Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
When I had both these glorious works effected, And trod the path of sovereignty a space, The minion of the people most respected, None could be great save such as I would grace. Thus carried with the force of Fortune's stream, I absolutely acted what I would, For the Democraty was but a name, My hand the rains did of the City hold. I might a Tyrant still have governed so But my pure soul could no such thought conceive, And that oversight yet made me never woe, If I may rule myself it's all I crave. Yet some that seemed to be more subtle-witted, Said my base sprite could not aspire t'a crown, And foolish Solon had a fault committed, Who would not do the like in every town. My mind in this a more contentment finds, Then if a Diadem adorned my brow, I chained th'affections of undaunted minds, And made them civil that were wild till now. I hardly could rich Citizens entice, T'embrace the statutes that my Laws contained, What one approved another did despise, Some loved, some loathed, e'en as they thought they gained. At last at least in show, all rest content, e'en those that hate me most lend their applause, A worthy mind needs never to repent T'have suffered crosses for an honest cause. I travel now with a contented thought, The memory of this my fancy feeds, When all their Empires shall be turned to nought, Time cannot make a prey of virtues deeds. Where seven-mouthed Nile from a concealed source Inunding o'er the fields, no banks can bind, I saw their wonders, heard their wise discourse, Rare sights enriched mine eyes, rare lights my mind. And if it were but this, yet this delights, Behold, how Croesus here the Lydian King, To be his guest us earnestly invites, The which to some would great contentment bring. But I disdain that world-bewitched man, Who makes his gold his God, the earth his heaven, Yet I will try by all the means I can To make his judgement with his fortune eauen. What can confine man's wandering thought, Or satisfy his fancies all? Is aught so great, but it seems small To that tossed spirit, which still of flought Doth dream of things were never wrought, And would gripe more than it can hold: This sea-environed centered ball Is not a bound unto that mind, That mind, which big with monsters, The right delivery never consters, And seeking here a solid ease to find, Would but melt mountains and embrace the wind. What wonder, though the soul of man, A spark of heaven, that shines below, Doth labour by all means it can, itself like to itself to show, This heavenly essence, heaven would know, But married with this mass we see, With pain they spend lives little span, The better part would be above, The earth from th'earth cannot remove, How can two contraires well agree? Thus as the best or worst part doth prevail, Man is of much, or else of no avail.
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)
When I had both theſe glorious workes effected, And troad the path of ſou'raignty a ſpace, The minion of the people moſt reſpected, None could be great ſaue ſuch as I would grace. Thus carried with the force of Fortunes ſtreame, I abſolutely acted what I would, For the Democratie was but a name, My hand the raines did of the Citty hold. I might a Tyrant ſtill haue gouern'd ſo But my pure ſoule could no ſuch thought conceiue, And that ouerſight yet made me neuer woe, If I may rule my ſelfe it's all I craue. Yet ſome that ſeem'd to be more ſubtile-witted, Saide my baſe ſprite could not aſpire t'a crowne, And fooliſh Solon had a fault committed, Who would not doe the like in euery towne. My minde in this a more contentment findes, Then if a Diademe adorn'd my brow, I chain d th'affections of vndaunted mindes, And made them ciuil that were wilde till now. I hardly could rich Citizens entiſe, T'embrace the ſtatutes that my Lawes contain'd, What one approou'd another did deſpiſe, Some lou'd, ſome loath'd, eu'n as they thought they gain'd. At laſt at leaſt in ſhew, all reſt content, Eu'n thoſe that hate me moſt lend their applauſe, A worthy minde needes neuer to repent T'haue ſuffered croſſes for an honeſt cauſe. I trauell now with a contented thought, The memorie of this my fancie feedes, When all their Empires ſhall be turn'd to nought, Time cannot make a prey of Vertues deedes. Where ſeuen-mouth'd Nil from a concealed ſource Inunding or'e the fieldes, no banckes can binde, I ſaw their wonders, heard their wiſe diſcourſe, Rare ſights enrich'd mine eyes, rare lights my minde. And if it were but this, yet this delites, Behold, how Croeſus here the Lidian King, To be his gueſt vs earneſtly inuites, The which to ſome would great contentment bring. But I diſdaine that world-bewitched man, Who makes his gold his God, the earth his heauen, Yet I will try by all the meanes I can To make his iudgement with his fortune eauen. What can confine mans wandring thought, Or ſatisfie his fancies all? Is ought ſo great, but it ſeemes ſmall To that tos'd ſpirit, which ſtill af flought Doth dreame of things were neuer wrought, And would gripe more then it can hold: This ſea-inuiron'd centerd ball Is not a bound vnto that minde, That minde, which big with monsters, The right deliuerie neuer consters, And ſeeking here a ſolide eaſe to finde, Would but melt mountaines and imbrace the winde. What wonder, though the ſoule of man, A ſparke of heau'n, that ſhines below, Doth labour by all meanes it can, It ſelfe like to it ſelfe to ſhow, This heau'nly eſſence, heauen would know, But married with this maſſe we ſee, With payne they ſpend liues little ſpan, The better part would be aboue, The earth from th'earth cannot remoue, How can two contrair's well agree? Thus as the best or worst part doth preuaile, Man is of much, or els of no auaile.