Ransack

[…] I purpoſe not in any open engliſh booke to ranſake and rebuke eyther the tone [the one] lawe, or the tother: I ſhall let him with that matter alone.

And like an angry Judge reſolved to condemn, thou ranſackeſt all my life, and paſſeſt an heavie ſentence upon me for ſinnes long ſince committed,[…].

Conſider next, his [God's] Infinite, All-ſearching Knovvledge, vvhich looks through and through the moſt ſecret of our Thoughts, ranſacks every corner of the Heart, ponders the moſt invvard deſigns and ends of the Soul in all a man's Actions.

[A]lthough thou beeſt blameleſs and unſpotted as to thy outvvard Life and Converſation, ſo that none can ſay, black is thine Eye, as to any groſs Sin; yet knovv, that God pondereth thy Heart, and ranſacketh every Corner of thy Soul, and obſerves the Motions of thoſe very Luſts that vvar vvithin thee, and prevail againſt thee.

For Arts like theſe preferr'd, admir'd, careſt, / They firſt invade your Table, then your Breaſt; / Explore your Secrets vvith inſidious Art, / VVatch the vveak Hour, and ranſack all the Heart; […]

The Reader may, novv, plainly ſee, that I am ranſacking my Memory, for ſuch remaining Scraps of Theatrical Hiſtory, as may not, perhaps, be vvorth his Notice: […]

She ransacked her conscience,—which was full of harmless little matters, like her pocket or her work-bag,—and took herself to task, poor thing, for a thousand imaginary faults; […]

In astronomy, the fields of the sky have not yet, indeed, been ransacked by the most costly instruments; […]

Dreams do not materialize in flesh and blood before a man! He ransacked his memory for a clew to that haunting familiarity. He tried to make himself believe it was just a crazy, senseless notion. But it persisted; he could not shake it off.

I'le call ye to Accompt, and if ye bauke me, then / I ranſake ye out, and make ye underſtand / The ſharp-nail'd language of Quiſquilla's hand.

[D]epe wͭ dynt the ſword enforced furſt / had ranſakt through his ribs ⁊ ſwete whyte breſt at once had burſt.

[H]e vvas forſt at laſt, / To yield himſelfe vnto the mightie ill: / VVhich as a victour proud, gan ranſack faſt / His invvard partes, and all his entrayles vvaſt, […]

Then euery chriſtian ſought amongſt vs for his frende, / His kinſman or companion ſome ſuccour them to lende: / And as they ranſackte ſo, lo God his will it was, / A noble wyſe Venetian by me did chaunce to paſſe: […]

[W]e rive / Our Mother Earth; and, not contented vvith / Th' abundant gifts ſhe outvvard offereth, / VVith ſacrilegious Tools vve rudely rend her, / And ranſak deeply in her boſom tender, / VVhile vnder ground vvee live in hourly fear / VVhen the frail Mines ſhall over-vvhelm vs there: […]

And euermore their vvicked Capitayn / Prouoked them the breaches to aſſay, / Somtimes vvith threats, ſomtimes vvith hope of gayn, / VVhich by the ranſack of that peece they ſhould attayn.

VVhat ſecret corner? VVhat unvvonted vvay / Has ſcap'd the ranſack of my rambling thoughts?

A soldier in the general ransack found a jar of olives which this man had buried, and in which he had concealed some pieces of gold; […]

[H]e is decided in his belief that the signet was an emerald, and as precious for the work of the artist as its own intrinsic value. Perhaps this stone also will turn up in the ransack of the sultan's treasury.

"There are no official papers here," he said, after another short ransack; "there must have been some if this desk is the one. Have you dared to delude me by showing the wrong desk?"