Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	body_n	life_n	speak_v	4,234	5	4.7152	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27305	Oroonoko, or, The royal slave : a true history / by Mrs. A. Behn.	Behn, Aphra, 1640-1689.	1688 (1688)	Wing B1749; ESTC R4474	60,838	238

Objects appear'd not the same to him they were wont to do his Breath was short and all his Limbs surprised with a Faintness he had never felt before He had not Eat in two Days which was one occasion of this Feebleness but excess of Grief was the greatest yet still he hop'd he shou'd recover Vigour to act his Design and lay expecting it yet six Days longer still mourning over the dead Idol of his Heart and striving every Day to rise but cou'd not In all this time you may believe we were in no little affliction for Caesar and his Wife some were of Opinion he was escap'd never to return others thought some Accident had hap'ned to him But however we fail'd not to send out an hundred People several ways to search for him a Party of about forty went that way he took among whom was Tuscan who was perfectly reconcil'd to Byam they had not gon very far into the Wood but they smelt an unusual Smell as of a dead Body for Stinks must be very noisom that can be distinguish'd among such a quantity of Natural Sweets as every Inch of that Land produces So that they concluded they shou'd find him dead or somebody that was so they past on towards it as Loathsom as it was and made such a rusling among the Leaves that lye thick on the Ground by continual Falling that Caesar heard he was approach'd and though he had during the space of these eight Days endeavor'd to rise but found he wanted Strength yet looking up and seeing his Pursuers he rose and reel'd to a Neighbouring Tree against which he fix'd his Back and being within a dozen Yards of those that advanc'd and saw him he call'd out to them and bid them approach no nearer if they wou'd be safe So that they stood still and hardly believing their Eyes that wou'd perswade them that it was Caesar that spoke to 'em so much was he alter'd they ask'd him What he had done with his Wife for they smelt a Stink that almost struck them dead He pointing to the dead Body sighing cry'd Behold her there they put off the Flowers that cover'd her with their Sticks and found she was kill'd and cry'd out Oh Monster that hast murther'd thy Wife Then asking him Why he did so cruel a Deed He replied he had no leasure to answer impertinent Questions You may go back continued he and tell the Faithless Governor he may thank Fortune that I am breathing my last and that my Arm is too feeble to obey my Heart in what it had design'd him But his Tongue faultering and trembling he cou'd scarce end what he was saying The English taking Advantage by his Weakness cry'd Let us take him alive by all means He heard 'em and as if he had reviv'd from a Fainting or a Dream he cry'd out No Gentlemen you are deceiv'd you will find no more Caesars to be Whipt no more find a Faith in me Feeble as you think me I have Strength yet left to secure me from a second Indignity They swore all a-new and he only shook his Head and beheld them with Scorn then they cry'd out Who will venture on this single Man Will no body They stood all silent while Caesar replied Fatal will be the Attempt to the first Adventurer let him assure himself and at that Word held up his Knife in a menacing Posture Look ye ye faithless Crew said he 't is not Life I seek nor am I afraid of Dying and at that Word cut a piece of Flesh from his own Throat and threw it at 'em yet still I wou'd Live if I cou'd till I had perfected my Revenge But oh it cannot be I feel Life gliding from my Eyes and Heart and if I make not haste I shall yet fall a Victim to the shameful Whip At that he rip'd up his own Belly and took his Bowels and pull'd 'em out with what Strength he cou'd while some on their Knees imploring besought him to hold his Hand But when they saw him tottering they cry'd out Will none venture on him A bold English cry'd Yes if he were the Devil taking Courage when he saw him almost Dead and swearing a horrid Oath for his farewell to the World he rush'd on Caesar with his Arm'd Hand met him so fairly as stuck him to the Heart and he fell Dead at his Feet Tuscan seeing that cry'd out I love thee oh Caesar and therefore will not let thee Dye if possible And running to him took him in his Arms but at the same time warding a Blow that Caesar made at his Bosom he receiv'd it quite through his Arm and Caesar having not the Strength to pluck the Knife forth though he attempted it Tuscan neither pull'd it out himself nor suffer'd it to be pull'd out but came down with it sticking in his Arm and the reason he gave for it was because the Air shou'd not get into the Wound They put their Hands a-cross and carried Caesar between Six of 'em fainted as he was and they thought Dead or just Dying and they brought him to Parham and laid him on a Couch and had the Chirurgeon immediately to him who drest his Wounds and sow'd up his Belly and us'd means to bring him to Life which they effected We ran all to see him and if before we thought him so beautiful a Sight he was now so alter'd that his Face was like a Death's Head black'd over nothing but Teeth and Eye-holes