Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
But Alexander having heard our cries Sent one t'inquire th'occasion of our woe; Who finding whence our error did arise, Gave full assurance that it was not so. Then he himself unto our tent resorted, And with most courteous speeches full of love Your mother, wife, and children oft exhorted Such vain surmised terrors to remove. With protestation that they should expect No harm of him their courage to appall: Each thing he did accordingly direct, That no man might endamage them at all. Thus having them against all dangers armed (I think for fear, for who would not have feared lest such an Angels graces had him charmed) He never more before her face appeared. Or was it virtue that would fly the sting Of trustless pleasures that abuse the sense? So continent a victor, and a king Was never seen. He fled what caused offence. He doth his fame above all things prefer, And will not be where it may blemish find, Nor give his eyes commodity to err, Nor suffer impure thoughts to stain his mind. He staid till that fair face had lost all vigour, And with the colours of pale death was painted. Injurious heaven that with such hellish rigour The purest work that nature made hath tainted. When he beheld death triumph in that face, Which late had triumphed o'er a Monarchs heart, He moaned no less her miserable case, Than you that lost in her your better part. And when some days his dolour had overcome, Her funerals solemnly to decore He used such honour, as might well become The Persian pomp in prosperous times before. O supreme power that of Empires disposest, And ratifiest thy will with fearful thunder, Who, as thou pleasest, placest, and deposest Uncertain worldlings whiles above, whiles under, I pray thy Deity in my soul's distress, If that th'inhabitants of heaven can hear The plaints of those who this low point possess, Or that th'immortal can give mortals ear, Vouchsafe this my last suit for to fulfil: Establish first this sceptre in my hand: But if through my deserving, or thy will The race of Cyrus must no more command; And if thy heavenly breast such hate contracts, That I must needs my Diadem forego: Let him succeed who proves in all his acts So just a Victor, and so mild a foe. IF Fortune had joined me with dastard minds, Who to a noble death base life preferred, I should not harangue here unto the winds, But be content to have my fate deferred. O, I repent I proved your worth too much, Who still have followed me in all estates. I rather should, then doubt that you are such, Press to prove worthy of so worthy mates. Ye only rest of all that I conducted, Of whose great force and faith, which many sing, I by two fights, and flights have been instructed: Yet having you I think myself a King.
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)
But Alexander hauing heard our cries Sent one t'enquire th'occaſion of our woe; Who finding whence our errour did ariſe, Gaue full aſſurance that it was not ſo. Then he himſelfe vnto our tent reſorted, And with moſt courteous ſpeaches full of loue Your mother, wife, and children oft exhorted Such vaine ſurmized terrours to remoue. With proteſtation that they ſhould expect No harme of him their courage to appale: Each thing he did accordinglie direct, That no man might endomage them at all. Thus hauing them againſt all dangers arm'd (I thinke for feare, for who would not haue fear'd Leaſt ſuch an Angels graces had him charm'd) He neuer more before her face appear'd. Or was it vertue that would flie the ſting Of truſtleſſe pleaſures that abuſe the ſenſe? So continent a victour, and a king Was neuer ſeene. He fled what caus'd offence. He doth his fame aboue all things prefer, And will not be where it may blemiſh finde, Nor giue his eyes commoditie to erre, Nor ſuffer impure thoughts to ſtaine his minde. He ſtai'd till that faire face had loſt all vigour, And with the coulours of pale death was painted. Iniurious heauen that with ſuch helliſh rigour The pureſt worke that nature made hath tainted. When he beheld death triumph in that face, Which late had triumph'd ou'r a Monarcks hart, He mon'd no leſſe her miſerable cace, Then you that loſte in her your better part. And when ſome dayes his dolour had ou'r-come, Her funerals ſolemnelie to decore He vſ'd ſuch honour, as might well become The Perſian pompe in proſperous times before. O ſupreame pow'r that of Empires diſpoſeſt, And ratifieſt thy will with fearfull thunder, Who, as thou pleaſeſt, placeſt, and de-poſeſt Vncertaine worldlings whiles aboue, whiles vnder, I pray thy Deitie in my ſoules diſtreſſe, If that th'inhabitants of heauen can heare The plaints of thoſe who this lowe point poſſeſſe, Or that th'immortall can giue mortals eare, Vouchſafe this my laſt ſute for to fulfill: Eſtabliſh firſt this ſcepter in my hand: But if through my deſerving, or thy will The race of Cyrus muſt no more command; And if thy heauenly breaſt ſuch hate contracts, That I muſt needs my Diadem forgoe: Let him ſucceed who prooues in all his acts So iuſt a Victour, and ſo milde a foe. IF Fortune had ioynd me with daſtard mindes, Who to a noble death baſe life prefer'd, I ſhould not harrengue heere vnto the windes, But be content to haue my fate defer'd. O, I repent I proou'd your worth too much, Who ſtill haue follow'd me in all eſtates. I rather ſhould, then doubt that you are ſuch, Preaſe to proue worthy of ſo worthie mates. Yee onlie reſt of all that I conducted, Of whoſe great force and faith, which many ſing, I by two fights, and flights haue beene inſtructed: Yet hauing you I thinke my ſelfe a King.