Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T53: crown, king, state, life, lord, lords, live, queen, tullia, prince.
And yet I would we had some fair pretence. Our country's care must seem our souls to cumber: This seeming zeal must shadow our offence: For such a show will satisfy a number. Let us be well advised, ere we resolve: And then endeavour t'execute it soon. If we ourselves once in this work involve, And then not finish it, we are undone. He hath sent one to Alexander late To speak of peace, but did the same in vain: And now involved in a despaired estate, Barred from accord, he cannot wary sustain. His purpose is his Captains to convene, To ask of them some counsel for his safety: A time more fit for us could not have been. Who mind to compass Kings must: needs be crafty. For to achieve that which we think to do, A course more fit we by no means could find, Then crooked seeming-upright counsel to Disguise our practises, and mask our mind. We will advise him to renounce a space His state to some one, whom he may desire But for the fashion to accept his place, And as himself a certain time empire. Whose better fortune may perchance bring back That which his ever ebbing bears away: Then he again his Diadem shall take, And as before the regal sceptre sway. Well then amongst ourselves, t'avoid, debate Which undermines so many a mighty action. I will prefer you to the imperial seat. And to approve the same will frame my faction. All that is one, which of us two receive it, Since every thing doth equally belong us: I'll take it for the form, not that I crave it, For we will part his Empire all among us. But if he condescend to this we crave, Which at the first unfolding would seem good: Let him not think us two such fools to leave That which so many monarch buy with blood. Who once advanced would willingly go down, And not love in authority to stand? 'Tis not the custom so to quite a Crown, When one hath known how sweet it's to command. This name of faith but to get credit feigned, If it were balanced with a kingdom, straight In them whose consciences are most restrained 'twould soon succumb, a sceptre hath such weight. Yet to betray our King we have no reason: When I muse on th'attempt it makes me sorry: Our name stained with this odious style of treason Shall leave our successors more shame, than glory. We first must end all our designs with pain, Then reign with fear, and live securely never; As in a dream a space with pomp remain, Then die disgraced, infamy for ever. The sacred title of a Sovereign King Doth strike a terror in my troubled thought, And majesty, t'amaze my mind, doth bring, Whose aspect only hath great wonders wrought. To idle sounds, and frivolous reports Give thou a passport, for they last not long: And all that thou allegest nought imports. A Crown may cover any kind of wrong.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
And yet I would we had ſome faire pretence. Our countries care muſt ſeeme our ſoules to comber: This ſeeming zeale muſt ſhaddow our offence: For ſuch a ſhow will ſatisfie a number. Let vs be well aduiſ'd, ere we reſolue: And then endeuour t'execute it ſoone. If we our ſelues once in this worke involue, And then not finiſhe it, we are vndone. He hath ſent one to Alexander late To ſpeake of peace, but did the ſame in vaine: And now involu'd in a deſpair'd eſtate, Bar'd from accorde, he cannot warie ſuſtaine. His purpoſe is his Captaines to conuene, To aske of them ſome counſell for his ſaftie: A time more fit for vs could not haue beene. Who minde to compaſſe Kings muſt: needs be crafty. For to atchieue that which we thinke to doe, A courſe more fit we by no meanes could finde, Then crooked ſeeming-vpright counſell to Diſguiſe our practiſes, and maske our minde. We will aduiſe him to renounce a ſpace His ſtate to ſome one, whom he may deſire But for the faſhion to accept his place, And as himſelfe a certaine time impyre. Whoſe better fortune may perchance bring back That which his euer ebbing beares away: Then he againe his Diademe ſhall take, And as before the regall ſcepter ſway. Well then amongſt our ſelues, t'auoid, debate Which vndermines ſo many a mighty action. I will preferre you to the imperiall ſeate. And to approoue the ſame will frame my faction. All that is one, which of vs two receiue it, Since euery thing doth equallie belong vs: I'le take it for the forme, not that I craue it, For we will part his Empire all among vs. But if he condiſcend to this we craue, Which at the firſt vnfolding would ſeeme good: Let him not thinke vs two ſuch fooles to leaue That which ſo many Monarkes buy with blood. Who once aduanc'd would willingly goe downe, And not loue in authoritie to ſtand? 'Tis not the cuſtome ſo to quite a Crowne, When one hath know'n how ſweet it's to command. This name of faith but to get credite fain'd, If it were ballanc'd with a kingdome, ſtraight In them whoſe conſciences are moſt reſtrain'd T'would ſoone ſuccumbe, a ſcepter hath ſuch waight. Yet to betray our King we haue no reaſon: When I muſe on th'attempt it makes me ſorrie: Our name ſtain'd with this odious ſtile of treaſon Shall leaue our ſucceſſours more ſhame, then glorie. We firſt muſt end all our deſignes with paine, Then raigne with feare, and liue ſecurelie neuer; As in a dreame a ſpace with pompe remaine, Then die diſgrac'd, infamie for euer. The ſacred title of a Soueraigne King Doth ſtrike a terrour in my troubled thought, And maieſtie, t'amaze my minde, doth bring, Whoſe aſpect only hath great wonders wrought. To idle ſounds, and frivolous reports Giue thou a paſporte, for they laſt not long: And all that thou alledgeſt nought imports. A Crowne may couer any kinde of wrong.