Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	look_v	lord_n	soul_n	5,124	5	5.4191	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06166	The famous, true and historicall life of Robert second Duke of Normandy, surnamed for his monstrous birth and behauiour, Robin the Diuell VVherein is contained his dissolute life in his youth, his deuout reconcilement and vertues in his age: interlaced with many straunge and miraculous aduentures. VVherein are both causes of profite, and manie conceits of pleasure. By T.L. G.	Lodge, Thomas, 1558?-1625.	1591 (1591)	STC 16657; ESTC S109566	59,414	92

the chiefest creatures but haue imployed it worse than bruite beasts Oh how my soule groaneth within me and my inward bowells are gréeued in my bodie Lord thou hast made me but I haue martered me thou hast saued me I haue shamed thee thou hast elected me I haue reiected thee mine impenitence hath wrought thy impatience oh enter not into the fulnes of my sinne least I aduenture the furie of thy sword the vale of heauinesse ouercladdeth me the hope of heauenlinesse is clowded from me Oh that the hils would fall vpon me or that the depth might deuoure me oh that I had neuer been borne or had euer béen better Lord it is iustice I merite condemnation I deserue affliction and no fauour damnation no preseruation commination from thée not combination with thee Oh my soule groane for my sins greeue at my shames Oh happie were my soule if griefe could suffice oh my soule rent at thy vnrighteousnesse melt at thy murther or happie were my soule if remorse would suffice but my portion is in the graue not among the iust amōg the defiled ones and not the reconciled ones I am heauy my God but why call I him mine whom I haue blasphemed I am sorie my God as if sorrowe would satisfie the excesse of sinne Oh no I am vnworthie to behold heauen to conceaue hope to intreate mercie to promise amends but damnation oh the bitter wound of damnation that threatneth me that killeth me In these desperate and sorrowing tearmes spent hée the most part of the night neither receauing sustenance nor inioying sleepe his cléere complexion became pale his strong limmes grewe lither and hée that before time thought himselfe more woorthie than the King of heauen now thought himselfe vnwoorthie to tread vppon the earth By this time the memorie of his sinnes assayled him anewe and a hidden working from aboue dispersed the clowdie passions of his thought in such manner as wée sée a faire and pleasant breath of winde which during the extreame heate of the Sunne tempereth the furie of the same in which manner I leaue him till the morning How a Hermit found Robin the Diuell sore wounded and relieued him confirming him in his repentance with his wonderfull perswasions how he dealt with his followers and his entended voyage to Roome The day gan no sooner to discouer dimming the brightnesse of the Starres with a more radiant cléerenes but an old Hermit who had sequestred himselfe from the world after hee had sayd his morrowe Masse walked abroad to take the aire and as he trauailed through many beautifull paths wherein he was accustomed in great deuotion to meditate at last he arriued where Robert lay altogether bathed in his bloud and so ouercome with dispayre that he continually languished till it pleased death to yeeld a finall period to his pensiuenes The good old man seeing his personage comely his apparell courtly his wounds déepe his daunger great approached more néere him and reuiuing him with fountaine water which sprong very neere at hand hée brought him into some remembraunce of himselfe at last with much perswasion he led him to his Hermitage where after some refection taken and his wounds bound vp Robert began to breake out into these termes Ah olde man how fond art thou to foster a viper in thy bosome and a villaine in thy bed why permittest thou not that I sleepe with death who am alreadie damned and may dye without merrie who haue liued by nought but murther The olde man amazed to beare his cursed melancholie knowing that desperate wounds require most of al yrksome medicines began thus Ah my sonne gather thy spirits together it is fondnesse in thée to desire death and policie in me to protract life by the one thou shalt loose occasion of repent by the other recouer meanes of amendes Thou art no viper my sonne thy sting is blunted and these deawes of teares thou powrest in my bosome are sinewes and strings to drawe thée to heauen thou art not damned for the knowledge of thy sinne is a mighty step to thy repentance thou canst not dye without mercy since thou wert borne in mercy neyther will he that made thee to shew his power suffer thee in thy repentance for to perish Hast thou bin a murtherer a great escape my sonne a breach of Commandement a hainous sinne but is not God mercifull to forgiue beyond our conceit He knew thée in thy Mothers woombe and ordained thée to an end he limited the dayes of thy life and thine houres were not vnknowne vnto him and all this was done by ordinance of his secret will and not without the mightie hand of his mercie Thou hast caryed vncleane ●ands borne a corrupt heart béen prodigall in disobedience prone to contempt these are the fruites of thy olde man which shew God what he is and his mercy how