Norton, Thomas / Sackville, Thomas · published 1565 · first performed or written 1562 [Jan 18] (Annals) tragedy · before the Court unassigned nearest T43 York and Lancaster: dynastic claims and · 493 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T43: henry, king, richard, warwick, york, edward, father, duke, crown, son.
If ever time to gain a kingdom here Were offered man, now it is offered me: The Realm is reft both of their king & Queen The offspring of the Prince is slain and dead No issue now remains, the Heir unknown, The people are in Arms and mutinies The Nobles they are busied how to cease These great rebellious tumults and uproars And Britain Land now desert left alone Amid these broils uncertain where to rest Offers herself unto that noble heart That will or dare pursue to bear her Crown: Shall I that am the Duke of Albany Descended from that Line of noble blood. Which hath so long flourished in worthy fame Of valiant hearts, such as in noble Breasts Of right should rest above the baser sort, Refuse to adventure lief to win a Crown, Whom shall I find enemies that will withstand My fact herein, if I attempt by Arms To seek the Fame now in these times of broil These Duke's power can hardly well appease The people that already are in Arms. But if perhaps my force be ones in field Is not my strength in power above the best Of all these Lords now left in Britain Land. And though they should match me with power of men Yet doubtful is the chance of battles joined If Victors of the field we may depart, Ours is the Sceptre than of great Britain, If slain amid the plain this body be Mine enemies yet shall not deny me this, But that I died giving the noble charge To hazard life for conquest of a Crown. Forthwith therefore will I in post depart To Albany and raise in Armour there All power I can: and here my secret friends, By secret practice shall solicit still, To seek to win to me the people's hearts. O Ioue, How are these people's hearts abused what blind Fury, thus headlong carries them? That though so many books, so many rolls Of Ancient time record what grievous plagues, Light on these Rebels aye and though so oft Their ears have hard their aged fathers tell What just reward these Traitors still receive. Yea though themselves have seen deep death and blood By strangling cord & slaughter of the sword To such assigned, yet can they not beware: Yet can they not stay their rebellious hands, But suffering to foul treason to distain Their wretched minds, forget their loyal heart, Reject all truth and rise against their Prince, A ruthful case that those, whom duties bound Whom grafted Law by nature truth and faith Bound to preserve their Country and their king Borne to defend their Common wealth & Prince, Even they should give consent thus to subvert The Britain Land, & from the womb should bring (O native soil) those, that will needs destroy And ruin thee and eke themselves in fine: For lo, when one's the Duke had offered Grace
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)
If euer time to gaine a kingdome here Were offred man, nowe it is offred mee: The Realme is reft bothe of their kyng & Quene The ofſpringe of the Prince is ſlaine and dead No iſſue nowe remaines, the Heire vnknowen, The people are in Armes and mutynies The Nobles thei are buſied howe to ceaſe Theſe great rebellious tumultes and vproars And Brittayne Lande nowe deſerte left alone Amyd theſe broyles vncertaine where to reſt Offers her ſelfe vnto that noble harte That wyll or dare purſue to beare her Crowne: Shall I that am the Duke of Albanye Diſcended from that Lyne of noble bloode. Whiche hath ſo longe flooriſſhed in worthie fame Of valiaunt hartes, ſuche as in noble Breaſts Of right ſhulde reſt aboue the baſer ſorte, Refuſe to aduenture liefe to winne a Crowne, Whome ſhall I finde enemies that will wtſtande My facte herein, if I attempte by Armes To ſeeke the Fame nowe in theſe times of broyle Theſe Dukes power can hardlie well appeaſe The people that alredie are in Armes. But if perhappes my force be ones in fielde Is not my ſtrength in power aboue the beſt Of all theſe Lordes nowe left in Brittaine Lande. And though they ſhuld match me wt power of men Yet doubtfull is the chaunce of Battailles ioyned If Victors of the fielde we may departe, Ours is the Scepter than of great Brittayne, If ſlayne amid the playne this body be Mine enemies yet ſhall not deny me this, But that I died gyuynge the noble charge To hazarde life for conqueſt of a Crowne. Forthwith therfore will I in poſte depart To Albanye and raiſe in Armour there All power I can: and here my ſecrete friendes, By ſecrete practiſe ſhall ſollicite ſtill, To ſeeke to wynne to me the peoples hartes. O Ioue, Howe are theſe peoples hartes abuſde what blind Furie, thus headlong caries thē? That though ſo many bokes, ſo many rolles Of Auncient time recorde what greuous plagues, Light on theſe Rebelles aye and thoughe ſo ofte Their eares haue hard their aged fathers tell What iuſt rewarde theſe Traitours ſtill receyue. Yea though them ſelues haue ſene depe death and blod By ſtrangling cord & ſlaughter of the ſword To ſuche aſſigned, yet can they not beware: Yet can they not ſtaie their rebellious handes, But ſuffring to fowle treaſon to diſtaine Their wretched myndes, forget their loyall harte, Reiecte all trueth and riſe againſt their Prince, A ruthefull caſe that thoſe, whome duties bounde Whome grafted Lawe by nature trueth and faith Bounde to preſerue their Coūtrey and their king Borne to defende their Cōmon wealth & Prince, Euen they ſhulde geue conſent thus to ſubuerte The Brittaine Land, & from the wombeſhuld bring (O natyue ſoile) thoſe, that will nedes deſtroye And ruyne thee and eke them ſelues in fine: For lo, when ones the Duke had offred Grace