The Conspiracy of Charles Duke of Byron · chunk 27 of 33
Chapman, George · published 1608 · first performed or written 1608 [1607-1608] (Annals) history · Children of the Queen's Revels unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 517 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
Held to the line of justice; still produce, The surest states, and greatest, being sure, Without which fit assurance, in the greatest, As you may see a mighty promontory More digged and under-eaten, then may warrant, A safe supportance, to his hanging brows, All passengers avoid him, shun all ground That lies within his shadow, and bear still A flying eye upon him, so great men Corrupted in their ground, and building out. Too swelling fronts, for their foundations; When most they should be propped, are most forsaken, And men will rather thrust into the storms Of better grounded States, then take a shelter Beneath their ruinous, and fearful weight; Yet they, so oversee, their faulty bases, That they remain securer in conceit: And that security, doth worse presage Their near destructions, than their eaten grounds; And therefore heaven itself is made to us A perfect hierogliphic to express, The Idleness of such security, And the grave labour, of a wise distrust, In both sorts of the all-enclying stars; Where all men note this difference in their shining, As plain as they distinguish either hand; The fixed stars manner, and the erring, stand. How took he this so worthy admonition? Gravely applied (said he) and like the man, Whom all the world says, overrules the stars; Which are divine books to us; and are read By understanders only, the true objects, And chief companions of the truest men; And (though I need it not) I thank your counsel, That never yet was idle, But sphere-like, Still moves about, and is the continent To this blessed I'll. The Circle of this embassy is closed, For which I long have longed, for mine own ends; To see my faithful, and leave courtly friends, To whom I came (methought) with such a spirit, As you have seen, a lusty courser show, That hath been longe time at his manger tied; High fead, alone, and when (his headstall broken) He runs his prison, like a trumpet neighs, Cuts air, in high curvets, and shakes his head: (With wanton stopings, twixt his forelegs) mocking The heavy centre; spreads his flying crest, Like to an Ensign, hedge, and ditches leaping, Till in the fresh meat, at his natural food He sees free fellows, and hath met them free: And now (good friend) I would be feign informed, What our right Princely Lord, the duke of Savoy Hath thought on, to employ my coming home. To try the Kings trust in you, and withal, How hot he trails on our conspiracy: He first would have you, beg the government, Of the important Citadel of Bourg: Or to place in it, any you shall name: Which willbe wondrous fit, to march before, His other purposes; and is a fort He rates, in love, above his patrimony; To make which fortress worthy of your suit: He vows (if you obtain it) to bestow His third fair daughter, on your excellence, And hopes the King will not deny it you. Deny it me? deny me such a suit? Who will he grant, if he deny it me.
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)
Held to the lyne of Iustice; still produce, The surest states, and greatest, being sure, Without which fit assurance, in the greatest, As you may see a mighty promontorie More digd and vnder-eaten, then may warrant, A safe supportance, to his hanging browes, All passengers auoide him, shunne all ground That lyes within his shadow, and beare still A flying eye vpon him, so great men Corrupted in their ground, and building out. Too swelling fronts, for their foundations; When most they should be propt, are most forsaken, And men will rather thrust into the stormes Of better grounded States, then take a shelter Beneath their ruinous, and fearefull weight; Yet they, so ouersee, their faultie bases, That they remaine securer in conceipt: And that securitie, doth worse presage Their nere distructions, then their eaten grounds; And therefore heauen it selfe is made to vs A perfect Hierogliphick to expresse, The Idlenesse of such securitie, And the graue labour, of a wise distrust, In both sorts of the all-enclying starres; Where all men note this difference in their shyning, As plaine as they distinguish either hand; The ixt starres mauer, and the erring, stand. How tooke he this so worthy admonition? Grauely applied (said he) and like the man, Whome all the world saies, ouerrules the starres; Which are diuine bookes to vs; and are read By vnderstanders onely, the true obiects, And chiefe companions of the truest men; And (though I need it not) I thanke your counsaile, That neuer yet was idle, But spherelike, Still mooues about, and is the continent To this blest Ile. The Circkle of this ambassie is closde, For which I long haue long'd, for mine owne ends; To see my faithfull, and leaue courtly friends, To whom I came (me thought) with such a spirit, As you haue seene, a lusty courser showe, That hath beene longe time at his manger tied; High fead, alone, and when (his headstall broken) Hee runnes his prison, like a trumpet neighs, Cuts ayre, in high curuets, and shakes his head: (With wanton stopings, twixt his forelegs) mocking The heauy center; spreds his flying crest, Like to an Ensigne, hedge, and ditches leaping, Till in the fresh meate, at his naturall foode He sees free fellowes, and hath met them free: And now (good friend) I would be faine inform'd, What our right Princely Lord, the duke of Sauoy Hath thought on, to employ my comming home. To try the Kings trust in you, and withall, How hot he trailes on our conspiracie: He first would haue you, begge the gouernment, Of the important Citadell of Bourg: Or to place in it, any you shall name: VVhich wilbe wondrous fit, to march before, His other purposes; and is a fort Hee rates, in loue, aboue his patrimonie; To make which fortresse worthie of your suite: He vowes (if you obtaine it) to bestowe His third faire daughter, on your excellence, And hopes the King will not deny it you. Denie it me? deny me such a suite? VVho will he grant, if he deny it me.