Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1591 [1590-1591] (Annals) history · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T10 England and France: war, embassy and pea typicality 0.87 · 509 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T10: france, french, england, king, lord, english, edward, talbot, peace, lords.
For our advantage, therefore hear us first: These flags of France that are advanced here Before the eye and prospect of your Town, Have hither marched to your endamagement. The Canons have their bowels full of wrath, And ready mounted are they to spit forth Their Iron indignation 'gainst your walls: All preparation for a bloody siege And merciless proceeding, by these French. Comfort yours City's eyes, your winking gates: And but for our approach, those sleeping stones, That as a waste doth girdle you about By the compulsion of their Ordinance, By this time from their fixed beds of lime Had been dishabited, and wide havoc made For bloody power to rush upon your peace. But on the sight of us your lawful King, Who painfully with much expedient march Have brought a counter-cheeke before your gates, To save vnscratch'd your City's threatened cheeks: Behold the French amazed vouchsafe a parley, And now instead of bullets wrapped in fire To make a shaking fever in your walls, They shoot but calm words, folded up in smoke, To make a faithless error in your ears, Which trust accordingly kind Citizens, And let us in. Your King, whose laboured spirits Fore-wearied in this action of swift speed, Craves harbourage within your City walls. When I have said, make answer to us both. Lo in this right hand, whose protection Is most divinely vowed upon the right Of him it holds, stands yong Pltagens, Son to the elder brother of this man, And King o'er him, and all that he enjoys: For this downe-troden equity, we tread In warlike march, these greene's before your Town, Being no further enemy to you Then the constraint of hospitable zeal, In the relief of this oppressed child, Religiously provokes. Be pleased then To pay that duty which you truly own, To him that owes it, namely, this young Prince, And then our Arms, like to a muzzled Bear, Save in aspect, hath all offence sealed up: Our Cannon's malice vainly shall be spent Against th' involuerable clouds of heaven, And with a blessed and unvexed retire, With vnhacked swords, and Helmets all unbruised, We will bear home that Iustie blood again, Which here we came to spout against your Town, And leave your children, wives, and you in peace. But if you fond pass our proffered offer, 'Tis not the rounder of your old-faced walls, Can hide you from our messengers of War, Though all these English, and their discipline Were harboured in their rude circumference: Then tell us, Shall your City call us Lord, In that behalf which we have challenged it? Or shall we give the signal to our rage, And stalk in blood to our possession? In brief, we are the King of England's subjects For him, and in his right, we hold this Town. Acknowledge then the King, and let me in. That can we not: but he that proves the King To him will we prove loyal, till that time Have we rammed up our gates against the world.
seed 43: T8 · seed 44: T8 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
For our aduantage, therefore heare vs firſt: Theſe flagges of France that are aduanced heere Before the eye and proſpect of your Towne, Haue hither march'd to your endamagement. The Canons haue their bowels full of wrath, And ready mounted are they to ſpit forth Their Iron indignation 'gainſt your walles: All preparation for a bloody ſiedge And merciles proceeding, by theſe French. Comfort yours Citties eies, your winking gates: And but for our approch, thoſe ſleeping ſtones, That as a waſte doth girdle you about By the compulſion of their Ordinance, By this time from their fixed beds of lime Had bin diſhabited, and wide hauocke made For bloody power to ruſh vppon your peace. But on the ſight of vs your lawfull King, Who painefully with much expedient march Haue brought a counter-cheeke before your gates, To ſaue vnſcratch'd your Citties threatned cheekes: Behold the French amaz'd vouchſafe a parle, And now inſteed of bulletts wrapt in fire To make a ſhaking feuer in your walles, They ſhoote but calme words, folded vp in ſmoake, To make a faithleſſe errour in your eares, Which truſt accordingly kinde Cittizens, And let vs in. Your King, whoſe labour'd ſpirits Fore-wearied in this action of ſwift ſpeede, Craues harbourage within your Citie walles. When I haue ſaide, make anſwer to vs both. Loe in this right hand, whoſe protection Is moſt diuinely vow'd vpon the right Of him it holds, ſtands yong Pltagens, Sonne to the elder brother of this man, And King ore him, and all that he enioyes: For this downe-troden equity, we tread In warlike march, theſe greenes before your Towne, Being no further enemy to you Then the conſtraint of hoſpitable zeale, In the releefe of this oppreſſed childe, Religiouſly prouokes. Be pleaſed then To pay that dutie which you truly owe, To him that owes it, namely, this yong Prince, And then our Armes, like to a muzled Beare, Saue in aſpect, hath all offence ſeal'd vp: Our Cannons malice vainly ſhall be ſpent Againſt th' involuerable clouds of heauen, And with a bleſſed and vn-vext retyre, With vnhack'd ſwords, and Helmets all vnbruis'd, We will beare home that Iuſtie blood againe, Which heere we came to ſpout againſt your Towne, And leaue your children, wiues, and you in peace. But if you fondly paſſe our proffer'd offer, 'Tis not the rounder of your old-fac'd walles, Can hide you from our meſſengers of Warre, Though all theſe Engliſh, and their diſcipline Were harbour'd in their rude circumference: Then tell vs, Shall your Citie call vs Lord, In that behalfe which we haue challeng'd it? Or ſhall we giue the ſignall to our rage, And ſtalke in blood to our poſſeſſion? In breefe, we are the King of Englands ſubiects For him, and in his right, we hold this Towne. Acknowledge then the King, and let me in. That can we not: but he that proues the King To him will we proue loyall, till that time Haue we ramm'd vp our gates againſt the world.