Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 510 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.
Which to base hirelings, honour doth impart, Whilst envied worth no safe retreat can find. All proud usurpers most addicted prove, To them whom without cause they raise too high, As thinking those who stand but by their love, To entertain the same, all means must try. Where they, whose virtue reaps a due reward, Not building only on the giver's grace, Do by deserts not gain so great regard, Whilst they maintain, as they obtain their place. And if a worthy man to work great things, Winged with a tyrant's favour, raise his flight, The highest course to him most harm still brings, Who till he fall, cannot have leave to light. Those who by force would have th'affection moved, When willingly men hold such gallants dear, Do rage that any should be freely loved, Whose virtue makes their vice more vile appear. The man who now to be preferred aspires, Must by base flattery in a servile form, So soothing Caesar, seal all his desires, And in some shadow lurk to scape a storm. A number now of that proud Rebels foes, Who grieve to see the ground whence grows their grief, Would in obscurity entomb their woes, So waiting, and not working for relief. But we whose lofty minds disdain to lower, Like them who seek but their own safety thus; When shall we use high indignations power, Which (as brave Romans) worthy is of us? Since no indignity you will endure, I see our minds do sympathise in this; Should we by suffering, seek to live secure, Whose action must amend what is amiss? No, no such abject thought must stain our breast, Whose active thoughts reach further than discourse, Whilst but like beasts, affecting food and rest, Where men by reason should direct their course; Like those of other parts, not raised by strife, If Caesar had been born, or choosed our Prince, Then those who durst attempt to take his life, The world of treason justly might convince. Let still the States which flourish for the time, By subjects be inviolable thought, And those (no doubt) commit a monstrous crime, Who lawful Sovereignty profane in aught: And we must think (though now thus brought to bow) The Senate King; a subject Caesar is; The Sovereignty whom violating now, The world must damn, as having done amiss. We will (dear Cassius) for our Country's sake, (What ever follow) give, or suffer death, And let us now advise what course to take, Whilst nought but th'air can bear away our breath. I think this matter needs not many words, Since but one deed can bond the common shame; In Caesar's body we must sheathe our swords, And by his death our liberty reclaim; But since his fortune did confound them all, Who in the fields to match him did begin; Whilst he by thousands made their bands to fall, With hoary legions always used to win: As Pompey's, Scipio's, and Petreius ghosts, In lightlesse shades can by experience tell, Who after fatal proofs of numerous hosts,
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T2 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Which to baſe hirelings, honour doth impart, Whilſt envy'd worth no ſafe retreat can finde. "All proud uſurpers moſt addicted prove, "To them whom without cauſe they raiſe too high, "As thinking thoſe who ſtand but by their love, "To entertaine the ſame, all meanes muſt try. "Where they, whoſe vertue reapes a due reward, "Not building onely on the givers grace, "Doe by deſerts not gaine ſo great regard, "VVhilſt they maintaine, as they obtaine their place. "And if a worthy man to worke great things, "VVing'd with a tyrants favour, raiſe his flight, "The higheſt courſe to him moſt harme ſtill brings, "VVho till he fall, cannot have leave to light. "Thoſe who by force would have th'affection mov'd, "When willingly men hold ſuch gallants deare, "Doe rage that any ſhould be freely lov'd, "Whoſe vertue makes their vice more vile appeare. The man who now to be preferr'd aſpires, Muſt by baſe flattery in a ſervile forme, So ſoothing Caeſar, ſeale all his deſires, And in ſome ſhadow lurke to ſcape a ſtorme. A number now of that proud Rebels foes, Who grieve to ſee the ground whence growes their griefe, Would in obſcurity entombe their woes, So waiting, and not working for reliefe. But we whoſe lofty mindes diſdaine to lowre, Like them who ſeeke but their owne ſafety thus; When ſhall we uſe high indignations pow'r, Which (as brave Romans) worthy is of us? Since no indignity you will endure, I ſee our mindes doe ſympathize in this; Should we by ſuffring, ſeek to live ſecure, Whoſe action muſt amend what is amiſſe? No, no ſuch abject thought muſt ſtaine our breſt, Whoſe active thoughts reach further than diſcourſe, Whilſt but like beaſts, affecting food and reſt, Where men by reaſon ſhould direct their courſe; Like thoſe of other parts, not rais'd by ſtrife, If Caeſar had been born, or chus'd our Prince, Then thoſe who durſt attempt to take his life, The world of treaſon juſtly might convince. Let ſtill the States which flouriſh for the time, By ſubjects be inviolable thought, And thoſe (no doubt) commit a monſtrous crime, Who lawfull Soveraignty prophane in ought: And we muſt thinke (though now thus brought to bow) The Senate King; a ſubject Caeſar is; The Soveraignty whom violating now, The world muſt damne, as having done amiſſe. We will (deare Caſsius) for our Countries ſake, (What ever follow) give, or ſuffer death, And let us now adviſe what courſe to take, Whilſt nought but th'ayre can beare away our breath. I thinke this matter needs not many words, Since but one deed can bound the common ſhame; In Caeſars body we muſt ſheath our ſwords, And by his death our liberty reclaime; But ſince his fortune did confound them all, Who in the fields to match him did begin; VVhilſt he by thouſands made their bands to fall, VVith hoary legions alwayes us'd to winne: As Pompeys, Scipio's, and Petreius ghoſts, In lightleſſe ſhades can by experience tell, Who after fatall proofes of numrous hoaſts,