Carlell, Lodowick · published 1629 · first performed or written 1629 [c.1622-1629] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men · before the Court T1 Death, grief and revenge typicality 0.79 · 480 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
How do you know. Your Majesty shall hear, As I was gathering Roots within the Forest, The best part of my food, casting my eye aside, I saw a man lie weltering in his gore, Straight I was strucken with a sudden fear; But Charity prevailing above fear, I stepped to see, if yet the soul had left That comely Mansion, for so indeed it was; Finding some sparks of life remaining, I took A cordial water which I ever carry with me, And by the help of that I brought him to his senses, So that he was able to deliver these few words. Death I embrace thee willingly, thou being A far less torment, then for to live And know Clarinda loves another better. May she enjoy Lysander, whom now I do Believe is worthy of her: for I that Most unjustly went about to cross it, Must pay my life down for my error; Lysander, I forgive thee my death, and so I hope the King, and with that word the King, He sunk between my arms, and never Spoke word. O what a man was this, what marble heart That would not melt itself in tears to hear This sad relation? but what became of the body? There Sir begins occasion of new grief, Whilst I did vainly strive to call back life, Three barbarous thieves seeking some booty, Came by chance that way, and seeing his garments Rich, they went about to strip him; but hearing Of some noise within the wood, one of them Did advise to carry him to their boat, which lay Hard by within a Creek. I went about To hinder them, and for my pains they did compel Me to carry the body upon my shoulders, Threatening to kill me if I did refuse; But not content with this, they made me row Them down the stream, three days together, Until they came unto their fellow Pirates. What did they with the body? Threw it overboard, when they had Rifled it first. How chance you came no sooner to tell This news, though yet too soon, they are so ill? I see the King did dearly love him, He weeps. Sir, the current of the water bore us farther In three days, than I was able to return in ten. Give the poor Hermit something, Though his news deserve it not, Yet his sufferings doth: It is an addition to my grief, that when I parted With him last, I seemed to be offended with him For his dotage on Clarinda, which he hath dearly paid for; and yet I cannot blame him, For she is the fairest creature that yet I ever saw. O Sister, we have lost our dearest Kinsman, And that which adds unto my grief, is, that I cannot Be revenged on him that killed him.
nodes 1691–1751 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 30 of 52 in this edition
Length
480 words · 582 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T1 — Death, grief and revengecross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.787 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T10 · seed 44: T1 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
How doe you know. Your Maieſty ſhall heare, As I was gathering Rootes within the Forreſt, The beſt part of my foode, caſting my eye aſide, I ſaw a man lie weltring in his gore, Straight I was ſtrucken with a ſodaine feare; But Charitie preuailing aboue feare, I ſtept to ſee, if yet the ſoule had left That comely Manſion, for ſo indeed it was; Finding ſome ſparks of life remaining, I tooke A cordiall water which I euer carry with me, And by the help of that I brought him to his ſenſes, So that he was able to deliuer theſe few words. Death I embrace thee willingly, thou being A farre leſſe torment, then for to liue And know Clarinda loues another better. May ſhe enioy Lyſander, whom now I doe Beleeue is worthy of her: for I that Moſt vniuſtly went about to croſſe it, Muſt pay my life downe for my error; Lyſander, I forgiue thee my death, and ſo I hope the King, and with that word the King, He ſunke betweene my armes, and neuer Spoke word. O what a man was this, what marble heart That would not melt it ſelfe in teares to heare This ſad relation? but what became of the body? There Sir begins occaſion of new griefe, Whilſt I did vainly ſtriue to call backe life, Three barbarous theeues ſeeking ſome booty, Came by chance that way, and ſeeing his garments Rich, they went about to ſtrip him; but hearing Of ſome noyſe within the wood, one of them Did aduiſe to carry him to their boat, which lay Hard by within a Creeke. I went about To hinder them, and for my paines they did compel Me to carry the body vpon my ſhoulders, Threatning to kill me if I did refuſe; But not content with this, they made me row Them downe the ſtreame, three dayes together, Vntill they came vnto their fellow Pirates. What did they with the body? Threw it ouerbord, when they had Rifled it firſt. How chance you came no ſooner to tell This newes, though yet too ſoone, they are ſo ill? I ſee the King did dearly loue him, He weepes. Sir, the current of the water bare vs farther In three dayes, then I was able to returne in ten. Giue the poore Hermite ſomething, Though his newes deſerue it not, Yet his ſufferngs doth: It is an addition to my griefe, that when I parted With him laſt, I ſeem'd to be offended with him For his dotageon Clarinda, which he hath Dearely paid for; and yet I cannot blame him, For ſhe is the faireſt creature that yet I euer ſaw. O Siſter, we haue loſt our deareſt Kinſman, And that which ads vnto my griefe, is, that I cannot Be reueng'd on him that kild him.