Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
I may compare our state to table-plays, Where by dumb judges matters are decided, Their many doubts, the earnest mind dismays, The dice must first cast well, then be well guided. So all our days in doubt what thing may chance us, Time runs away, the breath of man doth chase it, And when th'occasion comes for to advance us, Amongst a thousand one can scarce embrace it. When two by generous indignation moved, Would try by sword, whose glory, fame will smother, Whilst valour blindly by th'event is proved, And th'ones overthrow can only grace the other. O what a fool his judgement will commit To crown the one with undeserved applauses, Where fortune is for to give sentence yet, While bloody agents plead such doubtful causes. This world, it is the field, where each man ventures, And armed with reason, resolutely goes, To fight against a thousand misadventures, Both with external and internal foes. And how can he the victor's title gain, That yet is busied with a doubtful fight, Or he be happy that doth still remain In Fortune's danger for a small delight. Th'abortive course of man away fast wears, Course that consists of hours, hours of a day, Day that give's place tonight, night full of fears, Thus all things alter, still all things decay. Who flourish now in peace, may fall in strife, And have their fame with infamy suppressed; The evening shows the day, the death the life; And many are fortunate, but few are blessed. I see this Grecian of a simple spirit, The which is capable of no great things, Men but advance him far above his merit, He can not comprehend the States of Kings. Fame did so largely of his worth report, It made me long to have him in my house, But all my expectations are come short, I think a Mountain hath brought forth a mouse. THis king hath put his trust in trustless treasures, Cloyed with th'abundance of all worldy bliss, And like a hooded hawk gorged with vain pleasures At random flies, and wots not where he is. O how this makes me wonderfully sorry, To see him keep this lifeless wealth so straightly, Whilst witless worldlings wonder at his glory, Which I not envy, no, but pity greatly! Thus worms of th'earth, whose worst part doth prevail, Love melting things, whose show the body fits, Where Souls of clearer sight do never fail To thesaurize the gifts of gallant wits. Those worldly things do in this world decay, Or at the least we leave them with our breath, Whereas the other makes us live for aye, So differ they as far as life and death. And yet what wonder though that he be thus, Whose knowledge clouded is with prosperous winds, Though this indeed seem somewhat strange to us, Who have with learning purified our minds. Was he not borne heir of a mighty State? And used with Fortune's smiles, not feared for frowns, Doth measure all things by his own conceit, Th'infirmity that fatal is to Crowns:
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)
I may compare our ſtate to table-playes, Where by dumbe iudges matters are decided, Their many doubts, the earneſt mind diſmayes, The dice muſt firſt caſt well, then be well guided. So all our dayes in doubt what thing may chance vs, Time runnes away, the breath of man doth chace it, And when th'occaſion come's for to aduance vs, Amongſt a thouſand one can ſcarce embrace it. When two by generous indignation mooued, Would trie by ſword, whoſe glorie, fame will ſmother, Whilſt valour blindly by th'euent is prooued, And th'ones ouerthrow can onely grace the other. O what a foole his iudgment will commit To crowne the one with vndeſeru'd applauſes, Where fortune is for to giue ſentence yet, While bloody agents pleade ſuch doubtfull cauſes. This world, it is the field, where each man ventures, And arm'd with reaſon, reſolutely goes, To fight againſt a thouſand miſaduentures, Both with externall and internall foes. And how can he the victors title gaine, That yet is buſied with a doubtfull fight, Or he be happie that doth ſtill remaine In Fortunes danger for a ſmall delight. Th'abortiue courſe of man away faſt weares, Courſe that conſiſts of houres, houres of a day, Day that giue's place to night, night full of feares, Thus all things alter, ſtill all things decay. Who flouriſh now in peace, may fall in ſtrife, And haue their fame with infamie ſuppreſt; The euening ſhew's the day, the death the life; And many are fortunate, but few are bleſt. I ſee this Grecian of a ſimple ſpirite, The which is capable of no great things, Men but aduance him far aboue his merite, He can not comprehend the States of Kings. Fame did ſo largely of his worth report, It made me long to haue him in my houſe, But all my expectations are come ſhort, I thinke a Mountaine hath brought forth a mouſe. THis king hath put his truſt in truſtleſſe treaſures, Cloi'd with th'abundance of all worldy bliſſe, And like a hooded hawk gorg'd with vaine pleaſures At randon flies, and wots not where he is. O how this makes me wonderfully ſorie, To ſee him keepe this lifeleſſe wealth ſo ſtraitly, Whilſt witleſſe worldlings wonder at his glorie, Which I not enuie, no, but pittie greatly! Thus wormes of th'earth, whoſe worſt part doth preuaile, Loue melting things, whoſe ſhew the body fits, Where Soules of cleerer ſight do neuer faile To theſaurize the gifts of gallant wits. Thoſe worldly things do in this world decay, Or at the leaſt we leaue them with our breath, Whereas the other makes vs liue foray, So differ they as farre as life and death. And yet what wonder though that he be thus, Whoſe knowledge clouded is with proſp'rous windes, Though this indeed ſeeme ſomewhat ſtrange to vs, Who haue with learning purifide our mindes. Was he not borne heire of a mighty State? And vſde with Fortunes ſmiles, not fear'd for frownes, Doth meaſure all things by his owne conceate, Th'infirmitie that fatall is to Crownes: