Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 475 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.
Let us henceforth for nothing be dismayed, But strive ourselves courageously to bear. This dangerous action would not bedelayed, Lest time make him to doubt, and us to fear. TIme, through Jove's judgement just, Huge alterations brings: Those are but fools who trust In transitory things, Whose tails be are mortal stings, Which in the end will wound; And let none think it strange, Though all things earthly change: In this inferior round What is from ruin free? The Elements which be At variance, (as we see) Each th'other doth confound: The Earth and Air make war, The fire and water are Still wrestling at debate, All those through cold and heat, Through drought and moisture jaure. What wonder though men change and fade, Who of those changing Elements are made? How dare vain worldlings vannt Of fortunes goods not lasting, Evils which our wits enchant? Exposed to loss and wasting? Lo, we to death are hasting, Whilst we those things discuss: All things from their beginning, Still to an end are running, Heaven hath ordained it thus; We hear how it doth thunder, We see th' earth burst asunder, And yet we never ponder What this imports to us: These fearful signs 〈◊〉 prove, That th' angry pow'rs above Are moved to indignation Against this wretched nation, Which they no longer love: What are we but a pass of breath Who live assured of nothing but of death? Who was so happy yet As never had some cross? Though on a Throne he sit, And is not uted with loss, Yet fortune once will toss Him, when that least he would; If one had all at once Hydaspes' precious stones, And yellow Tagus' gold; The Orientall treasure, And every earthly pleasure, Even in the greatest measure, It should not smake him bold: For while he lives secure, His state is most unsure; When it doth least appear, Some heavy plague draws near, Destruction to procure. World's glory is but like a flower, Which both is bloomed, and blasted in an hour. In what we most repose, We find our comfort light, The thing we soon lose That's precious in our sight; For honour, riches, might, Our lives in pawn we lay; Yet all like flying shadows, Or flowers enamelling meadows, Do vanish and decay. Long time we toil to find Those Idols the mind, Which had, we cannot bind To bide with us one day: Then why should we presume On treasures that consume, Difficult to obtain, Difficult to retain, A dream, a breath, a fume? Which vex them most, that them possess, Who starve with store, and famish with excess. AH! must I poison now my Prince's ears, With news the worst that ever burdened fame: Had I as many tongues as I have tears, All would not serve my sorrows to proclaim.
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)
Let us hence-forth for nothing be diſmaid, But ſtrive our ſelves couragiouſly to beare. This dangerous action would not bedelay'd, Leaſt time make him to doubt, and us to feare. TIme, through Ioves judgement juſt, Huge alterations brings: Thoſe are but fooles who truſt In tranſitory things, Whoſe tailes be are mortall ſtings, Which in the end will wound; And let none thinke it ſtrange, Though all things earthly change: In this inferiour round What is from ruine free? The Elements which be At variance, (as we ſee) Each th'other doth confound: The Earth and Ayre make warre, The fire and water are Still wreſtling at debate, All thoſe through cold and heat, Through drought and moiſture jare. What wonder though men change and fade, Who of thoſe changing Elements are made? How dare vaine worldlings vannt Of fortunes goods not laſting, Evils which our wits enchant? Expos'd to loſſe and waſting? Loe, we to death are haſting, Whil'ſt we thoſe things diſcuſſe: All things from their beginning, Still to an end are running, Heaven hath ordain'd it thus; We heare how it doth thunder, We ſee th' earth burſt aſunder, And yet we never ponder What this imports to us: Theſe fearefull ſigns prove, That th' angry pow'r above Are mov'd to indignation Againſt this wretched nation, Which they no longer love: What are we but a paſſe of breath Who live aſſur'd of nothing but of death? Who was ſo happy yet As never had ſome croſſe? Though on a Throne he ſit, And is not ut'd with loſſe, Yet fortune once will toſſe Him, when that leaſt he would; If one had all at once Hydaſpes precious ſtones, And yellow Tagus gold; The Orientall treaſure, And every earthly pleaſure, Even in the greateſt meaſure, It ſhould not ſmake him bold: For while he lives ſecure, His ſtate is moſt unſure; When it doth leaſt appeare, Some heavy plague drawes neare, Deſtruction to procure. Worlds glory is but like a flowre, Which both is bloom'd, and blaſted in an houre. In what we moſt repoſe, We finde our comfort light, The thing we ſooneſt loſe That's pretious in our ſight; For honour, riches, might, Our lives in pawne we lay; Yet all like flying ſhadowes, Or flowers enamelling meadowes, Doe vaniſh and decay. Long time we toile to finde Thoſe Idols the minde, Which had, we cannot binde To bide with us one day: Then why ſhould we preſume On treaſures that conſume, Difficult to obtaine, Difficult to retaine, A dreame, a breath, a fume? Which vexe them moſt, that them poſſeſſe, Who ſtarve with ſtore, and famiſh with exceſſe. AH! muſt I poyſon now my Princes eares, With newes the worſt that ever burden'd fame: Had I as many tongues as I have teares, All would not ſerve my ſorrowes to proclaime.