great it is Oh my Sonne God is tempted as much in suspect of his mercie as in neglect of his iustice for his mercie exceedeth all his works I will teach thee and my words shall sauour vnto righteousnes The hand that gouerneth all things is deuine the works of God admit no limits and his wayes are vnknowne he ballanceth not sinnes by our proportion nor condemneth by worldly iudgement Be confident therefore and serue the Lord in feare and trembling Suppose all things wicked that is in thee and confesse thy wickednes beyond measure Detest that which thou hast pursued be penitent in that thou hast defaulted If the Lord looke vpon thee in mercie thy soule shall feele it yea thy raynes shall waxe hote and thy spirit moued neyther feare thou if terrour assayle thee beyonde measure for the hand is mightie that helpeth thee Dread not my sonne feare not boldly disburthen thy minde of vncleannes and powre out thy soule before thy God and weepe with contrition for in so doing assure thee thy teares are lacked vp in his bottle looke what is betweene the East and West so farre will he separate thy sinnes from thee if thou repent thee Robert hearing hereof began to gather hart but calling to minde what he had before time heard of the learned Clearks of Normandy how there are some sinnes which are against the holy Ghost which are neyther forgiuen in this life nor in the life to come he began to beate his breast his eyes stared his heare stoode vpright and as if he had Bemboes vision he began to cast away all hope of mercie crying out in this manner ô etiam in spiritum sanctum peccaui nulla remissio sempiterna condemnatio The ould man hearing this extreame allegation cast himselfe prostrate on his face crying out vnto the heauens O ah occultis criminibus liberanos domine Hold back my Sonne thou art too forward deferre to presume on that sinne which thou canst not define neyther obiect that to thy selfe which dependeth on the Iudge thy déedes are written but to God belongeth mercie It is doubted whether presuming too

protesting vehemently a hartie detestation of his sinne and requesting that it would please Editha his Lady Mother and Duchesse to haue him in memorie in her most sacred deuotions and for that he knoweth that he hath many wayes indamnished poore men he humbly intreateth your Mightines to accept these keyes of your Castell of Thuringue where in the Treasurie you shall finde sufficient to make ample satisfaction for all iniuries thus hauing discharged the duetie of a messenger and acquited your Grace of suspition I humbly craue licence to depart that I may the better intend my woonted contemplations It were hard to imagine with what incomparable ioy the olde Duke entertayned this aged Herauld of his happinesse for his teares of ioy trickling from his eyes as messengers of his hearts content aboundantly watered the Hermits bosome and beeing vnable to expresse his ioy he silent foulded his armes about his aged necke seeming so besotted with delight as before he gaue ouer he cryed out with the Grecian O Fortune pay this most excéeding ioy with some durable grief for as now it is at y ● fulnesse Editha likewise was not carelesse to content her selfe but drawing the olde man apart with often repetitions of his troubles his torments his passions of minde his patience in affliction as the occasion offered it selfe she became either pleasant or pensiue shewing by her changes of couler hir contentation or discontents and in this ioy let vs leaue them returning to our wearie Pilgrim meditating in this religious trauailes to see how from a gracelesse person he became a godly penitenciarie truely the discourse heereof draweth me into admiration of Gods mercie who calleth men home beyond common beliefe accomplishing héerein his diuine promise who sayd that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce Of the strange trauayles that Robert surnamed the Deuill endured on the way with those accidents that befell him betwixt Normandy and Rome It was about that time when as the Sunne had remembred himselfe of his accustomed loues and had dispersed the bewties of increase thorough the bowells of the earth yeelding euery stalke his flowre euery Tree his fruite and quickning the decayed beawties of the fielde which were beforetime wasted by Winters obscuritie when this penitent Prince beforetime esteemed the very patterne of deformitie began to shewe himselfe the paragon of reformation his haughtie lookes exchanged he to humble leuitie his defying of God to deifying of God his gracelesse othes to godly obseruances punishing himselfe by bodely trauell who before time was geuen ouer to butcherly tyrannie in stead of hammering mischiefes in his head he humbled himselfe with contemplations his soft bed was turned to sweete grasse his Robes of Honor to the raggs of a Hermite his pampous ryot to poore rootes his ritch Wines to springing waters and such was his patience in these alterations that he preferred them before all pompous Treasures Three dayes trauayled hee with restlesse toyle till at last beeing ouerburdned with extreame wea●inesse he sate him downe by a cleare Fountayne cooling his thirst in stead of a courtly Cup in a homely clapper and after he had taken such repast as the hearbs of the field