Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi typicality 0.82 · 476 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
All princes would suppress aspirers still: And than a subjects course most dangerous proves, When either fear, or hope transports his will. But though that first to rise, last to descend, Great States are guided by a secret fate: Yet, still the cause which doth forgo their end, Springs from contempt, or is enforced by hate; The first in kings the lack of courage breeds, Encouraging Ambition to rebel; The other doth attend tyrannic deeds, That violence may violence deeds, Yet never did so many Monarches fall By foreign battles, nor by civil broils, As by themselves who (seeming free) were thrall, Whilst smooth-toogued Minions gloried of their spoils. Those who have reigned by choice, by birth, or worth, Or did encroach on Crowns by chance, or crime, Oft suffer vices to burst freely forth, Which virtue's colours guilded till that time. Men clearly show what harbours in their breast, Whilst (Envies object) free from any fear: That which is eminent is marked best, And highest fortunes hardest are to bear. Low States to censure Critics do despise, Whilst oft gross faults for virtue's fame esteems, The stupid, patiented, and the fearful wise, Will, constancy, and softness goodness seems. But on the Stage of State when one must stand A public Actor placed in all men's sight, And (swaying power) with an imperious 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 things amiss, But for not doing all that all men crave; That Prince but undermines the Sovereign seat, Who cares not who be weak so he be strong, Moore studious for himself then for the state, Or (if for it) that he may hold it long: For, were Iove him for all men's good ordains, He thinks both them, and theirs, made him to please, As if a charge of weight, a place of pains▪ Were but a bed of rest, a Heaven of ease. The world's great weight with Atlas' shoulders beat, Is not so weighty all to weigh one down, As that which on his head a king doth wear: No burdens charge more heavy than a crown. Th'aegean waves Time may more soon appease, Then restless thoughts whose course for state prepares: Can they have rest who toil for all men's ease? The purple ever must be lined with cares. Good kings are like the fire which (flaming bright) Doth waste itself to serve another's turn: And sovereignty is like fires glancing light, Which (if but viewed) delights, if touched, doth burn; I like for warmness to stand Vulcan by, But not to burn amidst the Lemnian flame: In Cedar's shadows men more safely lie, Then on their tops, the roaring deities game: All th'eye-attracting pomp and glorious shows,
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 2691–2750 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 42 of 54 in this edition
Length
476 words · 639 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T25 — Kings, power and law: political sententiaecross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.816 (cosine to the topic centroid) · placed after the fit (approximate_predict), not counted in the topic statistics
Other seeds
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)
"All princes would ſuppreſſe aſprers ſtill: "And then a ſubjects courſe moſt dangerous proves, "When either feare, or hope tranſports his will. "But though that firſt to riſe, laſt to deſcend, "Great States are guided by a ſecret fate: "Yet, ſtill the cauſe which doth forgoe their end, "Springs from contempt, or is enforc'd by hate; "The firſt in kings the lack of courage breeds, "Encouraging Ambition to rebell; "The othr doth attend tyrannicke deeds, "That violence may violence deeds, "Yet never did ſo many Monarchs fall "By forraine battells, nor by civill broiles, "As by themſelves who (ſeeming free) were thrall, "Whilſt ſmooth-toogu'd Minions gloried of their ſpoils. "Thoſe who have raign'd by choice, by birth, or worth, "Or did encroach on Crownes by chance, or crime, "Oft ſuffer vices to burſt freely forth, "Which vertues colours guilded till that time. "Men clearely ſhow what harbours in their breſt, "Whilſt (Envies object) free from any feare: "That which is eminent is marked beſt, "And higheſt fortunes hardeſt are to beare. "Low States to cenſure Criticks doe deſpiſe, "Whilſt oft groſſe faults for vertues fame eſteemes, "The ſtupid, patient, and the fearefull wiſe, "Will, conſtancie, and ſoftneſſe goodneſſe ſeemes. "But on the Stage of State when one muſt ſtand "A publike Actor plac'd in all mens ſight, "And (ſwaying pow'r) with an imperious hand. "Doth hold the ballance both of wrong and right, "Then, he for every action that is his "The cenſure of a thouſand tongues muſt have, "Not onely damn'd for doing things amiſſe, "But for not doing all that all men crave; "That Prince but undermines the Soveraigne ſeate, "Who cares not who be weak ſo he be ſtrong, "More ſtudious for himſelfe then for the ſtate, "Or (if for it) that he may hold it long: "For, were Iove him for all mens good ordaines, "He thinkes both them, and theirs, made him to pleaſe, "As if a charge of weight, a place of paines▪ "Were but a bed of reſt, a Heaven of eaſe. "The worlds great weight with Atlas ſhoulders beate, "Is not ſo weighty all to weigh one downe, "As that which on his head a king doth weare: "No burdens charge more heavie then a crowne. "Th'aegean waves Time may more ſoone appeaſe, "Then reſtleſſe thoughts whoſe courſe for ſtate prepares: "Can they have reſt who toile for all mens eaſe? "The purple ever muſt be lin'd with cares. "Good kings are like the fire which (flaming bright) "Doth waſte it ſelfe to ſerve anothers turne: "And ſoveraignty is like fires glancing light, "Which (if but view'd) delights, if touch'd, doth burne; "I like for warmeneſſe to ſtand Vulcan by, "But not to burne amid'ſt the Lemnian flame: "In Cedars ſhadowes men more ſafely lie, "Then on their tops, the roaring deities game: "All th'eie-attracting pompe and glorious ſhowes,