Shakespeare, William / Middleton, Thomas · published 1623 · first performed or written 1603 [1603-1604] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.77 · 481 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
You have not given him his mother's letter. I have delivered it an hour since, there is some thing in't that stings his nature: for on the reading it, he changed almost into another man. He has much worthy blame laid upon him, for shaking off so good a wife, and so sweet a Lady. Especially, he hath incurred the everlasting displeasure of the King, who had even tuned his bounty to sing happiness to him. I will tell you a thing, but you shall let it dwell darkly with you. When you have spoken it 'tis dead, and I am the grave of it. He hath perverted a young Gentlewoman here in Florence, of a most chaste renown, & this night he flesh's his will in the spoil of her honour: he hath given her his monumental Ring, and thinks himself made in the unchaste composition. Now God delay our rebellion as we are ourselves, what things are we. Merely our own traitors. And as in the common course of all treasons, we still see them reveal themselves, till they attain to their abhorred ends: so he that in this action contrives against his own Nobility in his proper stream, o'erflows himself. Is it not meant damnable in us, to be Trumpeters of our unlawful intents? We shall not then have his company to night? Not till after midnight: for he is dieted to his hour. That approaches apace: I would gladly have him see his company anathomized, that he might take a measure of his own judgements, wherein so curiously he had set this counterfeit. We will not meddle with him till he come; for his presence must be the whip of the other. In the mean time, what hear you of these Wars? I hear there is an overture of peace. Nay, I assure you a peace concluded. What will Count Rossillion do then? Will he travail higher, or return again into France? I perceive by this demand, you are not altogether of his council. Let it be forbid sir, so should I be a great deal of his act. Sir, his wife some two months since fled from his house, her pretence is a pilgrimage to Saint Iaques le grand; which holy undertaking, with most austere sanctimony she accomplished: and there residing, the tenderness of her Nature, became as a prey to her grief: in fine, made a groan of her last breath, & now she sings in heaven. How is this justified? The stronger part of it by her own Letters, which makes her story true, even to the point of her death: her death itself, which could not be her office to say, is come: was faithfully confirmed by the Rector of the place. Hath the Count all this intelligence? I, and the particular confirmations, point from point, to the full arming of the verity.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
You haue not giuen him his mothers letter. I haue deliu'red it an houre ſince, there is ſom thing in't that ſtings his nature: for on the reading it, he chang'd almoſt into another man. He has much worthy blame laid vpon him, for ſhaking off ſo good a wife, and ſo ſweet a Lady. Eſpecially, hee hath incurred the euerlaſting diſpleaſure of the King, who had euen tun'd his bounty to ſing happineſſe to him. I will tell you a thing, but you ſhall let it dwell darkly with you. When you haue ſpoken it 'tis dead, and I am the graue of it. Hee hath peruerted a young Gentlewoman heere in Florence, of a moſt chaſte renown, & this night he fleſhes his will in the ſpoyle of her honour: hee hath giuen her his monumentall Ring, and thinkes himſelfe made in the vnchaſte compoſition. Now God delay our rebellion as we are our ſelues, what things are we. Meerely our owne traitours. And as in the common courſe of all treaſons, we ſtill ſee them reueale themſelues, till they attaine to their abhorr'd ends: ſo he that in this action contriues againſt his owne Nobility in his proper ſtreame, ore-flowes himſelfe. Is it not meant damnable in vs, to be Trumpeters of our vnlawfull intents? We ſhall not then haue his company to night? Not till after midnight: for hee is dieted to his houre. That approaches apace: I would gladly haue him ſee his company anathomiz'd, that hee might take a meaſure of his owne iudgements, wherein ſo curiouſly he had ſet this counterfeit. We will not meddle with him till he come; for his preſence muſt be the whip of the other. In the meane time, what heare you of theſe Warres? I heare there is an ouerture of peace. Nay, I aſſure you a peace concluded. What will Count Roſſillion do then? Will he trauaile higher, or returne againe into France? I perceiue by this demand, you are not altogether of his councell. Let it be forbid ſir, ſo ſhould I bee a great deale of his act. Sir, his wife ſome two months ſince fledde from his houſe, her pretence is a pilgrimage to Saint Iaques le grand; which holy vndertaking, with moſt auſtere ſanctimonie ſhe accompliſht: and there reſiding, the tenderneſſe of her Nature, became as a prey to her greefe: in fine, made a groane of her laſt breath, & now ſhe ſings in heauen. How is this iuſtified? The ſtronger part of it by her owne Letters, which makes her ſtorie true, euen to the poynt of her death: her death it ſelfe, which could not be her office to ſay, is come: was faithfully confirm'd by the Rector of the place. Hath the Count all this intelligence? I, and the particular confirmations, point from point, to the full arming of the veritie.