It would also make sense to systematically investigate the vocabulary used in the Tacitus translation and compare it with the works of Shakespeare. I look forward to doing that in the future, but to do well, such a study would require the "lemmatization" of the text. First, the spelling would need to be modernized, then each word transformed into its dictionary headword form. Let me know if you'd be interested in such a project!
Until then, please enjoy this very limited qualitative comparison. Note that the correlations involve Shakespeare works that are earlier, written at the same time, and written later. The author of the works of Shakespeare has some affinity in vocabulary and interests with Richard Grenewey. It could be, of course, that Grenewey read Shakespeare and then Shakespeare read Grenewey. Or it could be coincidence.
Lots of possibilities!
Wind-pipe
It was conjectured by sickness because that his wind-pipe within swelling by little and little and in the end stopped he yielded up the ghost. (216)
Let gallows gape for dog; let man go free
And let not hemp his wind-pipe suffocate:
But Exeter hath given the doom of death
For pax of little price. - Henry V, 3.6
There's much example for't; the fellow that sits
next him now, parts bread with him, pledges the
breath of him in a divided draught, is the readiest
man to kill him: 't has been proved. If I were a
huge man, I should fear to drink at meals;
Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes:
Great men should drink with harness on their throats. - Timon of Athens, 1.2
Aedile
Roman History. Any of several magistrates who superintended public buildings, policing, and other municipal matters. Hence in extended use: a person in charge of urban housing and building; a municipal officer.
The authority of the Aediles is also restrained, and order set down how much the Curules, and the people might take to pawn, and how far they might punish. (187, occurs many times in book)
What do ye talk?
Have we not had a taste of his obedience?
Our aediles smote? ourselves resisted? Come. - Coriolanus, 3.1 (occurs many times in play)
Garboil
Confusion, disturbance, tumult; an instance of this, a brawl, hubbub, hurlyburly.
I prefer old quietness before new garboils; not ho∣ping for any reward thereby; but only to excuse my self from disloyalty, and to serve for a convenient means of reconciliation for the German nation. (23)
That the name of liberty was falsely pretended by them, who being base and degenerate of themselves, and dangerous to the whole state; have no hope but in time of trouble and garboil. (146)
As in times past (said he) the city desirous of garboil, spake of C. Caesar, and M. Cato; so now of thee ô Nero and Thrasea, and hath his adherents or rather followers. (253)
She's dead, my queen:
Look here, and at thy sovereign leisure read
The garboils she awaked; at the last, best:
See when and where she died. - Antony and Cleopatra, 1.3
So much uncurbable, her garboils, Caesar
Made out of her impatience, which not wanted
Shrewdness of policy too, I grieving grant
Did you too much disquiet: for that you must
But say, I could not help it. - Antony and Cleopatra, 2.2
Hurly burly
The change of the Prince gave licence of hurlyburly, and hope of gain by civil wars. (8)
Then understanding of the hurly burly of the legions, departing in all speed, met the soldiers out of their camp, hanging down the head; repenting them of that they had done. (15)
Tiberius that in so great a hurlyburly, he would still spend his labor in hearing accusers libels. (77)
the Parthian affairs were in a hurly burly; whilest they wavered, whom they should receive for their King. (144)
Of fickle changelings and poor discontents,
Which gape and rub the elbow at the news
Of hurlyburly innovation: - Henry IV, Part I, 5.1
When the hurlyburly's done,
When the battle's lost and won. - Macbeth, 1.1
Trouble brains
He understanding of so sudden a countermand, although many things at once troubled his brains. (147)
Understanding the treachery, should turn his mind, and shew love and affection to his own son: in the end she resolved to think on some singular thing which should trouble his brains, and not work his death over-hastely, (176)
Where they resign their office and their light
To the disposing of her troubled brain; - Venus and Adonis
Sir, I am vex'd;
Bear with my weakness; my, brain is troubled: - Tempest, 4.1
Featly
His son pleading against him: who finely and featly attired with a cheerful countenance; affirmed that secret practices had been wrought against the Prince.
She dances featly. - Winter's Tale, 4.4
Foot it featly here and there;
And, sweet sprites, the burthen bear. - Tempest, 1.2
Incestuous
he was constrained to know, and punish the dissolute and licentious life of his wife, immediately after to burn in an unlawful desire of incestuous matrimony.
She married. O, most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! Hamlet, 1.2 (several examples in this play)
Opprobriously
But Agrippina fretted and fumed that a freed woman should beard her, & a bond woman become her daughter in law; with other such like womanish complaints; not having patience to see whether her son would either repent or be filled: and the more opprobriously she upbraided him.
Think you, my lord, this little prating York
Was not incensed by his subtle mother
To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously? - Richard III, 3.1
Abashed
Do you with cheeks abash'd behold our works,
And call them shames? which are indeed nought else. - Troilus and Cressida, 1.3
Abashed with this, the hotter unadvisedly he had grown, the more repenting; he suffered the arraigned of treason to be quit. (30)
Adulteress
Not for the love of her husband; but least Silius having gotten the sovereignty, would reject her as an adulteress, and fall to a just consideration of her lewd life, which with his danger he had tried.
(151)
And then they call'd me foul adulteress,
Lascivious Goth, and all the bitterest terms Titus Andronicus, 2.3
Ere you can say 'she's honest:' but be 't known,
From him that has most cause to grieve it should be,
She's an adulteress. Winter's Tale, 2.1
Borderer (single use in Shakespeare)
They of those marches, gracious sovereign,
Shall be a wall sufficient to defend
Our inland from the pilfering borderers. - Henry V, 1.2
but after Germanicus death became proud towards vs, and cruel towards his subjects; confident by reason of prosperous success in wars had against his borderers (132)
Caparison
The Emperors guard was all in arms, and good order, in the field before their camp: then Caractacus vassals and retinue going before, the caparisons, his chains and all other things gotten in war against strangers, were brought after; then his brothers; his wife and daughter. (165)
What cares he now for curb or pricking spur?
For rich caparisons or trapping gay?
He sees his love, and nothing else he sees,
For nothing else with his proud sight agrees. - Venus and Adonis (many other examples in Shakespeare)
Churlishly
He then ignorant of the treachery, or misdoubting violence if he seemed to perceive it, maketh haste to the city: where being churlishly received, and anon after accused in Senate, (47)
How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,
When willingly I would have had her here! - Two Gentlemen of Verona, 1.2
Penknife
Under color of using it in his study, asking for a penknife, lightly prickt a vein; and ended his life, with grief and anguish of mind.
He presents no mark to the enemy; the foeman may with as great
level at the edge of a penknife. - Henry IV, Part II, 3.2
Public Benefit
Which did not so much turne to à publick benefit, as the destruction of many: whose wealth and fame he tyrannised by condemning them, and setting their goods to sale.
it had bene conuenient for a publick benefit to haue layd aside priuate grudges
Touching the weal o' the common, you shall find No public benefit which you receive But it proceeds or comes from them to you - Coriolanus, 1.1
Which did not so much turne to à publick benefit, as the destruction of many: whose wealth and fame he tyrannised by condemning them, and setting their goods to sale.
it had bene conuenient for a publick benefit to haue layd aside priuate grudges
Touching the weal o' the common, you shall find No public benefit which you receive But it proceeds or comes from them to you - Coriolanus, 1.1
