Gascoigne, George / Kinwelmershe, Francis / Yelverton, ChristopherEuripides / Dolce, Lodovico · published 1575 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 512 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
If what to some seems honest good and just, Can seem even so in every doubtful mind, Not dark debate nor quarrel could arise: But look, how many men so many minds, And that, that one man judgeth good and just, Some other deems as deeply to be wrong. To say the truth (mother) this mind of mine Doth fleet full far from that farfetch of his, Ne will I longer cover my conceit: If I could rule or reign in heaven above, And eke command in depth of darksome hell, No toil ne travel should my spirits abash, To take the way unto my restless will, To climb aloft, nor down for to descend. Then think you not, that I can give consent To yield a part of my possession, Wherein I live and lead the monarchy. A witless fool may every man him guess, That leaves the more and takes him to the less. With this, reproach might to my name redound, If he, that hath with foreign power spoiled Our pleasant fields, might reave from me perforce, What so he list by force of arms demand. Not less reproof the citizens ensues, If I, for dread of Greekish hosts, should grant That he might climb to height of his desire. In fine, he aught not thus of me to crave Accord, or peace, with bloody sword in hand, But with humility and prayer both, For often is it seen, and proof doth teach, Sweet words prevail, where sword and fire do fail. Yet this, if here within these stately walls He list to live, the son of Oedipus, And not as king of Thebes, I stand content. But let him think, since now I can command, This neck of mine shall never yield to yoke Of servitude: let bring his banners splayed, Let spear and shield, sharp sword, and cindering flames Procure the part that he so vainly claims: As long as life within this breast doth last, I nill consent that he should reign with me. If law of right may any way be broke, Desire of rule within a climbing breast To break a vow may bear the buckler best. Who once hath passed the bounds of honesty In earnest deeds, may pass it well in words. O son, amongst so many miseries This benefit hath crooked age, I found, That as the track of trustless time hath taught, It seeth much, and many things discerns, Which reckless youth can never rightly judge, O, cast aside that vain ambition, That corrosive, that cruel pestilence, That most infects the minds of mortal men: In princely palace and in stately towns It creepeth oft, and close with it conveys, (To leave behind it) damage and decays: By it be love and amity destroyed, It breaks the laws and common concord beats, Kingdoms and realms it topsy-turvy turns, And now, even thee, her gall so poisoned hath, That the weak eyes of thine affection Are blinded quite, and see not to themself But worthy child, drive from thy doubtful breast
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)
"If what to ſome ſéemes honeſt good and iuſt, "Could ſéeme euen ſo in euery doubtfull mind, "No darke debate nor quarell could ariſe: "But looke, how many men ſo many minds, "And that, that one man iudgeth good and iuſt, "Some other déemes as déepely to be wrong. To ſay the truth (mother) this minde of mine Doth fléete full farre from that farfetch of his, Ne will I longer couer my conceit: If I could rule or reigne in heauen aboue, And eke commaund in depth of darkſome hell, No toile ne trauell ſhould my ſprites abaſhe, To take the way vnto my reſtleſſe will, To climbe aloft, nor downe for to deſcend. Then thinke you not, that I can giue conſent To yeld a part of my poſſeſſion, Wherin I liue and lead the monarchie. "A witleſſe foole may euery man him geſſe, "That leaues the more and takes him to the leſſe. With this, reproch might to my name redound, If he, that hath with forren power ſpoilde Our pleaſaunt fields, might reaue from me perforce, What ſo he liſt by force of armes demand. No leſſe reproofe the citizens enſewes, If I, for dread of Gréekiſh hoſts, ſhould graunt That he might climbe to heigth of his deſire. In fine, he ought not thus of me to craue Accord, or peace, with bloudy ſword in hand, But with humilitie and prayer both, For often is it ſéene, and proofe doth teach, "Swete words preuaile, where ſword and fire do faile. Yet this, if here within theſe ſtately walles He liſt to liue, the ſonne of Oedipus, And not as king of Thebes, I ſtand content. But let him thinke, ſince now I can commaunde, This necke of mine ſhall neuer yeld to yoke Of ſeruitude: let bring his banners ſplayde, Let ſpeare and ſhield, ſharpe ſworde, and cyndring flames Procure the parte that he ſo vainely claimes: As long as life within this breſt doth laſt, I nill conſent that he ſhould reigne with me. If lawe of right may any way be broke, "Deſire of rule within a climbing breſt "To breake a vow may beare the buckler beſt. "Who once hath paſt the bounds of honeſtie "In erneſt déedes, may paſſe it well in words. O ſonne, amongſt ſo many miſeries This benefite hath croked age, I find, That as the tracke of truſtleſſe time hath taught, "It ſéeth much, and many things diſcernes, "Which reckleſſe youth can neuer rightly iudge, Oh, caſt aſide that vaine ambition, That coroſiue, that cruell peſtilence, That moſt infects the minds of mortall men: "In princely palace and in ſtately townes "It crepeth ofte, and cloſe with it conuayes, "(To leaue behind it) damage and decayes: "By it be loue and amitie deſtroyde, "It breakes the lawes and common concord beates, "Kingdomes and realmes it topſie turuie turnes, And now, euen thée, hir gall ſo poiſoned hath, That the weake eies of thine affection Are blinded quite, and ſée not to them ſelfe But worthy childe, driue from thy doubtfull breſt