Alexander, William · published 1604 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy T38 Death, parting and grief at court typicality 0.85 · 510 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
Heaven cannot be a sanctuary for them: I dare to force th'infernal caves adventure: Th'earth cannot keep them safe, if I abhor them: I'll search them out though they were in the centre. And having gotten once those malefactors, Betwixt the bending boughs of two strong trees, Unto th'eternal terror of all traitors, They shall dismembered be before my eyes. Sir, may it please your Grace to take some care, That some his funeral offices perform. Go presently and every thing prepare According to the military form. THis look, alas, hath fraught my soul with fears, Speak, for my life doth on thy lips depend: Thy countenance (ah) a doleful copy bears Of some sad summons to denounce my end. Starve not my ears with famish for thy words: That swallowed yet may make my heart to burst. madam the message that my soul affords Must once be known, and once known still accursed, Be not a niggard of evil news. And why? Fame will tell the world. But first to you. Tell soon. Your son is dead. Then let me die. Her joys and pleasures are all perished now. Why opens not the earth for to devour A cursed caitiff, that all joy hath lost? The longer that I live, my grief grows more: Borne I am to mischief, kept to be crossed. Would God this body in mishaps abounding Were covered with some mountain of huge weight; Or else that th'Ocean o'er these fields inunding Might make my burial in her bosom straight. O Alexander, hast thou robbed his life, Yet entertained me still in hope to find him? Why didst thou not first kill this poor old wim Who was not worthy to have lived behind hi? Ah, tended all thy courtesy to this, That I should live till thou hast slain my son? You wrong that worthy Prince: for he and his Came him to help, who was ere then undone. What impious hands durst one that wore a crown, And was thereof most worthy, murder so? Two whom himself raised up have cast him down: More faithful than his own he found his foe. Tell on thy message, message of my death, And load my mind with all mischief and horror: That in sad sighs I may dissolve my breath, Whilst thou relat'st these tidings full of terror. When Alexander eftsoons back had sent Th'ambassadors that peace had sought in vain, A general muster, than to try th'event Of doubtful Mars, King Darius did ordain, And in one battle to adventure all Intending, caused his will to be proclaimed, While two vile traitors did conspire his fall, Who Bessus, and Narbazanes were named. These two in counsel did discover first Some portion of the poison of their heart: Which caused the King suspect, but not the worst. Yet with a sword he sought to make them smart. But having scaped the first brunt of his rage, With tears of Crocodiles they so lamented, As they his indignation did assuage, Whilst in appearance only they repented.
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)
Heauen cannot be a ſanctuarie for them: I dare to force th'infernall caves adventer: Th'earth cannot keepe them ſafe, if I abhorre them: Ile ſearch them out though they were in the center. And hauing gotten once thoſe malefactors, Betwixt the bending boughes of two ſtrong trees, Vnto th'eternall terrour of all traitours, They ſhall diſmembred be before my eyes. Sir, may it pleaſe your Grace to take ſome care, That ſome his funerall offices performe. Goe preſentlie and euery thing prepare According to the militarie forme. THis looke, alas, hath fraught my ſoule with feares, Speake, for my life doth on thy lips depend: Thy count'nance (ah) a dolefull coppie beares Of ſome ſad ſummons to denounce my end. Starue not my eares with famiſh for thy words: That ſwallow'd yet may make my hart to burſt. Madame the meſſage that my'ſoule affordes Muſt once be known, and once knowne ſtill accurſt, Be not a niggard of euil newes. And why? Fame will tell the world. But firſt to you. Tel ſone. Your ſon is dead. Thē let me die. Her ioyes and pleaſures are all periſh'd now. Why opens not the earth for to deuoure A curſed caitiue, that all ioy hath loſte? The longer that I liue, my griefe growes more: Borne I am to miſchiefe, kept to be croſt. Would God this body in miſhappes abounding Were couered with ſome mountaine of huge waight; Or elſe that th'Ocean ou'r theſe fieldes inunding Might make my buriall in her boſome ſtraight. O Alexander, haſt thou robd his life, Yet entertain'd me ſtill in hope to finde him? Why didſt thou not firſt kill this poore old wim Who was not worthie to haue liu'd behind hi? Ah, tended all thy courteſie to this, That I ſhould liue till thou haſt ſlaine my ſonne? You wrong that worthie Prince: for he and his Came him to helpe, who was ere then vndone. What impious hands durſt one that wore a crown, And was thereof moſt worthie, murther ſo? Two whō himſelf rais'd vp haue caſt him down: More faithfull then his owne he found his foe. Tell on thy meſſage, meſſage of my death, And load my minde with all miſchiefe and horrour: That in ſad ſighes I may diſſolue my breath, Whilſt thou relat'ſt theſe tydings full of terrour. When Alexander eftſoones back had ſent Th'Ambaſſadours that peace had ſought in vaine, A generall muſter, then to try th'euent Of doubtfull Mars, King Darius did ordaine, And in one battell to aduenture all Intending, caus'd his will to be proclaim'd, While two vile traitours did conſpire his fall, Who Beſſus, and Narbazanes were nam'd. Theſe two in counſell did diſcouer firſt Some portion of the poiſon of their hart: Which caus'd the King ſuſpect, but not the worſt. Yet with a ſword he ſought to make them ſmart. But hauing ſcap'd the firſt brunt of his rage, With teares of Crocodiles they ſo lamented, As they his indignation did aſſwage, Whil'ſt in appearance onlie they repented.