Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1609 [c.1608-1611] (Annals) romance · King's Men unassigned nearest T18 Rebels, barons and the king's wars at ho · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T18: king, lord, wallace, earl, edward, england, scotland, rebels, bruce, english.
The heaviness and guilt within my bosom, Takes off my manhood: I have belied a Lady, The Princess of this Country; and the air on't Revengingly enfeebles me, or could this Carl, A very drudge of Natures, have subdued me In my profession? Knighthoods, and Honours borne As I wear mine) are titles but of scorn. If that thy Gentry (Britain) go before This Lout, as he exceeds our Lords, the odds Is, that we scarce are men, and you are Gods. Stand, stand, we have th' advantage of the ground, The Lane is guarded: Nothing routs us, but The villainy of our fears. Stand, stand, and fight. Away boy from the Troops, and save thyself: For friends kill friends, and the disorders such As war were hood-winked. 'Tis their fresh supplies. It is a day turned strangely: or betimes Let's reinforce, or fly. Cam'st thou from where they made the stand? I did, Though you it seems come from the Fliers? I did. No blame be to you Sir, for all was lost, But that the Heavens fought: the King himself Of his wings destitute, the Army broken, And but the backs of Britain's seen; all flying Through a straight Lane, the Enemy full-hearted, Lolling the Tongue with slaught'ring: having work More plentiful, than Tools to do't: strooke down Some mortally, some slightly touched, some falling Merely through fear, that the straight pass was damned With deadmen, hurt behind, and Cowards living To dye with lengthened shame. Where was this Lane? Close by the battle, ditched, & walled with turph, Which gave advantage to an ancient Soldier (An honest one I warrant) who deserved So long a breeding, as his white beard came to, In doing this for's Country. Athwart the Lane, He, with two striplings (Lads more like to run The Country base, then to commit such slaughter, With faces fit for Masks, or rather fairer Than those for preservation cased, or shame) Made good the passage, cried to those that fled. Our Britain's hearts die flying, not our men, To darkness fleet souls that fly backwards; stand, Or we are Romans, and will give you that Like beasts, which you shun beastly, and may save But to look back in frown: Stand, stand. These three, Three thousand confident, in act as many: For three performers are the File, when all The rest do nothing. With this word stand, stand, Accommodated by the Place; more Charming With their own Nobleness, which could have turned A Distaff, to a Lance, guilded pale looks; Part shame, part spirit renewed, that some turned coward But by example (Oh a sin in War, Damned in the first beginners) 'gan to look The way that they did, and to grin like Lions Upon the Pikes o' th' Hunters. Then began A stop i' th' Chaser; a Retire: Anon A Rout, confusion thick: forthwith they fly Chickens, the way which they stopped Eagles: Slaves
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
The heauineſſe and guilt within my boſome, Takes off my manhood: I haue belyed a Lady, The Princeſſe of this Country; and the ayre on't Reuengingly enfeebles me, or could this Carle, A very drudge of Natures, haue ſubdu'de me In my profeſſion? Knighthoods, and Honors borne As I weare mine) are titles but of ſcorne. If that thy Gentry (Britaine) go before This Lowt, as he exceeds our Lords, the oddes Is, that we ſcarſe are men, and you are Goddes. Stand, ſtand, we haue th' aduantage of the ground, The Lane is guarded: Nothing rowts vs, but The villany of our feares. Stand, ſtand, and fight. Away boy from the Troopes, and ſaue thy ſelfe: For friends kil friends, and the diſorder's ſuch As warre were hood-wink'd. 'Tis their freſh ſupplies. It is a day turn'd ſtrangely: or betimes Let's re-inforce, or fly. Cam'ſt thou from where they made the ſtand? I did, Though you it ſeemes come from the Fliers? I did. No blame be to you Sir, for all was loſt, But that the Heauens fought: the King himſelfe Of his wings deſtitute, the Army broken, And but the backes of Britaines ſeene; all flying Through a ſtrait Lane, the Enemy full-hearted, Lolling the Tongue with ſlaught'ring: hauing worke More plentifull, then Tooles to doo't: ſtrooke downe Some mortally, ſome ſlightly touch'd, ſome falling Meerely through feare, that the ſtrait paſſe was damm'd With deadmen, hurt behinde, and Cowards liuing To dye with length'ned ſhame. Where was this Lane? Cloſe by the battell, ditch'd, & wall'd with turph, Which gaue aduantage to an ancient Soldiour (An honeſt one I warrant) who deſeru'd So long a breeding, as his white beard came to, In doing this for's Country. Athwart the Lane, He, with two ſtriplings (Lads more like to run The Country baſe, then to commit ſuch ſlaughter, With faces fit for Maskes, or rather fayrer Then thoſe for preſeruation cas'd, or ſhame) Made good the paſſage, cryed to thoſe that fled. Our Britaines hearts dye flying, not our men, To darkneſſe fleete ſoules that flye backwards; ſtand, Or we are Romanes, and will giue you that Like beaſts, which you ſhun beaſtly, and may ſaue But to looke backe in frowne: Stand, ſtand. Theſe three, Three thouſand confident, in acte as many: For three performers are the File, when all The reſt do nothing. With this word ſtand, ſtand, Accomodated by the Place; more Charming With their owne Nobleneſſe, which could haue turn'd A Diſtaffe, to a Lance, guilded pale lookes; Part ſhame, part ſpirit renew'd, that ſome turn'd coward But by example (Oh a ſinne in Warre, Damn'd in the firſt beginners) gan to looke The way that they did, and to grin like Lyons Vpon the Pikes o' th' Hunters. Then beganne A ſtop i' th' Chaſer; a Retyre: Anon A Rowt, confuſion thicke: forthwith they flye Chickens, the way which they ſtopt Eagles: Slaues