Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
Ah, had the Fates been subject to my will, Such clouds of sorrow had not darkened life, But we had had great Alexander still, And he those kingdoms that procure this strife. Yet heavens decrees can never be recalled, And thoughts of harms past help breed double pain: Though being to grief a space by passions thralled, The living must embrace the world again. As one whose interest in his life was chief, I of his death have cause to curse th'effects: But will not frustrate so the general grief, To wail apart particular respects. Though th'air be plenished yet with plaintive sounds Of widowed hopes that wedded have despairs: Yet Time must cicatrize our inward wounds, And to the public weal draw private cares. Let us give physic to the sickened state, That at this present in great danger stands: Whilst grudging subjects that our greatness hate, Would enfranchize their violated lands. Those that are thralled by force to be made free, Praecipitate themselves in dangers still; And this th'instinct of Nature seems to be, What realm not scorns t'attend a stranger's will? From forced obedience nought but hate proceeds, The more we have subdued, the more our foes: A sovereign head this states huge body needs, That might make us securely to repose. And who more meet t'enjoy that great man's place, Wh'of those whose states he took, received the hearts: Than one descended from th'illustrious race, Whose birth both worth and right to reign imparts. If heaven every Roxana with a son, That longed-for birth a lawful sovereign brings, And till that course of doubtful hopes be done, Let some appointed be to rule all things. Though Macedonians tuned minds not scorn, That t'alexander strangers should succeed, Can men obey a babe, a babe not borne? What fancies strange would this confusion breed? This could not well become our grave foresight, A doubtful birth t'attend so long in vain, That may b'abortive, and though brought to light, Through Nature's error made not apt to reign. But if affection carry us so far, That of that race we must be ruled by some: Though neither being practised in peace nor war, As those that have indeed by kind o'ercome. Then have we Hercules the eldest son, That t'our great Prince was by Barsines borne: Who fourteen years of age hath else begun His princely birth by virtues rare t'adorn. Might not the Macedonians all b'ashamed, If rendered vassals thus t'a barbarous brood? What? should we bear the yoke that we have framed, To buy disgrace have we bestowed our blood. Our ancestors whose glory we obscured, Would get some vantage of their Nephews thus: They warred that people's wrack to have procured, And have we ward to make them Lords o'er us? Ah, bury this as a'xecrable thing, And let this purpose be no more pursued, For though they were begotten by our king, Yet were they borne of those that we subdued.
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)
Ah, had the Fates beene ſubiect to my will, Such clowdes of ſorrow had not darkened life, But we had had great Alexander ſtill, And he thoſe kingdomes that procure this ſtrife. Yet heauens decrees can neuer be recalld, And thoughts of harmes paſt help breede double paine: Though being to griefe a ſpace by paſſions thralld, The liuing muſt embrace the world againe. As one whoſe intereſt in his life was chiefe, I of his death haue cauſe to curſe th'effects: But will not fruſtrate ſo the generall griefe, To waile apart particular reſpects. Though th'aire be pleniſh'd yet with plaintiue ſounds Of widdow'd hopes that wedded haue deſpaires: Yet Time muſt cicatrize our inward wounds, And to the publike weale drawe priuate cares. Let vs giue phyſicke to the ſickened ſtate, That at this preſent in great danger ſtands: Whilſt grudging ſubiects that our greatnes hate, Would enfranchize their violated lands. Thoſe that are thralld by force to be made free, Praecipitate themſelues in dangers ſtill; And this th'inſtinct of Nature ſeemes to bee, What realme not ſcornes t'attend a ſtrangers will? From forc'd obedience nought but hate proceedes, The moe we haue ſubdude, the moe our foes: A ſoueraigne head this ſtates huge body needes, That might make vs ſecurely to repoſe. And who more meete t'enioy that great mans place, Wh'of thoſe whoſe ſtates he tooke, receiu'd the hearts: Then one deſcended from th'illuſtrous race, Whoſe birth both worth and right to raigne impartes. If heau'n enrich Roxana with a ſonne, That long'd-for birth a lawfull ſoueraigne brings, And till that courſe of doubtfull hopes be done, Let ſome appointed be to rule all things. Though Macedonians tuned mindes not ſcorne, That t'Alexander ſtrangers ſhould ſucceede, Can men obey a babe, a babe not borne? What fancies ſtrange would this confuſion breed? This could not well become our graue foreſight, A doubtfull birth t'attend ſo long in vaine, That may b'abortiue, and though brought to light, Through Natures error made not apt to raigne. But if affection carrie vs ſo farre, That of that race we muſt be rul'd by ſome: Though neither being practiz'd in peace nor warre, As thoſe that haue indeede by kinde o'recome. Then haue we Hercules the eldeſt ſonne, That t'our great Prince was by Barſines borne: Who foureteene yeares of age hath elſe begunne His princely birth by vertues rare t'adorne. Might not the Macedonians all b'aſham'd, If rendred vaſſalles thus t'a barbarous brood? What? ſhould we beare the yoke that we haue framd, To buy diſgrace haue we beſtowde our blood. Our aunceſtours whoſe glory wee obſcur'd, Would get ſome vantage of their Nephues thus: They warrd that peoples wracke to haue procurd, And haue we ward to make them Lords o're vs? Ah, bury this as a'xecrable thing, And let this purpoſe be no more purſude, For though they were begotten by our king, Yet were they borne of thoſe that we ſubdude.