Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
I think they should excel as oft they do All men in wit, that unto men give laws: Kings are the Centre of the Kingdom, to The which each weighty thing by nature draws: For as the mighty Rivers, little streams, And all the liquid powers that rise or fall, Do seek in sundry parts by several seams To the main Ocean that receives them all. Who as he were but steward of those waters returns them back by many secret veins, And as the earth hath need of moisture, scatters His humid treasures to refresh the plains. So are Kings breasts the depth where daily flows Clear streams of knowledge with rare treasures charged, And thus continually their wisdom grows By many helps that others want enlarged. For those that have intelligence over all, Do commonly communicate to Kings All th'accidents of weight that chance to fall, Their greatness to them this advantage brings. They being jealous find out many drifts, And by a long experience learn to scance them, Than those whom Art or Nature lends great gifts, All come to Kings as who may best advance them. No doubt, those Powers who put them in their places To make their qualities with their charge even, Do dote them with some supernatural graces, Vice-gods on th'earth, great Lieutenants of heaven. As you have shown, Kings have a good occasion Whereby t'attain unto the height of wit. Which whoso do embrace by good persuasion, Are surely worthy on a Throne to sit. But ah! those Rivers are not ever pure The which through tainted channels whiles conveyed, Vile flatteries poison rendered hath impure. Thus are Kings hearts oft by their ears betrayed. For impudent effronted persons dare Court with vain words and detestable lies, Whilst purer spirited men must stand afar, The light is loathsome to diseased eyes. But this doth ravish oft my soul with wonder, Some that are wise, with flattery can comport, And though of all men best men's parts they ponder, Yet ever entertain the baddest sort. Is't that such men as those cannot control them, Nor never cross their appetite in aught, But for each purpose that they speak extol them, Where better wits would argue as they thought, Or as they would have none for to resist them, So for th'advancement of the worthiest sorry, They will have none that may seem to assist them, Lest any challenge interest in their glory. This self-conceit is a most dangerous shelf, Where many have made shipwreck unawares: He that doth trust too much unto himself, Can never fail to fall in many snares. Of all that live, great Monarchs have most need To balance all their actions, and their words, And with advise in all things to proceed: A faithful Counsel oft great good affords. Lo, how th'inferior Spheres their courses bend There, whither the first Mover doth them drive: The Commons customs on the Prince depend, His manners are the rules by which they live.
seed 43: T25 · seed 44: T6 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I thinke they ſhould excell as oft they do All men in wit, that vnto men giue lawes: Kings are the Center of the Kingdome, to The which each weightie thing by nature drawes: For as the mightie Riuers, little ſtreames, And all the liquid powers that riſe or fall, Do ſeeke in ſundry parts by ſeuerall ſeames To the maine Ocean that receiue's them all. Who as he were but ſteward of thoſe waters Returne's them backe by many ſecret vaines, And as the earth hath need of moiſture, ſcatters His humid treaſures to refreſh the plaines. So are Kings breaſts the depth where daily flowes Cleere ſtreames of knowledge with rare treaſures charg'd, And thus continually their wiſdom growes By many helps that others want enlarg'd. For thoſe that haue intelligence ouer all, Do commonly communicate to Kings All th'accidents of weight that chance to fall, Their greatnes to them this aduantage brings. They being iealous find out many drifts, And by a long experience learne to ſcance them, Then thoſe whom Arte or Nature lend's great gifts, All come to Kings as who may beſt aduance them. No doubt, thoſe Powres who put them in their places To make their qualities with their charge euen, Do dote them with ſome ſupernaturall graces, Vice-gods on th'earth, great Lieutenants of heauen. As you haue ſhowne, Kings haue a good occaſion Whereby t'attaine vnto the height of wit. Which whoſo do imbrace by good perſwaſion, Are ſurely worthy on a Throne to ſit. But ah! thoſe Riuers are not euer pure The which through tainted channels whiles conuaid, Vile flatt'ries poyſon rendred hath impure. Thus are Kings hearts oft by their eares betraid. For impudent effronted perſons dare Court with vaine words and deteſtable lies, Whilſt purer ſprited men muſt ſtand afarre, The light is lothſome to diſeaſed eies. But this doth rauiſh oft my ſoule with wonder, Some that are wiſe, with flatt'ry can comport, And though of all men beſt mens parts they ponder, Yet euer entertaine the baddeſt ſort. Is't that ſuch men as thoſe cannot controlle them, Nor neuer croſſe their appetite in ought, But for each purpoſe that they ſpeake extolle them, Where better wits would argue as they thought, Or as they would haue none for to reſiſt them, So for th'aduancement of the worthieſt ſorie, They will haue none that may ſeeme to aſſiſt them, Leſt any challenge intreſt in their glorie. This ſelfe-conceate is a moſt dangerous ſhelfe, Where many haue made ſhipwracke vnawares: He that doth truſt too much vnto himſelfe, Can neuer faile to fall in many ſnares. Of all that liue, great Monarchs haue moſt need To ballance all their actions, and their wordes, And with aduiſe in all things to proceed: A faithfull Counſell oft great good affoordes. Loe, how th'inferior Sphears their courſes bend There, whither the firſt Moouer doth them driue: The Commons cuſtoms on the Prince depend, His manners are the rules by which they liue.