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 · 489 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.
Your wonted true regard of faithful hearts, Makes me (O king) the bolder to presume, To speak what I conceive within my breast, Although the same do not agreed at all With that which other here my lords have said. Nor which yourself have seemed best to like. Pardon I crave, and that my words be deigned To flow from hearty zeal unto your grace, And to the safety of your common weal. To part your realm unto my lords your sons, I think not good for you, ne yet for them, But worst of all for this our native land, Within one land, one single rule is best: Divided reigns do make divided hearts. But peace preserves the country and the prince, Such is in man the greedy mind to reign, So great is his desire to climb aloft, In worldly stage the stateliest parts to bear, That faith and justice and all kindly love, Do yield unto desire of sovereignty, Where equal state doth raise an equal hope To win the thing that either would attain. Your grace remembreth how in passed years The mighty Brutus, first prince of all this land, Possessed the same and ruled it well in one, He thinking that the compass did suffice, For his three sons three kingdoms eke to make, Cut it in three, as you would now in twain. But how much British blood hath since been spilled, To join again the sundered unity? What princes slain before their tunely hour? What wast of towns and people in the land? What treasons heaped on murders and on spoils? Whose just revenge even yet is scarcely ceased, Ruthful remembrance is yet raw in mind. The Gods forbid the like to chance again: And you (O king) give not the cause thereof. My Lord Ferrex your elder son, perhaps Whom kind and custom gives a rightful hope To be your heir and to succeed your reign, Shall think that he doth suffer greater wrong Than he perchance will bear, if power serve. Porrex the younger so upraised in state, Perhaps in courage will be raised also. If flattery then, which fails not to assail The tender minds of yet unskilful youth, In one shall kindle and increase disdain, And envy in the other's heart inflame, This fire shall waste their love, their lives, their land, And ruthful ruin shall destroy them both. I wish not this (O king) so to befall, But fear the thing, that I do most abhor. give no beginning to so dreadful end. Keep them in order and obedience: And let them both by now obeying you, Learn such behaviour as beseems their state, The elder, mildness in his governance, The younger, a yielding contentedness. And keep them near unto your presence still, That they restrained by the awe of you, May live in compass of well tempered stay, And pass the perils of their youthful years.
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)
Your wonted true regarde of faithfull hartes, Makes me (O kinge) the bolder to presume, To speake what I conceiue within my brest, Although the same do not agree at all With that which other here my lordes haue said. Nor which your selfe haue seemed best to lyke. Pardon I craue, and that my wordes be deed To flowe from hartie zeale vnto your grace, And to the safetie of your common weale. To parte your realme vnto my lordes your sounes, I thinke not good for you, ne yet for them, But worste of all for this our natiue lande, Within one land, one single rule is best: Diuided reignes do make diuided hartes. But peace preserues the countrey and the prince, Suche is in man the gredy minde to reigne, So great is his desire to climbe alofte, In worldly stage the stateliest partes to beare, That faith and iustice and all kindly loue, Do yelde vnto desire of soueraignitie, Where egall state doth raise an egall hope To winne the thing that either wold attaine. Your grace remembreth how in passed yeres The mightie Brute, first prince of all this lande, Possessed the same and ruled it well in one, He thinking that the compasse did suffice, For his three sonnes three kingdoms eke to make, Cut it in three, as you would now in twaine. But how much Brittish bloud hath since bene spilt, To ioyne againe the sondred vnitie? What princes slaine before their tunely houre? What wast of townes and people in the lande? What treasons heaped on murders and on spoiles? Whose iust reuenge euen yet is scarcely ceased, Ruthefull remembraunce is yet rawe in minde. The Gods forbyd the like to chaunce againe: And you (O king) geue not the cause therof. My Lord Ferrex your elder sonne, perhappes Whome kinde and custome geues a rightfull hope To be your heire and to succede your reigne, Shall thinke that he doth suffre greater wrong Than he perchaunce will beare, if power serue. Porrex the younger so vpraised in state, Perhappes in courage will be raysed also. If flatterie then, which fayles not to assaile The tendre mindes of yet vnskilfull youth, In one shall kindle and encrease disdaine, And enuie in the others harte enflame, This fire shall waste their loue, their liues, their land, And ruthefull ruine shall destroy them both. I wishe not this (O kyng) so to befall, But feare the thing, that I do most abhorre. Geue no beginning to so dreadfull ende. Kepe them in order and obedience: And let them both by now obeying you, Learne such behauiour as beseemes their state, The elder, myldenesse in his gouernaunce, The yonger, a yelding contentednesse. And kepe them neare vnto your presence still, That they restreyned by the awe of you, May liue in compasse of well tempred staye, And passe the perilles of their youthfull yeares.