Alexander, William · published 1604 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 504 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
Who was so happy yet, As never had some cross: Though on a Throne he sit, And is not used with loss, Yet fortune once will toss Him, when that lest he would. If one had all at ones Hydaspes precious stones, And yellow Tagus' gold, All th'Orient all treasure, And every earthly pleasure, Even in the greatest measure, It should not make him bold. For while he lives secure, His state is most unsure. When it doth least appear, Some heavy plague draws near, Destruction to procure. We may compare th'earth's glory to a flower, That flourisheth and fadeth in an hour. In what we most repose We find our comfort light: The thing we soonest lose That's precious in our sight. For honour, riches, might Our lives impawned we lay: Yet all like flying shadows, Or flowers enameling meadows, Vanish and decay. Long time we toil to find Those idols of the mind, Which got we cannot bind T'abide with us one day. Then why should we presume On treasures that consume, Difficile to obtain, Difficile to retain, A dream, a breath, a fume; Which vex them most who them possess, Who starve with store, and famish with excess. AH, must I poison now my PRINCE's ears with the worst news that ever burdened fame? Had I as many tongues, as I have tears, All would not serve my sorrows to proclaim. Great signs of grief I in thy face discern: Spare not for to report this heavy cross To one, I fear, whom it doth most concern. be't death, disgrace, destruction, treason, loss? Tell on the sum of honour at the first: With no ambiguous words my pain prolong: 'Tis comfort to a wretch to know the worst: And I have learned to be unhappy long. What lest I speak, and yet suspect too much, be't some ludibrious message of my scorn, Which must wound me? but ah no torment such, As this to them who that disgrace have borne. She was not wronged, as you have misconceived. The Gods have had a care for to preserve her: Such favour of the victor she received, As of her subjects that were bound to serve her. But what a volley doth my voice prepare Of woes to charge your ears, woes full of dread? Would God ere I the some thereof declare, That I might die in saying she is dead. Cursed caitiff, was it not enough, alas, That I beheld her die, and would have died, But that I must armed with sad tidings pass To wound all them that hear what I have spied? See how he fares shot with these words of mine, As one become the prey of grief, and death. Yet doth the Sun on my affliction shine, And sees the air infected with my breath. And can I live, and look them in the face, That have my ignominious o'erthrow seen? And how I vanquished, vanquished with disgrace Engaged at once my kingdom, and my Queen?
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)
VVho was ſo happie yet, As neuer had ſome croſſe: Though on a Throne he ſit, And is not vſ'd with loſſe, Yet fortune once will toſſe Him, when that leaſt he would. If one had all at ones Hydaſpes pretious ſtones, And yellow Tagus golde, All th'Orient all treaſure, And euery earthly pleaſure, Euen in the greateſt meaſure, It ſhould not make him bold. For while he liues ſecure, His ſtate is most vnſure. VVhen it doth leaſt appeere, Some heauie plague drawes neere, Deſtruction to procure. We may compare th'earths glory to a flowre, That flouriſheth and fadeth in an houre. In what we moſt repoſe We finde our comfort light: The thing we ſooneſt loſe That's precious in our ſight. For honour, riches, might Our liues im paund we lay: Yet all like flying ſhadowes, Or flowers enambling medowes, Euaniſh and decay. Long time we toile to finde Thoſe idols of the minde, Which got we cannot binde T'abide with vs one day. Then why ſhould we preſume On treaſures that conſume, Difficile to obtaine, Difficile to retaine, A dreame, a breath, a fume; Which vexe them moſt who them poſſeſſe, Who ſtarue with ſtore, and famiſh with exceſſe. AH, muſt I poyſon now my Princes eares with the worſt newes that euer burthē'd fame? Had I as many tongues, as I haue teares, All would not ſerue my ſorrowes to proclame. Great ſignes of greefe I in thy face diſcerne: Spare not for to report this heauie croſſe To one, I feare, whome it doth moſt concerne. Iſt death, diſgrace, diſtruction, treaſon, loſſe? Tell on the ſumme of honour at the firſt: With no ambiguous words my paine prolong: 'Tis comfort to a wretch to know the worſt: And I haue learn'd to be vnhappy long. What leaſt I ſpeake, and yet ſuſpect too much, Iſt ſome ludibrious meſſage of my skorne, Which muſt wound me? but ah no torment ſuch, As this to them who that diſgrace haue borne. She was not wrong'd, as you haue miſconceiu'd. The Gods haue had a care for to preſerue her: Such fauour of the victour ſhe receiu'd, As of her ſubiects that were bound to ſerue her. But what a vollie doth my voice prepare Of woes to charge your eares, woes full of dread? Would God ere I the ſomme thereof declare, That I might die in ſaying ſhe is dead. Curſt caitiue, was it not enough, allas, That I beheld her die, and would haue died, But that I muſt arm'd with ſad tydings pas To wound all them that heare what I haue ſpied? See how he fares ſhot with theſe words of mine, As one become the pray of greefe, and death. Yet doth the Sunne on my affliction ſhine, And ſees the aire infected with my breath. And can I liue, and looke them in the face, That haue my ignominious o're-throw ſeene? And how I vanquiſh'd, vanquiſh'd with diſgrace Engag'd at once my kingdome, and my Queene?