affoorded him he sate him downe vnder a Pine tree and beholding the barke thereof which with smoothnes inuited him to write and the coole shade which gaue him shelter against the sunny heate with a little pencile he ingraued this his deuout passion in the thickest thereof Roberts Meditation O Heauenly God that gouernst euery thing Whose power in heauen and in the earth we know Thou God from whome the gifts of grace do spring Respect my suite who am oreprest with woe O pittie God sweete God some pittie take And cleanse my soule for Iesus Christ his sake I wayle the life that I haue led before The dayes ill spent that came into my minde Incense my soule with horror very sore And threaten death vnlesse I fauor finde O pittie God sweete God some pittie take And cleanse my soule for Iesus Christ his sake My gracelesse othes now layd before mine eyes My youth mispent and worne by womens guile My hidden sinnes my wofull soule surprise My want of former grace ay me the while Cry mercy Lord that thou wouldst pittie take To cleanse my soule for Iesus Christ his sake Away thou world that flatterest earthly man With heauenly ioyes and bringst him downe to hell I loath this life doo thou what so thou can My longing is with God my Lord to dwell Who will relent and eke some pittie take To cleanse my soule for Iesus Christ his sake Anchora Christus These verses were written with a zealous spirit accompanyed with feruent sighes ha●selled with scalding teares witnessing his constant contrition but being troubled in spirit and desirous to mitigate his martirdome he attempted further writing this Madrigale in the barke of a Cipris tree Madrigale My reasons eye had seene my youthly rage How it had worne my hopes of vertue bare How carelesse wit was want on bewties page And headlesse will true iudgement did insnare How all was wrackt that hope of wisedome gaue It wep● a world of teares my soule to saue The listning eare of that impartiall guide That by his beck the earth and man directs With sunnie beames of peace the teares vp dride And will made barraine reckned his neglects Since when my soule for grace to heauen doth flye In praysing God and blessing reasons eye Etiam in naufragio Thus passed he some fewe houres endeuouring to attaine some rest and after wearie nature vouchsafed him any concent to wander he walked onwarde The fift day after his mornings Orisons hee trauailed through a thicke Wood giuing scarce any licence to the Sun●e beames to enter those shadie limits The soyle was barraine signifying desolation the trees leaueles the walkes loathsome in depth of the shadiest thicket thereof there sounded a deepe and hollowe voyce calling intentiuely for helpe whilest in stead of Ecchoes the fatall Scritchowle sounded a dolefull replie Robert amazed at this melancholy spectacle and wondering at the dolefulnes of the complaint he boldly entered the desolate shadow proposing God for his guide and his courage for his companion he had not long trauailed but sodainly he beheld a fierce Lio● which furiously assayled him renting off the lap of his Palmers weede before hee could shape defence but at last entering combat with his Palmers staffe hee so valiantly defended himselfe that he slewe the Lyon and seeing it spraule vppon the ground entered into this contemplation Oh GOD that hast deliuered this huge Lyon into my hands defend me from that roring Lyon which seeketh to deuoure my soule and prosper me in those actions which I enterprise for thine honour and glorie This sayd he procéeded further when lo● a faire delicious Damosell crowned with a garland of Roses apparelled after the manner of a Hamadriade presented her selfe before him where making semblance of an amorous

much on the knowledge of hidden sinne be not sinne But be thou aduised by me referre all to the Lorde detest all meanes that may seduce thy mind arme thee with the shield of faith pray that thy beliefe may be increased let all things seeme vile to thee in respect of true repentance and thou shalt finde the working of God beyond conceit enter not into his iudgements but cleaue vnto his mercies if thou beest tempted pray vehemently what though for a while thy Soule be dull and heauie it is my Sonne for no other cause but to make thy ioy more fuller What can be a more certayne proofe of mercie than grace to detest sinne or how can man better ouercome sinne than by imploring mercie But tell me what thou art and thy course of life that I may further counsell thee Robert hearing this heauenly Hermit in how deuine sort he sollaced him began to gather hart and could him the order of his birth the manner of his life with other matters too tedious in this place to discourse of And when the ould man was fully satisfied he tould him the waight of sinne the reward of sinne exemplifying to him the fruites of repentance and in such manner schooled him that of a lewd young man he reconciled him to a stayed and holie course of life enioyning him for pennance to goe baresoote to Rome on Pilgrimage wearing at his back a cloth of haire Robert after his stay about seuen dayes with the Hermit was in some sort recouered and intending his soules health besought the company of the Hermit to his Castell where finding those his dissolute mates who were left aliue