Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
What counterfeited friends seal trustless bands, Whilst in the general cause that each pretends, Though never joining hearts, all join their hands, And work one way, yet work for diverse ends? Yea those whose thoughts intend t'attend the state, Have purchased powers, being purposed for the fields, With jealous minds their rivals bent t'abate, Whilst evils all, now none t'another yields. Yet with suspended thoughts all doubtful stand, And their designs t'accomplish do forbear, Lest all the rest joined by a general band, March him t'o'erthrow that first gives cause of fear. But he may prosper best whom burning thirst Of government inflames at first t'advance: Some to be second, doubting to be first, Will make their hopes depend upon his chance. And by a battle when that one prevails, There will rich hopes at a'easy rate be sold: For of that faction first whose fortune fails, Even all will strive who shallbe first to fold. All this to me great cause of fear affords, lest that we two protract the time too long: And wounded be before we draw our swords, If those we not prevent that would us wrong. No chance of late hath brought me so to bow, But I expect a part of those great hopes: Yet in my mind a judgement most allow, That over a dangerous ditch advisedly leaps. There are t'our charge some provinces assigned, Whose peaceful states we manage must awhile: Till all attempt that which they have designed, Whilst from the world each th'other doth exile. Then living but like those whose force is small, From which the world no great thing can expect: We shall profess a favour to them all, And an indifferency pretend t'affect. Yet shall not then our thoughts have leave to sleep, But subtleties must circumspectly frame: The mighty men at variance still to keep, So always strengthening us, and weakening them. And when th'occasion stricter dealing claims, We shall make war with some ere it be long: Like cunning Wrestlers at th'olympic games, That exercise themselves to be more strong. And when themselves have thus prepared the way, Whilst that their pomp doth bear a lower sail: For at the last their force must much decay, Since all must always lose, though one prevail. Then prompt t'achieve that which we now contrive, By ruining the remnant that remains: We may possess the state for which they strive; Thus they the toils, and we shall get the gains. O happy was that guiltless age, In which Astraea lived below: And that Bellona's barbarous rage Did not all order quite o'erthrow. Then whilst all did themselves content With that thing which they did possess, And gloried in a little rent, As wanting means to make excess. Those could no kind of want bemoan, For craving nought they had all things: And since none sought th'imperious throne, Whilst none were subjects, all were kings: O t' a true bliss their course was set, That got to live, not lived to get.
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)
What counterfeited friends ſeale truſtleſſe bands, Whilſt in the generall cauſe that each pretends, Though neuer ioyning hearts, all ioyne their hands, And worke one way, yet worke for diuerſe ends? Yea thoſe whoſe thoughts intend t'attend the ſtate, Haue purchaſde powres, being purpoſde for the fields, With iealous mindes their riualls bent t'abate, Whilſte lls all, now none t'another yeelds. Yet with ſuſpended thoughts all doubtfull ſtand, And their deſignes t'accompliſh doe forbeare, Leſt all the reſt ioyn'd by a generall band, March him t'orethrow that firſt giues cauſe of feare. But he may proſper beſt whom burning thirſt Of gouernement enflames at firſt t'aduaunce: Some to be ſecond, doubting to be firſt, Will make their hopes depend vpon his chaunce. And by a battell when that one preuailes, There will ich hopes at a'eaſie rate be ſolde: For of that faction firſt whoſe fortune failes, Euen all will ſtriue who ſhalbe firſt to folde. All this to me great cauſe of feare affordes, I eſt that we two protract the tme too long: And wounded be before we draw our ſwords, If thoſe we not preuent that would vs wrong. No chance of late hath brought me ſo to bow, But I exſpect a part of thoſe great hopes: Yet in my minde a iudgement moſt allow, That ouer a dang'rous ditch aduis'dly leapes. There are t'our charge ſome prouinces aſſign'd, Whoſe peacefull ſtates we manage muſt awhile: Till all attempt that which they haue deſign'd, Whilſt from the world each th'other doth exile. Then liuing but like thoſe whoſe force is ſmall, From which the world no great thing can exſpect: We ſhall profeſſe a fauour to them all, And an indifferencie pretend t'affect. Yet ſhall not then our thoughts haue leaue to ſleepe, But ſubtilties muſt circumſpectly frame: The mightie men at variance ſtill to keepe, So alwayes ſtrengthning vs, and weakning them. And when th'occaſion ſtricter dealing claimes, We ſhall make warre with ſome ere it bong: Like cunning Wreſtlers at th'Olympicke games, That exerciſe themſelues to be more ſtrong. And when themſelues haue thus prepar'd the way, Whilſt that their pomp doth beare a lower ſaile: For at the laſt their force muſt much decay, Since all muſt alwayes looſe, though one preuaile. Then prompt t'atchiue that which we now contriue, By ruining the remnant that remaines: We may poſſeſſe the ſtate for which they ſtriue; Thus they the toiles, and we ſhall get the gaines. O happy was that guiltleſſe age, In which Aſtraea liu'd below: And that Bellonaes barbarous rage Did not all order quite orethrow. Then whilſt all did themſelues content With that thing which they did poſſeſſe, And gloried in a little rent, As wanting meanes to make exceſſe. Thoſe could no kinde of want bemone, For crauing nought they had all things: And ſince none ſought th'emperious throne, Whilſt none were ſubiects, all were kings: O t' a true bliſſe their courſe was ſet, That got to liue, not liu'd to get.