Golding, Arthur / Beza, Theodore · published 1577 · first performed or written 1575 (Annals) biblical play unassigned nearest T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation · 547 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Alas alas what meant I so to say? Forgive me, Lord, and pluck me back again From this lewd race wherein my sin 'gan go: O Lord my God deliver me from this wo. This hand of mine shall certainly him smite. For sith it is thy will, it is good right It should be done. Wherefore I will obey. But I will keep you from it if I may. So doing I should make my God untrue. For he hath told me that there should ensue, So great a people out of this my son, As over all the earth should spread and run. And therefore if that Isaac once were killed, I see not how this covenant could be held. Alas Lord, hast thou made him then for nowght? Alas Lord, is it vain that thou so often Hast promised me such things in Isaake, As thou would never do for other's sake? Alas and can the things repealed be, Which thou so often hast promised unto me? Alas and shall my hope have such an end? Whereto should then man's hope & trusting tend? The sum of all I minded to have said, Is that to thee I heartily have prayed, To give me issue: hoping that when thou Hadst granted it, I should have lived now In joy and pleasure: but I see full well, The contrary to my desire befell. For of my sons, which were no more but twain, To put away the one myself was fain: And of the other (O hard extremity) Both father I, and tormenter must be, Yea tormenter, yea tormenter, alas. But art not thou the self same God, which was Contented for too hear me patiently, When I did pray to thee so instantly, Even in the mids of all thy wrath and ire, When Sodom thou didst mind to burn with fire? Now than my God and King, wilt thou say nay, When for myself I unto thee do pray? Whom I begat him must I now deface. O God, at leastwise grant me yet this grace. Grace? in my book that word I never found. Some other man my son to death may wownd Alas my Lord, and must this hand of mine To such a stroke against all kind decline? How will it touch his woeful mother near, When of his violent death she needs shall here? If I allege thy will for my defence, Who will believe that thou wilt so dispense? And if men do not credit it: what fame Will fly abroad to my perpetual shame? I shall be shunned of all men more and less, As pattern of extremest cruelness. And as for thee, who will unto thee pray, Or on thy word and promise ever stay? Alas, may these whore hears of mine abide The sorrow that is likely to betide? Have I already past so many dangers, Have I so traveled countries that are strangers, In heat and cold, in thirst and hunger still, Continewally obedient to thy will: Have I so long time lived lingeringly, Now in the end to die unhappily? O heart of mine, clive, clive, asunder clive: And linger here no longer time alive. The speedier death, the lesser is the grief.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Alas alas what ment I so to sayne? Forgiue me, Lord, and pluck me backe agein From this leawd race wherin my sin gan go: O Lord my God deliuer me from this wo. This hand of mine shall certeinly him smight. For sith it is thy will, it is good right It should be doone. Wherfore I will obey. But I will keepe you from it if I may. So doing I should make my God vntrew. For he hath told me that there should insew, So great a people out of this my sonne, As ouer all the earth should spred and ronne. And therefore if that Isaac once were kild, I see not how this couenant could be hild. Alas Lord, hast thou made him thē for nowght? Alas Lord, is it vaine that thou so oft Hast promist me such things in Isaake, As thou wooldst neuer doo for others sake? Alas and can the things repealed be, Which thou so oft hast promist vnto me? Alas and shall my hope haue such an end? Wherto should then mans hope & trusting tēd? The summe of all I minded to haue sayd, Is that to thee I hartily haue prayd, To giue me yssue: hoping that when thow Hadst graunted it, I should haue liued now In ioy and pleasure: but I see full well, The contrary to my desire befell. For of my sonns, which were no mo but twayn, To put away the one my selfe was fayne: And of the other (O hard extremitee) Both father I, and tormenter must be, Yea tormenter, yea tormenter, alas. But art not thou the selfe same God, which was Contented for too heere me patiently, When I did pray to thee so instantly, Euen in the midds of all thy wrath and yre, When Sodom thou didst mind to burne wt fire? Now then my God and King, wilt thou say nay, When for my selfe I vnto thee doe pray? Whom I begate him must I now deface. O God, at leastwise graunt me yit this grace. Grace? in my book that word I neuer found. Some other man my sonne to death may wownd Alas my Lord, and must this hand of myne To such a stroke against all kind declyne? How will it towch his wofull mother neere, Whē of his violent death she needes shal heere? If I alledge thy will for my defence, Who will beleue that thou wilt so dispence? And if men doe not credit it: what fame Will fly abrode to my perpetuall shame? I shall be shund of all men more and lesse, As paterne of extremest cruelnesse. And as for thee, who will vnto thee pray, Or on thy word and promise euer stay? Alas, may these hore heares of myne abide The sorrow that is likely to betide? Haue I alredy past so many daungers, Haue I so traueld countries that are straūgers, In heate and cold, in thirst and hunger still, Continewally obedient to thy will: Haue I so long time liued lingringly, Now in the end to dye vnhappily? O hart of mine, clyue, clyue, asunder clyue: And linger heere no longer time aliue. The speedier death, the lesser is the greef.