Rastell, John · published 1525 · first performed or written 1527 [c.1527-1530] (Annals) not in BritDrama unassigned nearest T35 Fools, wit and railing · 526 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T35: fool, wit, aristippus, achilles, wise, fools, patroclus, thersites, master, men.
I grant that the artificers do make it But be cause commonly they have little wit gentlemen that have lands & dominion Of all such riches have most possession For reason will ever it should so be wise men to have fools in captivity Marry as for wit & subtle invencyou Mine ancestors with thine may make conꝑison For though my father were a smith what than yet was he a marvelous quick wyttyd man And could work as well for his part As any in this land using that art And devise new fashions in things that he made That every man to buy his ware was glad And carve & grave in iron & steal Both Image & letters marvelously weal And there on lay gold & guilt it also fine & pure as any gold smith could do My grauntfader also was a mason Of great wit as any in this region And could build a castle & tower right well In which some of thy kinsmen now do dwell where in appeareth right good masonry with images & arms wrought curiously My great graundfadyr lo was a weaver Of wollyn yarn & of other gear And made marvelous pleasant works to behold Lynyn dyaꝑ silk & cloth of gold All such subtle things as I have rehearsed lo Mine ancestors by their wyttis could work & do And as for thine ancestors I know no thing They could do by their wits worth of praising But use occupi & waste ever more Such things as mine ancestors 〈◊〉 before And thou & thy ancestors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of such things wrought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of other men oughtist not be praised therefore But the praise ought to be given ever more To the artificer which by his wit It devised and so cunningly wrought it wherefore if thou say that wit & polesy Be the things pertaining to gentry Thine ancestors may never compare with, mine For their actis prove them wiser than thine For thine did never no thing in their days Concerning quick wit that was worthy prays yes I wis lewd javel I would thou knewest it Mine ancestors have had more wisdom & wit Than thine have had & could do also Many things that thine could never do for in the country at sessions and size They have be elect to be justice And for their wit and great discretion They have judged and done correction Upon thine ancestors artificers That have made false wares & been dysseyvers And holp for to maintain every thing That is to the common weith pertaining They have been also in time of war Both in this land & other courreys far Dukrs & leaders of the hole army And by their wyttis & warly policy Study forecast & diligent travail Have won many a great filled & battle And thine ancestors that were there were never able to bear shield nor spear And were never but soldiers & pioneers Nor never had wisdom to be rulers But because mine ancestors have ever be discrete & wise they have had anctoryte
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)
I graunt that the artyfycers do make it But be cause comenly they haue lytell wyt Gentylmen that haue landys & domynyon Of all such ryches haue most possessyon For reason wyll euer it shuld so be wyse men to haue folys in captyuyte Mary as for wyt & subtell inuencyou Myne auncestours wyth thine may make cōꝑison For though my fader were a smyth what than yet was he a meruelous quyk wyttyd man And coud work as well for hys ꝑt As any in this land vsyng that art And deuyse new fassyons in chynges that he made That euery man to bye hys ware was glad And carue & graue in yron & stele Both Image & letters meruelously wele And ther on ley gold & gylt it also Fyne & pure as any gold smyth coud do My grauntfader also was a mason Of grete wyt as any in thys regyon And coud byld a castell & tour ryght well In whych some of thy kynnys men now do dwell where in aperyth ryght good masonry wyth Immagys & armys wrought curyously My grete graundfadyr lo was a weuer Of wollyn yarn & of other gere And made meruelous pleasaunt workis to be hold Lynyn dyaꝑ sylk & cloth of gold All such subtell thyngis as I haue rehersyd lo Myne auncestours by theyr wyttis coud work & do And as for thyne auncestours I know no thyng Thei coud do bi their wittis worth of praisyng But vse occupi & wast euer more Such thyngis as myn auncestours before And thou & thie auncestours Of such thingis wrought Of other men oughtist not be praysed therfore But the prayse ought to be gyuen euer more To the artyfycer whych by hys wyt It deuysyd and so cōnyngly wrought it wherefore yf thou sey that wyt & polesy Be the thyngꝭ perteynyng to gentry Thyn auncestours may neuer cōpare wyth, mine For theyr actꝭ proue them wyser than thyne For thyn dyd neuer no thyng in theyr days Concernyng quyk wyt that was worthy prays yes I wis lewd Iauell I wold thou knewist it Myn auncestours haue had more wysedome & wyt Than thyne haue had & coud do also Many thynges that thyne coud neuer do for in the contrey at sessyons and syse They haue be electe to be Iustyce And for theyer wyt and grete dyscressyon They haue Iuggyd and donne correccyon Uppon thyne auncestours artyfycers That haue made false warys & ben dysseyuers And holpe for to maynteyn euery thynge That ys to the comyn weith pteynyng They haue ben also in tyme of warr Both in thys land & other courreys farr Dukrs & leders of the hole army And by theire wyttis & warly polycy Study forecast & dilygent trauayle Haue won many a grete fyld & batayle And thyne auncestours that were there were neuer able to bere shyld nor spere And were neuer but soldyars & pyoners Nor neuer had wysdome to be rulers But because myn auncestours haue euer be Dyscrete & wyse they haue had anctoryte