Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	face_n	hand_n	left_a	1,460	5	10.4795	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02294	A chronicle, conteyning the liues of tenne emperours of Rome Wherin are discouered, their beginnings, procéedings, and endings, worthie to be read, marked, and remembred. Wherein are also conteyned lawes of speciall profite and policie. ... Compiled by the most famous Syr Anthonie of Gueuara, Bishop of Mondonnedo, preacher, chronicler, and counsellour to the Emperour Charles the fift: and translated out of Spanish into English, by Edward Hellowes, Groome of her Maiesties Leashe. Hereunto is also annexed a table, recapitulating such particularities, as are in this booke mentioned.; Decada de los diez Cesares y emperadores Romanos. English	Guevara, Antonio de, Bp., d. 1545?; Hellowes, Edward.	1577 (1577)	STC 12426; ESTC S103534	315,538	500

conformably vnto iustice it had beene more reason ye should haue diuided your owne proper mother then the landes countries of others O immortal Gods vvhy haue ye taken away my Lord Seuerus vnto your selues and left me placed in so many daungers and trauels since ye haue giuen me two children why was not giuen me two heartes and if I craue two hearts it is but to loue them but two thousand hearts wil not suffice to endure their vnkindnesse O my children although no children of my counselles for that though ye be mine by birth yet are ye become straungers by disobedience I knowe not my childrē what to say more vnto you but since ye be twaine and my heart but one that ye pull it foorth open it in the middest and diuide it as ye haue diuided the Empire and yet by the vestall mother I sweare vnto you that if ye opened my heart and made search therein ye shoulde finde in the same the greatnesse of my loue but much more that I suffer and am tormented CHAP. V. ¶ Howe Bassianus to obteine the Empire vnto him selfe slewe his brother in his mothers armes JT was lamentable to heare the Empresse Iulia but much more to beholde her who séeing her children so extremely diuided and so farre from fraternitie at euery woorde which shée saide the Heauens did cleaue with sighes and the ground was watered with teares At the instant shée finished her talke shée rose from her chayre going to her sonnes ▪ with the right hande shée taketh Bassianus and Geta with the left imbraceing them with her selfe traueiling to cause them to imbrace and to be reconciled and ioyning all their thrée faces together with the aboundaunt teares of the mother the faces of her sonnes were all wett and bedewed Many Romanes that were present began to mourne in hearing what Iulia saide and afterwardes howe with her children shée did behaue her selfe no man replyed or spake more woordes in as much as all men did allowe that which the mother saide and improued the diuision of the Empire which the sonnes had made The heartes of these two Princes were so muche passioned and ioyntly therewith of nature so indurate that when the mother did talke vnto them it seemed not but that they were thinking of some other matter which had most perfect apparaunce because at that time they were neither moued with compassion of her teares either afterwardes did take any profite of her counsell The mother only profited not in her traueile to reconcile them but that from thenceforth th●y ceased not to discouer greter hatred that is to saye in that either of them sought to corrupt each others bloud promising greate wealth in Rome to be giuen vnto him that would confect his lordes meate with poyson When Bassianus perceiued that he might not by any meane dispatche his brother Geta with poyson and ioyntly therewith that the Romanes were somewhat inclined vnto him by affection determined on a daye when all persons were moste inclined to sléepe at after noone to go vnto the lodging of his mother Iulia with whome Geta remained and finding them at their rest he gaue Geta so many stabbes with a dagger that he was bereft of his life When Bassianus set vpon his brother Geta the mother to saue him cast her selfe vppon him notwithstanding he ceased not to wound him and kill him The case was thus that with one blowe he both wounded his brother and imbrewed the garment of the mother and finally the brother remained dead and the mothers garments defiled This done Bassianus goeth foorth through al the court exclaming with a loude voyce and with greate feare and trembling treason treason my brother Geta would haue slaine me by treason in my bed and if I had not leapt out at a windowe and the destinies beene fauourable vnto mee at that instant I had not escaped with life and not satisfied with that which was saide he commaunded his garde to conduct him out of the court and to garde and attende him vnto mount Celius where the Pretorian bands were lodged