Woodes, Nathaniel · published 1581 · first performed or written 1572 [1570-1581] (Annals) moral unassigned nearest T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness · 488 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Marry thou shalt not give mee thy service for nought: But for thy pains to please thee I thought. Thou art nothing so ready to do any good, As thou art to shed poor Innocents' blood. Nay Tyranny suffer this rascal to prate, Till some man come by, and then he is gone, Than wilt thou repent it, when it is to late: Dispatch him therefore, while we are alone: Well may the Covetous be likened to a drone, Which of the Bees labours will spoil and waste make, And yet to get honey, no labour will take. The Coueitous lykewise from poore men erf, Their gains to increase, they only do seek: And so they may have it of them a great sort: What meanes they vse for , they rare not séeke: Yet will these misers scarce once a week: Have one good meal, at their own table. So by Avarice, to help themselves they are unable. Avarice to a Fire may well compared be, To the which the more you add, the more still it crave, So likewise the Covetous mind the do see: Though riches abound, do wish still more to have And to be short, your reverences to save: To a filthy Swine, such misers are comparable, Which while they be dead are nothing profitable. Nay farewell Tyranny, I came hither too soon, I perceive already, I am to well known: I were not best in their claws for to come: Unless I were willing to be clean overthrown: By the preaching of God's word, at this mischief is grown: Which if Hypocrisy might happily expel, All we in safety and pleasure might dwell. Stay therefore, while from Hypocrisy we bear, Dispatch then this Merchant, lest our counsel he tell, I am content for God's cause, this cross for to bear. It is best killing him, now his mind is set well. Your scoffing and mocking God seeth each deal: Yea, dost thou persist, us still thus to check, Thy speech I will hinder, by cutting of thy neck. Nay, hold thy hand Cadby, thou hast killed me enough What never the sooner for a merry word? I meant not good earnest, to your maship I vow: I did but jest, and spoke but in board: Therefore of friendship, put up again thy sword: Nay caitiff presume not, that thou shalt go scot-free, Therefore hold still and I will soon dispatch thee. What? I pray thee Tyranny know first who I am, Ye purblinded fools, do your lips blind your eyes? Why, I was in place long before you came: But you could not see the wood for the trees: But in faith father Avarice I will pay you your fees: For the great goodwill which you to me bear, And in time will requite it again do not fear. Content yourself, good master Hypocrisy. The words which I spoke I spoke unaware.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T5 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Marry thou ſhalt not geue thy ſeruice for nought: But for thy paines to pleaſe thée I thought. Thou art nothing ſo ready to doo any good, As thou art to ſhe poore ents bloud. Nay Tyranny ſuffer this raſkall to prae, Till ſome man come by, and then he is gone▪ Then wilt thou repent it, when it is to late▪ Diſpatch him therfore, while we are alone▪ Well may the Couetous be lykened to a dro, Which of the Bées labours will ſpe and aſt make▪ And yet to get hony, no labour will ake. The Coueitous lykewiſe from poore men erf, Their gaines to encreaſe, they onely doo ſéeke: And ſo they may haue it of them a great ſorte: What meanes they vſe for , they rare not ſéeke: Yet will theſe myſers ſcarce once a wéeke: Haue one good meale, at their owne table. So by Auarice, to help them ſelues they are vnable. Auarice to a Fire may well compared ée, To the which the more you adde, he more ſtill it crae▪ So lykewiſe the Couetous minde the doo ſée: Though riches abound, doo wih ſtill more to haue▪ And to be ſhort, your reerences to ſaue: To a filthy Swyne, ſuch myſers are comparable, Which while they be dead are nothing profyable. Nay farewell Tyranny, I came hither too ſoone, I perceiue already, I am to well knowne: I were not beſt in their lawes for o come: Vnleſſe I were willing to be cleane ouerthrowne: By the preaching of Gods word, at this miſchife is grow n: Which if Hypocriſie might happely expell, All we in ſafetie and pleaſure might dwell. Stay therefore, while from Hypocriſie we beare, Diſpatch then this Marchant, leaſt our counſell he tell, I am content for Gods cauſe, this croſſe for to beare. It is beſt killyng him, now his mynde is ſet well. Your ſcoffing and mocking God ſéeth eche deal: Yea, doeſt thou perſiſt, vs ſtill thus to check, Thy ſpeach I will hinder, by cutting of thy neck. Nay, holde thy hand Cadby, thou haſt kild mée enough What neuer the ſooner for a mery worde? I meant not good earneſt, to your maſhip I vow: I dyd but ieſt, and ſpake but in boord: Therfore of friendſhip, put vp agayne thy ſword: Nay caytiffe preſume not, that thou ſhalt goe ſcotfrée, Therfore hold ſtill and I will ſoone diſpatch thée. What? I pray thée Tyranny know fyrſt who I am, Ye purblinded fooles, doo your lyps blinde your eyes? Why, I was in place long before you came: But you could not ſée the wood for the trées: But in faith father Auarice I will pay you your fées: For the great goodwill which you to mee beare, And in time wyll requight it againe doo not feare. Content your ſelfe, good maſter Hypocriſie. The wordes which I ſpake I ſpake vnaware.