Jonson, Ben · published 1616 · first performed or written 1606 [1605-1606] (Annals) comedy · King's Men T1 Death, grief and revenge typicality 0.68 · 501 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Of that dear grace, but with their shame; being placed So above all powers of their gratitude, Began to hate the benefit: and, in place Of thanks, device t'extirp the memory Of such an act. Wherein, I pray your fatherhoods, To observe the malice, yea, the rage of creatures Discovered in their evils; and what heart Such take, even, from their crimes. But that, anon, Will more appear. This gentleman, the father, Hearing of this foul fact, with many others, Which daily struck at his too-tender ears, And, grieved in nothing more, than that he could not Preserve himself a parent (his sons ills Growing to that strange flood) at last decreed To disinherit him. These be strange turns! The young man's fame was ever fair, and honest. So much more full of danger is his vice, That can beguile so, under shade of virtue. But as I said (my honoured sires) his father Having this settled purpose, (by what means To him betrayed, we know not) and this day Appointed for the deed; that parricide, (I cannot style him better) by confederacy Preparing this his paramour to be there, Entered VOLPONE'S house (who was the man Your fatherhoods must understand, designed For the inheritance) there, sought his father: But, with what purpose sought he him, my lords? (I tremble to pronounce it, that a son Unto a father, and to such a father Should have so foul, felonious intent) It was, to murder him. When, being prevented By his more happy absence, what then did he? Not check his wicked thoughts; no, now new deeds: (Mischief doth ever end, where it begins) An act of horror, fathers! he dragged forth The aged gentleman, that had there lain, bedrid, Three years, and more, out off his innocent couch, Naked, upon the floor, there left him; wounded His servant in the face; and, with this strumpet The stale to his forged practice, who was glad To be so active, (I shall here desire Your fatherhoods to note but my collections, As most remarkable) thought, at once, to stop His father's ends; discredit his free choice, In the old gentleman; redeem themselves, By laying infamy upon this man, To whom, with blushing, they should owe their lives. What proofs have you of this? Most honoured fathers, I humbly crave, there be no credit given To this man's mercenary tongue. Forbear. His soul moves in his fee. O, sir. This fellow, For six sols more, would plead against his maker. You do forget yourself. Nay, nay, grave fathers, Let him have scope: can any man imagine That he will spare his accuser, that would not Have spared his parent? Well, produce your proofs. I would I could forget, I were a creature. signor CORBACCIO. What is he? The father. Has he had an oath? Yes. What must I do now? Your testimony's craved. Speak to the knave? I'll ha' my mouth, first, stopped with earth; my heart Abhors his knowledge: I disclaim in him.
nodes 2513–2587 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 39 of 53 in this edition
Length
501 words · 701 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T1 — Death, grief and revengecross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.682 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T7 · seed 44: T1 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Of that deare grace, but with their shame; being plac'd So' aboue all powers of their gratitude, Began to hate the benefit: and, in place Of thankes, deuise t'extirpe the memorie Of such an act. Wherein, I pray your father-hoods, To obserue the malice, yea, the rage of creatures Discouer'd in their euils; and what heart Such take, euen, from their crimes. But that, anone, Will more appeare. This gentleman, the father, Hearing of this foule fact, with many others, VVhich dayly strooke at his too-tender eares, And, grieu'd in nothing more, then that he could not Preserue him selfe a parent (his sonnes ills Growing to that strange floud) at last decreed To dis-inherit him. These be strange turnes! The yong mans fame was euer faire, and honest. So much more full of danger is his vice, That can beguile so, vnder shade of vertue. But as I said (my honour'd sires) his father Hauing this setled purpose, (by what meanes To him betray'd, we know not) and this day Appointed for the deed; that parricide, (I cannot stile him better) by confederacy Preparing this his paramour to be there, Entred VOLPONE'S house (who was the man Your father-hoods must vnderstand, design'd For the inheritance) there, sought his father: But, with what purpose sought he him, my lords? (I tremble to pronounce it, that a sonne Vnto a father, and to such a father Should haue so foule, felonious intent) It was, to murder him. When, being preuented By his more happy absence, what then did he? Not check his wicked thoughts; no, now new deeds: (Mischiefe doth euer end, where it begins) An act of horror, fathers! he drag'd forth The aged gentleman, that had there lien, bed-red, Three yeeres, and more, out off his innocent couch, Naked, vpon the floore, there left him; wounded His seruant in the face; and, with this strumpet The stale to his forg'd practise, who was glad To be so actiue, (I shall here desire Your father-hoods to note but my collections, As most remarkable) thought, at once, to stop His fathers ends; discredit his free choice, In the old gentleman; redeeme themselues, By laying infamy vpon this man, To whom, with blushing, they should owe their liues. What proofes haue you of this? Most honour'd fathers, I humbly craue, there be no credit giuen To this mans mercenary tongue. Forbeare. His soule moues in his fee. O, sir. This fellow, For six sols more, would pleade against his maker. You do forget your selfe. Nay, nay, graue fathers, Let him haue scope: can any man imagine That he will spare' his accuser, that would not Haue spar'd his parent? Well, produce your proofes. I would I could forget, I were a creature. Signior CORBACCIO. What is he? The father. Has he had an oth? Yes. What must I do now? Your testimony's crau'd. Speake to the knaue? I'le ha' my mouth, first, stopt with earth; my heart Abhors his knowledge: I disclaime in him.