Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
The dayes be fresh, when all the world in hate With Mahomets supreme authority, The Basshas idly liu'd; no forme of State Obseru'd; no Councells held; no Maiesty; Weake spirits did corrupt; the strong did cast; Worth withered vp; craft only was in trust; The Court a farme; strange, ominous, ill signe, When publike States to priuatenesse encline. Such was my fathers frayle simplicity, As wanting iudgment how to stand alone; He (passion-ledd) could loue, and trust but one. The world saw all was nought; yet I saw feare Would, while it murmur'd, mischiess councells keepe; So blind are men, or with respects a sleep. Enuy wrought more in me, and made me know, This passion in the King (which did aduance Mahomet aboue the reach of ouerthrow) Had counter-passions, change, inconstancy, For wit, and malice, possibility. I stir'd the King with enuies of his slaue; For great Estates inlarge not little harts. My charge suspitious, which no answer haue; Power still concluding all in euill part. With Kings not strong in vertue, nor in vice, I knew truth was like pillars built on ice. Factions besides I in the Basshas mou'd, And in their diuers witts my malice cast, Conspiracy with good successe I prou'd: For Kings are easily ledd away with many, That hearing all, want strength to iudge of any, Thus we exil'd him with pretence of State, Whom (it is true) I for my selfe did hate. But now, when Mahomet was banisht hence, His fellow Bässha's, fond of Gouernment, To rule their Prince with his name they intend, And ruine heires, yet seeme successions friends. For while I by my brothers exile stood, They hide their mindes to vndermine the more; And much to me in pittie thinges they leaue, That craft in good apparell might deceiue. Their craft, and power against you thus combui'd How could you shunne? or worke the Basshas so, As they might leaue to seeke your ouerthrow? I found their crafte, and made my good of all. Some I did winne, the rest I did disgrace, Euen binding them by what they gaue to me: So great the scopes of braue ambition be. Nor staid I here; but as a man in doubt To trust this tickle art of men too farre, Where many witts to one kept subIect are: I forthwith sought on fewer heades to lay This wardshippe of the King effeminate. A farre lesse seruile course for me, that meant To steale in change into this Gouernment. This made me thinke of Caine, whose spirits I saw Officious were, already entred grace, Pleasant, and fit to multiplie a place. The scruple that diuided him, and me, Was feare he did too much possesse my wife: With priuate scorne I waigh'd with publike ends; And saw, who will not see, needs no amends. For he, to hide his fault, straight puts on faith, And care of me; a badge of seruile lust, Which euer iniure those it pleaseth must. In him I did accept the sacrifice Of ruling him, that rul'd this wauing masse: Who cannot beare, what can he bring to passe?
seed 43: T25 · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
The dayes be fresh, when all the world in hate With Mahomets supreme authority, The Basshas idly liu'd; no forme of State Obseru'd; no Councells held; no Maiesty; Weake spirits did corrupt; the strong did cast; Worth withered vp; craft only was in trust; The Court a farme; strange, ominous, ill signe, When publike States to priuatenesse encline. Such was my fathers frayle simplicity, As wanting iudgment how to stand alone; He (passion-ledd) could loue, and trust but one. The world saw all was nought; yet I saw feare Would, while it murmur'd, mischiess councells keepe; So blind are men, or with respects a sleep. Enuy wrought more in me, and made me know, This passion in the King (which did aduance Mahomet aboue the reach of ouerthrow) Had counter-passions, change, inconstancy, For wit, and malice, possibility. I stir'd the King with enuies of his slaue; For great Estates inlarge not little harts. My charge suspitious, which no answer haue; Power still concluding all in euill part. With Kings not strong in vertue, nor in vice, I knew truth was like pillars built on ice. Factions besides I in the Basshas mou'd, And in their diuers witts my malice cast, Conspiracy with good successe I prou'd: For Kings are easily ledd away with many, That hearing all, want strength to iudge of any, Thus we exil'd him with pretence of State, Whom (it is true) I for my selfe did hate. But now, when Mahomet was banisht hence, His fellow Bässha's, fond of Gouernment, To rule their Prince with his name they intend, And ruine heires, yet seeme successions friends. For while I by my brothers exile stood, They hide their mindes to vndermine the more; And much to me in pittie thinges they leaue, That craft in good apparell might deceiue. Their craft, and power against you thus combui'd How could you shunne? or worke the Basshas so, As they might leaue to seeke your ouerthrow? I found their crafte, and made my good of all. Some I did winne, the rest I did disgrace, Euen binding them by what they gaue to me: So great the scopes of braue ambition be. Nor staid I here; but as a man in doubt To trust this tickle art of men too farre, Where many witts to one kept subIect are: I forthwith sought on fewer heades to lay This wardshippe of the King effeminate. A farre lesse seruile course for me, that meant To steale in change into this Gouernment. This made me thinke of Caine, whose spirits I saw Officious were, already entred grace, Pleasant, and fit to multiplie a place. The scruple that diuided him, and me, Was feare he did too much possesse my wife: With priuate scorne I waigh'd with publike ends; And saw, who will not see, needs no amends. For he, to hide his fault, straight puts on faith, And care of me; a badge of seruile lust, Which euer iniure those it pleaseth must. In him I did accept the sacrifice Of ruling him, that rul'd this wauing masse: Who cannot beare, what can he bring to passe?