Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	death_n	know_v	life_n	2,879	5	4.5653	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43430	Herodian's history of the Roman emperors containing many strange and wonderful revolutions of state in Europe, Asia, and Africa : also, their most remarkable embassies, speeches, antiquities, &c. : together with the most solemn ceremonies us'd at the deification of the Roman emperors : with a character of the ancient Britains / done from the Greek by a gentleman at Oxford.; History. English	Herodian.; Gentleman at Oxford.	1698 (1698)	Wing H1581; ESTC R13737	140,954	430

enjoy Repose and Quiet which they had been so long depriv'd of by a Tyrannical Administration and after long Deliberation about a Person none was found so fit a Man or so worthy of the Empire as Pertinax This Pertinax was by Nation an Italian much renown'd for his successful Atchievements in Time of War and his prudent Ministry in Time of Peace He had signaliz'd himself in his Expeditions against the Germans and the Eastern Nations over whom he had obtain'd great Victories and he was the only Person surviving of those grave and wise Men whom Marcus honour'd with his Friendship and Confidence The Reason why he was spar'd is uncertain Whether Commodus rever'd him for the Dignity and Gravity of his Deportment or he had no Regards of Interest to move him to cut him off For this also is part of his Panegyrick that though he had run through the greatest Charges and Employments of any yet he had made the smallest Improvement of his own Fortune To him Laetus and Electus with some others of the Conspirators came at Midnight when all Men were asleep and finding his Gates lock'd awaken'd the Porter who as soon as he descry'd the Soldiers and Laetus Captain of the Guard among them in great consternation he runs back to acquaint his Master Pertinax commanded him to conduct them to him without any greater Emotion than the saying That now what he had so long expected was come to pass And he maintain'd all the Time such a Sedateness and Constancy of Mind that he did not so much as move himself from the Bed or alter the Air of his Face And when Laetus and Electus made their Approach tho' he concluded they came to kill him yet he never chang'd Colour but spoke to them with a becoming Boldness and Gravity of Countenance I 've expected says he a long time that this Period should be put to my Days being the only Person remaining of the Friends of the deceas'd Emperor and I must confess I have wonder'd why Commodus has suspended the Blow so long And as for you Gentlemen what do you stay of Why don't you execute your Warrant and dispatch me out of this wretched State of Anxiety and Misery Laetus reply'd Pray Sir forbear speaking Things so unworthy your Character and the former Course of your Life We come not hither to be your Executioners but to compleat the Preservation and Deliverance of us your self and the Roman People from Tyranny and Slavery The Tyrant is slain and has receiv'd the Chastisement due to his Extravagance and Folly We have prevented him and he has suffer'd that from our Hands which he design'd we should undergo by his And now we come to offer the Empire to you the Leading Man in the Senate as well in regard of your Authority and Age as of the constant Moderation and Sobriety of your Manners We know also that none maintains so great a Share as you in the Vogue and Affections of the People and for that Reason assure our selves that by this Action of ours we shall not only provide for our own Safety but merit Esteem and Applause from every true Roman Pertinax answer'd Pray Gentlemen don't banter an old Man at this rate I am not sunk into such Meanness and Abjectness of Spirit as that you should thus abuse me before you kill me Nay then said Electus if you won't take our Word pray read this Book you know and have been accustom'd to the Emperor's Hand and you 'll perceive how great a Danger we have escap'd and that what we say now is not to ensnare but to inform you of the true State of Things And now Pertinax began to overcome his Incredulity and to believe what they said and understanding the whole Matter told them he was intirely at their Disposal and would pursue such Measures as they should direct And they thought it the most advisable in the first place to go to the Army and sound the Inclinations of the Soldiers tho' Laetus assur'd them he could influence them to do what he pleas'd in regard he was their Commander and upon that Score might pretend to a more than ordinary Authority over them So they all went immediately to the Army And now the Night was far spent and the Day for the Celebration of the Festival approach'd But all Things were adjusted before Morning and certain Men were order'd to spread abroad the Report that Commodus was dead and that Pertinax was to succeed him and was gone to the Army in order to his Election After this News was publickly known the People were visibly transported into strange Emotions and Ecstasies A great many ran about the Streets and handed to their Friends the welcome Tydings especially to those of the most considerable Fortune or Quality for they had the greatest Reason to rejoyce upon this Occasion as being deliver'd from the most imminent Danger Then they ran to the Temples and Altars to render Thanks to the Immortal Gods for this signal Deliverance some crying aloud The Gladiator others The Tyrant is dead And some there were that broke out into far more bitter Reproaches all which during the late Tyranny were stifled none daring even to whisper those Things which now they proclaim'd with great freedom and liberty After this great Numbers of the People went in a tumultuary manner to the Army for fear the Soldiers should oppose the Promotion of Pertinax for he was a Man famous for Temper and Moderation and therefore they fansied might not be very agreeable to the Soldiers who had minister'd to the Lusts of Tyrants and under their Shelter and Countenance had committed the greatest Violences and Rapines The purpose therefore of their coming was to force them to a Compliance in case they should endeavour any Opposition After they were assembled in the Camp Laetus and Electus introduc'd Pertinax and presented him to them and having call'd the Soldiers together Laetus made this Harangue LAETUS his SPEECH I Am to acquaint you Gentlemen That Commodus your Emperor is dead of an Apoplexy occasion'd by his own Intemperance for he despis'd the wholesom and sober Advices which we gave him and living on at the Rate which you very well know was at last perfectly choak'd up with excessive Eating This is Gentlemen the Account of his Death Indeed every Man has not the same Fate the Causes of Death are various almost as the Casualties of Life and tho' we must all die yet we tread different Paths to that Common End In his Room we and the Roman People propose to you a Man that has the Recommendations of Age Sobriety great Military Experience As to the last of these I dare appeal to the Testimony of all those that have been any considerable Time in the Army and assure my self they can't but speak honourably of his Conduct in all his Expeditions Nor have the rest of you less admir'd his Prudence and Moderation in the whole Course of his Ministry at home