Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 493 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
I by love past, proportion then my spite; And yet (Eumenes) I commend thy mind, Who to defend thy friend, hast proved so free, And since in love so constantly inclined, A friendship firm I would contract with thee; Then where that now thy state hath been brought low, (Since spoiled of him in whom thou didst repose) Whilst aided by our power, thou great mayst grow, And raise thy hopes of kingdoms to dispose. I'll be your friend, whilst friend to right you rest: For, without virtue, friendship is but vain, Which cannot lodge in a polluted breast, Whos's impious thoughts do sacred things profane. While as the oath is kept, which once was sworn To Alexander's self, and to his race, Still shall this sword for your defence be borne, But in my heart they hold the highest place; And do not thus, as o'er one vanquished, vaunt, Nor think me thralled, though once by chance o'erthrown, The world must perish ere adventurers want, Who toss all States to establish once their own. Whilst bravely taking or yet giving place, How ever fear (objecting danger) comes, Misfortune, bondage, torment, death, disgrace, And all things else, a mind resolved o'ercomes. ANd must we buy our pomp at such a rate, Who bear th'authority, or whom it bears? O, O! how thorny are the ways of State, With open dangers paved, and secret fears; Each of our steps is waited with some snare, Whilst from ourselves we all repose repel, And (in frail Barks) pressed by tempestuous care, Do seek a haven, whose heaven is but a hell. Whilst Aeolus and Neptune joined in all, With winds, and waves, beat th'earth, and brag the skies, The tumbling Mountains do not rise and fall, Though each of them another doth surprise: As do th'aspiring powers which are with doubt Tossed through the waving world on stormy Thrones, And are (as in a Circle) hurled about, Ascending, and descending, both at once. Lo, some whose hopes would at their birth have seemed, By Fortune's strictness, with contempt confined, Have from the vulgar yoke themselves redeemed, To do far more than such durst have designed; And they who once might life to thousands give, When some great period revolutions brings, Brought down even low cannot have leave to live, Made less than Subjects, who were more than Kings. What once they scarce could dream, some thus procur, Whose power though nought at first, last, Sceptres sways; And some whose states seemed once to be secure, Thrown from their Fortune's height lose glorious Bays: My Father, lo, to gain that sovereign place, Through many dangers boldly marched of late, And, than the greatest, greater for a space, Did manage all the Macedonian State: But I his Son who (as some would suppose) Might keep whith ease, that which he got with pain, Can by no means my restless thoughts repose, such raging Tyrants o'er my fancies reign.
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)
I by love paſt, proportion then my ſpite; And yet (Eumenes) I commend thy minde, Who to defend thy friend, haſt prov'd ſo free, And ſince in love ſo conſtantly inclin'd, A friendſhip firme I would contract with thee; Then where that now thy ſtate hath been brought low, (Since ſpoil'd of him in whom thou did'ſt repoſe) Whilſt ayded by our power, thou great maiſt grow, And raiſe thy hopes of kingdomes to diſpoſe. I'le be your friend, whilſt friend to right you reſt: "For, without vertue, friendſhip is but vaine, "Which cannot lodge in a polluted breſt, "Whoſe impious thoughts do ſacred things prophane. While as the oath is kept, which once was ſworne To Alexanders ſelfe, and to his race, Still ſhall this ſword for your defence be borne, But in my heart they hold the higheſt place; And doe not thus, as o're one vanquiſh'd, vaunt, Nor thinke me thrall'd, though once by chance o'rethrowne, "The world muſt periſh ere advent'rers want, "Who toſſe all States to ſtabliſh once their owne. "Whil'ſt bravely taking or yet giving place, "How ever feare (objecting danger) comes, "Misfortune, bondage, torment, death, diſgrace, "And all things elſe, a minde reſolv'd o're-comes. "ANd muſt we buy our pompe at ſuch a rate, "Who beare th'authority, or whom it beares? "O, O! how thorny are the wayes of State, "With open dangers pav'd, and ſecret feares; "Each of our ſteps is waited with ſome ſnare, "Whil'ſt from our ſelves we all repoſe repell, "And (in fraile Barks) preſſ'd by tempeſtuous care, "Do ſeek a haven, whoſe heaven is but a hell. "Whil'ſt Eolus and Neptune joyn'd in all, With winds, and waves, beat th'earth, and brag the skies, "The tumbling Mountains do not riſe and fall, Though each of them another doth ſurpriſe: "As do th'aſpiring pow'rs which are with doubt "Toſſ'd through the waving world on ſtormy Thrones, "And are (as in a Circle) hurl'd about, "Aſcending, and deſcending, both at once. "Loe, ſome whoſe hopes would at their birth have ſeem'd, "By Fortunes ſtrictneſſe, with contempt confin'd, "Have from the vulgar yoke themſelves redeem'd, "To do farre more then ſuch durſt have deſign'd; "And they who once might life to thouſands give, "When ſome great period revolutions brings, "Brought downe even low cannot have leave to live, "Made leſſe then Subjects, who were more then Kings. What once they ſcarce could dreame, ſome thus procur, Whoſe pow'r though nought at firſt, laſt, Scepters ſwayes; And ſome whoſe ſtates ſeem'd once to be ſecure, Throwne from their Fortunes height loſe glorious Bayes: My Father, loe, to gaine that ſoveraigne place, Through many dangers boldly march'd of late, And, then the greateſt, greater for a ſpace, Did manage all the Macedonian State: But I his Sonne who (as ſome would ſuppoſe) Might keep whith eaſe, that which he got with paine, Can by no meanes my reſt-leſſe thoughts repoſe, ſuch raging Tyrants o're my fancies raigne.