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 · 546 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.
When settled stay doth hold the royal throne In steadfast place, by known and doubtless right, And chiefly when descent on one alone Makes single and unparted reign to light: Each change of course unjoints the whole estate, And yields it thrall to ruin by debate. The strength that knit by fast accord in one, Against all foreign power of mighty foes, Can of itself defend itself alone, Disjoined once, the former force doth loose. The sticks, that sundered brake so soon in twain, In faggot bound attempted were in vain. Often tender mind that leads the partial eye Oferring parents in their children's love, Destroys the wrongly loved child thereby This doth the proud son of Apollo prove, Who rashly set in chariot of his sire. Inflamed the parched earth with heavens fire. And this great king, that doth divide his land, And change the course of his descending crown, And yields the reign into his children's hand, From blissful state of joy and great renown, A mirror shall become to Princes all, To learn to shun the cause of such a fall. I marvel much what reason led the king My Father, thus without all my desert, To reave me halfe the kingdom, which by course Of law and nature should remain to me. If you with stubborn and untamed pride Had stood against him in rebelling wise, Or if with grudging mind you had envied So slow a sliding of his aged years, Or sought before your time to haste the course Of fatal death upon his royal head, Or stained your stock with murder of your kin: Some face of reason might perhaps have seemed, To yield some likely cause to spoil ye thus. The wrekeful God's power on my cursed head Eternal plagues and never dying woes, The hellish prince, adjudge my damned ghost To Tantales thirst, or proud Ixion's wheel, Or cruel gripe to gnaw my growing heart, To during torments and unquenched flames, If ever I conceived so foul a thought, To wish his end of life, or yet of reign. Ne yet your father (O most noble Prince) Did ever think so fowl a thing of you. For he, with more than father's tender love, While yet the fates do lend him life to rule, (Who long might live to see your ruling well) To you my Lord, and to his other son: Lo he resigns his realm and royalty: Which never would so wise a Prince have done, If he had once misdemed that in your heart There ever lodged so unkind a thought. But tender love (my Lord) and settled trust Of your good nature, and your noble mind, Made him to place you thus in royal throne, And now to give you half his realm to guide, Yea and that half which in abounding store Of things that serve to make a wealthy realm, In stately cities, and in fruitful soil, In temperate breathing of the milder heaven, In things of needful use, which friendly sea, Transports by traffic from the foreign parts, In flowing wealth, in honour and in force, Doth pass the double value of the part, That Porrex hath allotted to his reign. Such is your case, such is your father's love.
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)
When settled stay doth holde the royall throne In stedfast place, by knowen and doubtles right, And chiefely when discent on one alone Makes single and vnparted reigne to light: Eche chaunge of course vnioynts the whole estate, And yeldes it thrall to ruyne by debate. The strength that knit by faste accorde in one, Against all forrein power of mightie foes, Could of it selfe defende it selfe alone, Disioyned once, the former force doth lose. The stickes, that sondred brake so soone in twaine, In faggot bounde attempted were in vaine. Oft tender minde that leades the parciall eye Oferring parentes in their childrens loue, Destroyes the wrongly loued childe therby This doth the proude sonne of Apollo proue, Who rasshely set in chariot of his sire. Inflamed the parched earth with heauens fire. And this great king, that doth deuide his land, And chaunge the course of his discending crowne, And yeldes the reigne into his childrens hande, From blisfull state of ioye and great renowne, A myrrour shall become to Princes all, To learne to shunne the cause of suche a fall. I meruaile much what reason ledde the king▪ My Father, thus without all my desert, To reue me halfe the kingdome, which by course Of law and nature should remayne to me. If you with stubborne and vntamed pryde Had stood against him in rebelling wise, Or if with grudging minde you had enuied So slow a slidyng of his aged yeres, Or sought before your time to haste the course Of fatall death vpon his royall head, Or stained your stocke with murder of your kyn: Some face of reason might perhaps haue seemed, To yelde some likely cause to spoyle ye thus. The wrekeful Gods powre on my cursed head Eternall plagues and neuer dying woes, The hellish prince, adiudge my dampned ghost To Tantales thirste, or proude Ixions wheele, Or cruell gripe to gnaw my growing harte, To during tormentes and vnquenched flames, If euer I conceyued so foule a thought, To wisshe his ende of life, or yet of reigne. Ne yet your father (O most noble Prince) Did euer thinke so fowle a thing of you. For he, with more than fathers tendre loue, While yet the fates do lende him life to rule, (Who long might lyue to see your ruling well) To you my Lorde, and to his other sonne: Lo he resignes his realme and royaltie: Which neuer would so wise a Prince haue done, If he had once misdemed that in your harte There euer lodged so vnkinde a thought. But tendre loue (my Lorde) and setled truste Of your good nature, and your noble minde, Made him to place you thus in royall throne, And now to geue you half his realme to guide, Yea and that halfe which in abounding store Of things that serue to make a welthy realme, In stately cities, and in frutefull soyle, In temperate breathing of the milder heauen, In thinges of nedefull vse, which frendly sea, Transportes by traffike from the forreine partes, In flowing wealth, in honour and in force, Doth passe the double value of the parte, That Porrex hath allotted to his reigne. Such is your case, such is your fathers loue.