Golding, Arthur / Beza, Theodore · published 1577 · first performed or written 1575 (Annals) biblical play unassigned nearest T26 Devils, hell and fiends · 495 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T26: devil, hell, devils, sure, soul, fiend, sr, wife, lord, men.
Of every wight, both child, yea man, and wife, That nother town nor village shall scape free From seeing it to their great misery. O cowl, oh cowl, such mischief thou shalt work, And such abuse shall underneath thee lurk At high noon days: O Cowle, oh Cowle I say, Such mischief to the world thou shalt convey, That if it were not for the spitefulness, Wherewith my heart is frawghted in excess: Even I myself the wretched world shall rue, To see the things that shall through thee ensue. For I, than who, of all none worse can be, Am made yet worse by putting on of thee. These things shall in their time without all fail Be brought to pass. As now I will assail One Abraham, who only with his race Withstands me, and defies me to my face. In deed I have him often times assailed: But ever of my purpose I have failed. I never saw old fellow hold such tack. But I will lay such load upon his back, That (as I hope) ere long I shall him make A son of mine. I know that he doth take The true Creator for his only hold To trust unto: and that doth make him bold. In deed he hath alliance with the true Creator, who hath promised him a new Right wondrous things, according whereunto He hath already done, and still will do. But what for that? If steadfastness him fail To hold out still: what shall his hope avail? I trow I will so many blows him give, That from his hold at length I shall him drive. His elder son I fear not: and the other Shall hardly scape these hands of mine: the mother Is but a woman: as for all the meinie That serve him, they be simple souls as any Can lightly be: there is a ragged stout Of silly shepherds, nother skilled nor stout Enough against my wily sleights to stand. But hence I will and work so out of hand, To have them, that unless I miss my mark, Anon I will deceive their greatest Clerk. What ever thing I do or say, I weighed am thereof straight way, How meet so ever that it be, So wicked nature reigns in me. But most of all it me mislikes, And to the heart with sorrow strikes, That seeing God is never tired In helping me, yea undezyrde: I also likewise do not strain Myself, unweerie to remain, In dew and true acknowledgement Of his great mercy to me sent, As well with mouth as with my heart. Abraham, Abraham. Lord here I am. Go take thine only deerebeloved son, Even Isaac, and bring him to the place which height the myrrh of God: which being done, Slay him in sacrifice before my face: And burn him whole upon a hill which I Will show thee there, go high thee by and by.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T30 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Of euery wight, both child, yea man, and wife, That nother towne nor village shall scape free From seeing it to their great miserie. O cowle, o cowle, such mischef thou shalt wurk, And such abuse shall vnderneath thee lurke At high noone daies: O Cowle, o Cowle I say, Such mischief to the world thou shalt conuey, That if it were not for the spitefulnesse, Wherewith my hart is frawghted in excesse: Euen I my selfe the wretched world shall rew, To see ye things that shall through thee insew. For I, than who, of all none worse can be, Am made yit worse by putting on of thee. These thinges shall in their time wtout all faile Be brought to passe. As now I will assaile One Abraham, who onely with his race Withstands me, and defies me to my face. In deede I haue him often times assailed: But euer of my purpose I haue failed. I neuer saw olde fellow hold such tack. But I will lay such loade vpon his backe, That (as I hope) ere long I shall him make A sonne of myne. I know that he doth take The true Creator for his onely hold To trust vnto: and that doth make him bold. In deede he hath alliance with the trew Creator, who hath promist him a new Right wondrous thinges, according whereunto He hath already done, and still will doe. But what for that? If stedfastnes him faile To hold out still: what shall his hope auaile? I trow I will so many blowes him giue, That from his hold at length I shall him driue. His elder sonne I feare not: and the other Shal hardly scape these hands of mine: ye mother Is but a woman: as for all the meynie That serue him, they be simple sowles as enie Can lightly be: there is a ragged stowt Of sillie shepherds, nother skild nor stowt Ynough against my wily sleights to stand. But hence I will and worke so out of hand, To haue them, that vnlesse I misse my marke, Anon I will deceiue their greatest Clarke. What euer thing I doe or say, I weery am thereof streit way, How meete so euer that it bee, So wicked nature reignes in me. But most of all it me mislikes, And to the hart with sorrow strikes, That seeing God is neuer tyrde In helping me, yea vndezyrde: I also likewise doe not streyne My selfe, vnweerie to remayne, In dew and trew acknowledgment Of his great mercie to me sent, As well with mouth as with my hart. Abraham, Abraham. Lord here I am. Goe take thyne onely deerebeloued sonne, Euen Isaac, and bring him to the place which hight ye myrrh of God: which being done, Slea him in sacrifice before my face: And burne him whole vpon a hill which I Will shew thee there, goe hye thee by and by.