Beaumont, Francis / Fletcher, John · published 1619 · first performed or written 1611 (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men · Globe unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 493 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
You spend your rage, and words in vain, And rail upon a guess: hear us a little. No I will never hear, but talk away My breath, and die. Why but you are no Bastard. how's that? Nor child of mine. Still you go on in wonders to me. Pray be more patient, I may bring comfort to you. I will kneel, And hear with the obedience of a child; Good Father speak, I do acknowledge you, So you bring comfort. First know our last King your supposed Father Was old and feeble when he married her, And almost all the Land as she past hope Of issue from him. Therefore she took leave To play the whore, because the King was old: Is this the comfort? what will you find out To give me satisfaction, when you find How you have injured me: let fire consume me, If ever I were whore. Forbear these starts, Or I will leave you wedded to despair, As you are now: if you can find a temper, My breath shall be a pleasant western wind, That cools, and blasts not. Bring it out good Father, I'll lie, and listen here as reverently As to an Angel: If I breath too loud, Tell me; for I would be as still as night. Our King I say was old, and this our Queen Desired to bring an heir; but yet her husband She thought was past it, and to be dishonest I think she would not; if she would have been, The truth is, she was watched so narrowly, And had so slender opportunity, She hardly could have been: But yet her cunning Found out this way; she feigned herself with child, And posts were sent in haste throughout the Land, And God was humbly thanked in every Church, That so had blessed the Queen, and prayers were made For her safe going, and delivery: She feigned now to grow bigger, and perceived This hope of issue made her feared, and brought A far more large respect from every man, And saw her power increase, and was resolved, Since she believed she could not have't indeed; At lest she would be thought to have a child. Do I not hear it well; nay, I will make No noise at all; but pray you to the point, Quick as you can. Now when the time was full, She should be brought a-bed; I had a son Borne, which was you: This the Queen hearing of, Moved me to let her have you, and such reasons She showed me as she knew would tie My secrecy: she swore you should be King; And o be short, I did deliver you Unto her, and pretended you were dead; And in mine own house kept a Funeral, And had an empty coffin put in earth: That night the Queen feigned hastily to labour, And by a pair of women of her own.
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)
You ſpend your rage, and words in vaine, And raile vpon a gueſſe: heare vs a little. No I will neuer heare, but talke away My breath, and die. VVhy but you are no Baftard. Howe's that? Nor childe of mine. Still you goe on in wonders to me. Pray be more patient, I may bring comfort to you. I will kneele, And heare with the obedience of a childe; Good Father ſpeake, I doe acknowledge you, So you bring comfort. Firſt know our laſt King your ſuppoſed Father VVas olde and feeble when he marryed her, And almoſt all the Land as ſhee paſt hope Of iſſue from him. Therefore ſhee tooke leaue To play the whoore, becauſe the King was old: Is this the comfort? vvhat will you find out To giue me ſatiſfaction, when you find How you haue iniur'd me: let fire conſume mee, If euer I were whore. Forbeare theſe ſtarts, Or I will leaue you wedded to deſpaire, As you are now: if you can find a temper, My breath ſhall be a pleaſant weſterne wind, That cooles, and blaſtes not. Bring it out good Father, Ile lie, and liſten here as reuerentlie As to an Angell: If I breathe too loude, Tell me; for I would be as ſtill as night. Our King I ſay was old, and this our Queene Deſired to bring an heire; but yet her husband Shee thought was paſt it, and to be diſhoneſt I thinke ſhee would not; if ſhee would haue beene, The truth is, ſhee was watcht ſo narrowlie, And had ſo ſlender opportunitie, Shee hardly could haue beene: But yet her cunning Found out this way; ſhee fain'd her ſelfe with child, And poſtes were ſent in haſte throughout the Land, And God was humbly thankt in euery Church, That ſo had bleſt the Queen, and prayers were made For her ſafe going, and deliuerie: Shee fain'd now to grow bigger, and perceiu'd This hope of iſſue made her feard, and brought A farre more large reſpect from euerie man, And ſaw her power increaſe, and was reſolu'd, Since ſhee belieu'd ſhee could not haue't indeede; At leaſt ſhee would be thought to haue a child. Doe I not heare it well; nay, I will make No noiſe at all; but pray you to the point, Quicke as you can. Now when the time was full, Shee ſhould be brought abed; I had a ſonne Borne, which was you: This the Queene hearing of, Mou'd me to let her haue you, and ſuch reaſons Shee ſhewed me as ſhee knew would tie My ſecreſie: ſhee ſware you ſhould be King; And o be ſhort, did deliue you Vnto her, and pretended you we e dead; And in mine owne houſe kept a Funerall, And had an emprie coffin put in earth: That night the Queene fain'd haſtilie to labour, And by a paire of women of her owne.