Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 509 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
An honest man will tell them what he thinks. So should you lose yourself, and them not save. But for their folly▪ I no blame would have. By this you should their indignation find. Yet have the warrant of a worthy mind. It would be long ere you were thus preferred. Then it should be the King, (not I) that erred. They guerdon as they love, they love by guess. Yet when I merit well, I care the less. It's good to be still by the Prince approved. It's better to be upright, though not loved. But by this mean, all hope of honour fails. Yet honesty in end ever prevails. I think they should excel (for virtue rare) All men in wit, who unto men give laws; Kings of their kingdoms, as the centres are, To which each weighty thing by nature draws: For as the mighty rivers, little streams, And all the liquid powers which rise or fall, Do seek in sundry parts by several seams, The Ocean's bosom that receives them all. It as a Steward of the tumid deeps Doth send them back by many secret veins, And (as the earth hath need of moisture) keeps These humid treasures to refresh the Plains. Thus are Kings breasts the depths where daily flow Clear streams of knowledge with rare treasures charged, So that continually their wisdoms grow, By many helps, which others want, enlarged: For those who have intelligence o'er all, Do commonly communicate to Kings, All th'accidents of weight that chance to fall; Which great advantage, Greatness to them brings. They (jealously disposed) comment on minds, And these who Arts, or Nature's gifts enhance, (Whose value no where else a Merchant finds▪) Do come to Kings, as who may them advance. No doubt great Iove, since they supply his place, (So with their charge to make their virtues even) Doth give to them some supernatural grace, Vice-gods on th'earth, great Lieutenants ot heaven. As you have shown, King's good occasion have To sound the deeps and mysteries of wit, And those who so their stairs from r●i●e save, Do well deserve upon a Throne to sit, But ah those rivers are not ever pure, Through tainted channels which oft times conveyed, By flatteries poison rendered are impure; Oft Prince's hearts are by their ears betrayed: For impudent effronted persons dare Court with vain words, and detestable lies, Whilst men of minds more pure must stand afar, The light is loath some to diseased eyes. But with amazement this transports my mind, Some who are wise gross flattery can digest, And though they know how all men are inclined, Yet please the bad, and do but praise the best. Is't that such men no error can control, Nor will not cross their appetite in aught, But (nothing censuring) every thing extol, Where better wits would argue as they thought; Or since the world of worth in all esteems, They never like a pregnant spirit to raise, So to have none who but to help them seems,
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)
An honeſt man will tell them what he thinkes. So ſhould you loſe your ſelfe, and them not ſave. But for their folly▪ I no blame would have. By this you ſhould their indignation finde. Yet have the warrant of a worthy minde. It would be long ere you were thus preferr'd. Then it ſhould be the King, (not I) that err'd. They guerdon as they love, they love by gueſſe. Yet when I merit well, I care the leſſe. It's good to be ſtill by the Prince approv'd. It's better to be upright, though not lov'd. But by this meane, all hope of honour failes. Yet honeſty in end ever prevailes. I thinke they ſhould excell (for vertue rare) All men in wit, who unto men give lawes; Kings of their kingdomes, as the centers are, To which each weighty thing by nature drawes: For as the mighty rivers, little ſtreames, And all the liquid pow'rs which riſe or fall, Doe ſeeke in ſundry parts by ſeverall ſeames, The Oceans boſome that receives them all. It as a Steward of the tumid deeps Doth ſend them backe by many ſecret veynes, And (as the earth hath need of moiſture) keeps Theſe humid treaſures to refreſh the Plaines. Thus are Kings breſts the depths where daily flow Cleare ſtreames of knowledge with rare treaſures charg'd, So that continually their wiſedomes grow, By many helpes, which others want, enlarg'd: For thoſe who have intelligence ov'r all, Doe commonly communicate to Kings, All th'accidents of weight that chance to fall; Which great advantage, Greatneſſe to them brings. They (jealouſly diſpos'd) comment on mindes, And theſe who Arts, or Natures gifts enhaunce, (Whoſe value no where elſe a Merchant findes▪) Doe come to Kings, as who may them advance. No doubt great Iove, ſince they ſupply his place, (So with their charge to make their vertues even) Doth give to them ſome ſupernaturall grace, Vice-gods on th'earth, great Lievtenants ot heaven. As you have ſhown, Kings good occaſion have To ſound the deepes and myſteries of wit, And thoſe who ſo their ſtares from rie ſave, Doe well deſerve upon a Throne to ſit, But ah thoſe rivers are not ever pure, Through tainted channels which oft times convaid, By flatteries poyſon rendred are impure; "Oft Princes hearts are by their eares betray'd: For impudent effronted perſons dare Court with vaine words, and deteſtable lyes, Whil'ſt men of minds more pure muſt ſtand afarre, "The light is loath ſome to diſeaſed eyes. But with amazement this tranſports my minde, Some who are wiſe groſſe flattery can digeſt, And though they know how all men are inclin'd, Yet pleaſe the bad, and do but praiſe the beſt. Is't that ſuch men no errour can controll, Nor will not croſſe their appetite in ought, But (nothing cenſuring) every thing extoll, Where better wits would argue as they thought; Or ſince the world of worth in all eſteemes, They never like a pregnant ſprite to raiſe, So to have none who but to help them ſeemes,