Gascoigne, George / Ariosto, Ludovico · published 1575 · first performed or written 1566 (Annals) comedy unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 590 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Alas how shall I be revenged of this extreme despite? if I punish my servant according to his devilish deserts, I shall heap further cares upon mine own head: for to such detestable offences no punishment can seem sufficient, but only death, and in such cases it is not lawful for a man to be his own carver. The laws are ordained, and officers appointed to minister justice for the redress of wrongs: and if to the potestates I complain me, I shall publish mine own reproach to the world. Yea, what should it prevail me to use all the puinishments that can be devised? the thing once done can not be undone. My daughter is deflowered, and I utterly dishonested: how can I then wipe that blot off my brow? and on whom shall I seek revenge? Alas, alas I myself have been the cause of all these cares, and have deserved to bear the punishment of all these mishaps. Alas, I should not have committed my dearest darling in custody to so careless a creasure as this old Nurse: for we see by common proof, that these old women be either peevish, or pitiful: either easily inclined to evil, or quickly corrupted with bribes and rewards. O wife, my good wife (that now liest cold in the grave) now may I well bewail the want of thee, and mourning now may I bemoan that I miss thee: if thou hadst lived (such was thy government of the lest things) that thou wouldst prudently have provided for the preservation of this pearl. A costly jewel may I well account her, that hath been my chief comfort in youth, and is now become the corrosive of mine age. O Polinesta, full evil hast thou requited the clemency of thy careful father: and yet to excuse thee guiltless before God, and to condemn thee guilty before the world, I can count none other but my wretched self the caitiff and causer of all my cares. For of all the duties that are requisite in human life, only obedience is by the parents to be required of the child: where on the other side the parents are bound, first to beget them, then to bring them forth, after to nourish them, to preserve them from bodily perils in the cradle, from danger of soul by godly education, to match them in consort inclined to virtue, too banish them all idle and wanton company, to allow them sufficient for their sustentation, to cut off excess the open gate of sin, seldom or never to smile on them unless it be to their encouragement in virtue, and finally, to provide them marriages in time convenient, jest (neglected of us) they learn to set either to much or to little by themselves. Five years are past since I might have married her, when by continual excuses I have prolonged it to my own perdition. Alas, I should have considered, she is a collop of my own flesh: what should I think to make her a princess? Alas alas, a poor kingdom have I now caught to endow her with: It is too true, that of all sorrows this is the head source and chief fountain of all furies: the goods of the world are incertain, the gains to be rejoiced at, and the loss not greatly to be lamented: only the children cast away, cutteth the parent's throat with the knife of inward care, which knife will kill me surely, I make none other account.
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)
Alas how ſhall I be reuenged of this extreme deſpite? if I puniſhe my ſeruant according to his diueliſhe deſerts, I ſhall heape further cares vpon mine owne head: for to ſuche deteſtable offences no puniſhment can ſéeme ſufficient, but onely death, and in ſuch caſes it is not lawful for a man to be his owne caruer. The lawes are ordeyned, and officers appoynted to miniſter iuſtice for the redreſſe of wrongs: and if to the poteſtates I complayne me, I ſhall publiſhe mine owne reproche to the worlde. Yea, what ſhould it preuayle me to vſe all the puiniſhments that can be deuiſed? the thing once done can not be vndone. My daughter is defloured, and I vtterly diſhoneſted: how can I then wype that blot off my browe? and on whome ſhall I ſéeke reuenge? Alas, alas I my ſelfe haue bene the cauſe of all theſe cares, and haue deſerued to beare the puniſhment of all theſe miſhappes. Alas, I ſhould not haue committed my deareſt darling in cuſtodie to ſo careleſſe a creaſure as this olde Nurſe: for we ſee by common proofe, that theſe olde women be either péeuiſhe, or pitifull: either eaſily enclined to euill, or quickly corrupted with bribes and rewards. O wife, my good wife (that nowe lyeſt colde in the graue) now may I well bewayle the wante of thée, and mourning nowe may I bemone that I miſſe thée: if thou hadſt liued (ſuche was thy gouernement of the leaſt things) that thou wouldeſt prudently haue prouided for the preſeruation of this pearle. A coſtly iewell may I well accompte hir, that hath béen my chéefe comforte in youth, and is nowe become the coroſiue of mine age. O Polyneſta, full euill haſt thou requited the clemencie of thy carefull father: and yet to excuſe thée giltleſſe before God, and to condemne thée giltie before the worlde, I can count none other but my wretched ſelfe the caytife and cauſer of all my cares. For of al the dueties that are requiſite in humane lyfe, onely obedience is by the parents to be required of the childe: where on ye other ſide the parents are bound, firſt to beget them, then to bring thē foorth, after to nouriſh them, to preſerue them from bodily perils in the cradle, from daunger of ſoule by godly education, to matche them in conſort enclined to vertue, too baniſh them all ydle and wanton companie, to allow them ſufficiente for their ſuſtentation, to cut off exceſſe the open gate of ſinne, ſeldome or neuer to ſmile on them vnleſſe it be to their encouragement in vertue, and finally, to prouide them mariages in time cōuenient, leſt (neglected of vs) they learne to ſette either to much or to litle by thēſelues. Fiue yeares are paſt ſince I might haue maried hir, when by cō tinuall excuſes I haue prolonged it to my owne perdition. Alas, I ſhoulde haue conſidered, ſhe is a collop of my owne fleſh: what ſhold I think to make hir a princeſſe? Alas alas, a poore kingdome haue I now caught to endowe hir with: It is too true, that of all ſorowes this is the head ſource and chiefe fountaine of all furies: the goods of the world are incertain, the gaines to be reioyced at, and the loſſe not greatly to be lamented: only the children caſt away, cutteth the parents throate with the knife of inward care, which knife will kill me ſurely, I make none other accompte.