Alexander, William · published 1604 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 514 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
Then drooping down, faint, bloodless, and half dead, He prayed to give him water that stood by. (A small request by such a Monarch made) Which when that he had goat: yet, ere I die, This cross must come (said he) t'undo me quite: Though most parts of the world once homage ought me; I have not now the power for to requite This little benefit that thou hast brought me. But Alexander shall reward thee well; And him the heavens, who hath not done amiss, To those that have been mine: his foe must tell That undeserved courtesy of his. Though none have power his pleasure to control; If he entreat them well whom he retains; It will procure no small rest to my soul, And make him famous, while the world remains. When my spirit parts out of this tent of clay, Entreat some with my burial to take order; lest churlish Charon force me for to stray An un-respected ghost on Stygian border. Let first my corpse be carried to my mother, Who may it with my ancestors entomb: And, as she hath more cause than any other, May wail this woeful burden of her womb. In pledge of that affection, which I bear Thy sovereign's worth, whom now I must see never, Have here a PRINCE's hand, I hold him dear, And recommend me to his grace for ever. I scarce had got his hand, or touched his vesture, When like a torch whose wax and week is spent, Somewhat perplexed, yet with a princely gesture, He died in peace: his spirit appeared content. Who could refrain from tears to hear declared The desolation of this wretched wight: Have subjects slain their prince whom strangers spared? Us hath he fled, that perish thus he might? I for his fall am wonderfully sorry, Who Nestor's age was worthy t'have attained: I envy death, because it robbed the glory, Which I in giving him his life had gained. Since death hath put a period to his woes, The favour that towards him you thought t'extend, Convert to furor now against his foes. For your designs can have no fairer end. So shall you both attain perpetual praise, And win their hearts who see their Lord revenged, Then reap no little profit in your days, To have the country of such vipers clenged. If but one virtue should adorn a King, It should be justice: many great defects Are veiled thereby; whereas each virtuous thing In one that is unjust, the world suspects. Although your counsel, or yet his request Had not the power to penetrate my ears: A generous stomach could not well digest So great a wrong: my mind it hardly bears. My spirit impatient of repose disdains That they so long this infamy survive. But I will punish with most grievous pains The horrid treason that they did contrive. What? do they think, deceived with some illusion. That Bactria is a bulwark for my ire? Fly where they list, they cannot scape confusion: My wrath shall follow like consuming fire.
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)
Then drouping downe, faint, bloodles, and halfe dead, He prai'd to giue him water that ſtood by. (A ſmall requeſt by ſuch a Monarcke made) Which when that he had gote: yet, ere I die, This croſſe muſt come (ſaid he) t'vndoe me quite: Though moſt parts of the world once homage ought me; I haue not now the power for to requite This little benefit that thou haſt brought me. But Alexander ſhall rewarde thee well; And him the heauens, who hath not done amiſſe, To thoſe that haue beene mine: his foe muſt tell That vndeſerued courteſie of his. Though none haue pow'r his pleaſure to controule; If he entreate them well whom he retaines; It will procure no ſmall reſt to my ſoule, And make him famous, while the world remaines. When my ſprit parts out of this tent of clay, Entreat ſome with my buriall to take order; Leaſt churliſh Charon force me for to ſtray An vn-reſpected ghoſt on Stygian border. Let firſt my corps be carried to my mother, Who may it with my aunceſtors entombe: And, as ſhe hath more cauſe then any other, May waile this wofull burthen of her wombe. In pledge of that affection, which I beare Thy Soueraignes worth, whom now I muſt ſee neuer, Haue heere a Princes hand, I hold him deare, And recommend me to his grace for euer. I ſcarce had got his hand, or toucht his veſture, When like a torch whoſe waxe and weeke is ſpent, Somewhat perplext, yet with a princely geſture, He died in peace: his ſprit appear'd content. Who could refraine frō teares to heare declar'd The deſolation of this wretched wight: Haue ſubiects ſlaine their prince whō ſtrangers ſpar'd? Vs hath he fled, that periſh thus he might? I for his fall am wonderfully ſorie, Who Neſtors age was worthie t'haue attain'd: I envie death, becauſe it rob'd the glorie, Which I in giuing him his life had gain'd. Since death hath put a periode to his woes, The fauour that t'wards him you thought t'extend, Conuert to furour now againſt his foes. For your deſignes can haue no fairer end. So ſhall you both attaine perpetuall praiſe, And winne their harts who ſee their Lord reveng'd, Then reape no little profite in your dayes, To haue the countrie of ſuch vipers cleng'd. If but one vertue ſhould adorne a King, It ſhould be Iuſtice: many great defects Are vaild thereby; whereas each vertuous thing In one that is vniuſt, the world ſuſpects. Although your counſell, or yet his requeſt Had not the pow'r to penetrate my eares: A generous ſtomack could not well diſgeſt So great a wrong: my minde it hardly beares. My ſpirit impatient of repoſe diſdaines That they ſo long this infamie ſurviue. But I will puniſh with moſt greevous paines The horrid treaſon that they did contriue. What? do they thinke, deceau'd with ſome illuſion. That Bactria is a bulwarke for my ire? Flie where they liſt, they cannot ſcape confuſion: My wrath ſhall follow like conſuming fire.