The Most Virtuous and Godly Susanna · chunk 6 of 29
Garter, Thomas · published 1578 · first performed or written 1569 [1563-1569] (Annals) moral unassigned nearest T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation · 501 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
In froth right 〈◊〉 pity are you come, I thought your absence long, For when I am in place alone, my passions seem full strong, I cannot rid out of my brain the charge of our degree, How rightly we should rule the world, which crooked is to see, I promise you if I might speak without offence of God, There is no sharper punishment, then is the Rulers rod. Yea let us do even what we can to rule each thing aright, Thou knowest Lord the weight is such it passeth much our might. Why Sir methinks you do offend, because you thus repine, Against the doings of that God, whose works are all divine, He hath placed you for chiefest here, and us to be your aid, We may not shrink like fearful ones, but bear the burden laid, We may not think the burden great, nor yet the time to long, That God shall keep us in this state, but see we do no wrong. (alas) who liveth now and doth the people guide, But that against his will, O Lord, his foot shall sometime slide, The matters are so crooked and vile, that cometh forth each day, As how to end without some▪ wrong, I know not well the way. A judges state is straight indeed, and to be looked upon, But if so straight as you do fear, then were we woe begone. But this I think if evidence our matters do desyde, Our ground is sure, our path is straight, our sentence cannot slide. Your if doth well, but if your if, do miss in any case, How should we end our journey straight, and have a crooked race. But reply on words with words, doth vainly spend the time, And time ill spent you know right well, is eke a grievous crime, What things we have to do you know, what matters to discuss, The number of them Lord thou knowest, I think to much for us, Well it is our charge you know, and therefore do you two, Peruse each plaint with such effect, as judges ought to do, And when you have with diligence, done it with good advice, I will you aid to cut of doubts, if any do arise. O God when thou mad'st man of nought, thou framed'st him in such bliss, As he should still ●isy thy grace, and feel no heaviness. Unto thy likeness him thou mad'st, among thy works of wonder, And settest him in Paradise, where is no thirst 〈◊〉 hunger. This joyful life did he lead still, till death the Devil and Hell, By disobeying of thy doom did spite his state so well, He fell from that and now is come, into such weakness Lord, As what a love of him doth come, by thee it is abhorred. Therefore good Lord since thou hast placed, me for a Ruler here, Grant that no word may pass my mouth, without thy love and fear
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)
¶In froth right pity are you come, I thought your absence long, For when I am in place alone, my passyons séeme full strong, I cannot rid out of my brayne the charge of our degrée, How rightly we should rule the world, which crooked is to sée, I promise you if I might speake without offence of God, There is no sharper punishment, then is the Rulers rod. Yea let vs doe euen what we can to rule ech thing aright, Thou knowest Lorde the waight is such it passeth much our might. ¶Why Syr me thinkes you doe offend, because you thus repyne, Agaynst the doinges of that God, whose workes are all deuyne, He hath plaste you for chiefest here, and vs to be your ayde, We may not shrinke lyke fearefull ones, but beare the burthen layde, We may not thinke the burthen great, nor yet the tyme to long, That God shall keepe vs in this state, but sée we doe no wrong. (alas) who liueth now and doth the people guyde, But that agaynst his will, O Lord, his foote shall sometyme slyde, The matters are so croockt and vyle, that commeth forth ech day, As how to ende without some▪ wrong, I know not well the way. ¶A Iudges state is straight indéede, and to be lookte vpon, But if so straight as you doe feare, then were we wo begon. But this I thinke if euidence our matters doe desyde, Our ground is sure, our path is straight, our sentence cannot slyde. ¶Your if doth well, but if your if, do misse in any case, How should we end our iorney straight, and haue a crooked race. But replye on wordes with wordes, doth vaynely spende the tyme, And tyme ill spent you know right well, is eake a greeuous cryme, What thinges we haue to do you know, what matters to discusse, The number of them Lorde thou knowest, I thinke to much for vs, Well it is our charge you know, and therefore doe you two, Peruse eche playnt with such effect, as Iudges ought to do, And when you haue with diligence, done it with good aduyce, I will you ayde to cut of doubtes, if any doe aryse. ¶O God when thou madste man of nought, thou framdste him in suche blisse, As he should still isy thy grace, and feele no heauinesse. Unto thy lykenesse him thou madste, among thy workes of wonder, And sttest him in Paradice, where is no thyrst hunger. This ioyfull lyfe did he leade still, till death the Deuill and Hell, By disobeying of thy doome did spite his state so well, He fell from that and now is come, into such weakenesse Lord, As what a loue of him doth come, by thée it is abhorde. Therefore good Lorde since thou haste plaste, me for a Ruler here, Graunt that no word may passe my mouth, without thy loue and feare