The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality · chunk 19 of 19
Anonymous · published 1602 · first performed or written 1601 [Feb 22] (Annals) moral · Children of the Chapel (second) · before the Court T1 Death, grief and revenge typicality 0.75 · 538 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Prodigality, hold up thy hand. Thou art indicted here by the name of Prodigality, for that thou, the fourth day of February, in the three & forty year of the prosperous reign of Elizabeth our dread Sovereign, by the grace of God, of England, France, and Ireland Queen, defender of the faith, etc. together with two other malefactors yet unknown, at Highgate in the County of Middle sex afore said, didst feloniously take from one Tenacity of the parish of Pancridge yeoman, in the said County, one thousand pounds of gold and silver starling: And also, how thyself, the said prodigality; with a sword, price twenty shillings, then and there cruelly didst give the said Tenacity upon the head, one mortal wound, whereof he is now dead, contrary to the queen's peace, her, Crown and dignity. How sayst thou, Prodigality, to this robbery, felony, and murder? art thou guilty, or not guilty? My Lord, I beseech you, grant me council to plead my cause. That may not be, it standeth not with our laws. Then, good my Lord, let me some respite take. Neither may that be: thus doth the indictment lie, Thou art accused of murder, and of robbery, To which thou must now answer presently, Whether thou be thereof guilty or not guilty. Well, since there is no other remedy, And that my fact falls out so apparently, I will confess, that in deed I am guilty, Most humbly appealing to the prince's mercy. Then what canst thou say for thyself, Prodigality, That according to the law thou shouldst not die? Nothing, my Lord: but still appeal to the PRINCE's mercy. Then hearken to thy judgement. Thou, Prodigality, by that name haste been indicted and arraigned here, of a robbery, murder, and felony, against the laws committed by thee: the indictment whereof being read unto thee here, thou confessest thyself to be guilty therein: whereupon I judge thee, to be had from hence, to the place thou camest fro, and from thence to the place of execution, there to be hanged till thou be dead. God have mercy on thee. My Lord, I most humbly beseech you to hear me. Say on. I confess, I have run a wanton wicked race, Which now hath brought me to this woeful wretched case: I am heartily sorry, and with tears do lament My former lewd, and vile misgovernment. I find the brittle stay of trustless Fortune's state. My heart now thirsteth after Virtue, all too late: Yet good my Lord, of pity condescend, To be a mean for him, that meaneth to amend. The Prince is merciful, of whose great mercy, Full many have largely tasted already: Which makes me appeal thereto more boldly. Prodigality, I not mislike your wailful disposition, And therefore, for you to the Prince, there shall be made Petition, That though your punishment be not fully remitted, Yet in some part, it may be qualified. God save your life. MOst mighty Queen, yonder I sat in place, Presenting show of chiefest dignity; Here prostrate, lo, before your Princely grace, I show myself, such as I ought to be, Your humble vassal, subject to your will, With fear and love, your Grace to reverence still.
nodes 1197–1239 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 19 of 19 in this edition
Length
538 words · 748 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T1 — Death, grief and revengecross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.746 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T1 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Prodigality, hold vp thy hand. Thou art indited here by the name of Prodigality, for that thou, the fourth day of February, in the three & fortie yeere of the prosperous raigne of Elizabeth our dread Soueraigne, by the grace of God, of England, France, and Ireland Queene, defender of the faith, &c. together with two other malefactors yet vnknowne, at High-gate in the County of Middle sex afore said, didst ly take from one Tenacity of the parish of Pancridge yeoman, the said County, one thousand pounds of gold and siluer starling: And also, how thy , the ; with a sword, price twenty shillings, then and there cruelly didst giue the saide Tenacitie vpon the head, one mortall , whereof hee is now dead, contrarie to the Queenes peace, her, Crowne and dignitie. How saist thou, Prodigalitie, to this , felonie, and murther? art thou , or not guiltie? My Lord, I beseech you, graunt me councell to plead my cause. That may not be, it standeth not with our lawes. Then, good my Lord, let me some respite take. Neyther may that be: thus doth the inditement lie, Thou art of murther, and of robberie, To which thou must now answere presently, Whether thou be thereof guiltie or not guiltie. Well, since there is no other remedie, And that my fact falles out so apparantly, I will confesse, that in deed I am guilty, Most humbly appealing to the mercy. Then what canst thou say for thy selfe, Prodigalitie, That according to the law thou shouldst not die? Nothing, my Lord: but still appeale to the Princes mercy. Then hearken to thy iudgement. Thou, Prodigalitie, by that name haste bin indited and arraigned here, of a robbery, murther, and felonie, against the lawes committed by thee: the inditement whereof being read vnto thee here, thou confessest thy selfe to be guilty therein: whereupon I ludge thee, to be had from hence, to the place thou camst fro, and from thence to the place of execution, there to be hangd till thou be dead. God haue mercy on thee. My Lord, I most humbly beseech you to heare mee. Say on. I confesse, I haue runne a wanton wicked race, Which now hath brought me to this wofull wretched case: heartily sorrie, and with teares doe lament My former lewd, and vile misgouernment. I finde the brittle stay of Fortunes state. My heart now after Vertue, all too late: Yet good my Lord, of pittie condiscend, To be a meane for him, that meaneth to amend. The Prince is mercifull, of whose great mercy, Full many haue largely tasted already: Which makes me appeale thereto more boldly. Prodigalitie, I not mislike your wailefull disposition, And therefore, for you to the Prince, there shall be made Petition, That though your punishment be not fully remitted, Yet in some part, it may be qualified. God saue your life. MOst mightie Queene, yonder I sate in place, Presenting shew of chiefest dignitie; Here prostrate, lo, before your Princely grace, I shew my selfe, such as I ought to be, Your humble vassall, subiect to your will, With feare and loue, your Grace to reuerence still.