For some Days we suffer'd no body to speak to him but caused Cordials to be poured down his Throat which sustained his Life and in six or seven Days he recover'd his Senses For you must know that Wounds are almost to a Miracle cur'd in the Indies unless Wounds in the Legs which rarely ever cure When he was well enough to speak we talk'd to him and ask'd him some Questions about his Wife and the Reasons why he kill'd her and he then told us what I have related of that Resolution and of his Parting and he besought us we would let him Dye and was extreamly Afflicted to think it was possible he might Live he assur'd us if we did not Dispatch him he wou'd prove very Fatal to a great many We said all we cou'd to make him Live and gave him new Assurances but he begg'd we wou'd not think so poorly of him or of his love to Imoinda to imagine we cou'd Flatter him to Life again but the Chirurgeon assur'd him he cou'd not Live and therefore he need not Fear We were all but Caesar afflicted at this News and the Sight was gashly his Discourse was sad and the earthly Smell about him so strong that I was perswaded to leave the Place for some time being my self-but Sickly and very apt to fall into Fits of dangerous Illness upon any extraordinary Melancholy the Servants and Trefry and the Chirurgeons promis'd all to take what possible care they cou'd of the Life of Caesar and I taking Boat went with other Company to Colonel Martin's about three Days Journy down the River but I was no sooner gon but the Governor taking Trefry about some pretended earnest Business a Days Journy up the River having communicated his Design to one Banister a wild Irish Man and one of the Council a Fellow of absolute Barbarity and fit to execute any Villany but was Rich. He came up to Parham and forcibly took Caesar and had him carried to the same Post where he was Whip'd and causing him to be ty'd to it and a great Fire made before him he told him he shou'd Dye like a Dog as he was Caesar replied this was the first piece of Bravery that ever Banister did and he never spoke Sence till he pronounc'd that Word and if he wou'd keep it he wou'd declare in the other World that he was the only Man of all the Whites that ever he heard speak Truth And turning to the Men that bound him he said My Friends am I to Dye or to be Whip'd And they cry'd Whip'd no you shall not escape so well And then he replied smiling A Blessing on thee and assur'd them they need not tye him for he wou'd stand fixt like a Rock and indure Death so as shou'd encourage them to Dye But if you Whip me said he be sure you tye me fast He had learn'd to take Tobaco and when he was assur'd he should Dye he desir'd they would give him a Pipe in his Mouth ready Lighted which they did and the Executioner came and first cut off his Members and threw them into the Fire after that with an ill-favoured Knife they cut his Ears and his Nose and burn'd them he still Smoak'd on as if nothing had touch'd him then they hack'd off one of his Arms and still he bore up and held his Pipe but at the cutting off the other Arm his Head sunk and his Pipe drop'd and he gave up the Ghost without a Groan or a Reproach My Mother and Sister were by him all the while but not suffer'd to save him so rude and wild were the Rabble and so inhumane were the Justices who stood by to see the Execution who after paid dearly enough for their Insolence They cut Caesar in Quarters and sent them to several of the chief Plantations One Quarter was sent to Colonel M●●tin who refus'd it and swore he had rather see the Quarters of Banister and the Governor himself than those of Caesar on his Plantations and that he cou'd govern his Negroes without Terrifying and Grieving them with frightful Spectacles of a mangl'd King. Thus Dy'd this Great Man worthy of a better Fate and a more sublime Wit than mine to write his Praise yet I hope the Reputation of my Pen is considerable enough to make his Glorious Name to survive to all Ages with that of the Brave the Beautiful and the Constant Imoinda FINIS

while they were thus fondly employ'd forgetting how Time ran on and that the Dawn must conduct him far away from his only Happiness they heard a great Noise in the Otan and unusual Voices of Men at which the Prince starting from the Arms of the frighted Imoinda ran to a little Battel-Ax he us'd to wear by his Side and having not so much leisure as to put on his Habit he oppos'd himself against some who were already opening the Door which they did with so much Violence that Oroonoko was not able to defend it but was forc'd to cry out with a commanding Voice Whoever ye are that have the Boldness to attempt to approach this Apartment thus rudely know that I the Prince Oroonoko will revenge it with the certain Death of him that first enters Therefore stand back and know this place is sacred to Love and me this Night to Morrow 't is the King's This he spoke with a Voice so resolv'd and assur'd that they soon retir'd from the Door but cry'd 'T is by the King's Command we are come and being satisfy'd by thy Voice O Prince as much as if we had enter'd we can report to the King the Truth of all his Fears and leave thee to provide for thy own Safety as thou art advis'd by thy Friends At these Words they departed and left the