Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T36 Hell, Furies and the language of punishm · 543 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T36: hell, earth, gods, death, ghosts, blood, bloody, heaven, night, ghost.
To all her offsprings shame, Shall burst th'earth's veins with blood, And this all-circling flood, (As it the heavens would drown) Doth pass the bounding bounds, And all the scaly brood, Rear roaring Neptune's foamy Crown, Whilst th'earth for fear seems to sink down, Those whom it hide with horror! Their ashy lodgings leave, To re-enjoy the light, Or else some Panic terror Our judgement doth bereave, Whilst first we misconceive, And so prejudge the sight; Or, in the body's stead, The genius of the dead Turns back from Styx again, Which Dis will not receive, Till it a time engendering dread, Plague (whilst it doth on th'earth remain) All else with fear, itself with pain. These fearful signs fore-show (All nations to appall) What plagues are to succeed. Since death hath laid him low, Who first had made us thrall, We heard that strait his fall Our liberty would breed; But this proves no relief: For, many (O what grief!) The place of one supply; And we must suffer all; Thus was our comfort brief: O! rarely do usurpers dye, But others will their fortune try. WHat eye (not big with tears) can view this host, Which hath in one (ah, as the end doth prove) A King, a Captain, and a brother, lost, Crowned, followed, tried, by right, for worth, in love? I think amongst us all, there is not one, Whom diverse favours do not justly bind To please that Hero's Ghost (though from us gone) With all the offerings of a thankful mind. Ah, had the fates been subject to my will, So great a loss should not have crossed our life; But we had kept great Alexander still, And he those kingdoms which procure this strife. Yet heaven's decrees can never be recalled, And thoughts of harm past help, breed double pain, Though once to grief a space, by passions thralled, The living must embrace the world again. As one whose interest in that Prince was chief, A sorrow singular my soul affects, But I will not defraud the general grief, To wail apart particular respects. Though all the air still Ecchoes plaintive sounds Of widowed hopes now wedded to despairs, Yet time must cicatrise our inward wounds, And to the public good draw private cares. Let us give physic to the sickened state, Which at this present in great danger stands, Whilst grudging Subjests that our greatness hate, By blood would venge their violated lands. Those who by force are thralled, to be made free, Precipitate themselves in dangers still, And this of Nature seems a rule to be: What Realm not scorns to serve a strangers 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 to have that great man's place, Of those whose states he took who gained the hearts, Then one descended from that Regal race, Whose birth both worth and right to reign imparts? If heavens every Roxane with a Son, That longed-for birth a lawful Sovereign brings, And ●ill that course of doubtful hopes be run, Let some be named who manage may all things.
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)
To all her off-ſprings ſhame, Shall burſt th'earths veynes with bloud, And this all-circling floud, (As it the heavens would drowne) Doth paſſe the bounding bounds, And all the ſcalie brood, Reare roaring Neptunes foamie Crowne, Whilſt th'earth for feare ſeems to ſinke downe, Thoſe whom it hid with horrour! Their aſhy lodgings leave, To re-enjoy the light, Or elſe ſome Panicke terrour Our judgement doth bereave, Whilſt firſt we miſconceive, And ſo prejudge the ſight; Or, in the bodies ſtead, The genius of the dead Turnes backe from Styx againe, Which Dis will not receive, Till it a time engendring dread, Plague (whilſt it doth on th'earth remaine) All elſe with feare, it ſelfe with paine. Theſe fearefull ſignes fore-ſhow (All nations to appall) What plagues are to ſucceed. Since death hath layd him low, Who firſt had made us thrall, We heard that ſtraight his fall Our liberty would breed; But this proves no reliefe: For, many (O what griefe!) The place of one ſupply; And we muſt ſuffer all; Thus was our comfort briefe: O! rarely doe uſurpers dye, But others will their fortune try. WHat eye (not big with teares) can view this hoſt, Which hath in one (ah, as the end doth prove) A King, a Captaine, and a brother, loſt, Crown'd, follow'd, try'd, by right, for worth, in love? I thinke amongſt us all, there is not one, Whom divers favours doe not juſtly binde To pleaſe that Heroes Ghoſt (though from us gone) With all the off'rings of a thankefull minde. Ah, had the fates beene ſubject to my will, So great a loſſe ſhould not have croſt our life; But we had kept great Alexander ſtill, And he thoſe kingdomes which procure this ſtrife. "Yet heavens decrees can never be recall'd, "And thoughts of harme paſt helpe, breed double paine, "Though once to griefe a ſpace, by paſſions thrall'd, "The living muſt embrace the world againe. As one whoſe intreſt in that Prince was chiefe, A ſorrow ſingular my ſoule affects, But I will not defraud the generall griefe, To waile a-part particular reſpects. Though all the ayre ſtill Ecchos plaintive ſounds Of widow'd hopes now wedded to deſpaires, Yet time muſt cicatrize our inward wounds, And to the publike good draw private cares. Let us give phyſicke to the ſickned ſtate, Which at this preſent in great danger ſtands, VVhilſt grudging Subjeſts that our greatneſſe hate, By bloud would venge their violated lands. "Thoſe who by force are thrall'd, to be made free, "Precipitate themſelves in dangers ſtill, "And this of Nature ſeemes a rule to be: "What Realme not ſcornes to ſerve a ſtrangers will? "From forc'd obedience, nought but hate proceeds; "The more we have ſubdud, the more our foes: A ſoveraigne head this States huge body needs, That might make us ſecurely to repoſe: And who more meet to have that great mans place, Of thoſe whoſe ſtates he tooke who gain'd the hearts, Then one deſcended from that Regall race, Whoſe birth both worth and right to raigne imparts? If heavens enrich Roxane with a Sonne, That long'd-for birth a lawfull Soveraigne brings, And ill that courſe of doubtfull hopes be runne, Let ſome be nam'd who manage may all things.