Nautical Line-Singling as Mortality in Shakespeare

[Smoke Teff]

Read this nice little thing in *The Life and Death of King John *today.
This being the poisoned eponym greeting his nephew the Bastard right before
he (King John) dies (5.7.51ff)...

O cousin, thou art come to set mine eye,
The tackle of my heart is cracked and burnt,
And all the shrouds wherewith my life should sail
Are turnèd to one thread, one little hair;
My heart hath one poor string to stay it by,
Which holds but till thy news be utterèd,
And then all this thou seest is but a clod
And module of confounded royalty.
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