Woodes, Nathaniel · published 1581 · first performed or written 1572 [1570-1581] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.83 · 483 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
I hear you, and will fulfil your words speedily. Good Master Philologus, I pity your case, To see you so foolish, yourself to undo: I durst yet promise to purchase you grace, If you would (at length) your errors forego: Therefore, I pray you, be not your own foe. Call you those Errors, which the Gospel defends, I know not then, whence true Doctrine descends. Nay, Master Hypocrisy, you spend time in vain. To reason with him, he will not be removed, Had I so much to live by as he hath certain, I would not lose that which I so well loved. He stands in his reputation, he will not be reproved: And that is the cause that he is so obstinate? But I shall well enough thy courage abate. I humbly beseech you of Christian charity, You seek not of purpose my blood for to spill: For if I have displeased your authority, In reasonable causes redress it I will, But in this respect I fear I should kill My soul for ever: if against my conscience I should to the pope's laws acknowledge Obedience. Cease from those words, if your safety you love: As though no man had a soul more than you: Such nips (perchance) my Lords patience will move: Then would you please him, if that you wist how: But, if you will be ruled, (by my honesty) I vow, I will do the best herein that I can: Because you seem to be a good Gentleman. Were it not better for you to live at ease? And spend that merely, which erst you have got, Then by your own folly, yourself to disease? And bring you to trouble, which other men seek not. In faith, Philologus, your zeal is too hot, Which will not be quenched, but with your heart blood, If I were so zealous, I would think myself wood. Tush, it will not be, he thinks we do but jest, Wherefore, that some trial of my mind, he may have, That Careful Provision, should go, I think best, Into the town, and there, assistance crave, His House for to enter, and his Goods for me save: lest, when his wife know, that they be confiscate, Into other men's keeping, the same she doth dissipate. You speak very wisely, in my simple judgement, Therefore, you were best to send him away. Go too, Careful Provision, depart incontinent, And fulfil the words, which I to you say, Of pardon herein, I do your Lordship pray, You doubt not I trust, of my willing mind, Which herein most ready, you always shall find. For who is more ready, by fraud to purloin, Other men's goods then I am each where? But least some man at me should chance to feign, And kill me at once I greatly do fear, I had rather persuade him his folly to forbear.
seed 43: T4 · seed 44: T5 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I heare you, and wyll fulfill your wordes ſpedely. Good Maiſter Philologus, I pittie your caſe, To ſée you ſo foolyſh, your ſelfe to vndoo: I durſt yet promys to purchaſe you grace, If you would (at length) your errours forgoe: Therfore, I pray you, be not your owne foe. Call you thoſe Errours, whiche the Goſpell defends, I know not then, whence true Drine deſcends. Nay, Mayſter Hypocriſie, you ſpend tyme in vaine. To reaſon with him, he will not be remooued, Had I ſo much to liue by as he hath certayne, I would not looſe that which I ſo well loued. He ſtands in his reputation, he will not be reproued: And that is the cauſe that he is co obſtinate? But I ſhall well enough thy corage abate. I humbly beſéeche you of Chriſtian charitie, You ſéeke not of purpoſe my bloud for to ſpill: For if I haue diſpleaſed your authoritie, In reaſonable cauſes redreſſe it I will, But in this reſpect I feare I ſhould kill My ſoull for euer: if againſt my conſcience I ſhould to the Popes lawes acknowledge Obedience. Ceace from thoſe wordes, if your ſafetie you loue: As though no man had a ſoule more then you: Suche nips (perchance) my Lords patience wyll mooue: Then would you pleaſe him, if that you wiſt how: But, if you wyll be ruled, (by my honeſtie) I vow, I will do the beſt herein that I can: Becauſe you ſéeme to be a good Gentleman. Were it not better for you to lyue at eaſe? And ſpend that merely, whiche earſt you haue got, Then by your owne ole, your ſelfe to diſeaſe? And bring you to trouble, whiche other men ſéeke not. In faith, Philologus, your zeale is too hote, Whiche wyll not be quenched, but with your hart blood, If I were ſo zealous, I would thinke my ſelfe wood. Tuſh, it wyll not be, he thinkes we do but ieſt, Wherfore, that ſome tryall of my minde, he may haue, That Carefull Prouiſion, ſhould goe, I thinke beſt, Into the towne, and there, aſſiſtance craue, His Houſe for to enter, and his Goods for me ſaue: Leaſt, when his wife know, that they be confiſcate, Into other mens keepyng, the ſame ſhe doth diſſipate. You ſpeake very wiſely, in my ſimple Iudgement, Therfore, you were beſt to ſende him away. Go too, Carefull Prouiſion, depart incontinent, And fulfill the wordes, whiche I to you ſay, Of pardon herein, I do your Lordſhyp pray, You doubt not I truſt, of my wyllyng minde, Whiche herein moſt redy, you alway ſhall finde. For who is more redy, by frawde to put loye, Other mens goodes then I am eche where? But leaſt ſome man at mée ſhoulde chaunce to faine, And kill mée at once I greatly doo feare, I had rather perſwade him his folly to forbeare.