Field, Nathan / Massinger, Philip · published 1632 · first performed or written 1619 [1617-1619] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men · Blackfriars T1 Death, grief and revenge typicality 0.81 · 475 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
'Tis apparent. Your state, my Lord, again is yours. Not mine, I am not of the world, if it can prosper, (And yet being justly got, I'll not examine Why it should be so fatal) do you bestow it On pious uses. I'll go seek a grave. And yet for proof, I die in peace, your pardon I ask, and as you grant it me, may Heaven Your conscience, and these judges free you from What you are charged with. So farewell for ever.— I'll be mine own guide. Passion, nor example Shall be my leaders. I have lost a son, A son, grave judges, I require his blood From his accursed homicide. What reply you In your defence for this? ay but attended Your Lordship's pleasure. For the fact, as of The former, I confess it, but with what Base wrongs I was unwillingly drawn to it, To my few words there are some other proofs To witness this for truth, when I was married: For there I must begin. The slain Novall Was to my wife, in way of our French courtship, A most devoted servant, but yet aimed at Nothing but means to quench his wanton heat, His heart being never warmed by lawful fires As mine was (Lords:) and though on these presumptions, joined to the hate between his house and mine, I might with opportunity and ease have found a way for my revenge, I did not; But still he had the freedom as before When all was mine, and told that he abused it With some unseemly licence, by my friend My approved friend Romont. I gave no credit To the reporter, but reproved him for it, As one uncourtly and malicious to him. What could I more, my Lords? yet after this He did continue in his first pursuit Hotter than ever, and at length obtained it; But how it came to my most certain knowledge, For the dignity of the court and my own honour I dare not say. If all may be believed A passionate prisoner speaks, who is so foolish That durst be wicked, that will appear guilty? No, my grave Lords: in his impunity But give example unto jealous men To cut the throats they hate, and they will never Want matter or pretence for their bad ends. You must find other proofs to strengthen these But mere presumptions. Or we shall hardly Allow your innocence. All your attempts Shall fall on me, like brittle shafts on armour, That break themselves; or like waves against a rock, That leave no sign of their ridiculous fury But foam and splinters, my innocence like these Shall stand triumphant, and your malice serve But for a trumpet to proclaim my conquest; Nor shall you, though you do the worst fate can, howe'er condemn, affright an honest man.
nodes 2656–2719 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 41 of 42 in this edition
Length
475 words · 590 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T1 — Death, grief and revengecross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.810 (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)
'Tis apparent. Your state, my Lord, againe is yours. Not mine, I am not of the world, if it can prosper, (And yet being iustly got, Ile not examine Why it should be so fatall) doe you bestow it On pious vses. Ile goe seeke a graue. And yet for proofe, I die in peace, your pardon I aske, and as you grant it me, may Heauen Your conscience, and these Iudges free you from What you are charg'd with. So farewell for euer.— Ile be mine owne guide. Passion, nor example Shall be my leaders. I haue lost a sonne, A sonne, graue Iudges, I require his blood From his accursed homicide. What reply you In your defence for this? I but attended Your Lordships pleasure. For the fact, as of The former, I confesse it, but with what Base wrongs I was vnwillingly drawne to it, To my few words there are some other proofes To witnesse this for truth, when I was married: For there I must begin. The slayne Nouall Was to my wife, in way of our French courtship, A most deuoted seruant, but yet aym'd at Nothing but meanes to quench his wanton heate, His heart being nuer warm'd by lawfull fires As mine was (Lords:) and though on these presumptions, Ioyn'd to the hate betweene his house and mine, I might with opportunity and ease Hae found a way for my reuenge, I did not; But still he had the freedome as before Whn all was mine, and told that he abus'd it With some vnseemely licence, by my friend My appou'd friend Romont. I gaue no credit To the reporter, but reprou'd him for it, As one vncourtly and malicious to him. What could I more, my Lords? yet after this He did continue in his first pursue Hoter then euer, and at length obtind it; But how it came to my most certaine kowledge, For the dignity of the court and my owne honour I dare not say. If all may be beleeu'd A passionate prisoner speakes, who is so foolish That durst be wicked, that will appeare guilty? No, my graue Lords: in his impunity But giue example vnto iealous men To cut the throats they hate, and they will neuer Want matter or pretence for their bad ends. You must finde other proofes to strengthen these But meere presumptions. Or we shall hardly Allow your innocence. All your attempts Shall fall on me, like brittle shats on armor, That breake themselues; or like waues against a rock, That leaue no signe of their ridiculous fury But foame and splinters, my innocence like these Shall stand triumphant, and your malice serue But for a trumpet to proclaime my conquest; Nor shall you, though you doe the worst fate can, How ere condemne, affright an honest man.