Alexander, William · published 1607 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T38 Death, parting and grief at court · 491 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T38: queen, king, death, dead, heart, life, die, lord, royal, news.
Those when the Queen perceived, unmoved she spoke As one that had embraced some great relief: Fit gifts for her to give, for me to take, Since she exceeds in hate, and I in grief. And tell the tyrant that I gladly die, That th'irritated gods t'avenge my death, May thunder forth that judgement, which I spy With blood must choke that bloody woman's breath. Then looking on her Lord that there lay slain, Once partner or his joy, then of his woe: Whilst that his roses did her lilies stain, She kissed his wounds as taking leave to go. And lest her resolution were betrayed, Her snowy neck (not used with such a chain) She binding with her belt, died undismayed, And if she sighed, she sighed but for disdain. This barbarous act my breast with grief doth sting, Can spite so much transport the meekest kinder? And yet in th'earth there's no more cruel thing, Than malice raging in a woman's mind. But yet this sacrifice could not assuage, The boiling thoughts of her unbounded will: For entering thus she rioted in rage, (As dogs that once get blood would always kill.) Each light occasion kindling still her wrath, The sovereignty she shamefully abused: And put my brother Nicanor to death, Though for no crime condemned; no, not accused. Yea more, her hate extended toward the dead, Whose cruelty no flood of blood confined, The monument that t'iolas was made, She razed and rent his ashes with the wind. To be Cassander's friend was such a crime, As none could scape that ever favoured me. Thus huge disorders did abound a time, Where nothing lawful is, all things are free. Then when I heard of this outrageous pride, That made my native soil contemned to be: I those indignities could not abide, The shame whereof redounded most to me. So that at last, moved by my country's care, As much as by particular respects: I with great speed an army did prepare, To punish, or prevent the like effects. But when I was to Macedon com'd To fortify a town she did design: Which by my valour quickly was o'ercomed, Whilst famine forced the fortress to resign. Then pride unto necessity gave place, Her lofty courage was constrained to bow: So that she rests depending on our grace, To be disposed as it shall please us now. This chance the world to wonder may invite; Lo, there a Queen that had (though now distressed) The rarest fortune, and the greatest spirit, That ever any of her sex possessed. The widowed Empress that first warred with th'Indes, Nor stout Tomiris, though most gallant seen: Nor all th' Amazons borne with martial minds, Had never stouter stomachs than this Queen. Her lives first progress did but prove too sweet, Whom all th'earth's treasures once concurred to bless: But now sad soul, trod under fortune's feet, Her misery no creature can express.
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)
Thoſe when the Queene perceiu'd, vnmou'd ſhe ſpake As one that had imbrac'd ſome great reliefe: Fit gifts for her to giue, for me to take, Since ſhe exceeds in hate, and I in griefe. And tell the tirant that I gladly die, That th'irritated gods t'auenge my death, May thunder foorth that iudgement, which I ſpie With blood muſt choke that bloodie womans breath. Then looking on her Lord that there lay ſlaine, Once partner or his ioy, then of his woe: Whilſt that his roſes did her lillies ſtaine, She kiſt his wounds as taking leaue to goe. And leſt her reſolution were betraide, Her ſnowie necke (not vſde with ſuch a chaine) She binding with her belt, di'd vndiſmaide, And if ſhe ſighd, ſhe ſighd but for diſdaine. This barbarous act my breaſt with griefe doth ſting, Can ſpight ſo much tranſport the meekeſt kinder? And yet in th'earth ther's no more cruell thing, Then mallice raging in a womans minde. But yet this ſacrifice could not aſſwage, The boiling thoughts of her vnbounded will: For entring thus ſhe rioted in rage, (As dogges that once get blood would alwayes kill.) Ech light occaſion kindling ſtill her wrath, The ſoueraigntie ſhe ſhamefully abuſde: And put my brother Nicanor to death, Though for no crime condemn'd; no, not accuſde. Yea more, her hate extended toward the dead, Whoſe crueltie no flood of blood confin'd, The monument that t'Iolas was made, She raz'd and rent his aſhes with the wind. To be Caſſanders friend was ſuch a crime, As none could ſcape that euer fauour'd me. Thus huge diſorders did abound a time, Where nothing lawfull is, all things are free. Then when I heard of this outragious pride, That made my natiue ſoyle contemn'd to be: I thoſe indignities could not abide, The ſhame whereof redounded moſt to me. So that at laſt, mou'd by my countries care, As much as by particular reſpects: I with great ſpeed an armie did prepare, To puniſh, or preuent the like effects. But when I was to Macedonie comd To fortifie a towne ſhe did diſſigne: Which by my valour quickly was ore-comd, Whilſt famine forcde the fortreſſe to reſigne. Then pride vnto neceſſitie gaue place, Her lofty courage was conſtraind to bow: So that ſhe reſts depending on our grace, To be diſpoſde as it ſhall pleaſe vs now. This chance the world to wonder may invite; Lo, there a Queene that had (though now diſtreſſde) The rareſt fortune, and the greateſt ſpirite, That euer anie of her ſex poſſeſſd. The widow'd Empreſſe that firſt warrde with th'Indes, Nor ſtout Tomiris, though moſt gallant ſeene: Nor all th' Amazons borne with martiall mindes, Had neuer ſtouter ſtomakes then this Queene. Her liues firſt progreſſe did but prooue too ſweet, Whom all th'earths treaſures once concurr'd to bleſſe: But now ſad ſoule, trod vnder fortunes feete, Her miſerie no creature can expreſſe.