Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1603 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 487 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
It will procure contentment to my soul, And make him famous whilst the world remains. When breath abandoned hath this brittle clay, Then cause some friend defray my funeral cost, That churlish Charon force me not to stray Where darkness dwells, an unregarded Ghost. Last, give my corpses to her who brought it forth, Who may it with my Ancestors entomb, And since she loved me much, though little worth, May wail this burden which once graced her womb; And to that Prince whose state I wish to stand, In sign of love which all my thoughts do send, My soul gives him my heart, it thee my hand: Thus though I lived his foe, I die his friend. I had but held his hand a little space, When dying like a Torch whose wax is spent, In spite of pain, even with a princely grace, His hands still seemed directing as he went. Who could refrain from tears to hear declared The huge mishaps, which all at once did light; Have subjects slain their Prince, whom strangers spared? Us hath he fled, that perish thus he might! I for his fall am wonderfully sorry, Whom first I forced, but last would have maintained: I envy death, because it robbed the glory Which I (by giving him his life) had gained. Since death hath put a period to his woes, That favour which to him you would extend, Let it with fury flame against his foes, For your designs can have no fairer end: So shall you both the people's love obtain, Whilst by your means revenged their Sovereign rests, And likewise may the more securely reign, The state well purged from such contagious pests, If but one virtue did adorn a king, It would be justice; many great defects Are veiled thereby, whereas each virtuous thing In one who is not just, the world suspects. Though this your Counsel, nor yet his request, Had not the power to penetrate my ear, A generous stomach could not well digest, So great a wrong which courage storms to bear. My spirit (impatient of repose) disdains, That they so long their infamy survive: But I will punish with most grievous pains The monstrous Treason that they did contrive. What? do they think (though backed with numbrous bands) That Bactria is a bulwark for mine Ire? Fly where they list, they cannot scape my hands, My wrath shall follow like consuming fire. Such damned souls the heaven cannot receive, I'll force Hell's dungeons, as Alcides did, And they on th'earth no bounds but mine can have, I'll search them out though in the centre hid, And when as threatening now I once may strike, Betwixt the bending boughs of some strong tree, To Traitors terrors who intent the like, They shall by violence dismembered be. Sir, may it please you to extend your care, That some his funeral offices perform.
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)
It will procure contentment to my ſoule, And make him famous whilſt the world remaines. When breath abandon'd hath this brittle clay, Then cauſe ſome friend defray my funerall coſt, That churliſh Charon force me not to ſtray Where darkeneſſe dwells, an unregarded Ghoſt. Laſt, give my corpes to her who brought it forth, Who may it with my Anceſtours entombe, And ſince ſhe lov'd me much, though little worth, May waile this burden which once grac'd her wombe; And to that Prince whoſe ſtate I wiſh to ſtand, In ſigne of love which all my thoughts doe ſend, My ſoule gives him my heart, it thee my hand: Thus though I liv'd his foe, I die his friend. I had but held his hand a little ſpace, When dying like a Torch whoſe waxe is ſpent, In ſpite of payne, even with a princely grace, His hands ſtill ſeem'd directing as he went. Who could refraine from teares to heare declar'd The huge miſhapps, which all at once did light; Have ſubiects ſlaine their Prince, whom ſtrangers ſpar'd? Vs hath he fled, that periſh thus he might! I for his fall am wonderfully ſorry, Whom firſt I forc'd, but laſt would have maintain'd: I envie death, becauſe it rob'd the glory Which I (by giving him his life) had gain'd. Since death hath put a period to his woes, That favour which to him you would extend, Let it with furie flame againſt his foes, For your deſignes can have no fairer end: So ſhall you both the peoples love obtaine, Whilſt by your meanes reveng'd their Soveraigne reſts, And likewiſe may the more ſecurely raigne, The ſtate well purg'd from ſuch contagious peſts, "If but one vertue did adorne a king, "It would be juſtice; many great defects "Are vail'd thereby, whereas each vertuous thing "In one who is not juſt, the world ſuſpects. Though this your Counſell, nor yet his requeſt, Had not the pow'r to penetrate my eare, A generous ſtomach could not well digeſt, So great a wrong which courage ſtormes to beare. My ſprite (impatient of repoſe) diſdaines, That they ſo long their infamie ſurvive: But I will puniſh with moſt grievous paines The monſtrous Treaſon that they did contrive. What? doe they thinke (though back'd with numbrous bands) That Bactria is a bulwarke for mine Ire? Flie where they liſt, they cannot ſcape my hands, My wrath ſhall follow like conſuming fire. Such damned ſoules the heaven cannot receave, Ile force Hells dungeons, as Alcides did, And they on th'earth no bounds but mine can have, I'le ſearch them out though in the center hid, And when as threatning now I once may ſtrike, Betwixt the bending boughs of ſome ſtrong tree, To Traitours terrours who intend the like, They ſhall by violence diſmembred be. Sir, may it pleaſe you to extend your care, That ſome his funerall offices performe.