Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	work_n	year_n	yield_v	23	3	6.7438	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76943	The life of Sr Thomas Bodley, the honourable founder of the publique library in the Vniversity of Oxford. / VVritten by himselfe.	Bodley, Thomas, Sir, 1545-1613.	1647 (1647)	Wing B3392; Thomason E391_14; ESTC R201556	7,448	20

greatly respect their persons and places with a setled resolution to doe them any service as also in my heart I detested to be held of any faction whatsoever yet the now Lord Treasurer upon occasion of some talke that I have since had with him of the Earle and his actions hath freely confessed of his owne accord unto me that his daily provocations were so bitter and sharpe against him and his compatisons so odious when he put us in a ballance as he thought thereupon he had very great reason to use his best meanes to put any man out of hope of raising his fortune whom the Earle with such violence to his extreame prejudice had endeavoured to dignifie And this as he affirmed was all the motive he had to set himselfe against me in whatsoever might redound to the bettering of my estate or increasing of my credit and countenance with the Queene When I had throughly now bethought me first in the Earle of the slender hold-fast that he had in the favour of the Queene of an endlesse opposition of the cheifest of our States-men like still to waite upon him of his perillous and feeble and uncertain advice aswell in his owne as in all the causes of his friends and when moreover for my selfe I had fully considered how very untowardly these two Counsellours were affected unto me upon whom before in cogitation I had framed all the fabrique of my future prosperity how ill it did concurre with my naturall disposition to become or to be counted either a stickler or partaker in any publique faction how well I was able by God's good blessing to live of my selfe if I could be content with a competent livelyhood how short time of further life I was then to expect by the common course of nature when I had I say in this manner represented to my thoughts my particular estate together with the Earles I resolved thereupon to possesse my soule in peace all the residue of my daies to take my full farewell of State imployments to satisfie my mind with that mediocrity of worldly living that I had of my owne and so to retire me from the Court which was the epilogue and end of all my actions and endeavours of any important note till I came to the age of fifty three Now although after this by her Majestie 's direction I was often called to the Court by the now Lord Treasurer then Secretary and required by him as also divers times since by order from the King to serve as Embassadour in France to goe a Commissioner from his Highnesse for concluding the truce betweene Spaine and the Provinces and to negotiate in other very honourable imployments yet I would not be removed from my former finall resolution insomuch as at length to induce me the sooner to returne to the Court I had an offer made me by the present Lord Treasurer for in processe of time he saw as he himselfe was pleased to tell me more then once that all my dealing was upright faithfull and direct that in ease I my selfe were willing unto it he would make me his associate in the Secretaries office And to the intent I might beleive that he intended it Bonâ fide he would get me out of hand to be sworne of the Counsell And for the better enabling of my state to maintaine such a dignity whatsoever I would aske that might be fit for him to deale in and for me to enjoy he would presently sollicite the King to give it passage All which perswasions notwithstanding albeit I was often assaulted by him in regard of my yeares and for that I felt my selfe subject to many indispositions besides some other private reasons which I reserve unto my selfe I have continued still at home my retired course of life which is now methinks to me as the greatest preferment that the State can afford Onely this I must truly confesse of my selfe that though I did never repent me yet of those and some other my often refusalls of honourable offers in respect of enriching my private estate yet somewhat more of late I have blamed my selfe my nicety that way for the love that I beare to my Reverend Mother the Vniversity of Oxford and to the advancement of her good by such kind of means as I have since undertaken For thus I fell to discourse and debate in my mind that although I might find it fittest for me to keep out of the throng of Court contentions addresse my thoughts deeds to such ends altogether as I my selfe could best affect yet withall I was to think that my duty towards God the expectation of the world my naturall inclination very morality did require that I should not wholly so hide those little abilities that I had but that in some measure in one kind or other I should doe the true part of a profitable member in the State whereupon examining exactly for the rest of my life what course I might take and having sought as I thought all the waies to the wood to select the most proper I concluded at the last to set up my Staffe at the Library doore in Oxford being throughly perswaded that in my solitude and surcease from the Common-wealth affaires I could not busy my selfe to better purpose then by reducing that place which then in every part lay ruined and wast to the publique use of Students For the effecting whereof I found my selfe furnished in a competent proportion of such foure kindes of aides as unlesse I had them all there was no hope of good successe For without some kinde of knowledge as well in the learned and moderne tongues as in sundry other sorts of scholasticall literature without some purse-ability to goe through with the charge without very great store of honourable friends to further the designe and without speciall good leisure to follow such a worke it could but have proved a vaine attempt and inconsiderate But how well I have sped in all my endeavours and how full provision I have made for the benefit and ease of all frequenters of the Library that which I have already performed in sight that besides which I have given for the maintenance of it and that which hereafter I purpose to adde by way of enlargement to that place for the project is cast and whether I live or dye it shall be God willing put in full execution will testifie so truly and aboundantly for me as I need not be the publisher of the dignity and worth of mine owne Institution Written with my owne hand Anno 1609. December the 15. THO BODLEY Thus farre our Noble Author of himselfe Who like to the first Pen-man of the sacred history seemes to survive his grave and to describe unto us his owne death For having finished that great worke which future times shall ever honour never equall he yeilded to his fate As being unwilling the glory of that deed should be deflour'd by the succession of an act lesse high then it On the 29 th of Ianuary in the yeare 1612. his pure Soule attain'd the freedome of its owne divinity leaving his borrow'd earth the sad remainder of innocence and frailty to be deposited in Merton Colledge Who had the happinesse to call his Education hers and to be intrusted with so deare a Pledge of immortality FINIS