Whetstone, George · published 1578 · first performed or written 1578 [1576-1579] (Annals) comedy · Unacted unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 507 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
I see by proof, that true the prover be is, Might masters right, wealth is such a canker, As wounds the conscience, of his Master, And devours the heart of his poor neighbour. To cure which sore, justice his pride must pyve, Which justice aught in Princes most to shine: And sith subjects live by their prince's law, Whose laws in chief, the rich should keep in awe: The poor in wrouges, but seldom doth delight, They have enough, for to defend their right: It much behoves the maker of these laws, (This money finds in them, so many flaws) To see his laws, obsered as they are meant: Or else good laws, will turn to evil intent. Well, ere I leave, my poorest subjects shall, Both live, and like: and by the richest stawll. Regarded and most mighty Prince, your clemency herein, Those hearts, your rule, commands through fear to faithful love shall win. Renowned king, I am for to complain, Of Phallax, Lord Promos secondary, Whose heinous wrouges many poor men doth pain, By me, who pray, your highness remedy. My Lord Promise, it seems you rule at large, When as your clerks are officers unjust. Dread king, I think, he can these wrong discharge. Do you but think sir: a sure spear to trust? A dumb death, and blind judge, can do as much: Well, well, God grant, your own life, bide the touch. Sir Vlrice, your complaint continue: Gracious King, his wrouges be these ensue: first Phallax, is a coumon Barriter, In office, a lewd extortioner: The crafty man, often puts these wrongs in ure, If poor men have, that likes his searching eye, He showeth gold, the needy souls to lure: Which if they take, so taste he doth them tie, That by some bond, or covenant forfeited. They are enforced (far beneath the value) To let him have what his eye coveted: And for to prove, that this report is true, I show no more, then witness proved by oath, Whose names and hands, defends it hear as troth, How now Promos? how think you of your man? Use both your wits, to clear him if you can. Dread King, my heart to hear his faults doth bleed. How far'de it then, to suffer it indeed? It dyde, I trow, or now you speak in jest: Thy Master's mute Phallax, I hold it best That thou speak, for thyself. I humbly crave, Of your grace, for answer, respite to have. Why? to devise a cloak to hide a knave? Friend, veritas non querit angulos, And if yourself, you on your truth repose, You may be bold, these faults for to deny, Some, little care, upon their oaths to lie: See if any in your behalf will swear. O Lord God, is there no knights of the post hear? Well, then of force, I must sing Peccavi. And cry out right, to the king for mercy. O King, I am, in fault, I must confess, The which I will with repentance redress.
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)
I ſee by proofe, that true the prouer be is, Myght maiſters right, wealth is ſuch a canker, As woundes the conſcience, of his Maiſter, And deuoures the hart of his poore neyghbour. To cure which ſore, Iuſtice his pryde muſt pyue, Which Iuſtice ought in Princes moſt to ſhine: And ſyth ſubiects lyue by their princes law, Whoſe lawes in cheefe, the rytch ſhould keepe in awe: The poore in wrouges, but ſildome doth delyght, They haue inuffe, for to deſende their right: It much behoues the maker of theſe lawes, (This mony findes in them, ſo many flawes) To ſee his lawes, obſer'd as they are ment: Or elſe good lawes, wyll turne to euyll intent. Well, ere I leaue, my pooreſt ſubiects ſhall, Both lyue, and lyke: and by the richeſt ſtawll. Regarded and moſt mightie Prince, your clemency herein, Thoſe harts, your rule, cōmands through feare to faithful loue ſhal win. Renowmed king, I am for to complaine, Of Phallax, Lord Promos ſecondary, Whoſe hainous wrouges many poore men doth paine, By me, who pray, your highnes remedy. My Lord Promes, it ſeemes you rule at large, When as your clarkes are officers vniuſt. Dread king, I thinke, he can theſe wrong diſcharge. Doe you but thinke ſyr: a ſure ſpeare to truſt? A dum death, and blynde Iudge, can do as much: Well, well, God graunt, your owne lyfe, byde the tutch. Syr Vlrice, your complaynt continew: Gratious King, his wrouges be theſe inſew: Fyrſt Phallax, is a coumon Barriter, In office, a lewd extortioner: The crafty man, oft puts theſe wronges in vre, If poore men haue, that lykes his ſearching eye, He ſhoweth gould, the needy ſoules to lure: Which if they take, ſo taſt he doth them tye, That by ſome bonde, or couenaunt forfayted. They are inforſt (farre beneath the vallew) To let him haue what his eye coueyted: And for to proue, that this report is true, I ſhowe no more, then witneſſe prou'd by oth, Whoſe names and handes, defends it heare as troth, How now Promos? how thinke you of your man? Vſe both your wyttes, to cleare him if you can. Dread King, my hart to heare his faultes doth bleede. Howe far'de it then, to ſuffer it indéede? It dyde, I trowe, or now you ſpeake in ieſt: Thy Maſter's mute Phallax, I hould it beſt That thou ſpeake, for thy ſelfe. I humbly craue, Of your grace, for aunſwere, reſpyt to haue. Why? to deuiſe a cloke to hyde a knaue? Friend, veritas non querit angulos, And if your ſelfe, you on your truth repoſe, You may be bould, theſe faultes for to deny, Some, lyttel care, vpon their othes to lye: Sée if any in your behalfe will ſweare. O Lord God, is there no knyghtes of the poſte heare? Well, then of force, I muſt ſing Peccaui. And crye out ryght, to the king for mercy. O King, I am, in faulte, I muſt confeſſe, The which I wyll with repentaunce redreſſe.