Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 497 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Did (long ere wounded, making him to smart) Involve him in a maze of sad annoys; And to prevent what did him fond fright, By giving cause of a deserved hate, He sought by robbing you the newfound light, To make your birth and burial of one date. Soon after this he sent for me in haste, Whom at that time (and not in vain) he loved, And told the sum of all things that were passed, By which his marble-minde seemed nothing moved; Yet in the same, as he would let me know, Though pity none, some horror did remain, Whilst damned in substance, to seem clear in show, Your blood his heart, but not his hand should stain. Thus having lulled asleep their judgement still, The wicked would extenuate their crimes, Not knowing those who but allow of ill, As actors guilty, differ but in times. With his vile fault he would have burdened me, Whom strait he charged an Innocent to slay; I promised to perform his rash decree, Well weighing whom, not what I should obey; When I had parted from his Highness' face, And carried you (then swaddled) with me too, Whilst horror did congeal my blood, a space I stood perplexed, not knowing what to do, And as to purge my part) even shedding tears, By troops of passions grief, my soul assailed, Thus (when distressed for easing others fears,) Th'intended death of you, your murderers wailed; For him I sent a servant of mine own, Who for the time was herdsman to the King, To whom I made all my Commission known, But as enjoined to him, showed every thing; Delivering you with an unwilling breath, WHom of pure gold, a glistering robe arrayed, I threatened him with many a cruel death, If that your death were any way delayed; Strait then to execute the Tyrant's doom, He from my sight did all astonished go, Too great a charge for such a simple Groom, The show of Majesty amazed him so; What man (not wondering) can by deeds behold The providence of all-commanding Iove, Whose brazen edicts cannot be controlled: Firm are the Statutes of the States above: That mortal whom a Deities favour shields, No worldly force is able to confound, He may securely walk through dangers fields, Times and occasions are to serve him bound: For lo, before the herdsman was come home, His wife had chanced a breathless child to bear, Who wondered so to see her husband come, While by his conscience crushed, he quaked for fear; And strait she curious grew to know the form, How he a babe so beautiful obtained; Who her of all did suddenly inform, And to what cruelty he was constrained; She quickly than th' occasion to embrace, (No doubt inspired by some celestial power) Prayed that her infant might supply your place, Yet where no beasts his body might devoure, So shall we have (saith she) a double gain,
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T1 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Did (long ere wounded, making him to ſmart) Involve him in a maze of ſad annoyes; And to prevent what did him fondly fright, By giving cauſe of a deſerved hate, He ſought by robbing you the new-found light, To make your birth and buriall of one date. Soone after this he ſent for me in haſte, Whom at that time (and not in vaine) he lov'd, And told the ſumme of all things that were paſt, By which his marble-minde ſeem'd nothing mov'd; Yet in the ſame, as he would let me know, Though pitty none, ſome horrour did remaine, Whil'ſt damn'd in ſubſtance, to ſeeme cleere in ſhow, Your bloud his heart, but not his hand ſhould ſtaine. "Thus having lull'd aſleepe their judgement ſtill, "The wicked would extenuate their crimes, "Not knowing thoſe who but allow of ill, "As actors guilty, differ but in times. With his vile fault he would have burden'd me, Whom ſtraight he charg'd an Innocent to ſlay; I promis'd to performe his raſh decree, Well weighing whom, not what I ſhould obey; When I had parted from his Highneſſe face, And carried you (then ſwadled) with me too, Whil'ſt horrour did congeale my bloud, a ſpace I ſtood perplex'd, not knowing what to doe, And as to purge my part) even ſhedding teares, By troupes of paſſions griefe, my ſoule aſſail'd, Thus (when diſtreſs'd for eaſing others feares,) Th'intended death of you, your murd'rers wail'd; For him I ſent a ſervant of mine owne, VVho for the time was heardſ-man to the King, To whom I made all my Commiſſion knowne, But as enjoyn'd to him, ſhew'd every thing; Delivering you with an unwilling breath, WHom of pure gold, a gliſtring robe array'd, I threatned him with many a cruell death, If that your death were any way delay'd; Straight then to execute the Tyrants doome, He from my ſight did all aſtoniſh'd goe, Too great a charge for ſuch a ſimple Groome, The ſhew of Majeſtie amaz'd him ſo; What man (not wondring) can by deeds behold The providence of all-commanding Iove, Whoſe brazen edicts cannot be contrould: "Firme are the Statutes of the States above: "That mortall whom a Deities favour ſhields, "No worldly force is able to confound, "He may ſecurely walke through dangers fields, "Times and occaſions are to ſerve him bound: For loe, before the heardſ-man was come home, His wife had chanc'd a breath-leſſe childe to beare, Who wondred ſo to ſee her husband come, While by his conſcience cruſh'd, he quak'd for feare; And ſtraight ſhe curious grew to know the forme, How he a babe ſo beautifull obtain'd; Who her of all did ſuddenly informe, And to what cruelty he was conſtrain'd; She quickly then th' occaſion to embrace, (No doubt inſpir'd by ſome celeſtiall pow'r) Pray'd that her infant might ſupply your place, Yet where no beaſts his body might devore, So ſhall we have (ſaith ſhe) a double gaine,