Carlell, Lodowick · published 1629 · first performed or written 1629 [c.1622-1629] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men · before the Court T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.77 · 485 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
Are you certain Sir that he is dead, or Who it was that killed him? Too certain of them both, It was Lysander that killed him, Whom If I ever get within my power, The sharpest kind of death that justice can inflict Upon him, he shall feel. Say you so brother, he shall Not come within your power if I can help it then; But royal brother, if the Duke had killed Lysander, I know you would have pardoned him. Sister I think I should. With what justice then can you pursue Lysander's life, who as the Duke himself Informs you in his Letter, sought Only to maintain what was his own; But on the other side, the Duke like an usurper Without any title would have taken from him That which he valued far above his life His Love. It is not I That pursues Lysander's life, but justice; The Law condemns him to die, Had it been but a private man, much more Being so near a kin to me. There is no Law; but doth allow us to defend ourselves, Lysander did no more; for who can deny He was compelled, honour compelled him, The Duke compelled him, and love (which cannot be By noble minds resisted, did above all compel him; Then all the fault Lysander did commit in my Opinion, is that he was too slow, needing Compulsion in so just a cause, and therefore Sir If you should apprehend Lysander, though by The letter of the Law his life is forfeit; Yet remember that mercy is the greatest attribute Belonging to those powers, whose substitute you are. Sister, you often have had occasion To show your Charity, in being a Suitor to me For the lives of those that had offended; Yet until now you never begged my mercy unto any. Sir, you never had occasion given you Till now to whet the sword of justice by your own Particular revenge, that it might cut the deeper, And being not interested, your mercy of itself Did blunt the edge, and needed not my intercession. I do conjure you by my love, To speak no more of this unpleasing subject; For if I get Lysander once within my power, I will sacrifice his heartblood to the Ghost Of my deceased cousin. You know it is bootless, The King is so incensed, in begging mercy For Lysander, you may prove cruel to yourself, And unto me your Father. O Sir, how ill you do requite Lysander; His love to you was the only cause That pulled these miseries upon him; For had not he so dearly tendered you, Fearing to draw on you the king's displeasure, We had long since been married, than this unlucky Combat had not been, nor I had need of that Which now I am to beg: Mercy, great Sir. Why, know you where Lysander is?
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Are you certaine Sir that he is dead, or Who it was that kild him? Too certaine of them both, It was Lyſander that kild him, Whom If I euer get within my power, The ſharpeſt kinde of death that iuſtice can inflict Vpon him, he ſhall feele. Say you ſo brother, hee ſhall Not come within your power if I can helpe it then; But royall brother, if the Duke had kild Lyſander, I know you would haue pardoned him. Siſter I thinke I ſhould. With what Iuſtice then can you purſue Lyſanders life, who as the Duke himſelfe Informes you in his Letter, ſought Onely to maintaine what was his owne; But on the other ſide, the Duke like an vſurper Without any title would haue taken from him That which he valew'd farre aboue his life His Loue. It is not I That purſues Lyſanders life, but Iuſtice; The Law condemnes him to dye, Had it beene but a priuate man, much more Being ſo neare a kin to me. There is no Law; but doth allow vs to defend Our ſelues, Lyſander did no more; for who can denie He was compeld, honor compeld him, The Duke compeld him, and loue (which cannot be By noble minds reſiſted, did aboue all compel him; Then all the fault Lyſander did commit in my Opinion, is that hee was too ſlow, needing Compulſion in ſo iuſt a cauſe, and therefore Sir If you ſhould apprehend Lyſander, though by The letter of the Law his life is forfeit; Yet remember that mercy is the greateſt atribute Belonging to thoſe powrs, whoſe ſubſtitute you are. Siſter, you often haue had occaſion To ſhew your Charity, in being a Suiter to mee For the liues of thoſe that had offended; Yet vntill now you neuer beg'd my mercy vnto any. Sir, you neuer had occaſion giuen you Till now to whet the ſword of Iuſtice by your owne Particular reuenge, that it might cut the deeper, And being not intreſſed, your mercy of it ſelfe Did blunt the edge, and needed not my interceſſion. I do coniure you by my loue, To ſpeake no more of this vnpleaſing ſubiect; For if I get Lyſander once within my power, I will ſacrifice his heart-bloud to the Ghoſt Of my deceaſed Cozen. You know it is bootleſſe, The King is ſo incenſt, in begging mercy For Lyſander, you may proue cruell to your ſelfe, And vnto me your Father. O Sir, how ill you doe requite Lyſander; His loue to you was the onely cauſe That puld theſe miſeries vpon him; For had not he ſo dearly tenderd you, Fearing to draw on you the Kings diſpleaſure, We had long ſince bin married, then this vnlucky Combat had not bin, nor I had need of that Which now I am to beg: Mercy, great Sir. Why, know you where Lyſander is?