he first by earnest perswasions sought to reconcile them and finding them no wayes tractable he put them all to death as being vipers in his fathers common weale and locking vp the doores he led the Hermit into his Treasury where shewing him the riches which he had taken from others he humblie prayed him to resort vnto his Father and Mother to present his submission and report his contrition beseeching them to make restitution to euery one whome he had wronged and with bitter compassion hee so washed the poore Hermits head in teares that the good olde man reioycing in spirit cryed out Benedictus dominus in omnibus operibus suis and taking their leaue the one of the other the Hermit trauailed to the Court at Roan and Robert walked on his iourney towards Rome How Aubert heard of his Sonnes ouerthrow and did reward the messengers and how the Hermit arriued at the Court whose ioyfull tidings was great comfort to the Duke and Duches VVHilst Aubert in deepe melancholie dispended his dayes loathing the detested reports of his Sonnes practises and consulting with his Nobles in what sort he might cut off such an improfitable off-spring the messengers of the Duke of Constances presented themselues before him who after their most humble reuerence signifyed to the Duke the whole sequel of their message first the death of their yong Lord lastly the discomfiture of his lewde Sonne which tidings so wounded him to the hart as for a long time he continued as it were in an extasie not knowing to what hopes he might aspire seeing his succession so desperate but calling to his remembrance that a Princes word was a sufficient warrant and the losse which as he supposed he had sustained was rather the occasion to cut off a continuall griefe he cleered his distressed lookes wherein care had planted many furrowes and turning vnto them with milde countenance gaue them this friendly aunswere My friends if my brother of Constances hath reuenged his sonnes death as you certified me he hath performed the part of a friend and exemplified my iustice for which cause in that he hath rid our common weale of a Rebell and his Father of a wicked sonne we entertaine you as messengers from our friend and deseruers in our estate and for this cause we thinke good that out of our Treasury he receiue such reward as we appointed and you for your paine taking shall enioy this small reward of two hundreth marks in this sort causing his bountie and the prefixed recompence to be deliuered vnto them he discharged them falling into deepe consultation with his Counsell about the affayres of succession there was no hart so indurate that considered on the desperate estate of Prince Robert but lamented some one admyring his valiancie some after his supposed losse arguing Duke Constances of crueltie who otherwise hated the yong Prince most deadly But the consultation of the Princes was broken off by the sodaine repayre of the Duches who hearing of the desperate estate of her Sonne and vncertaine of his safetie and life filled the whole Pallace with feminine clamours an euery side was sorrow seated neyther was there eye so partiall in the whole assembly that shead not some tears till sodainly in midst of this garboyle the olde Hermit entered the presence whose sodaine ●xcesse brought them all into expectation so that the olde Duke comforting his faire Editha attentiuely gaue eare expecting some noueltie when after most humble reuerence the reuerent Father began his discourse after this manner These strange alterations in your lookes you Princes perswades me of your ouergreat forwardnesse in passions who are castly ouercome with euery light ioy and sodainely crossed with the lightest trouble which fruite of intemperance with reuerence you Nobles may I be bould to tell you ariseth through want of equabilitie in minde and assured remembrance that you are mortall If according to your worldly store your estates were constant you should be so farre from knowing God as you would quite forget him At the entraunce of thy Pallace Aubert I see men weeping because the report runneth thou art wretched thus are all affections ruled by the affaires of the mightie and honour is so sauourie a thing in those mens mindes who would be great that it sootheth and is soothed by all sorts of them In Traians time all men loued iustice because he was iust in Octauians before him all hunted after peace in that he was peaceable in Heliogabalus dayes all were wanton in that he was wanton and now since thy minde is vexed with doubtfull griefe thy subiects likewise are attaynted with doubtfull griefe But dry vp your teares good Princes and reioyce Prince Robert supposed dead is surely liuing yet dead to his olde wickednesse following better wayes for after he escaped from his enemyes he arriued in my Hermitage where after I had cured his woundes and counselled him from his wickednesse hee vndertooke his voyage and Pilgrimage to Rome but before resorted to Thuringue labouring to disswade the remnant of his followers from their lewd life which when he could not effect he in my presence slewe them vnder pretence as he sayd to rid his countrey of caterpillers And in that dread Prince and my liege Lord Aubert he hath mightely offended you he humbly by me beséecheth his pardon