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 · 487 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.
Be set in certain place of governance, In which your Parliament and in your choice, Prefer the right (my lords) with respect Of streugth or friends, or what soever cause That may set forward any others part. For right will last, and wrong can not endure. Right mean I his or hers, upon whose name The people rest by mean of native line, Or by the virtue of some former law, Already made their title to advance. Such one (my lords) let be your chosen king, Such one so borne within your native land, Such one prefer, and in no wise admit The heavy yoke of foreign governance, Let foreign titles yield to public wealth. And with that heart wherewith ye now prepare Thus to withstand the proud muading foe, With that same heart (my lords) keep out also Unnatural thraldom of stranger's reign, Ne suffer you against the rules of kind Your mother land to serve a foreign prince. Lo here the end of Brutus royal line, And lo the entry to the woeful wrack, And utter ruin of this noble realm. The royal king, and eke his sons are slain, No ruler rests within the regal seat, The heir, to whom the sceptre longs, unknown, That to each force of foreign prince's power, Whom vantage of our wretched state may move By sudden arms to gain so rich a realm, And to the proud and greedy mind at home, Whom blinded lust to reign lead to aspire, Lo Britain realm is left an open pray, A present spoil by conquest to ensue. Who seeth not now how many rising minds Do feed their thoughts, with hope to reach a realm? And who will not by force attempt to win So great a gain, that hope persuades to have? A simple colour shall for title serve. Who wins the royal crown will want no right, Nor such as shall display by long descent A lineal race to prove him lawful king. In the mean while these civil arms shall rage's, And thus a thousand mischiefs shall unfold, And far and near spread thee (O Britain land) All right and law shall cease, and he that had Nothing to day, to morrow shall enjoy Great heaps of gold, and he that flowed in wealth, Lo he shall be bereft of life and all, And happiest he that than possesseth least, The wives shall suffer rape, the maids deflowered, And children fatherless shall weep and wane, With fire and sword thy native folk shall perish, One kinsman shall bereave an other's life, The father shall unwitting slay the son, The son shall slay the sire and know it not, Women and maids the cruel soldiers sword Shall pierce to death, and silly children lo, That play in the streets and fields are found, By violent hand shall close their latter day. Whom shall the fierce and bloody soldier
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)
Be set in certaine place of gouernaunce, In which your Parliament and in your choise, Preferre the right (my lordes) with respect Of streugth or frendes, or what soeuer cause That may set forward any others part. For right will last, and wrong can not endure. Right meane I his or hers, vpon whose name The people rest by meane of natiue line, Or by the vertue of some former lawe, Already made their title to aduaunce. Such one (my lordes) let be your chosen king, Such one so borne within your natiue land, Such one preferre, and in no wise admitte The heauie yoke of forreine gouernance, Let forreine titles yelde to publike wealth. And with that hart wherewith ye now prepare Thus to withstand the proude muading foe, With that same hart (my lordes) keepe out also Unnaturall thraldome of strangers reigne, Ne suffer you against the rules of kinde Your mother land to serue a forreine prince. Loe here the end of Brutus royall line, And loe the entry to the wofull wracke, And vtter ruine of this noble realme. The royall king, and eke his sonnes are slaine, No ruler restes within the regall seate, The heire, to whom the scepter longes, vnknowen, That to eche force of forreine princes power, Whom vauntage of our wretched state may moue By sodeine armes to gaine so riche a realme, And to the proud and gredie minde at home, Whom blinded lust to reigne leade to aspire, Loe Brittaine realme is left an open pray, A present spoyle by conquest to ensue. Who seeth not now how many rising mindes Do feede their thoughts, with hope to reach a realme? And who will not by force attempt to winne So great a gaine, that hope perswades to haue? A simple colour shall for title serue. Who winnes the royall crowne will want no right, Nor such as shall display by long discent A lineall race to proue him lawfull king. In the meane while these ciuel armes shall rage, And thus a thousand mischiefes shall vnfolde, And farre and neare spread thee (O Brittaine land) All right and lawe shall cease, and he that had Nothing to day, to morrowe shall enioye Great heapes of golde, and he that flowed in wealth, Loe he shall be berest of life and all, And happiest he that then possesseth least, The wiues shall suffer rape, the maides defloured, And children fatherlesse shall weepe and wane, With fire and sworde thy natiue folke shall perishe, One kinsman shall bereaue an others life, The father shall vnwitting slay the sonne, The sonne shall slay the sire and know it not, Women and maides the cruell souldiers sword Shall perse to death, and sillie children loe, That play in the streetes and fieldes are found, By violent hand shall close their latter day. Whom shall the fierce and bloudy souldier