Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 503 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
Gold is the God that conquers in all parts. True magnanimity doth ravish hearts. Wars sinews treasures are which most not fail. Stout breasts, strong hands (not basely given) prevail. The want of wages makes a mutinous band. But who dare disobey when I command? Those are thought fools, who riches do disdain. A gallant mind likes glory more than gain. But who delights in such an eiery store: If I be ●●gular, I seek no more. The truth by Princes is not understood: But yet I hear your Soldiers oft exclaim, That your ambition but ex●●austs their blood, Who perish all to purchase you a name; Yet careless what they lose, so you may win, That like your mind, your kingdom may want bounds, One battles end, another doth begin, Whilst you the glory gain, they nought but wounds; Such rash reports oft blown in every ear, Do breed base grudge, and lofty tumults too, When leaving reverence, duty, love and fear, What dare not mutinous troops attempt to do: Retire in time while as the heavens are clear; You have performed, performed, and that even soon, More than your own could hope, your foes could fear, Yea (yet more strange) then some can trust, though done; Your worth in war (as bright as glory) shown, Which even by envy never could be stained, Your skill in peace would likewise now be known: Calm virtue guiding, what stern valour gained: A State well ruled, the same of Kings doth raise, No less than fought fields, or battered Towns. More hard it is, and doth deserve more praise To guide, then get, to keep, then conquer Crowns: In Fortune's spheres chief height your glory placed, Can now not move unless it be more low, And if it once descend, than quite disgraced, Each Artisan your Statues will o'erthrow; For in the war as you may well perceive, There doth no little part depend on Fame; If we but once the least small check receive, The world will gather to procure our shame; Then tempt not Fortune further than you need, Your rashly mounting thoughts let reason rain, Lest whilst your hopes with Trophies feigned you feed, A moment lose what many days did gain. Let Darius prove all Monarch's pattern now (What wand ring Star doth sway the course of Crowns) That Prince to whom the Orient once did bow, Him only now his misery renowns. Scarce moved to call you King, though twice o'erthrown, At last to match with you he doth agree, And with his daughter hath for dowry shown That great Euphrates shall your border be; Or otherwise he condescends to give Great store of gold, or what yourself desires If that his mother, wife, and children live, To have them rendered, as he oft requires: And let not lofty thoughts cloud Reasons eyes, Remember what strange Realms will him embrace, Which scarce he knows, by name, nor never tries, Where if he fled, your troops would tire to chase.
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)
"Gold is the God that conquers in all parts. "True magnanimity doth raviſh hearts. "Warrs ſinewes treaſures are which moſt not faile. "Stout breſts, ſtrong hands (not baſely given) prevaile. "The want of wages makes a mutinous band. "But who dare diſobey when I command? "Thoſe are thought fooles, who riches do diſdain. "A gallant minde likes glory more then gaine. But who delights in ſuch an eiery ſtore: If I be gular, I ſeeke no more. "The truth by Princes is not underſtood: But yet I heare your Souldiers oft exclaime, That your ambition but exauſts their bloud, Who periſh all to purchaſe you a name; Yet careleſſe what they loſe, ſo you may winne, That like your minde, your kingdome may want bounds, One battels end, another doth beginne, Whilſt you the glory gaine, they nought but wounds; Such raſh reports oft blowne in every eare, Doe breed baſe grudge, and loftie tumults too, "When leaving reverence, duty, love and feare, "What dare not mutinous troupes attempt to doe: Retire in time while as the heavens are cleare; You have perform'd, perform'd, and that even ſoone, More then your own could hope, your foes could feare, Yea (yet more ſtrange) then ſome can truſt, though done; Your worth in warre (as bright as glory) ſhowne, Which even by envy never could be ſtain'd, Your skill in peace would likewiſe now be knowne: Calme vertue guiding, what ſterne valour gain'd: "A State well rul'd, the ſame of Kings doth raiſe, "No leſſe then foughten fields, or batter'd Townes. "More hard it is, and doth deſerve more praiſe "To guide, then get, to keep, then conquer Crownes: In Fortunes ſpheares chiefe height your glory plac'd, Can now not move unleſſe it be more low, And if it once deſcend, then quite diſgrac'd, Each Artizan your Statues will o're-throw; For in the warre as you may well perceive, There doth no little part depend on Fame; If we but once the leaſt ſmall check receive, The world will gather to procure our ſhame; Then tempt not Fortune further then you need, Your raſhly mounting thoughts let reaſon raine, Leſt whil'ſt your hopes with Trophees fain'd you feed, A moment loſe what many dayes did gaine. Let Darius prove all Monarchs patterne now (What wand ring Starre doth ſway the courſe of Crownes) That Prince to whom the Orient once did bow, Him onely now his miſery renownes. Scarce mov'd to call you King, though twiſe o're-throwne, At laſt to match with you he doth agree, And with his daughter hath for dowry ſhowne That great Euphrates ſhall your border be; Or otherwiſe he condeſcends to give Great ſtore of gold, or what your ſelfe deſires If that his mother, wife, and children live, To have them rendred, as he oft requires: And let not loftie thoughts cloud Reaſons eyes, Remember what ſtrange Realmes will him embrace, Which ſcarce he knows, by name, nor never tryes, Where if he fled, your troups would tyre to chace.