infourminge that in the palace there was no safetie for that his brother had attempted to murther him All men that heard the exclamation that Bassianus made did beléeue that all things had passed as he had said and the Esquiers of the bodie did accompanie and attende him vntil they had brought him amongest the Pretorians and entring the tent where they had their armour and pendons knéeling vppon his knées hee gaue greate thankes vnto the Gods that had preserued him vnto that place and also vnto his garde that had succoured him in time of so great néede To beholde Bassianus go at suche an houre with so greate an heate through the middest of Rome and that with so great furie all that beheld him were escandalized and did imagine amongest them selues that he had slaine his brother or done some vile déede vnto his mother in lawe Assoone as he sawe him selfe amongest the Pretorians he diuided amongest them two thousande fiue hundreth drachmes of golde according to the weight of Athens ▪ further promised to giue them yerely wheate to furnish their families besides their ordinarie wages The fame being divulgate throughout Rome and the trueth knowen of the great treason which Bassianus had committed Geta his friends ioyned to séeke him with a determined purpose extremely to haue reuēged Geta and as the matter was put to armes and came to hande gripes Geta his friendes being the fewer in number were soone ouercom which although they were subdued yet truely deserue no dispraise being but fewe in number séeing their Lorde dead and Bassianus in possession of the armie they wanted no hardinesse to fight no lesse courage to dye but what shall we saye but that if their quarell were iust their fortune was verie crosse Small aduantageth it that the minde be generous and the bodie warlike if he that taketh armes be vnfortunate for that one houre of happie fortune is more woorth then all policies of warre Greate was the compassion that all men conceiued of the cruell death of Geta and no lesse was the hate which they did beare vnto Bassianus not only to kill him vppon so greate assurance but also to murther him in a place of so great priuiledge that is to saye within the sacred palace imbraced within the breastes of his mother When Bassianus sawe that his brother Geta was dead all his alies and seruaunts ouercome that whatsoeuer he had attempted with temeritie succéeded with great prosperitie he went vnto the temples and tooke from thence all their treasure in such wise hee tooke away in one daye that which manie princes had giuen in many yeres A greate quantitie of those treasures Bassianus diuided amongest his Pretorians who seeing themselues riche in money and that their enimies were subdued went into Rome began to enter into the houses and killed all persons with whome they had vnkindnesse

experience whiche thou hast in this case for as thou haste no brothers either hast béene married to haue any children no more knowest thou what difference of loue is beetwixte the one and the other For I giue to vnderstande that without all comparison wee fathers doe more loue the thwartes of oure children then the seruice of oure brethren The elder brother whiche was named Bassianus changed his name and commaunded all men to call him Antoninus Aurelius in the memorie of Antoninus Pius and of Marcus Aurelius because these Princes were verye glorious in their liues and in their Common wealthes no lesse beloued When Seuerus returned from the warres of Parthia his sonnes Bassianus and Geta were then men and for that hee vnderstoode that the Romanes were thereof then very doubtfull hée requested his sonnes that notwithstandinge the variaunce betwixte themselues they woulde bée in peace wyth the people but héerewith mighte hee not tame the condition of the young men either persuade them to be in friendshippe with the Romanes for as much as he soldered with his good woords so much did they escādalize with their lewd woorkes Seuerus finding himselfe infected with infirmities compassed with enimies and his sonnes so euill inclined was alwayes sad pensiue melancholie and in a manner in despaire not onely doubting they would diminish the estate wherein he left them but also lose the honour which they did inherite Seuerus considering the daily complaints made of his sonnes in the Senate and the continual displeasures which they gaue him aduised to banishe them the vices and pleasures of Rome the one hee sent into Germanie the other into Panonia but if they were euil in his presence they were much worse in his absence for that aforetime by their subiection they absceined from some vices but afterwards with libertie they committed all mischiefe The parents that with their owne hands and in their owne houses may not frame vertue in their children will hardly atteine it at the hands