The Atheist's Tragedy, or The Honest Man's Revenge · chunk 29 of 41
Tourneur, Cyril · published 1611 · first performed or written 1611 [1607-1611] (Annals) tragedy · Unknown T1 Death, grief and revenge typicality 0.69 · 477 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Then fall and rise. What villains hand was that? save thee or thou shalt perish. zounds unsaved I think. What? Have I killed him? whatsoe'er thou be'st I would thy hand had prospered. For I was unfit to live, and well prepared to die. What shall I do? accuse myself. Submit me to the law, and that will quickly end this violent increase of misery. But 'tis a murder to be accessary to mine own death. I will not. I will take this opportunity to scape. It may be Heaven reserves me to some better end. Nay good Sir; I dare not. In good sooth I come of a generation both by Father and Mother, that were all as fruitful as Costard-mongers wives. Tush then, a tympany is the greatest danger can be feared. Their fruitfulness turns but to a certain kind of phlegmatic windy disease. I must put my understanding to your trust Sir. I would be loath to be deceived. No, conceive; thou shalt not. Yet thou shalt profit by my instruction too. My body is not every day drawn dry wench. Yet methinks Sir, your want of use should rather make your body like a Well, the lesser 'tis drawn, the sooner it grows dry. Thou shalt try that instantly. But we want place and opportunity. We have both. This is the back side of the House which the superstitious call Saint Winifred's, Church; and is verily a convenient unfrequented place.— Where under the close Curtains of the night; You purpose i'the dark to make me light. But what ha' you there? This disguise is for security sake wench. There's a talk thou know'st, that the Ghost of old Mon ferrers walks. In this Church he was buried. Now if any stranger fall upon us before our business be ended; in this disguise I shall be taken for that Ghost; and never be called to examination I warrant thee. Thus we shall scape both prevention and discovery. How do I look in this habit wench? So like a Ghost that notwithstanding I have some foreknowledge of you, you make my hair stand almost an end. I will try how I can kiss in this beard.— O fie, fie, fie. I will put it off; and then kiss; and then put it on. I can do the rest without kissing. What ha' we here? a Sheet? a hair? a beard? What end was this disguise intended for? No matter what. I'll not expostulate the purpose of a friendly accident. Perhaps it may accommodate my scape.— I fear I am pursued. For more assurance, I'll hide me here i'th' Charnel house; this convocation-house of dead men's skulls.— Death's head! deceivest my hold? Such is the trust to all mortality.— My Lord! The night grows late. Your Lordship spoke of something you desired to move in private.
nodes 1349–1366 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 29 of 41 in this edition
Length
477 words · 621 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: T10 · seed 44: T1 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Then fall and rise. What villaines hand was that? saue thee or thou shalt perish. Zownes vnsau'd I thinke. What? Haue I kill'd him? whatsoe'er thou beest I would thy hand had prosper'd. For I was vnfit to liue, and well prepar'd to die. What shall I doe? accuse my selfe. Submit me to the law, and that will quickly end this violent encrease of miserie. But t'is a murther to be accessarie to mine owne death. I will not. I will take this opportunitie to scape. It may be Heau'n reserues me to some better end. Nay good Sir; I dare not. In good sooth I come of a generation both by Father and Mother, that were all as fruitfull as Costard-mongers wiues. Tush then, a Timpanie is the greatest danger can be fear'd. Their fruitfulnesse turnes but to a certaine kind of flegmatique windie disease. I must put my vnderstanding to your trust Sir. I would be loath to be deceiu'd. No, conceiue; thou sha't not. Yet thou shalt profit by my instruction too. My bodie is not euery day drawne dry wench. Yet mee thinkes Sir, your want of vse should rather make your body like a Well, the lesser t'is drawne, the sooner it growes dry. Thou shalt try that instantly. But we want place and opportunity. We haue both. This is the backe side of the House which the superstitious call Saint Winifrea', Church; and is verily a conuenient vnfrequented place.—Where vnder the close Curtaines of the night; You purpose i'the darke to make me light. But what ha' you there? This disguise is for securitie sake wench. There's a talke thou know'st, that the Ghoast of olde Mon ferrers walks. In this Church he was buried. Now if any stranger fall vpon vs before our businesse be ended; in this disguise I shall be taken for that Ghoast; and neuer be call'd to examination I warrant thee. Thus wee shall scape both preuention and discouerie. How doe I looke in this habite wench? So like a Ghost that notwithstanding I haue som foreknowledge of you, you make my haire stand almost an end. I will try how I can kisse in this beard.—O fie, fie, fie. I will put it off; and then kisse; and then put it on. I can doe the rest without kissing. What ha' wee heere? a Sheete? a haire? a beard? What end was this disguise intended for? No matter what. I'le not expostulate the purpose of a friendly accident. Perhaps it may accommodate my scape.—I feare I am pursued. For more assurance, I'le hide mee heere i'th Charnell house; this conuccation-house of dead mens sculles.— Death's head! deceiu'st my hold? Such is the trust to all mortalitic.— My Lord! The night growes late. Your Lordship spake of something you desir'd to moue in priuate.