Anonymous / Marlowe, Christopher / Shakespeare, William / Nashe, Thomas · published 1623 · first performed or written 1590 (Annals) history · Derby's (Strange's) Men T43 York and Lancaster: dynastic claims and typicality 0.81 · 515 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T43: henry, king, richard, warwick, york, edward, father, duke, crown, son.
I will, if that my fading breath permit, And Death approach not, ere my Tale be done. Henry the Fourth, Grandfather to this King, Deposed his Nephew Richard, Edward's Son, The first begotten, and the lawful Heir Of Edward King, the Third of that Descent. During whose Reign, the Percies of the North, Finding his Usurpation most unjust, Endeavoured my advancement to the Throne. The reason moved these Warlike Lords to this, Was, for that (young Richard thus removed, Leaving no Heir begotten of his Body) I was the next by Birth and Parentage: For by my Mother, I derived am From Lionel Duke of Clarence, third Son To King Edward the Third; whereas he, From Iohn of Gaunt doth bring his Pedigree, Being but fourth of that Heroic Line. But mark: as in this haughty great attempt, They laboured, to plant the rightful Heir, I lost my Liberty, and they their Lives. Long after this, when Henry the Fift (Succeeding his Father Bullingbrooke) did reign: Thy Father, Earl of Cambridge, then derived From famous Edmund Langley, Duke of York, Marrying my Sister, that thy Mother was; Again, in pity of my hard distress, Levied an Army, weening to redeem, And have installed me in the Diadem: But as the rest, so fell that Noble Earl, And was beheaded. Thus the Mortimers, In whom the Title rested, were suppressed. Of which, my Lord, your Honour is the last. True; and thou seest, that I no Issue have, And that my fainting words do warrant death: Thou art my Heir; the rest, I wish thee gather: But yet be wary in thy studious care. Thy grave admonishments prevail with me: But yet me thinks, my Father's execution Was nothing less than bloody Tyranny. With silence, Nephew, be thou politic, Strong fixed is the House of Lancaster, And like a Mountain, not to be removed. But now thy Uncle is removing hence, As Princes do their Courts, when they are cloyed With long continuance in a settled place. O Uncle, would some part of my young years Might but redeem the passage of your Age. Thou dost then wrong me, as that slaughterer doth, Which giveth many Wounds, when one will kill. Mourn not, except thou sorrow for my good, Only give order for my Funeral. And so farewell, and fair be all thy hopes, And prosperous be thy Life in Peace and War. And Peace, no War, befall thy parting Soul. In Prison hast thou spent a Pilgrimage, And like a Hermit overpassed thy days. Well, I will lock his Council in my Breast, And what I do imagine, let that rest. Keepers convey him hence, and I myself Will see his Burial better than his Life. Here dies the dusky Torch of Mortimer, Choked with Ambition of the meaner sort. And for those Wrongs, those bitter Injuries, Which Somerset hath offered to my House, I doubt not, but with Honour to redress. And therefore haste I to the Parliament, Either to be restored to my Blood, Or make my will th' advantage of my good.
seed 43: T8 · seed 44: T50 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I will, if that my fading breath permit, And Death approach not, ere my Tale be done. Henry the Fourth, Grandfather to this King, Depos'd his Nephew Richard, Edwards Sonne, The firſt begotten, and the lawfull Heire Of Edward King, the Third of that Deſcent. During whoſe Reigne, the Percies of the North, Finding his Vſurpation moſt vniuſt, Endeuour'd my aduancement to the Throne. The reaſon mou'd theſe Warlike Lords to this, Was, for that (young Richard thus remou'd, Leauing no Heire begotten of his Body) I was the next by Birth and Parentage: For by my Mother, I deriued am From Lionel Duke of Clarence, third Sonne To King Edward the Third; whereas hee, From Iohn of Gaunt doth bring his Pedigree, Being but fourth of that Heroick Lyne. But marke: as in this haughtie great attempt, They laboured, to plant the rightfull Heire, I loſt my Libertie, and they their Liues. Long after this, when Henry the Fift (Succeeding his Father Bullingbrooke) did reigne: Thy Father, Earle of Cambridge, then deriu'd From famous Edmund Langley, Duke of Yorke, Marrying my Siſter, that thy Mother was; Againe, in pitty of my hard diſtreſſe, Leuied an Army, weening to redeeme, And haue inſtall'd me in the Diademe: But as the reſt, ſo fell that Noble Earle, And was beheaded. Thus the Mortimers, In whom the Title reſted, were ſuppreſt. Of which, my Lord, your Honor is the laſt. True; and thou ſeeſt, that I no Iſſue haue, And that my fainting words doe warrant death: Thou art my Heire; the reſt, I wiſh thee gather: But yet be wary in thy ſtudious care. Thy graue admoniſhments preuayle with me: But yet me thinkes, my Fathers execution Was nothing leſſe then bloody Tyranny. With ſilence, Nephew, be thou pollitick, Strong fixed is the Houſe of Lancaſter, And like a Mountaine, not to be remou'd. But now thy Vnckle is remouing hence, As Princes doe their Courts, when they are cloy'd With long continuance in a ſetled place. O Vnckle, would ſome part of my young yeeres Might but redeeme the paſſage of your Age. Thou do'ſt then wrong me, as yt ſlaughterer doth, Which giueth many Wounds, when one will kill. Mourne not, except thou ſorrow for my good, Onely giue order for my Funerall. And ſo farewell, and faire be all thy hopes, And proſperous be thy Life in Peace and Warre. And Peace, no Warre, befall thy parting Soule. In Priſon haſt thou ſpent a Pilgrimage, And like a Hermite ouer-paſt thy dayes. Well, I will locke his Councell in my Breſt, And what I doe imagine, let that reſt. Keepers conuey him hence, and I my ſelfe Will ſee his Buryall better then his Life. Here dyes the duskie Torch of Mortimer, Choakt with Ambition of the meaner ſort. And for thoſe Wrongs, thoſe bitter Iniuries, Which Somerſet hath offer'd to my Houſe, I doubt not, but with Honor to redreſſe. And therefore haſte I to the Parliament, Eyther to be reſtored to my Blood, Or make my will th' aduantage of my good.