of others for that vertue is not obteyned in seeking straunge countries but in the amendment of old errours CHAP. XV. ¶ Of a fauoured seruaunt of Seuerus named Plautianus JN the dayes of the Empire of the good Marcus Aurelius there came from Africa vnto Rome a gentlemā named Plautianus poore blind in sight craftie and subtile in condition and being as hee was mutinous and quarelling and wheresoeuer he went mouing some debate Marcus Aurelius commaunded him to be banished Rome for he was a prince of such patience that he suffered not in his common wealth a man that was vitious or any young mā that was quarellous Plautianus being banished Rome departed vnto the garrisons of Illyria and from thence also being caste as a seditious person repaired at last into the company of Seuerus of whome he was very well handled and also honoured and in all thinges placed aboue all men some said that it was done of Seuerus for that hée was of his countrie some for kindred and some durst say that hée serued not onely for martiall affayres but also to do him seruice in the chamber After that Seuerus came to be Emperour he gaue so great credite vnto Plautianus and so strictly did follow his counsell that he neither read letter but hée did sée it or signed commission that hée liked not either gaue any reward that he craued not In the Senate he was placed in the most honourable seate when he came forth into Rome all the Gentlemen did accompanie him when he came out of his house all Embassadours did attend on him in time of warre all captaines sued vnto him if there were playes and pastimes they were alwayes represented before his palace if they had to giue or receiue any money all did passe through his hands in such wise that it was neuer séene in Rome that any man without the title of an Emperour enioyed so great portion of the Empire Plautianus naturally was proud ambitious couetous and cruell and the more to shewe his fiercenesse crueltie magnificence he alwayes had a drawne sword borne before him and when he passed through the streats hee would that none should dare to behold him in the face but cast downe their eyes to the ground and when hée trauelled vpon the way he had alwayes one that went before to giue warning to all persons to giue way where he should passe in such wise that hee neither would behold straungers either be séene of the countrie natiues Seuerus gaue in reward vnto Plautianus the goods of al persons that were condemned and confiscate in the Empire and as hée was of a gréedie and couetous nature so they were infinite that he caused to be slaine in the Empire not because they had so deserued but for their goods which they possessed The elder sonne of Seuerus named Bassianꝰ being come to ripe vnderstāding and perceiuing how al things went was greatly gréeued to se Plautianus haue so great power in the gouernement of the common wealth and Plautianus presently finding the hatred of Bassianus practised with Seuerus that Bassianus should marrie with his only daughter and incōtinently the elder sonne of Seuerus was married vnto the daughter of Plautianus Plautianus beholding himselfe not onely the alone fauoured but also father in lawe with Seuerus it séemed vnto him but a trifle to be Lord of the whole world and most truly Plautianus in heaping honour vpon honour and estate vpon estate bredd his owne destruction for that men neuer surfet to eate that which is necessarie but in eating and drinking more then the stomache will beare Though Plautianus daughter was very faire of good condition and brought with her a most rich dowrie yet did her husband Bassianus most cruelly hate her which he discouered both in woord and déede affirming her to be the daughter of a base and vile person and that hée would one day kill both her and her father and yet not therewithall satisfied they did neither sléepe in one chamber or dine at one table Bassianus aunsweared certaine Romanes that requested him to bee friend with his wife and to honour his father in law I giue you Romanes to vnderstand that I did not marrie but my father did marrie mée which I would not haue done if he had cōmaunded me but to defloure the daughter and enioy the treasure of her father and since it is done let her séeke an husband for I will séeke a wife Plautianus vnderstanding what his sonne Bassianus had said and that his daughter was not married but dishonoured that Seuerus was old sicke and that Bassianus held him not as a father in lawe but as an enimie determined to reuenge that iniurie either els to loose both life and honour in the enterprise Bassianus informed his father Seuerus of many tyrannies which Plautianus committed in the common wealth and Plautianus also complained howe euill hée vsed his daughter and thus they went on cōfirming their enimitie and giuing euery day new passions