Prince to take a short and sad Leave of his Imoinda who trusting in the strength of her Charms believ'd she shou'd appease the Fury of a jealous King by saying She was surpriz'd and that it was by force of Arms he got into her Apartment All her Concern now was for his Life and therefore she hasten'd him to the Camp and with much a-do prevail'd on him to go Nor was it she alone that prevail'd Aboan and Onahal both pleaded and both assur'd him of a Lye that shou'd be well enough contriv'd to secure Imoinda So that at last with a Heart sad as Death dying Eyes and sighing Soul Oroonoko departed and took his way to the Camp. It was not long after the King in Person came to the Otan where beholding Imoinda with Rage in his Eyes he upbraided her Wickedness and Perfidy and threatning her Royal Lover she fell on her Face at his Feet bedewing the Floor with her Tears and imploring his Pardon for a Fault which she had not with her Will committed as Onahal who was also prostrate with her cou'd testifie That unknown to her he had broke into her Apartment and ravish'd her She spoke this much against her Conscience but to save her own Life 't was absolutely necessary she shou'd feign this Falsity She knew it cou'd not injure the Prince he being fled to-an-Army that wou'd stand by him against any Injuries that shou'd assault him However this last Thought of Imoinda's being ravish'd chang'd the Measures of his Revenge and whereas before he design'd to be himself her Executioner he now resolv'd she shou'd not die But as it is the greatest Crime in nature amongst 'em to touch a Woman after having been possess'd by a Son a Father or a Brother so now he look'd on Imoinda as a polluted thing wholly unfit for his Embrace nor wou'd he resign her to his Grand-son because she had receiv'd the Royal Veil He therefore removes her from the Otan with Onahal whom he put into safe Hands with Order they shou'd be both sold off as Slaves to another Country either Christian or Heathen 't was no matter where This cruel Sentence worse than Death they implor'd might be revers'd but their Prayers were vain and it was put in Execution accordingly and that with so much Secrecy that none either without or within the Otan knew any thing of their Absence or their Destiny The old King nevertheless executed this with a great deal of Reluctancy but he believ'd he had made a very great Conquest over himself when he had once resolv'd and had perform'd what he resolv'd He believ'd now that his Love had been unjust and that he cou'd not expect the Gods or Captain of the Clouds as they call the unknown Power shou'd suffer a better Consequence from so ill a Cause He now begins to hold Oroonoko excus'd and to say he had Reason for what he did And now every Body cou'd assure the King how passionately Imoinda was belov'd by the Prince even those confess'd it now who said the contrary before his Flame was abated So that the King being old and not able to defend himself in War and having no Sons of all his Race remaining alive but only this to maintain him on his Throne and looking on this as a Man disoblig'd first by the Rape of his Mistress or rather Wife and now by depriving of him wholly of her he fear'd might make him desperate and do some cruel thing either to himself or his old Grand-father the Offender he began to repent him extreamly of the Contempt he had in his Rage put on Imoinda Besides he consider'd he ought in Honour to have kill'd her for this Offence if it had been one He ought to have had so much Value and Consideration for a Maid of her Quality as to have nobly put her to death and not to have sold her like a common Slave the greatest Revenge and the most disgraceful of any and to which they a thousand times prefer Death and implore it as Imoinda did but cou'd not obtain that Honour Seeing therefore it was certain that Oroonoko wou'd highly resent this Affront he thought good to make some Excuse for his Rashness to him and to that End he sent a Messenger to the Camp with Orders to treat with him about the Master to gain his Pardon and to endeavour to mitigate his Grief but that by no means he shou'd tell him she was sold but secretly put to death for he knew he shou'd never obtain his Pardon for the other When the Messenger came he found the Prince upon the point of Engaging with the Enemy but as soon as he heard of the Arrival of the Messenger he commanded him to his Tent where he embrac'd him and receiv'd him with Joy which was soon abated by the down-cast Looks of the Messenger who was instantly demanded the Cause by Oroonoko who impatient of Delay ask'd a thousand Questions in a Breath and all concerning Imoinda But there needed little Return for he cou'd almost answer himself of all he demanded from his Sighs and Eyes At last the Messenger casting himself at the Prince's Feet and kissing them with all the Submission of a Man that had something to implore which he dreaded to utter he besought him to hear with Calmness what he had to deliver to him and to call up all his noble and Heroick Courage to encounter with his Words and defend himself against the ungrateful things he must relate Oroonoko reply'd with a deep Sigh and a languishing Voice I am arm'd against their worst Efforts for I know they will tell me Imoinda is