Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1610 [c.1610-1611] (Annals) romance · King's Men T1 Death, grief and revenge typicality 0.73 · 486 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Since what I am to say, must be but that Which contradicts my Accusation, and The testimony on my part, no other But what comes from myself, it shall scarce boot me To say, Not guilty: mine Integrity Being counted Falsehood, shall (as I express it) Be so received. But thus, if Powers Divine Behold our humane Actions (as they do) I doubt not then, but Innocence shall make False Accusation blush, and Tyranny Tremble at Patience. You (my Lord) best know (Whom least will seem to do so) my past life Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true, As I am now unhappy; which is more Than History can pattern, though devised, And played, to take Spectators. For behold me, A Fellow of the Royal Bed, which own A Moiety of the Throne: a great King's Daughter, The Mother to a hopeful Prince, here standing To prate and talk for Life, and Honour, fore Who please to come, and hear. For Life, I prise it As I weigh Grief (which I would spare:) For Honour, 'Tis a derivative from me to mine, And only that I stand for. I appeal To your own Conscience (Sir) before Polixenes Came to your Court, how I was in your grace, How merited to be so: Since he came, With what encounter so uncurrant, I Have strained t' appear thus; if one jot beyond The bound of Honour, or in act, or will That way inclining, hardened be the hearts Of all that hear me, and my nearest of Kin Cry fie upon my Grave. I ne'er heard yet, That any of these bolder Vices wanted Less Impudence to gainsay what they did, Then to perform it first. That's true enough, Though 'tis a saying (Sir) not due to me. You will not own it. More than Mistress of, Which comes to me in name of Fault, I must not At all acknowledge. For Polixenes (With whom I am accused) I do confess I loved him, as in Honour he required: With such a kind of Love, as might become A Lady like me; with a Love, even such, So, and no other, as yourself commanded: Which, not to have done, I think had been in me Both Disobedience, and Ingratitude To you, and toward your Friend, whose Love had spoke, Even since it could speak, from an Infant, freely, That it was yours. Now for Conspiracy, I know not how it tastes, though it be dished For me to try how: All I know of it, Is, that Camillo was an honest man; And why he left your Court, the Gods themselves (Wotting no more than I) are ignorant. You knew of his departure, as you know What you have vnderta'ne to do in's absence. Sir, You speak a Language that I understand not: My Life stands in the level of your Dreams, Which I'll lay down.
nodes 1134–1197 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 18 of 50 in this edition
Length
486 words · 645 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T1 — Death, grief and revengecross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.730 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T7 · seed 44: T1 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Since what I am to ſay, muſt be but that Which contradicts my Accuſation, and The teſtimonie on my part, no other But what comes from my ſelfe, it ſhall ſcarce boot me To ſay, Not guiltie▪ mine Integritie Being counted Falſehood, ſhall (as I expreſſe it) Be ſo receiu'd. But thus, if Powres Diuine Behold our humane Actions (as they doe) I doubt not then, but Innocence ſhall make Falſe Accuſation bluſh, and Tyrannie Tremble at Patience. You (my Lord) beſt know (Whom leaſt will ſeeme to doe ſo) my paſt life Hath beene as continent, as chaſte, as true, As I am now vnhappy; which is more Then Hiſtorie can patterne, though deuis'd, And play'd, to take Spectators. For behold me, A Fellow of the Royall Bed, which owe A Moitie of the Throne: a great Kings Daughter, The Mother to a hopefull Prince, here ſtanding To prate and talke for Life, and Honor, fore Who pleaſe to come, and heare. For Life, I prize it As I weigh Griefe (which I would ſpare:) For Honor, 'Tis a deriuatiue from me to mine, And onely that I ſtand for. I appeale To your owne Conſcience (Sir) before Polixenes Came to your Court, how I was in your grace, How merited to be ſo: Since he came, With what encounter ſo vncurrant, I Haue ſtrayn'd t' appeare thus; if one iot beyond The bound of Honor, or in act, or will That way enclining, hardned be the hearts Of all that heare me, and my neer'ſt of Kin Cry fie vpon my Graue. I ne're heard yet, That any of theſe bolder Vices wanted Leſſe Impudence to gaine-ſay what they did, Then to performe it firſt. That's true enough, Though 'tis a ſaying (Sir) not due to me. You will not owne it. More then Miſtreſſe of, Which comes to me in name of Fault, I muſt not At all acknowledge. For Polixenes (With whom I am accus'd) I doe confeſſe I lou'd him, as in Honor he requir'd: With ſuch a kind of Loue, as might become A Lady like me; with a Loue, euen ſuch, So, and no other, as your ſelfe commanded: Which, not to haue done, I thinke had been in me Both Diſobedience, and Ingratitude To you, and toward your Friend, whoſe Loue had ſpoke, Euen ſince it could ſpeake, from an Infant, freely, That it was yours. Now for Conſpiracie, I know not how it taſtes, though it be diſh'd For me to try how: All I know of it, Is, that Camillo was an honeſt man; And why he left your Court, the Gods themſelues (Wotting no more then I) are ignorant. You knew of his departure, as you know What you haue vnderta'ne to doe in's abſence. Sir, You ſpeake a Language that I vnderſtand not: My Life ſtands in the leuell of your Dreames, Which Ile lay downe.