Anonymous / Fletcher, John / Massinger, Philip · published 1621 · first performed or written 1617 [1613-1621] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men · Blackfriars T53 The crown: kingship claimed, resigned an typicality 0.84 · 515 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T53: crown, king, state, life, lord, lords, live, queen, tullia, prince.
Thought I assure myself (Martell) your counsel Had no end but allegiance and my honour: Yet I am jealous, I have passed the bounds Of a son's duty; for suppose her worse Than you report, not by bare circumstance But evident proof confirmed has given her out: Yet since all weaknesses in a kingdom, are No more to be severely punished, than The faults of Kings are by the Thunderer As oft as they offend, to be revenged: If not for piety, yet for policy, Since some are of necessity to be spared, I might, and now I wish I had not looked With such strict eyes into her follies. Sir, a duty well discharged is never followed By sad repentance, nor did your Highness ever Make payment of the debt you owed her, better Than in your late reproofs not of her, but Those crimes that made her worthy of reproof. The most remarkable point in which kings differ From private men, is, that they not alone Stand bound to be in themselves innocent, But that all such as are allied to them In nearness, or dependence, by their care Should be free from suspicion of all crime; And you have reaped a double benefit From this last great act: first in the restraint Of her lost pleasures, you remove th'example From others of the like licentiousness, Then when 'tis known that your severity Extended to your mother, who dares hope for The least Indulgence or connivance in The easiest slips that may prove dangerous To you or to the kingdom? I must grant Your reasons good (Martell) if as she is My Mother, she had been my subject, or That only here she could make challenge to A place of being; but I know her temper And fear (if such a word become a king,) That in discovering her, I have let loose A Tigers, whose rage being shut up in darkness, Was grievous only to herself; which brought Into the view of light, her cruelty Provoked by her own shame, will turn on him That foolishly presumed to let her see The loathed shape of her own deformity. Beasts of that nature when rebellious threats Begin to appear only in their eyes, Or any motion that may give suspicion Of the least violence, should be chained up; Their fangs and teeth, and all their means of hurt, pared of, and knocked out, and so made unable To do ill; they would soon begin to loathe it. I'll apply nothing, but had you grace done, Or would do yet, what your less forward zeal In words did only threaten, far less danger Would grow from acting it on her, then may Perhaps have being from her apprehension Of what may once be practised: for believe it, Who confident of his own power, presumes To spend threats on an enemy, that hath means To shun the worst they can effect, gives armour To keep off his own strength; nay more, disarms himself, and lies unguarded 'gainst all harms Or doubt, or malice may produce.
seed 43: T57 · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Thought I assure my selfe (Martell) your counsell Had no end but alleagance and my honour: Yet I am Iealous, I haue pass'd the bounds Of a sonnes duty; for suppose her worse Then you report, not by bare circumstance But euident proofe confirmd ha's giuen her out: Yet since all weakenesses in a kingdome, are No more to be seuerely punished, then The faults of Kings are by the Thunderer As oft as they offend, to be reueng'd: If not for piety, yet for policy, Since some are of necessity to be spar'd, I might, and now I wish I had not look'd With such strict eyes into her follies. Sir, a duety well discharg'd is neuer follow'd By sad repentance, nor did your Highnesse euer Make payment of the debt you ow'd her, better Then in your late reproofes not of her, but Those crimes that made her worthy of reproofe. The most remarkeable point in which kings differ From priuate men, is, that they not alone Stand bound to be in themselues innocent, But that all such as are allide to them In neeren esse, or dependance, by their care Should be free from suspition of all crime; And you haue reap'd a double benefit From this last great act: first in the restraint Of her lost pleasures, you remoue th'example From oth of the like licentiousnesse, Then when 'tis knowne that your seueritie Extended to your mother, who dares hope for The least Indulgence or conniuence in The easiest slips that may proue dangerous To you or to the kingdome? I must grant Your reasons good (Martell) if as she is My Mother, she had bene my subiect, or That only here she could make challenge to A place of beeing; but I know her temper And feare (if such a word become a king,) That in discouering her, I haue let loose A Tigres, whose rage being shut vp in darkenesse, Was grieuous only to her selfe; which brought Into the view of light, her cruelty Prouok'd by her owne shame, will turne on him That foolishly presum'd to let her see The loth'd shape of her owne deformity. Beasts of that nature when rebellious threats Begin to appeare only in their eies, Or any motion that may giue suspition Of the least violence, should be chaind vp; Their fanges and teeth, and all their meanes of hurt, Pard of, and knock'd out, and so made vnable To do ill; they would soone begin to loath it. I'le apply nothing, but had you grace done, Or would do yet, what your lesse forward zeale In words did only threaten, far lesse danger Would grow from acting it on her, then may Perhaps haue being from her apprehension Of what may once be practis'd: for beleeue it, Who confident of his owne power, presumes To spend threates on an enimy, that hath meanes To shun the worst they can effect, giues armor To keepe off his owne strength; nay more, disarmes himselfe, and lies vngarded gainst all harmes Or doubt, or malice may produce.