Alexander, William · published 1604 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
If any press t'impugn what I appoint, Or would in ambush for your honour lie, Or discontent you but in any point, As Alexander lives, that wretch shall die. O what a host of evils, where ere I go, Are still encroaching on my downcast state? And must I be beholden to my foe, Who doth divide me from my royal mate? Should he help me who would extermine him? Cursed be my heart, if it betray him thus. Eternal shadows mote these eyes first dim, Ere such a light be grateful unto us. I hold not of myself; Lord, I am thine: Thy love was sewn not in a barren field, But in a fertile ground: this heart of mine To thee, my dear, no small increase doth yield. Yet this good fortune doth misfortune bring; My constancy shall now be clearly known: Another might have loved a happy King: But I will love thee though thou be o'erthrown. fain would I strive to comfort in some measure This mourning Queen, and mitigate her pain; Whose woe doth make my victory no pleasure, But hath ensoured the sweetness of my gain. Most mighty King, thou dost deserve indeed That, as for Darius, we should pray for thee, Who dost so far in clemency exceed, That thou bewail'st our loss no less than he. Thou hast not only by thy worth surmounted All other Kings in dignity alone, And benefits of Fortune most accounted, But in all virtues worthy of a throne. Thou dost vouchsafe on me (more than I crave) The title of a Queen, and mother still: But I confess myself thy humble slave, Whose life hath now no limits but thy will. I have all that imagined good forgot, Which greatness gave: I'll look no more so sadly: But will allow of this my present lot, And bear the burden of my bondage gladly. If that this wretched woman here were free, Who hath no heaven except her husband's face, I could content myself (great Prince) to be The meanest handmaid that attends your grace. You may command me, as I were your Son, Whose duteous love shall prove no less entire. heavens recompense the courtesy thou hast done Which all succeeding ages shall admire. Those captived Princesses have pierced my soul, Who e'en amidst our heaven have found a hell. What stoic brow his passions could control, As not to weep, if he remarked well The tears of these fair Ladies causing wonder, Who need not challenge nature of her duty; But borne to bring, although they be brought under, Give grief a grace for to apparel beauty, Sir, such a victory hath not been seen As you have gained, whose greatness well appears; The largest kingdom, and the fairest Queen, That Asia vaunted of these many years. Durst Leda's or Agenor's brood compare With that sweet Queen, the honour of her kind? But as she is above all other fair, As far her daughters make her go behind.
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 any preaſe t'impugne what I appoint, Or would in ambuſh for your honour lie, Or diſcontent you but in any point, As Alexander liues, that wretch ſhall die. O what a hoſte of euils, where ere I goe, Are ſtill encroaching on my down-caſt ſtate? And muſt I be beholden to my foe, Who doth deuide me from my royall mate? Should he helpe me who would extermine him? Curſt be my hart, if it betray him thus. Eternall ſhaddowes mot theſe eies firſt dim, Ere ſuch a light be gratefull vnto vs. I holde not of my ſelfe; Lord, I am thine: Thy loue was ſow'ne not in a barren field, But in a fertile ground: this hart of mine To thee, my deere, no ſmall increaſe doth yeeld. Yet this good fortune doth miſ-fortune bring; My conſtancie ſhall now be clearlie knowne: Another might haue lou'd a happie King: But I will loue thee though thou be ore-throwne. Faine would I ſtriue to cōfort in ſome meaſure This mourning Queene, and mitigate her paine; Whoſe woe doth make my victorie no pleaſure, But hath enſowr'd the ſweetneſſe of my gaine. Moſt mightie King, thou do'ſt deſerue indeed That, as for Darius, we ſhould pray for thee, Who doeſt ſo farre in clemencie exceed, That thou bewailſt our loſſe no leſſe then he. Thou haſt not onely by thy worth ſurmounted All other Kings in dignitie alone, And benefits of Fortune moſt accounted, But in all vertues worthie of a throne. Thou do'ſt vouchſafe on me (more then I craue) The title of a Queene, and mother ſtill: But I confeſſe my ſelfe thy humble ſlaue, Whoſe life hath now no limits but thy will. I haue all that imagin'd good forgote, Which greatneſſe gaue: I'le looke no more ſo ſadlie: But will alow of this my preſent lot, And beare the burthen of my bondage gladly. If that this wretched woman heere were free, Who hath no heauen except her husbands face, I could content my ſelfe (great Prince) to be The meaneſt hand-maide that attends your grace. You may command me, as I were your Sonne, Whoſe duteous loue ſhall prooue no leſſe intire. Heauens recompence the court'ſy thou haſt done Which all ſucceeding ages ſhall admire. Thoſe captiu'd Princeſſes haue pierc'd my ſoule, Who eu'n amid'ſt our heauen haue found a hell. What ſtoick brow his paſſions could controule, As not to weepe, if he re-marked well The teares of theſe faire Ladies cauſing wonder, Who neede not challenge nature of her duty; But borne to bring, although they be brought vnder, Giue greefe a grace for to apparrell beauty, Sir, ſuch a victorie hath not beene ſeene As you haue gain'd, whoſe greatneſſe well appeares; The largeſt kingdome, and the faireſt Queene, That Aſia vaunted of theſe many yeares. Durſt Ledaes or Agenors brood compare With that ſweete Queene, the honour of her kinde? But as ſhe is aboue all other faire, As farre her daughters make her go behinde.