Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi · 503 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
It better is to give, then to take fear. No guard more strong than is the people's love. But nought in th'earth doth more inconstant prove. Guards (showing fear) to charge me men might tempt. Guards would put them from hope, you from contempt. My breast from terror hath been always clear. When one lest fears, oft danger lurks most near. I rather dye then fear: at last life goes. Yet, death must grieve, when forced by vaunting foes. I will not cross my present pleasures so, By apprehending what may chance to come, This world affords but too much cause for woe; And sorrows still must harboured be by some. By joys in time we must embrace relief, That when they end, we in some measure may By their remembrance mitigate the grief Which still attends all those on th'earth that stay. I think the Senate is assembled now, And for my coming doth begin to gaze, Let me condignly once adorn my brow, And feast mine ears by drinking in due praise. Stay, stay (dear Lord) retire thy steps again, And spare a space to prorogate whole years; Let not this ominous day begin thy reign, WHich fatal and unfortunate appears. An Astrologian through the world renowned, Thy horoscopes just calculation lays, And doth affirm (as he by signs hath found) That Marches Ideses do brag to bond thy days; Walk not abroad where harms may be received (By great necessity since no way forced) For, (though his judgement may be far deceived) In things that touch thy life, suspect the worst. Whilst I reformed the Calendar by fits, Which did confound the order of the year; I waded through the depths of all their wits, Who of the stars the mysteries would clear. Those pregnant spirits who walk betwixt the Poles, And lodge at all the Zodiacs several signs, Do read strange wonders wrapped in th'azure scrolls, Of which our deeds are words, our lives are lines. By speculation of superior powers, Some Nature's secrets curious are to know, As how celestial bodies rule o'er ours, And what their influence doth work below. Yea, they sometime may brave conjectures make Of those whose parts they by their birth do prove, Since naturally all inclination take From Planets then predominant above; And yet no certainty can so be had, Some virtuously against their Stars have strived, As Socrates, who grew (though borne but bad) The most accomplished man that ever lived. But of the hour ordained to close our lights, No earth-cloged soul can to the knowledge come, For, O! the destinies far from our sights, In clouds of darkness have involved our doom! And some but only guess at great men's falls, By bearded Comets, and prodigious Stars, Whose sight-distracting shape the world appalls, As still denouncing terror, death, or wars. The time uncertain is of certain death, And that fantastic man far past his bounds: With doubt and reverence they should manage breath, Who will divine upon conjectured grounds.
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)
It better is to give, then to take feare. No guard more ſtrong then is the peoples love. But nought in th'earth doth more inconſtant prove. Guards (ſhewing feare) to charge me men might tempt. Guards would put them from hope, you from contempt. My breſt from terrour hath been alwaies cleare. When one leaſt feares, oft danger lurks moſt neare. I rather dye then feare: at laſt life goes. Yet, death muſt grieve, when forc'd by vaunting foes. I will not croſſe my preſent pleaſures ſo, By apprehending what may chance to come, This world affords but too much cauſe for woe; And ſorrowes ſtill muſt harbour'd be by ſome. By joyes in time we muſt embrace reliefe, That when they end, we in ſome meaſure may By their remembrance mitigate the griefe Which ſtill attends all thoſe on th'earth that ſtay. I thinke the Senate is aſſembled now, And for my comming doth begin to gaze, Let me condignely once adorne my brow, And feaſt mine eares by drinking in due praiſe. Stay, ſtay (deare Lord) retire thy ſteps againe, And ſpare a ſpace to prorogate whole yeares; Let not this ominous day begin thy raigne, WHich fatall and unfortunate appeares. An Aſtrologian through the world renown'd, Thy horoſcopes juſt calculation layes, And doth affirme (as he by ſignes hath found) That Marches Ides doe bragge to bound thy dayes; Walke not abroad where harmes may be receiv'd (By great neceſſity ſince no way forc'd) For, (though his judgement may be farre deceiv'd) "In things that touch thy life, ſuſpect the worſt. Whilſt I reform'd the Calendar by fits, Which did confound the order of the yeare; I waded through the depths of all their wits, Who of the ſtarres the myſteries would cleare. Thoſe pregnant ſprites who walke betwixt the Poles, And lodge at all the Zodiackes ſeverall ſignes, Doe reade ſtrange wonders wrapt in th'azure ſcroules, Of which our deeds are words, our lives are lines. By ſpeculation of ſuperiour pow'rs, Some Natures ſecrets curious are to know, As how celeſtiall bodies rule o're ours, And what their influence doth worke below. Yea, they ſometime may brave conjectures make Of thoſe whoſe parts they by their birth doe prove, Since naturally all inclination take From Planets then predominant above; And yet no certainty can ſo be had, Some vertuouſly againſt their Starres have ſtriv'd, As Socrates, who grew (though borne but bad) The moſt accompliſh'd man that ever liv'd. But of the houre ordain'd to cloſe our lights, No earth-clog'd ſoule can to the knowledge come, For, O! the deſtinies farre from our ſights, In clouds of darkneſſe have involv'd our doome! And ſome but onely gueſſe at great mens falls, By bearded Comets, and prodigious Starres, Whoſe ſight-diſtracting ſhape the world appalls, As ſtill denouncing terrour, death, or warres. The time uncertaine is of certaine death, And that fantaſticke man farre paſt his bounds: "With doubt and reverence they ſhould manage breath, "Who will divine upon conjectur'd grounds.