Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
But I much wonder how he was persuaded To put himself so soon into my habit. I brought him to a strong belief, that he By that device and my assistance should Convey away your daughter. I intended The Father should be punished, not the son. By this your vengeance is more exquisite; Make your account that with the son y' have thrust The father through, who having found himself o'erreached by you, or by his own just fare, In such a counterplot must needs at length Become his own dire executioner: In the mean time his life is worse than death. True, true, death is the end of misery: To die 's not wretched, but to live wretchedly, Vengeance is mere compassion when we kill, I feel a joy beyond expression; There is no pleasure like to sweet revenge; But I desire things should be carried so That I be still reputed innocent. That's my sole care, the Brave in th'act was taken, And by commandment of the present judge, Is brought already to receive his trial. Thou shalt do well to hearken a loof off, I'll take no notice but in general, And will proceed in our intended mirth. By all means sir. We must at this time shun Unusual privacy; keep thou thy distance, But know, that both my life and fortunes are Most willingly committed to thy care. SInce it hath been the custom of this state To place a stranger on this high Tribunal Ordaining a professor of the Laws, As his assistant (being the place you hold) It is our duty to discharge that trust With all integrity, and not to look Upon men's persons, but to weigh their crimes In equal balance, to which purpose now Although a strange and horrid sacrilege Has called us hither in unusual haste; Yet it must be our chief care to proceed With due deliberation; otherwise Though just our sentence be, we are unjust. I have for some years had the happiness To be a witness of your constant session, In all which time I have not heard a sentence Pronounced by you that envy could pervert. We must not think we deserve praise for that Which to neglect would merit punishment. But yet there are degrees of good and ill, Wherein the actor takes a liberty. Yet where the law prescribes a certain rule A just judge cannot challenge liberty: But let us now pursue the work in hand, Where is the prisoner? Here. Let him draw near. His name? He calls himself Virdugo, sir. Then know, Virdugo, though thy heinous fact Be evident, yet the justice of this state Grants thee free leave to answer for thyself. I thank the state for their set compliment. Bring forth the witnesses that he may see them. They are both here an't please your excellence. Have they been sworn? Yes both sir, before me. Then, by the oath you took, declare the truth Of what you know concerning this delinquent, Begin you first.
nodes 1030–1101 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 16 of 28 in this edition
Length
505 words · 619 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T1 — Death, grief and revengecross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.689 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
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)
But I much wonder how he was perſwaded To put himſelfe ſo ſoone into my habit. I brought him to a ſtrong beliefe, that he By that device and my aſſiſtance ſhould Convey away your daughter. I intended The Father ſhould be puniſh't, not the ſonne. By this your vengeance is more exquiſite; Make your account that with the ſon y' have thruſt The father through, who having found himſelfe Ore-reach't by you, or by his owne juſt fare, In ſuch a counterplot muſt needs at length Become his owne dire executioner: In the meane time his life is worſe then death. True, true, death is the end of miſery: To die 's not wretched, but to live wretchedly, Vengeance is meere compaſſion when we kill, I feele a joy beyond expreſſion; There is no pleaſure like to ſweete revenge; But I deſire things ſhould be carried ſo That I be ſtill reputed innocent. That's my ſole care, the Brave in th'act was taken, And by commandment of the preſent Iudge, Is brought already to receive his tryall. Thou ſhalt do well to harken a loofe off, I'le take no notice but in generall, And will proceed in our intended mirth. By all meanes ſir. We muſt at this time ſhun Vnuſuall privacie; keepe thou thy diſtance, But know, that both my life and fortunes are Moſt willingly committed to thy care. SInce it hath bin the cuſtome of this ſtate To place a ſtranger on this high Tribunall Ordayning a profeſſor of the Lawes, As his aſſiſtant (being the place you hold) It is our duty to diſcharge that truſt With all integrity, and not to looke Vpon mens perſons, but to weigh their crimes In equall ballance, to which purpoſe now Although a ſtrange and horrid ſacriledge Ha's cald us hither in unuſuall haſte; Yet it muſt be our cheife care to proceed With due deliberation; otherwiſe Though juſt our ſentence be, we are unjuſt. I have for ſome yeares had the happines To be a witnes of your conſtant ſeſſion, In all which time I have not heard a ſentence Pronounc't by you that envy could pervert. We muſt not thinke we deſerve prayſe for that Which to neglect would merit puniſhment. But yet there are degrees of good and ill, Wherein the actor takes a liberty. Yet where the lawe preſcribes a certaine rule A iuſt Iudge cannot challenge liberty: But let us now purſue the worke in hand, Where is the pris'ner? Heere. Let him draw neere. His name? He calls himſelfe Virdugo, ſir. Then know, Virdugo, though thy haynous fact Be evident, yet the Iuſtice of this ſtate Grants thee free leave to anſwer for thy ſelfe. I thanke the ſtate for their ſet complement. Bring forth the witneſſes that he may ſee them. They are both heere an't pleaſe your excellence. Have they bin ſworne? Yes both ſir, before me. Then, by the oath you tooke, declare the truth Of what you know concerning this delinquent, Begin you firſt.