Norton, Thomas / Sackville, Thomas · published 1570 · first performed or written 1562 [Jan 18] (Annals) tragedy · before the Court unassigned nearest T53 The crown: kingship claimed, resigned an · 485 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T53: crown, king, state, life, lord, lords, live, queen, tullia, prince.
Reserve to life? Whom shall he spare from death? Even thou (O wretched mother) half alive, Thou shalt behold thy dear and only child Slain with the sword while he yet sucks thy breast. Lo, guiltless blood shall thus each where be shed. Thus shall the wasted soil yield forth no fruit, But dearth and famine shall possess the land. The towns shall be consumed and burnt with fire, The peopled cities shall wax desolate, And thou, O Britain, whilom in renown, Whilom in wealth and fame, shalt thus be torn, Dismembered thus, and thus be rend in twain, Thus wasted and defaced, spoiled and destroyed, These be the fruits your civil wars will bring. Hereto it comes when kings will not consent To grave advise, but follow wilful william. This is the end, when in fond princes' hearts Flattery prevails, and sage read hath no place. These are the plagues, when murder is the mean To make new heirs unto the royal crown. Thus wreak the Gods, when that the mother's wrath Naught but the blood of her own child may suage. These mischiefs spring when rebels will arise, To work revenge and judge their prince's fact. This, this ensues, when noble men do fail In loyal troth, and subjects will be kings. And this doth grow when lo unto the prince, Whom death or sudden hap of life bereaves, No certain heir remains, such certain heir, As not all only is the rightful heir, But to the realm is so made known to be, And troth thereby vested in subjects hearts. To own faith there where right is known to rest. Alas, in Parliament what hope can be, When is of Parliament no hope at all? Which, though it be assembled by consent, Yet is not likely with consent to end, While each one for himself, or for his friend, Against his foe, shall travail what he may. While now the state left open to the man, That shall with greatest force invade the same, Shall fill ambitious minds with gaping hope, When will they once with yielding hearts agreed? Or in the while, how shall the realm be used? Not, not: then Parliament should have been holden, And certain heirs appointed to the crown, To stay the title of established right, And in the people plant obedience, While yet the prince did live, whose name and power By lawful summons and authority Might make a Parliament to be of force, And might have set the state in quiet stay. But now O happy man, whom speedy death Deprives of life, ne is enforced to see These hugy mischiefs and these miseries, These civil wars, these murders & these wrongs. Of justice, yet must God in fine restore This noble crown unto the lawful heir: For right will always live, and rise at length, But wrong can never take deep root to last.
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)
Reserue to life? Whom shall he spare from death? Euen thou (O wretched mother) halfe aliue, Thou shalt beholde thy deare and onely childe Slaine with the sworde while he yet suckes thy brest. Loe, giltlesse bloud shall thus eche where be shed. Thus shall the wasted soile yelde forth no fruite, But dearth and famine shall possesse the land. The townes shall be consumed and burnt with fire, The peopled cities shall waxe desolate, And thou, O Brittaine, whilome in renowme, Whilome in wealth and fame, shalt thus be torne, Dismembred thus, and thus be rent in twaine, Thus wasted and defaced, spoyled and destroyed, These be the fruites your ciuil warres will bring. Hereto it commes when kinges will not consent To graue aduise, but followe wilfull will. This is the end, when in fonde princes hartes Flattery preuailes, and sage rede hath no place. These are the plages, when murder is the meane To make new heires vnto the royall crowne. Thus wreke the Gods, when that the mothers wrath Nought but the bloud of her owne childe may swage. These mischiefes spring when rebells will arise, To worke reuenge and iudge their princes fact. This, this ensues, when noble men do faile In loyall trouth, and subiectes will be kinges. And this doth growe when loe vnto the prince, Whom death or sodeine happe of life bereaues, No certaine heire remaines, such certaine heire, As not all onely is the rightfull heire, But to the realme is so made knowen to be, And trouth therby vested in subiectes hartes. To owe fayth there where right is knowen to rest. Alas, in Parliament what hope can be, When is of Parliament no hope at all? Which, though it be assembled by consent, Yet is not likely with consent to end, While eche one for him selfe, or for his frend, Against his foe, shall trauaile what he may. While now the state left open to the man, That shall with greatest force inuade the same, Shall fill ambicious mindes with gaping hope, When will they once with yelding hartes agree? Or in the while, how shall the realme be vsed? No, no: then Parliament should haue bene holden, And certeine heires appointed to the crowne, To stay the title of established right, And in the people plant obedience, While yet the prince did liue, whose name and power By lawfull sommons and authoritie Might make a Parliament to be of force, And might haue set the state in quiet stay. But now O happie man, whom spedie death Depriues of life, ne is enforced to see These hugie mischiefes and these miseries, These ciuil warres, these murders & these wronges. Of iuice, yet must God in fine restore This noble crowne vnto the lawfull heire: For right will alwayes liue, and rise at length, But wrong can neuer take deepe roote to last▪