Hoffman, or A Revenge for a Father · chunk 32 of 39
Chettle, Henry · published 1631 · first performed or written 1602 [Dec 29, payment] (Annals) tragedy · Admiral's (Nottingham's) Men · Phoenix/Cockpit unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
Alas! what are they? what are you that seem In civil habits to hide ruthless hearts; Lorrique, what are they? what wilt thou attempt? Help Gentlemen, if ye be Gentlemen, And stay this fellow from despairing ill. I was ordained unto perdition, stay me not; For when ye know the mischiefs I have done, (at least, consented to, through coward fear) You would not stop me, if I skipped in quick To that black, bottomless and ruthless, gulf, Where everlasting sorrows like linked chains Fetter the wretched in eternal night. what hast thou done? Knavery I warrant you, tell truth and shame the Devil my boy, do, and thou shalt have a fine thing by and by. I take your Highness for that reverend Duchess Late wife unto the Duke of Prussia. I am the wretched childless widow sir. princess hear me, and I will briefly tell How you came childless, you brotherless, You husbandless, and fatherless, all, all, I'll tell you, having ended, act my fall. Well, forward; Be it so, I have deserved a greater cruelty, To be kept living when I long to die. I charge thee setting by all circumstance, Thou utter what thou knowest: my heart is steel, Nor can it suffer more than it doth feel. Then thus, Prince Charles and I escaped the wrack, Came safe ashore to this accursed plot, Where we met Hoffman, who upon yond tree Preserved his father's bare anatomy, The biggest of them two were those strong bones That acted mighty deeds. Hoffman the son full of revenge and hate, 'Gainst every hand that wrought his father's hurt, Yet guilded over his envy with fair shows, And entertained us with as friendly terms As falsehood could invent; and 'tis well known: Bitter deceit useth the sweetest speech. At length he took advantage, bound my Lord, And in a chain tied him to yonder rock, While with a burning Crown he feared in twain The purple Veins, strong sinews, arteries, nerves, And every cartilege about the head, In which sad torment the mild Prince fell dead. Did Hoffman this? and thou concealest the deed? Pardon my fear, Dread Madam. well, go on, I am confident to hear all cruelty, And am resolved to act some, if no hand Will else attempt the murderers and, but mine. Be patient; you will find associates: For there are many murderers more behind. what did he with the body of my son? Buried the flesh, the bones are they that hang Close by his fathers. Let them hang a while Hope of revenge in wrath doth make me smile. Pray let him tell the rest. This acted, Hoffman forced me to conceal The murder of my Lord, and threatened more Than death by many torments, till I swore To call him Otho, and say he was your son: I swore and kept my oath. O Heaven. O Devil. Nay, I pray you peace.
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)
Alas! what are they? what are you that seeme In ciuill habits to hide ruthlesse hearts; Lorrique, what are they? what wilt thou attempt? Helpe Gentlemen, if yee be Gentlemen, And stay this fellow from dispayring ill. I was ordain'd vnto perdition, stay me not; For when yee know the mischiefes I haue done, (at least, consented to, through coward feare) You would not stop me, if I skipt in quicke To that blacke, bottomlesse and ruthlesse, gulph, Where euerlasting sorrowes like linkt chaynes Fetter the wretched in eternall night. what hast thou done? Knauery I warrant you, tell truth and shame the Diuell my boy, doe, and thou shalt haue a fine thing by and by. I take your Highnes for that reuerend Dutches Late wife vnto the Duke of Prussia. I am the wretched childlesse widdow sir. Princesse heare me, and I will briefely tell How you came childlesse, you brotherlesse, You husbandlesse, and fatherlesse, all, all, Ile tell you, hauing ended, act my fall. Well, forward; Be it soe, I haue deseru'd a greater cruelty, To bee kept liuing when I long to dye. I charge thee setting by all circumstance, Thou vtter what thou knowest: my heart is steele, Nor can it suffer more then it doth feele. Then thus, Prince Charles and I escap't the wracke, Came safe a shore to this accursed plot, Where we met Hoffman, who vpon yon tree Preseru'd his fathers bare anatomy, The biggest of them two were those strong bones That acted mighty deeds. Hoffman the son full of reuenge and hate, 'Gainst euery hand that wrought his fathers hurt, Yet guilded ore his enuie with faire shewes, And entertain'd vs with as friendly termes As falshood could inuent; and 'tis well knowne▪ Bitter deceit vseth the sweetest speech. At length he tooke aduantage, bound my Lord, And in a chayne tyed him to yonder rocke, While with a burning Crowne he feard in twaine The purple Veynes, strong sinewes, arteries, uerues, And euery cartilage about the head, In which sad torment the mild Prince fell dead. Did Hoffman this? and thou conceal'st the deed? Pardon my feare, Dread Madam. well, goe on, I am confident to heare all cruelty, And am resolu'd to act some, if noe hand Will else attempt the murderers and, but mine. Be patient; you will finde associates: For there are many murderers more behinde. what did hee with the body of my son? Buried the slesh, the bones are they that hang Close by his fathers. Let them hang a while Hope of reuenge in wrath doth make mee smile. Pray let him tell the rest. This acted, Hoffman forc't me to conceale The murder of my Lord, and threatned more Then death by many torments, till I swore To call him Otho, and say he was your son▪ I swore and kept my oath. O Heauen. O Diuell. Nay, I pray you peace.