Alexander, William · published 1604 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 499 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
Ay me, on those, whom more than life I love The state-disturbing blasts of Fortune fall: Yet each of them some several sorrows move, But wretch I suffer shipwreck in them all. I suffered, when I saw Oxatres slain, My loving son, and most entirely loved: died in Darius, when he tried in vain, What fates would do, yet still their hatred proved. Ah, do the destinies extend my breath For further evil? O extreme cruelty, To use so many instruments of death, Against one burdened with calamity. Yet Ioue, if this may disenflame thine ire, Let all thy lightning light upon mine head: To be consumed with a celestial fire Some comfort were, since that I must be dead. Leave mother these immoderate laments To me the very source, and seat of sorrow, Whose days are burdened with so sad events, That hell itself may of my torments borrow. Lo, the dear Lord and treasure of my thought, Whose presence I my Paradise esteemed, To such a headlong precipice is brought, That with the world his glory dead is deemed. Ah, on what prop can I repose my trust, When first the greatness of his state I ponder; Next how his Diadem drenched in the dust Was Fortune's Trophy, and all Asia's wonder? He whose imperious speech the world respected, And as an oracle had in regard, Now vanquished and contemptibly neglected Can scarcely as a supplicant be heard. And yet I know this more his mind afflicts, Then doth the ruin of his regal state, That him my sight another interdicts, Who am the sovereign of his soul's conceit. Shall he, pure quintessence of my best part, Then only testify the love he bears? No, by mine eyes I will distill my heart, And for his sake dissolve myself in tears. Would God my breast like Crystal were transparent, That all the world might see my sincere mind, And that my loyal thoughts were all apparent, Whose great affection cannot be confined. They have imprisoned only my poor eyes, And banished them from th'object of their joy: My fiery heart with winged fancies flies And where thou goest doth still my steps convoy. Thy Queen is such, as whilst thou drawest this air, In counting captives men may still accept her: For whilst thou liv'st, how can thy spouse despair, Whom thou preferrest even to thy soul and sceptre? Yet flatter I myself that am accursed: The apprehension, which with grief I cherish, Of thy mishap may serve to make me burst. Ah, ah I faint, I feel my spirits perish. Help, help alas, alas, the Empress falls. O doleful day of darkness; world of woes. This grievous spectacle my spirit appals: Heaven, earth, and all are now become our foes. I may more justly moan then any other, Whose ears have heard the hard hap of my father; Whose eyes behold the anguish of my mother, Whom both do load with all the woes of either.
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)
Ay me, on thoſe, whom more then life I loue The ſtate-diſturbing blaſtes of Fortune fall: Yet each of them ſome ſeuerall ſorrowes moue, But wretch I ſuffer ſhip-wracke in them all. I ſuffered, when I ſawe Oxatres ſlaine, My louing ſonne, and moſt entirelie lou'd: dy'd in Darius, when he try'd in vaine, What fates would doe, yet ſtill their hatred prou'd. Ah, doe the deſtinies extend my breath For further euill? O extreame crueltie, To vſe ſo many inſtruments of death, Againſt one burthend with calamitie. Yet Ioue, if this may diſ-en-flame thine ire, Let all thy lightning light vpon mine head: To be conſum'd with a celeſtiall fire Some comfort were, ſince that I muſt be dead. Leaue mother theſe immoderate laments To me the very ſource, and ſeate of ſorrowe, Whoſe dayes are burthen'd with ſo ſad euents, That hell it ſelfe may of my torments borrow. Loe, the deere Lord and treaſure of my thought, Whoſe preſence I my Paradice eſteem'd, To ſuch a headlong praecipice is brought, That with the world his glorie dead is deem'd. Ah, on what prop can I repoſe my truſt, When firſt the greatneſſe of his ſtate I ponder; Next how his Diademe drencht in the duſt Was Fortunes Trophee, and all Aſias wonder? He whoſe imperious ſpeach the world reſpected, And as an oracle had in regarde, Now vanquiſh't and contemptiblie neglected Can ſcarcely as a ſupplicant be heard. And yet I know this more his minde afflicts, Then doth the ruine of his rigall ſtate, That him my ſight another interdicts, Who am the ſoueraigne of his ſoules conceat. Shall he, pure quinteſſence of my beſt part, Then onely teſtifie the loue he beares? No, by mine eyes I will diſtill my hart, And for his ſake diſſolue my ſelfe in teares. Would God my breaſt like Criſtall were tranſparent, That all the world might ſee my ſinceare minde, And that my loyall thoughts were all apparent, Whoſe great affection cannot be confinde. They haue impriſon'd onely my poore eies, And baniſh'd them from th'obiect of their ioy: My firie hart with winged fancies flies And where thou goeſt doth ſtill my ſteps conuoy. Thy Queene is ſuch, as whilſt thou draw'ſt this aire, In counting ciptiues men may ſtill accept her: For whilſt thou liuſt, how can thy ſpouſe diſpaire, Whom thou prefer'ſt euen to thy ſoule and ſcepter? Yet flatter I my ſelfe that am accurſt: The apprehenſion, which with griefe I cheriſh, Of thy miſhap may ſerue to make me burſt. Ah, ah I faint, I feele my ſpirits periſh. Help, help allace, allace, the Empreſſe falles. O dolefull day of darknes; world of woes. This greeuous ſpectacle my ſpirite appalles: Heauen, earth, and all are now become our foes. I may more iuſtly mone then any other, Whoſe eares haue heard the hard hap of my father; Whoſe eies behold the anguiſh of my mother, Whom both do loade with all the woes of either.