Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 506 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
He to offend, she subject to offence; From wronging me, both cannot long abstain: Her beauty is sufficient to allure, His bravery is sufficient to obtain. Captains will force, and Captives must endure. O Alexander, tender my renown, Though thus thou travel to usurp my throne, I rage's to have a rival in my Crown, But in my love I can comport with none, That boundless flame which in thy bosom boyles, If quenched with aught save blood (as base) I blame: My fortunes take, but spare her honour's spoils, Which not thy glory, yet must breed our shame. But pardon dear that which grieved thoughts burst forth, More bright thy fame, that darkened is my state, By many means men may approve their worth▪ A woman only with a wretched mate: Chast minds still pure, do then most firmly stand, When fortified with wedlock's sacred band. Yet let me doubt, or let me leave to love, To fear the worst it is affection's part: I doubt not of thy truth; yet it may prove Thy face betray thy faith, thy hap thy heart; But on thy worth my confidence relies, This doth dissolve suspicions power again; I will repel reports as stand'rous lies, Which would my judgement, or thy virtue stain. Though fortune now my ruin doth design, Yet, with that traitress scorn to be conjured, She soon may help her fault, thou never thine: No help for honours wounds, all else are cured. O More than miserable mind, Which of all things itself worst knows! And through presumption made quite blind, Is puffed up with every wind, Which fortune in derision blows. The man no stable bliss can find, Whose heart is guided by his eye, And trusts too much betraying shows, Which make a cunning lie; Oft short prosperity Breeds long adversity: For, who abuse the first, the last o'erthrows. What thing so good which not some harm may bring? Even to be happy is a dangerous thing. Who on himself too much depends, And makes an Idol of his wit: For every favour fortune sends, Selfe-flatterer still himself commends, And will no sound advice admit, But at himself begins and ends, And never takes a moment's leisure To try what fault he may commit: But, drunk with froths of pleasure, Thirsts for praise above measure, Imaginary treasure, Which slowly comes, and flies at every fit; And what is most commended at this time, Succeeding ages may account a crime. A mighty man who is respected, And by his Subjects thought a God, Thinks as his name on high erected, Hath what he list at home effected, It may like wonders work abroad, O how this folly is detected! For, though he sit in Royal seat, And as he list his vassals load, Yet others who are great, Live not by his conceit, Nor weigh what he doth threat, But plague his pride oft ere he fear therod; There are rare qualities required in Kings, A naked name can never work great things.
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)
He to offend, ſhe ſubject to offence; From wronging me, both cannot long abſtaine: Her beauty is ſufficient to allure, His bravery is ſufficient to obtaine. "Captaines will force, and Captives muſt endure. O Alexander, tender my renowne, Though thus thou travell to uſurpe my throne, "I rage to have a rivall in my Crowne, "But in my love I can comport with none, That boundleſſe flame which in thy boſome boyles, If quench'd with ought ſave bloud (as baſe) I blame: My fortunes take, but ſpare her honours ſpoiles, Which not thy glory, yet muſt breed our ſhame. But pardon deare that which griev'd thoughts burſt orth, More bright thy fame, that darkened is my ſtate, "By many meanes men may approve their worth▪ "A woman onely with a wretched mate: "Chaſt mindes ſtill pure, doe then moſt firmely ſtand, "When fortifi'd with wedlockes ſacred band. Yet let me doubt, or let me leave to love, "To feare the worſt it is affections part: I doubt not of thy truth; yet it may prove Thy face betray thy faith, thy hap thy heart; But on thy worth my confidence relyes, This doth diſſolve ſuſpitions power againe; I will repell reports as ſtand'rous lyes, Which would my judgement, or thy vertue ſtaine. Though fortune now my ruine doth deſigne, Yet, with that traitreſſe ſcorne to be conjur'd, She ſoone may helpe her fault, thou never thine: "No helpe for honours wounds, all elſe are cur'd. "O More then miſerable minde, "Which of all things it ſelfe worſt knowes! "And through preſumption made quite blinde, "Is puffed up with every winde, "Which fortune in deriſion blowes. "The man no ſtable bliſſe can finde, "Whoſe heart is guided by his eye, "And truſts too much betraying ſhowes, "Which make a cunning lye; "Oft ſhort proſperity "Breeds long adverſity: "For, who abuſe the firſt, the laſt o'rethrowes. "What thing ſo good which not ſome harme may bring? "Even to be happy is a dangerous thing. "Who on himſelfe too much depends, "And makes an Idoll of his wit: "For every favour fortune ſends, "Selfe-flatterer ſtill himſelfe commends, "And will no ſound advice admit, "But at himſelfe beginnes and ends, "And never takes a moments leiſure "To try what fault he may commit: "But, drunke with frothes of pleaſure, "Thirſts for praiſe above meaſure, "Imaginary treaſure, "Which ſlowly comes, and flyes at every fit; "And what is moſt commended at this time, "Succeeding ages may account a crime. A mighty man who is reſpected, And by his Subjects thought a God, Thinkes as his name on high erected, Hath what he liſt at home effected, It may like wonders worke abroad, O how this folly is detected! For, though he ſit in Royall ſeate, And as he liſt his vaſſals lode, Yet others who are great, Live not by his conceit, Nor weigh what he doth threat, But plague his pride oft ere he feare therod; There are rare qualities requir'd in Kings, "A naked name can never worke great things.