May, Thomas · published 1622 · first performed or written 1620 (Annals) comedy · Red Bull (Revels) Company (first) unassigned nearest T33 Fathers, daughters and marriage negotiat · 483 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T33: daughter, marriage, father, love, davus, matter, son, chremes, wife, mother.
I thank your Majesty, but the marriage that I intended is stolen to my hand, and by another. Stolen, how man. My promised wife Is lately stolen away by Philocles, Lord Euphues son against her father's will, Who followed 'em and apprehended them, The Law may right us Sir, if it may have course. No reason but the law should have his course. Pardon dread Sovereign, pardon for my son. Your son, Lord Euphues, what is his offence. No heinous one my Liege, no plot of treason Against your royal person or your state, These aged cheeks would blush to beg a pardon For such a foul offence, no crying murder Hath stained his innocent hands, his fault was love, Love my dear Liege, unfortunately he took The Daughter and Heir of Lord Polimetes, Who follows him and seeks extremity. I seek but Law, I am abused my Liege, justice is all I beg, my Daughters stolen, Staff of my age, let the law do me right, To his just prayers do I bend my knee My promised wife is stolen, and by the son Of that injurious Lord, justice I crave. Be like those powers above, whose place on earth You represent, show mercy gracious King, For they are merciful. Mercy is but the king's prerogative, 'tis justice is his office, doing that He can wrong no man, no man can complain, But mercy showed oft takes way relief From the wronged party that the Law would give him: The Law is blind and speaks in general terms, She cannot pity where occasion serves, The living law can moderate her rigour, And that's the King. The King I hope in this will not do so, 'tis malice makes thee speak, Hard hearted Lord, hadst thou no other way To wreak thy cankered and long fostered hate Upon my head but thus, thus bloodily By my son's suffering, and for such a fault As thou shouldst love him rather, is thy daughter Disparaged by his love, is his blood base, Or are his fortunes sunk, this law was made For such like cautions, to restrain the base From wronging noble persons by attempts Of such a kind, but where equality Meets in the match, the fault is pardonable. Mercy my Sovereign, mercy gracious King. Minion who sent for you, 'twere more modesty For you to be at home. Let her alone, speak Lady, I charge you no man interrupt her. If ever pity touched that princely breast, If ever Virgins tears had power to move, Or if you ever loved and felt the pangs That other lovers do, pity great King, Pity and pardon two unhappy Lovers. Your life is not in question. Yes royal Sir If Law condemn my Philocles, he and I Have but one heart, and can have but one fate. Excellent virtue thou hadst not this from thy father.
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)
I thanke your Maieſty, but the marriage that I intended is ſtolen to my hand, and by another. Stolne, how man. My promiſed wife Is lately ſtolne away by Philocles, Lord Euphues ſonne againſt her fathers will, Who followed vm and apprehended them, The Law may right vs Sir, if it may haue courſe. No reaſon but the law ſhould haue his courſe. Pardon dread Soueraigne, pardon for my ſonne. Your ſonne, Lord Euphues, what is his offence. No hainous one my Leige, no plot of treaſon Againſt your royall perſon or your ſtate, Theſe aged cheekes would bluſh to beg a pardon For ſuch a foule offence, no crying murder Hath ſteyned his innocent hands, his fault was loue, Loue my deare Leige, vnfortunately he tooke The Daughter and Heire of Lord Polimetes, Who followes him and ſeekes exſtremity. I ſeeke but Law, I am abus'd my Leige, Iuſtice is all I beg, my Daughters ſtolne, Staffe of my age, let the law doe me right, To his iuſt prayers doe I bend my knee My promiſed wife is ſtolne, and by the ſonne Of that iniurious Lord, iuſtice I craue. Be like thoſe powers aboue, whoſe place on earth You repreſent, ſhew mercy gracious King, For they are mercifull. Mercy is but the Kings prerogatiue, Tis Iuſtice is his office, doing that He can wrong no man, no man can complaine, But mercy ſhewed oft takes way reliefe From the wronged partie that the Law would giue him: The Law is blind and ſpeakes in generall termes, She cannot pitty where occaſion ſerues, The liuing law can moderate her rigour, And thats the King. The King I hope in this will not do ſo, Tis malice makes thee ſpeake, Hard hearted Lord, hadſt thou no other way To wreake thy cankred and long foſtred hate Vpon my hed but thus, thus bloudily By my ſonnes ſuffering, and for ſuch a fault As thou ſhouldſt loue him rather, is thy daughter Diſparaged by his loue, is his blood baſe, Or are his fortunes ſunke, this law was made For ſuch like cautions, to reſtraine the baſe From wronging noble perſons by attempts Of ſuch a kind, but where equality Meetes in the match, the fault is pardonable. Mercy my Soueraigne, mercy gratious King. Minion who ſent for you, twere more modeſty For you to be at home. Let her alone, ſpeake Lady, I charge you no man interupt her. If euer pitty toucht that princely breſt, If euer Virgins teares had power to moue, Or if you euer lou'd and felt the pangs That other louers doe, pitty great King, Pitty and pardon two vnhappy Louers. Your life is not in queſtion. Yes royall Sir If Law condemne my Philocles, he and I Haue but one heart, and can haue but one fate. Excellent vertue thou hadſt not this from thy father.