Webster, John · published 1623 · first performed or written 1614 [1612-1614; revised 1617-23(?)] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men · Blackfriars T1 Death, grief and revenge typicality 0.86 · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Cover her face: Mine eyes dazzle she died young. I think not so: her infelicity Seemed to have years too many. She, and I were Twins: And should I die this instant, I had lived Her Time to a minute. It seems she was borne first: You have bloodily approved the ancient truth, That kindred commonly do worse agree Then remote strangers. Let me see her face again; Why didst not thou pity her: what an excellent Honest man, might'st thou have been If thou hadst borne her to some Sanctuary? Or (bold in a good cause) opposed thyself With thy advanced sword above thy head, Between her Innocence, and my Revenge? I bade thee, when I was distracted of my wits, Go kill my dearest friend, and thou hast done't. For let me but examine well the cause; What was the meanness of her match to me? Only I must confess, I had a hope (Had she continued widow) to have gained An infinite mass of Treasure by her death: And that was the mayne cause; her Marriage, That drew a stream of gall, quite through my heart; For thee, (as we observe in Tragedies That a good Actor many times is cursed For playing a villain's part) I hate thee for't: And (for my sake) say thou hast done much ill, well: Let me quicken your memory: for I perceive You are falling into ingratitude: I challenge The reward due to my service. I'll tell thee, What I'll give thee, Do: I'll give thee a pardon For this murder: Hh? Yes: and 'tis The largest bounty I can study to do thee. By what authority didst thou execute This bloody sentence? By yours Mine? was I her judge? Did any ceremonial form of Law, doom her to not-Being? did a complete jury Deliver her conviction up i'th' Court? Where shalt thou find this judgement registered Unless in hell? See: like a bloody fool Thou'st forfeited thy life, and thou shalt die for't. The Office of justice is perverted quite When one Thief hangs another: who shall dare To reveal this: Oh, I'll tell thee: The Wolf shall find her Grave, and scrape it up: Not to devour the corpses, but to discover The horrid murder. You; not I shall quake for't. Leave me: I will first receive my Pension. You are a villain: When your Ingratitude Is judge, I am so; O horror! That not the fear of him, which binds the devils Can prescribe man obedience. Never look upon me more. Why fare thee well: Your brother, and yourself, are worthy men; You have a pair of hearts, are hollow Graves, Rotten, and rotting others: and your vengeance, (Like two-chained bullets) still goes arm in arm, You may be Brothers: for treason, like the plague, Doth take much in a blood: I stand like one That long hath ta'en a sweet, and golden dream. I am angry with myself, now that I wake.
Blackfriars;Globe;Indoor Professional;Outdoor Professional
Genre (British Drama)
tragedy
Play type
Adult Professional;Professional
Edition / TCP / DEEP
edition 858 · TCP A14872 · DEEP 714
Edition role
Representative edition — used in the analysis
Position
nodes 2416–2492 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 35 of 47 in this edition
Length
496 words · 651 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T1 — Death, grief and revengecross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.863 (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)
Couer her face: Mine eyes dazell she di'd yong. I thinke not so: her infelicitie Seem'd to haue yeeres too many. She, and I were Twinnes: And should I die this instant, I had liu'd Her Time to a Mynute. It seemes she was borne first: You haue bloodely approu'd the auncient truth, That kindred commonly doe worse agee Then remote strangers. Let me see her face againe; Why didst not thou pitty her: what an excellent Honest man, might'st thou haue bin If thou hadst borne her to some Sactuary? Or (bold in a good cause) oppos'd thy selfe With thy aduanced sword aboue thy head, Betweene her Innocence, and my Reuenge? I bad thee, when I was distracted of my wits▪ Goe kill my dearest friend, and thou hast don't. For let me but examine well the cause; What was the meanenes of her match to me▪ Onely I must confesse, I had a hope (Had she continu'd widow) to haue gain'd An infinite masse of Treasure by her death: And that was the mayne cause; her Marriage, That drew a streame of gall, quite through my heart; For thee, (as we obserue in Tragedies That a good Actor many times is curss'd For playing a villaines part) I hate thee for't: And (for my sake) say thou hast done much ill, well: Let me quicken your memory: for I perceiue You are falling into ingratitude: I challenge The reward due to my seruice. I'll tell thee, What I'll giue thee, Doe: I'll giue thee a pardon For this murther: Hh? Yes: and 'tis The largest bounty I can studie to doe thee. By what authority did'st thou execute This bloody sentence? By your Mine? was I her Iudge? Did any ceremoniall forme of Law, Doombe her to not-Being? did a compleat Iury Deliuer her conuiction vp i'th Court? Where shalt thou find this Iudgement registerd Vnlesse in hell? See: like a bloody foole Th'hast forfeyted thy life, and thou shalt die for't. The Office of Iustice is peruerted quite When one Thiefe hangs another: who shall dare To reueale this: Oh, I'll tell thee: The Wolfe shall finde her Graue, and scrape it vp: Not to deuoure the corpes, but to discouer The horrid murther. You; not I shall quake for't. Leaue me: I will first receiue my Pention. You are a villaine: When your Ingratitude Is Iudge, I am so; O horror! That not the feare of him, which bindes the diuels Can prescribe man obedience. Neuer looke vpon me more. Why fare thee well▪ Your brother, and your selfe, are worthy men; You haue a paire of hearts, are hollow Graues, Rotten, and rotting others: and your vengeance, (Like two-chain'd bullets) still goes arme in arme, You may be Brothers: for treason, like the plague, Doth take much in a blood: I stand like one That long hath ta'ne a sweet, and golden dreame. I am angry with my selfe, now that I wake.