassigned nearest T18 Rebels, barons and the king's wars at ho · 459 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T18: king, lord, wallace, earl, edward, england, scotland, rebels, bruce, english.
Shall Subjects dare with force To work revenge upon their PRINCE's fact? Admit the worst that may: as sure in this The deed was foul, the Queen to slay her son Shall yet the Subject seek to take the sword? Arise against his Lord, and slay his king? O wretched state, where those rebellious hearts Are not rent out even from their living breasts And with the body thrown unto the Fowls As Carrion food, for terror of the rest. There can no punishment be thought to great For this so grievous crime: let speed therefore Be used therein for it behoveth so. Ye all my Lords I see consent in one And I as one consent with ye in all: I hold it more than need with the sharpest Law To punish the tumultuous bloody rage For nothing more may shake the comen state Than sufferance of Uproars without redress Whereby how some kingdoms of mighty power After great Conquests made, and flourishing In fame and wealth have been to ruin brought I pray to Ioue that we may rather wail Such hap in them than witness in ourselves Eke fully with the Duke my mind agrees That no cause serves, whereby the Subject may Call to account the doings of his Prince. Much less in blood by sword to work revenge No more than may the hand cut of the head, In Act nor speech, no: not in secret thought The Subject may rebel against his Lord Or judge of him that sits in Caesar's Seat. With grudging mind do damn those Hemislikes Though kings forget to govern as they ought, Yet Subjects must obey as they are bound: But now my Lords before ye farther wade Or spend your speech, what sharp revenge shall fall By justice plague on these rebellious wights methinks ye rather should first search the way By which in time the rage of this uproar Mought be repressed, & these great tumults ceased Even yet the life of Britain Land doth hang. In Traitors Balance of unequal weight Think not my Lords the death of Gorboduc Nor yet Videna's blood will cease their rage: Even our own lives, our wives and children, Our Country dearest of all in danger stands, Now to be spoiled, now, now made desolate, And by ourselves a conquest too ensue: For give one's sway unto the people's lusts, To rush forth on, and stay them not in time, And as the stream that rolleth down the hill, So will they headlong run with raging thoughts From blood to blood, from mischief unto more, To ruin of the Realm, themselves and all So giddy are the common people's minds, So glad of change, more wavering than the Sea
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)
Shall Subiectes dare with force To worke reuenge vpon their Princes facte? Admyt the worſt that maye: as ſure in this The dede was fowle, the Quene to ſlaie her ſonne Shall yet the Subiecte ſeeke to take the ſworde? Ariſe agaynſt his Lorde, and ſlaie his kynge? O wretched ſtate, where thoſe rebellious hartes Are not rent out euen from their lyuynge breaſts And with the bodie throwen vnto the Fowles As Carrion foode, for terrour of the reſt. There can no puniſſhement be thought to greate For this ſo greuous cryme: let ſpede therfore Be vſed therin for it behoueth ſo. Ye all my Lordes I ſee conſent in one And I as one conſent with ye in all: I holde it more than nede with the ſharpeſt Lawe To puniſſhe the tumultuous bloodie rage For nothynge more maye ſhake the cōmen ſtate Than ſufferaunce of Vproares without redreſſe Wherby how ſome kingdomes of mightie power After great Conqueſtes made, and flooriſhing In fame and wealth haue ben to ruyne brought I praie to Ioue that we may rather wayle Suche happe in them than witnes in our ſelues Eke fullie with the Duke my minde agrees That no cauſe ſerues, wherby the Subiect maye Call to accompt the doynges of his Prince. Muche leſſe in bloode by ſworde to worke reuenge No more then maye the hande cut of the heade, In Acte nor ſpeache, no: not in ſecrete thoughte The Subiect maye rebell againſt his Lorde Or Iudge of him that ſittes in Ceaſars Seate. With grudging mind do damne thoſe Hemiſlikes Though kinges forget to gouerne as they ought, Yet Subiectes muſt obey as they are bounde: But nowe my Lordes before ye farder wade Or ſpend your ſpeach, what ſharp reuenge ſhal fal By iuſtice plague on theſe rebellious wights Me thinkes ye rather ſhould firſt ſearche the waye By whiche in time the rage of this vproare Mought be repreſſed, & theſe great tumults ceaſed Euen yet the life of Brittayne Lande doth hange. In Traitours Balaunce of vnegall weight Thinke not my Lords the death of Gorboduc Nor yet Videnaes bloode will ceaſe their rage: Euen our owne lyues, our wiues and children, Our Countrey deareſt of all in daunger ſtandes, Nowe to be ſpoiled, nowe, nowe made deſolate, And by our ſelues a conqueſt too enſue: For geue ones ſweye vnto the peoples luſts, To ruſſhe forth on, and ſtaye them not in time, And as the ſtreame that rowleth downe the hyll, So wil thei headlong ronne wt raging thoughtes From bloode to bloode, from miſchiefe vnto moe, To ruyne of the Realme, them ſelues and all So giddle are the cōmon peoples mindes, So glad of chaunge, more waueryng than the Sea