Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
But sith PHILOLOGUS is nought else, but one that loves to talk, And common of the word of God, but hath no further care, According as it teacheth them, in God's fear for to walk, If that we practise this in deed, PHILOLOGI we are, And so by his deserved fault, we may in time beware, Now, if as Author first it meant, you hear it with this gain, In good behalf he will esteem, that he bestowed his pain. And for because we see by proof, that men do soon forget, Those things for which to call them by, no name at all they know, Our Author for to help short wits, did think it very meet, Some name for this his Comedy, in preface for to show, Now names to natures must agree, as every man do know, A fitter name he could in mind, nowhere excogitate, Then, THE CONFLICT OF CONSCIENCE, the same to nominate. A cruel Conflict certainly, where Conscience takes the foil, And is constrained by the flesh, to yield to deadly sin, Whereby the grace and love of God, from him, his sin doth spoil, Then (wretch accursed) small power hath, repentance to begin, This History here, example shows, of one fast wrapped therein, As in discourse before your eyes, shall plainly proved be, Yet (at the last) God him restored, even of his mercy free. And though the History of itself, be too too, dolorous, And would constrain a man with tears of blood, his cheeks to wet, Yet to refresh the minds of them that be the Auditors, Our Author intermixed hath, in places fit and meet, Some honest mirth, yet always ware, DECORUM, to exceed: But list, I hear the players priest, in presence forth to come, I therefore cease, and take my leave, my Message I have done. Exit. HIgh time it is for me to stir about, And do my best, my kingdom to maintain, For why? I see of enemies a wrought: Which all my laws, and Statutes do disdain: Against my state, do fight and strive amain. Whom, in time if I do not dissipate, I shall repent it, when it is to late. My mortal foe, the Carpenters poor son, Against my Children, the Pharisees I mean, Upbraiding them, did use this comparison, As in the story of his life, may be seen, There was a man, which had a vineyard green: Who letting it to husbandmen unkind, In stead of fruit, unthankfulness did find. So that his Servants, firstly they did beat, His Son likewise, they afterward did kill, And here upon that man in fury great: Did soldiers send, these Husbandmen to spill, Their Towue to burn, he did them also will. But out alas, alas, for woe I cry, To use the same, far juster cause have I,
seed 43: T41 · seed 44: T39 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
¶ But ſyth PHILOLOGVS is nought elſe, but one that loues to talke, And common of the worde of God, but hath no further care, According as it teacheth them, in Gods feare for to walke, If that we practiſe this in deede, PHILOLOGI we are, And ſo by his deſerued fault, we may in time beware, Nowe, if as Author firſt it meant, you heare it with this gayne, In good behalfe he will eſteeme, that he beſtowed his payne. ¶ And for becauſe we ſee by proofe, that men do ſoone forget, Thoſe thinges for which to call them by, no name at all they knowe, Our Author for to helpe ſhort wittes, did thinke it very meete, Some name for this his Comedy, in preface for to ſhowe, Nowe names to natures muſt agree, as euery man do knowe, A fitter name he could in mynde, no where excogitate, Then, THE CONFLICT OF CONSCIENCE, the ſame to nominate. A cruell Conflict certainly, where Conſcience takes the foyle, And is conſtrained by the fleſh, to yelde to deadly ſinne, Whereby the grace and loue of God, from him, his ſinne doeth ſpoyle, Then (wretch accurſt) ſmall power hath, repentance to beginne, This Hyſtorie here, example ſhowes, of one faſt wrapt therein, As in diſcourſe before your eyes, ſhall plainely prooued be, Yet (at the laſt) God him reſtoarde, euen of his mercie free. ¶ And though the Hiſtorie of it ſelfe, be too too, dolorus, And would conſtraine a man with teares of blood, his cheekes to wett, Yet to refreſh the myndes of them that be the Auditors, Our Author intermixed hath, in places fitt and meete, Some honeſt mirth, yet alwaies ware, DECORVM, to exceede: But liſt, I heare the players preſt, in preſence foorth to come, I therefore ceaſe, and take my leaue, my Meſſage I haue done. Exit. HIgh time it is for mée to ſtirre about, And doo my beſt, my kingdom to maintaine, For why? I ſée of enemies a rought: Which all my lawes, and Statutes doo diſdaine: Againſt my ſtate, d fight and▪ ſtriue amaine. Whome, in time if I doo not diſſipate, I ſhall repent it, when it is to late. My mortall foe, the Carpenters poore ſonne, Againſt my Children, the Phariſes I meane, Vpbraiding them, did vſe this compariſon, As in the ſtorie of his lyfe, may be ſéene, There was a man, which had a vinyard greene: Who letting it to huſbandmen vnkinde, In ſteade of fruite, vnthankfulneſſe did finde. So that his Seruantes, firſtly they did beate, His Sonne lykewiſe, they afterward did kill, And héere vpon that man in furie great: Did ſouldiers ſend, theſe Huſbandmen to ſpill, Their Towue to burne, he did them alſo will. But out alas, alas, for woe I crie, To vſe the ſame, farre iuſter cauſe haue I,