Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T14 Royal love, favour and dynastic relation · 508 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T14: prince, princess, love, king, lord, queen, madam, grace, lady, life.
If any sparks of that respect remain, Which much with thee should (duly weighed) import, I pray thee (Tiriotes) now be plain, Or else strange torments shall the truth extort; I loathe to let this question scape my mouth, Which both I blush to crave, and long to know, And can it be, that this transported youth Not urged to have that which I only own? Can this fierce Prince even in his flaming age, Have such a beauty purchased by his toils, And yet not seek (forced by affections rage) Her honour's ruin, and my pleasures spoils? Speak frankly now, and tell what fatal shelf Hath crushed my treasure's Bark, and me defaced: The fear of ill is worse than ill itself, They twice do dye, who die, and dye disgraced. Let not those love-bred fears abuse your thought; By all the world no fable I contrive; If partially I speak, or lie in aught, Earth open wide, and swallow me alive: He whom your grace so wrongfully suspects, Hath not in any sort your Queen abused, But as his sister still (in all respects) As chastely and as honourably used; When angry Iove subverted had our state, And viewed our thundered troops disordered flight, Light fortune then who flattered us of late, Did make our state a mirror of her might, For, having found a Crown foiled on the ground. O endless shame which never can be cured▪ We strait imagined that some cruel wound Had killed our Lord, and wailed it as assured. Would God I then had died, as I desired, To have prevented those ensuing barmes, Whilst ere my hohour and my hap expired A Crown my head, a Queen enriched my arms. But Alexander having heard our cries, Sent one to learn the cause that moved our woe; Who finding whence our error did arise, Gave full assurance that it was not so. Then he himself did to our Tent resort, And with the mildest words he could conceive, Your Mother, Wife, and Children did exhort Such terrors vain (since but surmised) to leave; And he protested that they should expect No harm of him their courage to appall, Then all things did with great regard direct, That no man might endamage them at all. Thus when they were against all dangers armed, (I think, for fear (for who would not have feared▪) Jest such rare graces might his mind have charmed) He never more before her face appeared; Else generous virtue, jealous of each thing, Which (tempting reason) senses might allure, (What rare restraint in a victorious King) He fled what fault, or scandal could procure. He doth his fame above all things prefer, And will not be where it may blemish find, Nor give his eyes commodity to err, Lest thoughts impure might strive to stain his mind. He whilst that she was sick, did loath delight, And (gravely grieyed) all pomp and pleasure left. O hateful heaven! that with such hellish spite The world's chief treasure, Nature's glory reft.
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)
If any ſparkes of that reſpect remaine, Which much with thee ſhould (duely weigh'd) import, I pray thee (Tiriotes) now be plaine, Or elſe ſtrange torments ſhall the truth extort; I loath to let this queſtion ſcape my mouth, Which both I bluſh to crave, and long to know, And can it be, that this tranſported youth Not urg'd to have that which I onely owe? Could this fierce Prince even in his flaming age, Have ſuch a beauty purchas'd by his toiles, And yet not ſeeke (forc'd by affections rage) Her honours ruine, and my pleaſures ſpoiles? Speake frankely now, and tell what fatall ſhelfe Hath cruſh'd my treaſures Barke, and me defac'd: The feare of ill is worſe then ill it ſelfe, "They twiſe doe dye, who dye, and dye diſgrac'd. Let not thoſe love-bred feares abuſe your thought; By all the world no fable I contrive; If partially I ſpeake, or lye in ought, Earth open wide, and ſwallow me alive: He whom your grace ſo wrongfully ſuſpects, Hath not in any ſort your Queene abus'd, But as his ſiſter ſtill (in all reſpects) As chaſtly and as honourably us'd; When angry Iove ſubverted had our ſtate, And view'd our thundred troupes diſordered flight, Light fortune then who flattered us of late, Did make our ſtate a mirrour of her might, For, having found a Crowne foil'd on the ground. O endleſſe ſhame which never can be cur'd▪ We ſtraight imagin'd that ſome cruell wound Had kill'd our Lord, and wail'd it as aſſur'd. Would God I then had dy'd, as I deſir'd, To have prevented thoſe enſuing barmes, Whil'ſt ere my hohour and my hap expir'd A Crowne my head, a Queene enrich'd my armes. But Alexander having heard our cryes, Sent one to learne the cauſe that mov'd our woe; Who finding whence our errour did ariſe, Gave full aſſurance that it was not ſo. Then he himſelfe did to our Tent reſort, And with the mildeſt words he could conceive, Your Mother, Wife, and Children did exhort Such terrours vaine (ſince but ſurmiz'd) to leave; And he proteſted that they ſhould expect No harme of him their courage to appall, Then all things did with great regard direct, That no man might endammage them at all. Thus when they were againſt all dangers arm'd, (I thinke, for feare (for who would not have fear'd▪) Leſt ſuch rare graces might his minde have charm'd) He never more before her face appear'd; Elſe generous vertue, jealous of each thing, Which (tempting reaſon) ſenſes might allure, (What rare reſtraint in a victorious King) He fled what fault, or ſcandall could procure. He doth his fame above all things preferre, And will not be where it may blemiſh finde, Nor give his eyes commodity to erre, Leſt thoughts impure might ſtrive to ſtaine his minde. He whil'ſt that ſhe was ſicke, did loath delight, And (gravely griey'd) all pompe and pleaſure left. O hatefull heaven! that with ſuch helliſh ſpight The worlds chiefe treaſure, Natures glory reft.