Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1592 [c.1590-1593] (Annals) comedy · Pembroke's Men (?) T57 Ships, merchants and pirates typicality 0.82 · 531 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T57: ship, sea, master, sail, home, money, pisaro, life, ships, till.
That mourned for fashion, ignorant what to fear, Forced me to seek delays for them and me, And this it was: (for other means was none) The Sailors sought for safety by our boat, And left the ship then sinking ripe to us. My wife, more careful for the latter borne, Had fastened him unto a small spare Mast, Such as seafaring men provide for storms: To him one of the other twins was bound, Whilst I had been like heedful of the other. The children thus disposed, my wife and I, Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fixed, Fastened ourselves at either end the mast, And floating strait, obedient to the stream, Was carried towards Corinth, as we thought. At length the son gazing upon the earth, Dispersed those vapours that offended us, And by the benefit of his wished light The seas waxed calm, and we discovered Two ships from far, making amain to us: Of Corinth that, of Epidarus this, But ere they came, oh let me say no more, Gather the sequel by that went before. Nay forward old man, do not break off so, For we may pity, though not pardon thee. Oh had the gods done so, I had not now Worthily termed them merciless to us: For ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues, We were encountered by a mighty rock, Which being violently borne up, Our helpful ship was split in the midst; So that in this unjust divorce of us, Fortune had left to both of us alike, What to delight in, what to sorrow for, Her part, poor soul, seeming as burdened With lesser weight, but not with lesser woe, Was carried with more speed before the wind, And in our sight they three were taken up By Fishermen of Corinth, as we thought. At length another ship had seized on us, And knowing whom it was their hap to save, Gave healthful welcome to their shipwrecked guests, And would have reft the Fishers of their prey, Had not their back been very slow of sail; And therefore homeward did they bend their course. Thus have you heard me severed from my bliss, That by misfortunes was my life prolonged, To tell sad stories of my own mishaps. And for the sake of them thou sorrowest for, Do me the favour to dilate at full, What have befallen of them and they till now. My youngest boy, and yet my eldest care, At eighteen years became inquisitive After his brother; and importuned me That his attendant, so his case was like, Reft of his brother, but retained his name, Might bear him company in the quest of him: Whom whilst I laboured of a love to see, I hazarded the loss of whom I loved. Five Summers have I spent in farthest Greece, Roaming clean through the bounds of Asia, And coasting homeward, came to Ephesus: Hopeless to find, yet loath to leave unsought Or that, or any place that harbours men: But here must end the story of my life, And happy were I in my timely death, Can all my travels warrant me they live.
seed 43: T55 · seed 44: T46 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
That mourn'd for faſhion, ignorant what to feare, Forſt me to ſeeke delayes for them and me, And this it was: (for other meanes was none) The Sailors ſought for ſafety by our boate, And left the ſhip then ſinking ripe to vs. My wife, more carefull for the latter borne, Had faſtned him vnto a ſmall ſpare Maſt, Such as ſea-faring men prouide for ſtormes: To him one of the other twins was bound, Whil'ſt I had beene like heedfull of the other. The children thus diſpos'd, my wife and I, Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fixt, Faſtned our ſelues at eyther end the maſt, And floating ſtraight, obedient to the ſtreame, Was carried towards Corinth, as we thought. At length the ſonne gazing vpon the earth, Diſperſt thoſe vapours that offended vs, And by the benefit of his wiſhed light The ſeas waxt calme, and we diſcouered Two ſhippes from farre, making amaine to vs: Of Corinth that, of Epidarus this, But ere they came, oh let me ſay no more, Gather the ſequell by that went before. Nay forward old man, doe not breake off ſo, For we may pitty, though not pardon thee. Oh had the gods done ſo, I had not now Worthily tearm'd them mercileſſe to vs: For ere the ſhips could meet by twice fiue leagues, We were encountred by a mighty rocke, Which being violently borne vp, Our helpefull ſhip was ſplitted in the midſt; So that in this vniuſt diuorce of vs, Fortune had left to both of vs alike, What to delight in, what to ſorrow for, Her part, poore ſoule, ſeeming as burdened With leſſer waight, but not with leſſer woe, Was carried with more ſpeed before the winde, And in our ſight they three were taken vp By Fiſhermen of Corinth, as we thought. At length another ſhip had ſeiz'd on vs, And knowing whom it was their hap to ſaue, Gaue healthfull welcome to their ſhip-wrackt gueſts, And would haue reft the Fiſhers of their prey, Had not their backe beene very ſlow of ſaile; And therefore homeward did they bend their courſe. Thus haue you heard me ſeuer'd from my bliſſe, That by miſfortunes was my life prolong'd, To tell ſad ſtories of my owne miſhaps. And for the ſake of them thou ſorroweſt for, Doe me the fauour to dilate at full, What haue befalne of them and they till now. My yongeſt boy, and yet my eldeſt care, At eighteene yeeres became inquiſitiue After his brother; and importun'd me That his attendant, ſo his caſe was like, Reft of his brother, but retain'd his name, Might beare him company in the queſt of him: Whom whil'ſt I laboured of a loue to ſee, I hazarded the loſſe of whom I lou'd. Fiue Sommers haue I ſpent in fartheſt Greece, Roming cleane through the bounds of Aſia, And coaſting homeward, came to Epheſus: Hopeleſſe to finde, yet loth to leaue vnſought Or that, or any place that harbours men: But heere muſt end the ſtory of my life, And happy were I in my timelie death, Could all my trauells warrant me they liue.