Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
And if it fortune that they die in peace (A wonder wondrous rarely seen) Who conquer first; their empire clean Is ruined by some persons of their race: Who coming to the crown with rest, And having all in peace possessed, Do straight forget what bloody broils have been Before their Fathers could attain that place. As th'Ocean flows, and ebbs states rise and fall: And Princes, when their actions prosper best, For fear their greatness should oppress the small, Are of some hated, and envied of all. We know what end the mighty Cyrus made, Whom, while he strived to conquer still, A woman did most vildly kill, And in a bloody vessel rolled his head; Then said, Content thyself with blood: Thou still didst famish for such food: Now quench thy thirst of blood with blood at will. Some of his successors, since he was dead Have reigned a space with pomp, and yet with pain. Now all their glory cannot do us good. What they so long have laboured to obtain, All in an instant must be lost again. Lo, Darius once so magnified by fame, By one whom he contemned o'ercome, For all his bravery now made dumb, With downcast eyes must signify his shame. Who puffed up with pernicious pride Think still t'have fortune on their side, They cannot scape to be a prey to some. They spend their prosperous days as in a dream, And as it were in fortune's bosom sleeping, They in this dull security abide, And of their doubtful state neglect the keeping, Whilst ghastly ruin comes upon them creeping. Thus the vicissitude of worldly things Doth to our eyes itself detect, When heavenly powers exalt, deject, Confirm, confound, erect and ruin Kings. So Alexander mighty now, To whom the vanquished world doth bow. With all submission, homage, and respect Doth fly a borrowed flight with Fortune's wings: Nor enters he his dangerous course to ponder, Yet, if that Fortune bend her cloudy brow: All those, who at his sudden success wonder, May gaze as much to see himself brought under. O Dismal day detested by the light, And would to God (but God neglects our case) The world were wrapped in a Cimmerian night, That no proud eye might gaze on our disgrace. Why did the heavens reserve my feeble age, To go to grave with infamy and grief? Could nothing but my shame their wrath assuage Thus offered upon th'altar of mischief? Ah, have I spent my youth in pomp and pleasure, And had my spring-time graced with pleasant flowers, That autumn, which should reap the summers treasure, Might be disastered with such stormy showers? And did smooth calms, and sunshines of delight Make all my voyage through the world a sport; That tossed with a tempest of despite I now might perish entering at my port? Yet for all this, were I exposed alone Th'accursed object of heavens plaguing-arms, I should not think I had just cause to moan, When I but wailed mine own, not others' harms.
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)
And if it fortune that they die in peace (A wonder wondrous rarelie ſeene) Who conquere firſt; their empire cleene Is ruin'd by ſome perſons of their race: Who comming to the crowne with reſt, And hauing all in peace poſſeſt, Do ſtraight forget what bloody broils haue bene Before their Fathers could attaine that place. As th'Ocean flowes, and ebbes ſtates riſe and fall: And Princes, when their actions proſper beſt, For feare their greatnes ſhould oppreſſe the ſmal, Are of ſome hated, and eny'd of all. We knowe what end the mightie Cyrus made, Whome, while he ſtriu'd to conquere ſtill, A woman did moſt vildlie kill, And in a bloodie veſſell rold his head; Then ſaid, Content thy ſelfe with blood: Thou ſtill didſt famiſh for ſuch food: Now quench thy thirſt of blood with blood at will. Some of his ſucceſſors, ſince he was dead Haue raign'd a ſpace with pompe, and yet with paine. Now all their glorie cannot doe vs good. What they ſo long haue laboured to obtaine, All in an inſtant muſt be loſt againe. Loe, Darius once ſo magnified by fame, By one whome he contemn'd o'recome, For all his brauerie now made dombe, With downe-caſt eyes muſt ſignifie his ſhame. Who puft vpwith pernitious pride Thinke ſtill t'haue fortune on their ſide, They cannot ſcape to be a pray to ſome. They ſpend their proſperous days as in a dreame, And as it were in fortunes boſome ſleeping, They in this dull ſecuritie abide, And of their doubtfull ſtate neglect the keeping, Whilſt gaiſt lie ruine comes vpon them creeping. Thus the viciſsitude of worldly things Doth to our eyes it ſelfe detect, VVhen heauenly powers exalt, deiect, Confirme, confound, erect and ruine Kings. So Alexander mightie now, To whome the vanquiſh'd world doth bow. VVith all submiſsion, homage, and reſpect Doth flie a borrow'd flight with Fortunes wings: Nor enters he his dangerous courſe to ponder, Yet, if that Fortune bend her cloudie browe: All thoſe, who at his ſuddaine ſucceſſe wonder, May gaze as much to ſee himſelfe brought vnder. O Diſmall day deteſted by the light, And would to God (but God neglects our cace) The world were wrapt in a Cymerian night, That no proud eye might gaze on our diſgrace. Why did the heauens reſerue my feeble age, To goe to graue with infamie and grief? Could nothing but my ſhame their wrath aſſwage Thus offred vpon th'altar of miſchief? Ah, haue I ſpent my youth in pompe and pleaſure, And had my ſpring-time grac'd with pleaſant flowres, That th'Aurumne, which ſhould reape the Sōmers treaſure, Might be diſaſtred with ſuch ſtormy ſhowres? And did ſmooth calmes, and ſun-ſhines of delight Make all my voyage through the world a ſport; That toſſed with a tempeſt of deſpight I now might periſh entring at my port? Yet for all this, were I expos'd alone Th'accurſed obiect of heauens plaguing-armes, I ſhould not thinke I had iuſt cauſe to mone, When I but waild mine owne, not others harmes.