Norton, Thomas / Sackville, Thomas · published 1570 · first performed or written 1562 [Jan 18] (Annals) tragedy · before the Court unassigned nearest T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig · 492 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
Your aged life draws on to feebler time, Wherein you shall less able be to bear The travails that in youth you have sustained, Both in your persons and your realms defence. If planting now your sons in further parts, You send them further from your present reach, Less shall you know how they themselves demean: Traitorous corrupters of their pliant youth, Shall have unspied a much more free access, And if ambition and inflamed disdain Shall arm the one, the other, or them both, To civil war, or to usurping pride, Late shall you rue, that you ne recked before. Good is I grant of all to hope the best, But not to live still dreadless of the worst. So trust the one, that the other be foreseen. Arm not unskilfulness with princely power. But you that long have wisely ruled the reigns. Of royalty within your noble realm, So hold them, while the Gods for our avails Shall stretch the thread of your prolonged days. To soon he clomb into the flaming car, Whose want of skill did set the earth on fire. Time and example of your noble grace, Shall teach your sons both to obey and rule, When tune hath taught them, time shall make them place, The place that now is fully: and so I pray Long it remain, to comfort of us all. I take your faithful hearts in thankful part, But sith I see no cause to draw my mind, To fear the nature of my loving sons, Or to misdeem that envy or disdain, Can there work hate, where nature planteth love: In one self purpose do I still abide. My love extendeth equally to both, My land sufficeth for them both also. Humber shall part the marches of their realms: The Southern part the elder shall possess: The Northern shall Porrex the younger rule: In quiet I will pass mine aged days, Free from the travail and the painful cares, That hasten age upon the worthiest kings. But jest the fraud, that ye do seem to fear, Of flattering tongues, corrupt their tender youth, And writhe them to the ways of youthful lust, To climbing pride, or to revenging hate, Or to neglecting of their careful charge, Lewdly to live in wanton recklessnesse, Or to oppressing of the rightful cause, Or not to wreak the wrongs done to the poor, To tread down truth, or favour false deceit: I mean to join to either of my sons Some one of those, whose long approved faith And wisdom tried, may well assure my heart: That mining fraud shall find no way to creep Into their sensed ears with grave advise. This is the end, and so I pray you all To bear my sons the love and loyalty That I have found within your faithful breasts. You, nor your sons, our sovereign lord shall want, Our faith and service while our lives do last.
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)
Your aged life drawes on to febler tyme, Wherin you shall lesse able be to beare The trauailes that in youth you haue susteyned, Both in your persones and your realmes defence. If planting now your sonnes in furder partes, You sende them furder from your present reach, Lesse shall you know how they them selues demeane: Traiterous corrupters of their plyant youth, Shall haue vnspied a muche more free accesse, And if ambition and inflamed disdaine Shall arme the one, the other, or them both, To ciuill warre, or to vsurping pride, Late shall you rue, that you ne recked before. Good is I graunt of all to hope the best, But not to liue still dreadlesse of the worst. So truste the one, that the other be forsene. Arme not vnskilfulnesse with princely power. But you that long haue wisely ruled the reignes. Of royaltie within your noble realme, So holde them, while the Gods for our auayles Shall stretch the thred of your prolonged daies. To soone he clambe into the flaming carre, Whose want of skill did set the earth on fire. Time and example of your noble grace, Shall teach your sonnes both to obey and rule, When tune hath taught them, time shal make thē place, The place that now is full and so I pray Long it remaine, to comforte of vs all. I take your faithful harts in thankful part▪ But sithe I see no cause to draw my minde, To feare the nature of my louing sonnes, Or to misdeme that enuie or disdaine, Can there worke hate, where nature planteth loue: In one selfe purpose do I still abide. My loue extendeth egally to both, My lande suffiseth for them both also. Humber shall parte the marches of theyr realmes: The Sotherne part the elder shall possesse: The Notherne shall Porrex the yonger rule: In quiet I will passe mine aged dayes, Free from the trauaile and the painefull cares, That hasten age vpon the worthiest kinges. But lest the fraude, that ye do seeme to feare, Of flattering tongues, corrupt their tender youth, And wrythe them to the wayes of youthfull lust, To clyng pride, or to reuenging hate, Or to neglecting of their carefull charge, Lewdely to lyue in wanton recklessnesse, Or to oppressing of the rightfull cause, Or not to wreke the wronges done to the poore, To treade downe truth, or fauour false deceite: I meane to ioyne to eyther of my sonnes Some one of those, whose long approued faith And wisdome tryed, may well assure my harte: That ynyng fraude shall finde no way to cepe Into their ensed eares with graue adiuse▪ This is the ende, and so I pray you all To beare my sonnes the loue and loyaltie That I haue founde within your faithfull brestes. You, nor your sonnes, our soueraign lord shal want, Our faith and seruice while our liues do last.