Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T53 The crown: kingship claimed, resigned an · 487 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T53: crown, king, state, life, lord, lords, live, queen, tullia, prince.
NArbazanes, now ere the time be gone, Let us accomplish that which we intent, And join our wit, our force, and all in one, (Ere known begun) that it may quickly end You see th'occasion (if our course we, keep) To raise rare fortunes, points us out the way, Yea, blames our sluggishness that as a sleep, So great a purpose do so long delay. Lo, angry Iove our Prince's part disproves: For, Fortune's worst what ever he attempt From following him, the people's mind removes: Distress still is attended by contempt, A ground for so great hopes who ere did see, As heavens so happily breed in our mind, For, since our King confounded is to be, We by his fall, a means to rise may find. I will most willingly perform my part, For, I the same exceedingly allow: Dear wealth and honour, Idols of my heart, If you I may enjoy, I care not how; Yet that this course may best be kept obscure, Our care must seem all for our Country bend; When masked with zeal; crimes are reputed pure, A show of good doth vulgar minds content, In dangerous plots where courage joins with Art, Let slow advice, a quick dispatch be used: What can (save success) justify our part, Who must command, or come to be accused? To Alexander one was sent of late, To speak of peace, whose speech was spent in vain, So that (thus tossed) most desp'rate is his state, Who peace cannot obtain, nor war maintain; To clear his thoughts which many doubts do sway, He now craves each man's mind who squadrons leads; This for our purpose must prepare the way: Those who would compass Kings, need crafty heads: And that to gain which we so much esteem, We can upon no means more safe conclude, Then crooked counsels that do upright seem To mask ourselves, and others to delude; He must (advised by some) renounce a space The show of power, and from affairs retire, That for a fashion one may use his place, Not as usurped, but at his own desire: So may he try if others can bring back That which his fortune's ebb hath borne away, Then he again his Diadem shall take, And (as before) the regal Sceptre sway. Well, then amongst ourselves to fly debate, Which such great actions ofttimes under-mines, I yield that you possess the highest seat, And will my faction frame for our designs. All that is one, which of us two receive it, Since every thing doth equally belong us, I'll take it for the form, 'tis one who have it, For we will part his kingdoms all among us. But if he condescend to this we crave, To judgements rash, which would at first seem good, Let him not think us two such fools to leave, That which so many else have bought with blood;
seed 43: T25 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
NArbazanes, now ere the time be gone, Let us accompliſh that which we intend, And joyne our wit, our force, and all in one, (Ere known begun) that it may quickly end You ſee th'occaſion (if our courſe we, keepe) To raiſe rare fortunes, points us out the way, Yea, blames our ſluggiſhneſſe that as a ſleepe, So great a purpoſe doe ſo long delay. Loe, angry Iove our Princes part diſproves: For, Fortunes worſt what ever he attempt From following him, the peoples minde removes: "Diſtreſſe ſtill is attended by contempt, A ground for ſo great hopes who ere did ſee, As heavens ſo happily breed in our mind, For, ſince our King confounded is to be, We by his fall, a meanes to riſe may finde. I will moſt willingly performe my part, For, I the ſame exceedingly allow: Deare wealth and honour, Idols of my heart, If you I may enjoy, I care not how; Yet that this courſe may beſt be kept obſcure, Our care muſt ſeeme all for our Country bent; "When mask'd with zeale; crimes are reputed pure, "A ſhew of good doth vulgar mindes content, "In dangerous plots where courage joynes with Art, "Let ſlow advice, a quicke diſpatch be us'd: "What can (ſave ſucceſſe) juſtifie our part, "Who muſt command, or come to be accus'd? To Alexander one was ſent of late, To ſpeake of peace, whoſe ſpeech was ſpent in vaine, So that (thus toſs'd) moſt deſp'rate is his ſtate, Who peace cannot obtaine, nor warre maintaine; To cleare his thoughts which many doubts doe ſway, He now craves each mans minde who ſquadrons leads; This for our purpoſe muſt prepare the way: "Thoſe who would compaſſe Kings, need crafty heads: And that to gaine which we ſo much eſteeme, We can upon no meanes more ſafe conclude, Then crooked counſels that doe upright ſeeme To maske our ſelves, and others to delude; He muſt (advis'd by ſome) renounce a ſpace The ſhew of pow'r, and from affaires retire, That for a faſhion one may uſe his place, Not as uſurp'd, but at his owne deſire: So may he try if others can bring backe That which his fortunes ebbe hath borne away, Then he againe his Diadem ſhall take, And (as before) the regall Scepter ſway. Well, then amongſt our ſelves to flye debate, Which ſuch great actions oft-times under-mines, I yeeld that you poſſeſſe the higheſt ſeat, And will my faction frame for our deſignes. All that is one, which of us two receive it, Since every thing doth equally belong us, I'le take it for the forme, tis one who have it, For we will part his kingdomes all among us. But if he condeſcend to this we crave, To judgements raſh, which would at firſt ſeeme good, Let him not thinke us two ſuch fooles to leave, That which ſo many elſe have bought with bloud;