Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T14 Royal love, favour and dynastic relation · 498 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.
In all the parts where he hath chanced to be, In foreign bounds, or where he first saw light, He never did such stately wonders see, As since this Court enriched hath his sight; When regal shows had ravished first his eye, As mountains nurslings, little simple swains, Who used with infant floods them never spy Sport, portative (like Serpents) through the Plains, When one of them first comes to view the veils, And wanton water-Nymphs there (wondering) sees, The rareness of the sight so much prevails, That rillets rivers seem, the rivers Seas: So all the guards that garnished Solon's way, Did to his mind a great amazement bring, The gallants (golden statues) made him stay; Each Groom a Prince, each Esquire seemed a King, And now he comes to gain your longed-for sight; Whom in his mind no doubt he doth adore, He gazed on those who held of you their light, Sun of this soil, he must admire you more; Now he o'er all will spread your praises forth, A famous witness of your glorious reign: The record of one wise man is more worth, Than what a world of others would maintain. Great Prince, do not the loving zeal reject, Which a mean man, yet a good mind affords: And who perchance doth more your good affect, Then those who paint their love with fairer words. Thy love (sage Grecian) grateful is to us, Whom fame long since acquainted with thy worth, So that we long longed for thy presence thus, To spy the Spring which sent such treasures forth; Would God that many such would here resort, Whose virtues beams would shine in every breast, Whose countenance grave, would grace so great a Court, And like a Lamp give light unto the rest. Spare (courteous King) that undeserved praise, I am but one who do the world despise, And would my thoughts to some perfection raise, A wisedome-lover, willing to be wise: Yet all that I have learned (huge toils now past) By long experience, and in famous Schools, Is but to know my ignorance at last; Who think themselves most wise, are greatest fools. This is the nature of a noble mind, It rather would be good, then be so thought, As if it had no aim, but fame to find, Such as the shadow, not the substance sought: Yet forced to give that which thou wilt not take: The world, what thou hold'st down, doth raise more high, That which thy face thus shuns, shines on thy back: Praise follows them, who what they merit fly: And how I think, on th'earth no creature lives, Who better can instruct what I would learn, Then thou to whom frank Nature largely gives A mind to see, a judgement to discern. To satisfy your suit, my duteous care Shall it, or then my ignorance disclose. Lo, you have seen my pomp, my treasures rare, And all the strength on which my thoughts repose.
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)
In all the parts where he hath chanc'd to be, In forrain bounds, or where he firſt ſaw light, He never did ſuch ſtately wonders ſee, As ſince this Court enriched hath his ſight; VVhen regall ſhewes had raviſh'd firſt his eye, As mountains nurſlings, little ſimple ſwaines, VVho us'd with infant flouds them never ſpy Sport, portative (like Serpents) through the Plaines, When one of them firſt comes to view the vailes, And wanton water-Nymphs there (wondring) ſees, The rareneſſe of the ſight ſo much prevailes, That rillets rivers ſeeme, the rivers Seas: So all the guards that garniſht Solons way, Did to his minde a great amazement bring, The gallants (golden ſtatues) made him ſtay; Each Groome a Prince, each Eſquire ſeem'd a King, And now he comes to gaine your long'd-for ſight; Whom in his minde no doubt he doth adore, He gaz'd on thoſe who held of you their light, Sunne of this ſoile, he muſt admire you more; Now he o're all will ſpread your praiſes forth, A famous witneſſe of your glorious raigne: "The record of one wiſe man is more worth, "Then what a world of others would maintaine. Great Prince, doe not the loving zeale reject, VVhich a meane man, yet a good minde affords: And who perchance doth more your good affect, Then thoſe who paint their love with fairer words. Thy love (ſage Grecian) gratefull is to us, Whom fame long ſince acquainted with thy worth, So that we long long'd for thy preſence thus, To ſpy the Spring which ſent ſuch treaſures forth; Would God that many ſuch would here reſort, Whoſe vertues beames would ſhine in every breſt, VVhoſe count'nance grave, would grace ſo great a Court, And like a Lampe give light unto the reſt. Spare (courteous King) that undeſerved praiſe, I am but one who doe the world deſpiſe, And would my thoughts to ſome perfection raiſe, A wiſedome-lover, willing to be wiſe: Yet all that I have learn'd (huge toyles now paſt) By long experience, and in famous Schooles, Is but to know my ignorance at laſt; "Who think themſelves moſt wiſe, are greateſt fooles. "This is the nature of a noble minde, "It rather would be good, then be ſo thought, "As if it had no ayme, but fame to finde, "Such as the ſhadow, not the ſubſtance ſought: Yet forc'd to give that which thou wilt not take: The world, what thou hold'ſt down, doth raiſe more high, That which thy face thus ſhunnes, ſhines on thy back: "Praiſe followes them, who what they merit flye: And how I thinke, on th'earth no creature lives, Who better can inſtruct what I would learne, Then thou to whom franke Nature largely gives A minde to ſee, a judgement to diſcerne. To ſatisfie your ſuit, my dutious care Shall it, or then my ignorance diſloſe. Loe, you have ſeene my pomp, my treaſures rare, And all the ſtrength on which my thoughts repoſe.