Norton, Thomas / Sackville, Thomas · published 1570 · first performed or written 1562 [Jan 18] (Annals) tragedy · before the Court unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 498 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.
To throw the brother subject under feet Of him, whose peer he is by course of kind, And nature that did make this egalnesse, Oft so repineth at so great a wrong, That oft she raiseth up a grudging grief, In younger brethren at the elders state: Whereby both towns and kingdoms have been razed, And famous stocks of royal blood destroyed: The brother, that should be the brother's aid, And have a wakeful care for his defence, Gapes for his death, and blames the lingering years That draw not forth his end with faster course: And often impatient of so longe delays, With hateful slaughter he prevents the fates, And heaps a just reward for brother's blood, With endless vengeance on his stock for ay. Such mischiefs here are wisely met withal, If equal state may nourish equal love, Where none hath cause to grudge at others good. But now the head to stoop beneath them both, Ne kind, ne reason, ne good order bears. And often it hath been seen, where nature's course Hath been perverted in disordered wise, When fathers cease to know that they should rule, The children cease to know they should obey. And often overkindly tenderness Is mother of unkindly stubbornness. I speak not this in envy or reproach, As if I grudged the glory of your sons, Whose honour I beseech the Gods increase: Nor yet as if I thought there did remain, So filthy cankers in their noble breasts, Whom I esteem (which is their greatest praise) Undoubted children of so good a king, Only I mean to show by certain rules, Which kind hath grafted within the mind of man, That nature hath her order and her course, Which (being broken) doth corrupt the state Of minds and things, even in the best of all. My lords your sons may learn to rule of you. Your own example in your noble court Is fittest guider of their youthful years. If you desire to see some present joy By sight of their well ruling in your life, See them obey, so shall you see them rule, Who so obeyeth not with humbleness Will rule with outrage and with insolence. Long may they rule I do beseech the Gods, But long may they learn, ere they begin to rule. If kind and fates would suffer, I would wish Them aged princes, and immortal kings. Wherefore most noble king I well assent, Between your sons that you divide your realm, And as in kind, so match them in degree. But while the Gods prolong your royal life, Prolong your reign: for thereto live you here, And therefore have the Gods so long forborn To join you to themselves, that still you might Be prince and father of our common weal. They when they see your children ripe to rule, Will make them room, and will remove you hence, That yours in right ensuing of your life May rightly honour your immortal name.
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)
To throwe the brother subiect vnder fecte Of him, whose peere he is by course of kinde, And nature that did make this egalnesse, Ofte so repineth at so great a wrong, That ofte she rayseth vp a grudginge griefe, In yonger brethren at the elders state: Wherby both townes and kingdomes haue ben rased, And famous stockes of royall bloud destroied: The brother, that shoulde be the brothers aide, And haue a wakefull care for his defence, Gapes for his death, and blames the lyngering yeres That draw not forth his ende with faster course: And oft impacient of so longe delayes, With hatefull slaughter he preuentes the fates, And heapes a iust rewarde for brothers bloode, With endlesse vengeaunce on his stocke for aye. Suche mischiefes here are wisely mette withall, If egall state maye nourishe egall loue, Where none hath cause to grudge at others good. But nowe the head to stoupe beneth them bothe, Ne kinde, ne reason, ne good ordre beares. And oft it hath ben seene, where natures course Hath ben peruerted in disordered wise, When fathers cease to know that they should rule, The children cease to know they should obey. And often ouerkindly tendernesse Is mother of vnkindly stubbornenesse. I speake not this in enuie or reproche, As if I grudged the glorie of your sonnes, Whose honour I besech the Goddes encrease: Nor yet as if I thought there did remaine, So filthie cankers in their noble brestes, Whom I esteeme (which is their greatest praise) Undoubted children of so good a kyng, Onelie I meane to shewe by certeine rules, Whiche kinde hath graft within the mind of man, That nature hath her ordre and her course, Which (being broken) doth corrupt the state Of myndes and thinges, euen in the best of all. My lordes your sonnes may learne to rule of you. Your owne example in your noble courte Is fittest guyder of their youthfull yeares. If you desire to see some present ioye By sight of their well rulynge in your lyfe, See them obey, so shall you see them rule, Who so obeyeth not with humblenesse Will rule with outrage and with insolence. Longe maye they rule I do beseche the Goddes, But longe may they learne, ere they begyn to rule. If kinde and fates woulde suffre, I would wisshe Them aged princes, and immortall kinges. Wherfore most noble kynge I well assent, Betwene your sonnes that you diuide your realme, And as in kinde, so match them in degree. But while the Goddes prolong your royall life, Prolong your reigne: for therto lyue you here, And therfore haue the Goddes so long forborne To ioyne you to them selues, that still you might Be prince and father of our common weale. They when they see your children ripe to rule, Will make them roume, and will remoue you hence, That yours in right ensuynge of your life Maye rightly honour your immortall name.