Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
Since every Commonwealth where all men's wits Do join in one, t'increase the public ease, Is subject oft to fevers, and to fits, Which Physic whiles, whiles poison must appease. For (ah) the multitude more rash than wise, A Hydra-headed beast whilst nought it binds, Doth passionately praise, or else despise, As some preposterous fancies move their minds. Oft vice and virtue have like danger bred, Whilst envy th'one procured, and th'other hate: By jealousy, or emulation dread, Those ruined are by it that raised the state. Whilst some their betters, others equal scorn, The government that's popular decay: And when it dies the Monarchy is borne, Whose violence disorders broils allays. It from corruption doth continue clean, As freest from infirmities we find: Still whilst it humbly high, doth hold a mean, Twixt tyranny, and too remiss a mind. But though th'one-headed state may flourish long, Whilst th'one knows to command, the rest t'obey: Whilst guerdon follows goodness, vengeance wrong, That virtue cherished is, vice made decay. Yet (if nought else) time doth great states o'ercome, Heavens have confined all by some fatal hour: And there may many misadventures come To dissipate the most united power. For huge mishaps a monarchy may mar, When once prosperity begins t'expire: To further which, whiles strangers must make war, And whiles seditious subjects may conspire. As jealousy, or else ambition moves, All Princes would suppress aspirers still: And then a subjects course most dangerous proves, When either fear or hope transports his will. But though to the beginning, and to th'end Great states are guided by a secret fate: Yet their designed destruction doth depend, Still, either on contempt, or else on hate; Of those the first king's lack of courage breeds, Which makes th'ambitious minds t'attempt more bold: And th'other doth attend tyrannic deeds, By violence t'have violence controlled. Yet never did so many monarchs fall, By foreign battles, nor intestine broils, As by themselves, that seeming free, were thrall, Whilst smooth-tongued minions gloried of their spoils. Those that have reigned by choice, by birth, or worth, Or yet through others errors, or their crime, Oft suffer ugly vices to burst forth, Which virtues colours gilted till that time. Men are deciphered best than whilst they rest Most high advanced being free from hope or fear: That which is eminent is marked best, And highest fortunes hardest are to bear. Low fortune's cloak the faults that some commit, Whilst imperfections th'earth perfections deems, Stupidity seems patience, fear seems wit, Will constancy, and softness goodness seems. But when in the world's theatre one must stand, A public actor placed in all men's sight: And sways the sign of power, and in his hand Doth hold the balance both of wrong and right; Then he for every action that is his, The censure of a thousand tongues must have, Not only damned for doing of things amiss, But for not doing of all that all men crave.
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)
Since euery Common-wealth where all mens witts Do ioyne in one, t'increaſe the publike eaſe, Is ſubiect oft to feauers, and to fits, Which Phiſicke whiles, whiles poiſon muſt appeaſe. For (ah) the multitude more raſh then wiſe, A Hyhra-headed beaſt whilſt nought it binds, Doth paſſionately praiſe, or elſe deſpiſe, As ſome prepoſtrous fancies moue their mindes. Oft vice and vertue haue like danger bred, Whilſt enuie th'one procur'd, and th'other hate: By iealouſie, or emulation dred, Thoſe ruin'd are by it that raiſde the ſtate. Whilſt ſome their betters, others equals ſcorne, The gouernment that's popular decaies: And when it dies the Monarchie is borne, Whoſe violence diſorders broiles alaies. It from corruption doth continue cleane, As freeſt from infirmities we finde: Still whilſt it humbly high, doth hold a meane, Twixt tyrannie, and too remiſſe a minde. But though th'one-headed ſtate may flouriſh long, Whilſt th'one knowes to command, the reſt t'obey: Whilſt guerdon followes goodneſſe, vengeance wrong, That vertue cheriſht is, vice made decay. Yet (if nought elſe) time doth great ſtates orecome, Heauens haue confinde all by ſome fatall howre: And there may many miſaduentures come To diſſipate the moſt vnited powre. For huge miſhaps a monarchie may marre, When once proſperitie beginnes t'expire: To further which, whiles ſtrangers muſt make warre, And whiles ſeditious ſubiects may conſpire. As iealouſie, or elſe ambition moues, All Princes would ſuppreſſe aſpiners ſtill: And then a ſubiects courſe moſt dangerous proues, When either feare or hope tranſports his will. But though to the beginning, and to th'end Great ſtates are guided by a ſecret fate: Yet their deſign'd deſtrudion doth depend, Still, either on contempt, or elſe on hate; Of thoſe the firſt kings lacke of courage breedes, Which makes th'ambitious minds t'attempt more bold: And th'other doth attend tyrannike deedes, By violence t'haue violence controld. Yet neuer did ſo many Monarks fall, By forraigne battells, nor inteſtine broiles, As by themſelues, that ſeeming free, were thrall, Whilſt ſmooth-tong'd minions gloried of their ſpoiles. Thoſe that haue raign'd by choiſe, by birth, or worth, Or yet through others errours, or their crime, Oft ſuffer ougly vices to burſt forth, Which vertues colours gilted till that time. Men are deſcipherd beſt then whilſt they reſt Moſt high aduaunc'd being free from hope or feare: That which is eminent is marked beſt, And higheſt fortunes hardeſt are to beare. Low fortunes cloake the faults that ſome commit, Whilſt imperfections th'earth perfections deemes, Stupiditie ſeemes patience, feare ſeemes wit, Will conſtancie, and ſoftneſſe goodneſſe ſeemes. But when in the worlds theatre one muſt ſtand, A publike actor plac'd in all mens ſight: And ſwaies the ſigne of powre, and in his hand Doth hold the ballance both of wrong and right; Then he for euery action that is his, The cenſure of a thouſand tongues muſt haue, Not onely damn'd for doing of things amiſſe, But for not doing of all that all men craue.