Woodes, Nathaniel · published 1581 · first performed or written 1572 [1570-1581] (Annals) moral T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness typicality 0.83 · 506 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Oh stay I say Philologus, or else thou wilt it rue. It is lost labour that thou dost, I will be at a point, And to enjoy these worldly joys, I jeopardy will a joint. Oh cursed creature O frail flesh, O meat for worms, O dust, O bladder puffed full of wind, O vainer than these all, What cause hast thou in thine own wit? to have so great a trust: Which of thyself canst not espy, the evils which on thee fall, The blindness of the outward man, Philologus' show shall At his return, unless I can at last, make him relent, For why the Lord him to correct, in furious wrath is bent. Such chopping cheer, as we have made, the like hath not been seen And who so pleasant with my Lord, as is Philologus, His recantation, he hath made, and is dispatched clean, Of all the griefs which unto him, did seem so dangerous: Which thing you know, was brought to pass especially by us, So that Hypocrisy hath done that, which Sathan did intend, That men for worldly wealth, should cease the Gospel to defend: What shall become of foolish Goose, I mean Philologus: In actual manner to your eyes, shall represented be: For though as now, he seems to be, in state most glorious, He shall not long continue so, each one of you shall see. But needs I must be packing hence, my fellows stay for me, Shake hands before we do depart, you shall see me no more: And though Hypocrisy go away, of hypocrites here is good store. COme on my Children dear to me, and let us talk a while, Of worldly goods, which I have got and of my pleasant state, Which fortune hath installed me, who on me cheerly smile. So that into the top of wheel, she doth me elevate: I have escaped all mishaps, of which my Conscience did prate, And where before I ruled was, as is the common sort, Now as a judge within this Land, I bear a ruler's port. Indeed, good father, we have cause, to praise your gravity, Who did both save yourself from woe, and us from begging state, Where if you had persevered still, as we did fear greatly: Your goods from us, your Children should, to Legate been confiscate Our glorious pomps, then, should we have been glad for to abate. But now, not only that you had for us, but also have Such offices, whereby more gains, you year by year shall save: I was at point, once, very near, to have been quite forlorn, Had not Suggestion of the flesh, from folly me reclaimed, And set this Glass of worldly joys, my sight and eyes before: The sight whereof did cause all things, of me to be disdained, I thought I had felicity, when it I had obtained: And to say truth, I do not care, what to my soul betide, So long as this prosperity, and wealth by me abide.
seed 43: T35 · seed 44: T34 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Oh ſtay I ſay Philologus, or els thou wilt it rue. It is loſt labour that thou doeſt, I will be at a point, And to inioye theſe worldly ioyes, I ieoparde will a iont. Oh curſed creature O fraile fleſh, O meat for wormes, O duſt, O blather puffed full of winde, O vainer then theſe all, What cauſe haſt thou in thine owne wit? to haue ſo great a truſt: Which of thy ſelfe canſt not eſpie, the euils which on thée fall, The blindneſſe of the outward man, Philologus ſhew ſhall At his returne, vnleſſe I can at laſt, make him relent, For why the Lord him to correct, in furious wrath is bent. SVch chopping cheare, as we haue made, the like hath not bin ſéene And who ſo pleaſant with my Lorde, as is Philologus, His recantation, he hath made, and is diſpatched cleane, Of all the griefes which vnto him, did ſéeme ſo dangerous: Which thing you know, was brought to paſſe eſpecially by vs, So that Hypocriſie hath done that, which Sathan did intende, That men or worldly wealth, ſhould ceaſe the Goſpell to defende: What ſhall become of fooliſh Gooſe, I meane Philologus: In actuall maner to your eyes, ſhall repreſented bée: For though as now, he ſeemes to be, in ſtate moſt glorious, He ſhall not long continue ſo, eche one of you ſhall ſée. But néedes I muſt be packing hence, my fellowes ſtay for mée, Shake handes before we do depart, you ſhall ſée mée no more: And though Hypocriſie goe away, of hypocrits héere is good ſtore. COme on my Children deare to mée, and let vs talk a while, Of worldly goodes, which I haue got and of my pleaſant ſtate, Which fortune hath inſtalled mée, who on mee chéerely ſmyle. So that into the top of whéele, ſhe doth mée eleuate: I haue eſcaped all miſhaps, of which my Conſcience did prate, And where before I ruled was, as is the common orte, Now as a Iudge within this Land, I beare a Rulers port. Indéede, good father, we haue cauſe, to praiſe your grauitie, Who did both ſaue your ſelfe from woe, and vs from begging ſtate, Where if you had perſeuered ſtill, as we did feare greatly: Your goods from vs, your Children ſhould, to Legate bene confiſcate Our glorious pompes, then, ſhould we haue bene glad for to abate. But now, not onely that you had for vs, but alſo haue Such offices, whereby more gaines, you yeare by yeare ſhall ſaue: I was at point, once, very neare, to haue bene quite forlorne, Had not Suggeſtion of the fleſh, from folly mee reclaymed, And ſet this Glaſſe of worldly ioyes, my ſight and eyes beforne: The ſight wherof did cauſe all thinges, of mée to be diſdained, I thought I had felycitie, when it I had obtained: And to ſay trueth, I doo not care, what to my ſoule betide, So long as this proſperitie, and wealth by mée abide.