The Most Virtuous and Godly Susanna · chunk 17 of 29
Garter, Thomas · published 1578 · first performed or written 1569 [1563-1569] (Annals) moral unassigned nearest T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation · 486 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Rise up servus, for I have heard, ere this some men to say, The sore that sudden taken is, doth soonest wear away. And oft the painter in his works, to show the fairer white, Doth set the blackest black of all, against it over right. And I have heard, and so have you, our mistress often say, Why Lord dost thou love me so well, that live in wealth always, Grant to me God once in my life, a little piece of thrall, But stand by me good Lord I say, let me not sink nor fall. And this hath God I warrant thee, done for to show his might, And though her case do now seem crooked, he will set it aright. You see that time wears fast away, and we have much to do, Let us go home and nothing say, as nought at all we knew. Are not the judges yet come here, alas what is their care, They weigh at all no poor man's case, but ply their dainty fare, I heard of late, I trust not true, they care not who do curse, Or who do bless they force it not, so they may fill their purse, Oh Lord thou knowest how thou dost hate, the wicked bribing wight, And I know Lord not one at all, can hide him from thy sight, And if they be such wicked men, as Fame hath spread for true, Do teach them Lord to mend their fault, & frame themselves anew. Thou gloriest not in sinner's seat, which from thy laws remove, Thou grantest them time of thy grace, for to repent and live, I speak but as the common brute, hath filled every ear, I hope myself oh Lord my God, they do thee love and fear, Well since they are not come in deed, I will go home again, Where till they come in viewing things, myself will take some pain And God preserve and bless you all, I speak to each degree, And he always remain with you, and also go with me. Sorrow oft times doth try a man, it is a manly part, When sorrows do oppress a man, to show a manly heart, Where weeping will not veil nor help, nor courtesy will serve, What weigheth then a manly heart, his courage to let swerve, Well wife she is our daughter dear, and we her parents eke, Virtuous ever methought the wench, gentle, wise, and meek. And for our parts thou knowest O Lord, it was our chiefest awe, Our Daughter to instruct and teach▪ the trade of Moses' law, And therefore Lord if our offence, or else her own desert, Have been the cause of this her fall, yet qualify her smart, And grant that with her life, her fame may also die, And that we hear no more her fault, this only boon ask I.
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)
¶Ryse vp Seruus, for I haue heard, eare this some men to say, The sore that suddayne taken is, doth soonest weare away. And ofte the paynter in his workes, to shew the fayrer whyte, Doth set the blackest black of all, agaynst it ouer right. And I haue heard, and so haue you, our mistresse often say, Why Lorde doest thou loue me so well, that liue in welth alway, Graunt to me God once in my lyfe, a little péece of thrall, But stande by me good Lord I say, let me not synke nor fall. And this hath God I warrant thée, done for to shew his might, And though her case doe now séeme crookte, he will set it aright. You sée that tyme weares fast away, and we haue much to do, Let vs go home and nothing say, as nought at all we knew. ¶Are not the Iudges yet come here, alas what is their care, They wagh at all no pore mans case, but plye their daintye fare, I hearde of late, I trust not true, they care not who doe curse, Or who doe blesse they force it not, so they may fyll their purse, Oh Lord thou knowest how thou doest hate, ye wicked bribing wight, And I know Lord not one at all, can hyde him from thy sight, And if they be such wicked men, as Fame hath spread for true, Doe teache them Lord to mend their fault, & frame themselues anew. Thou gloriest not in sinners seate, which from thy lawes remeue, Thou grauntest them tyme of thy grace, for to repent and liue, I speake but as the common brute, hath fylled euery eare, I hope my selfe oh Lord my God, they do thée loue and feare, Well synce they are not come in déede, I will go home agayne, Where till they come in vewing thinges, my selfe will take some payne And God preserue and blesse you all, I speake to eche degrée, And he alwayes remayne with you, and also go with me. ¶Sorrow oft tymes doth trye a man, it is a manly part, When sorrowes doe oppresse a man, to shew a manly harte, Where weeping will not vayle nor helpe, nor curtesy will serue, What vayieth then a manly hart, his courage to let swerue, Well wyfe she is our daughter deare, and we her parentes eke, Urtuous euer me thought the wenche, gentle, wyse, and méeke. And for our partes thou knowest O Lorde, it was our chiefest awe, Our Daughter to instruct and teach▪ the trade of Moyses lwe, And therefore Lord if our offence, or else her owne desarte, Haue bene the cause of this her fall, yet quallify her smarte, And graunt that with her lyfe, her fame may also dye, And that we heare no more her fault, this onely bowne aske I.