Rastell, John · published 1525 · first performed or written 1527 [c.1527-1530] (Annals) not in BritDrama unassigned nearest T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness · 541 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
well than there is no reason thereof why But because he is the thing omnipotent And is in him self so sufficient And needeth the help of no nothyr thing To the help of his glorious being But every other thing hath need of his aid Marry that is very truth & well said And likewise that thing that hath most need Is the thing that is most wretched So suffycyency is ever nobleness And necessity is ever wretchedness And he that hath more need of that thing For the preservation of his living Then his fellow hath his fellow must nedis be By this same reason more noble than he what than. P. by the same reason it proveth lo ye be but caytyffꝭ & wrechis both two And by the same reason prove I shall That I am the noblyst man of us all For I have need of no manner thing That ye can do to help of my lyffing For every thing whereby ye do life I noryss it & to you both do give I blow I till & I stir the ground whereby I make the corn to abound whereof there is made both drink & bred who the which daily ye must nediss be fed I noryss the catell & fowls also Fyssh & herbis & other thyngie more Fell hair & will which the bestis do bear I noryssh & preserve which ye do were which if ye had not no doubt ye should Starve for sak of clothes because of cold So both you should die or live in necessity If ye had not comfort & help of me And as for your fine cloth & costly array I cannot see why ye ought or may Call yourself noble because ye were it which was made by other menis labour & wit And also your delicate drinks & viand By other menis labours be made so pleasand Therefore master merchant now to you I sei I can not see but I am able & may Lyf without you or your purveyance Live without you or your purveyance For of food & cloth I have suffisance Of myself for lyffing necessary And now sir knight to you I say plainly I see not that ye can any thing do For the common well or aught longing thereto But each man being in authority Having wit may do it as well as ye Therefore to speak now of necessity there is neither of you both but ye be In more need than I therefore I say plain I am more noble than other of you twain Now that is a foolish reason so god me save For by the same reason thou wouldst have Every best fish & other foul than To be more noble of birth than a man For man hath more need of bodily covering Than they have for they need no thing The bestis have hair & also a thick skin The fish skalis or shelis to keep their bodies in The foulis fethirs & so every thing By nature hath his proper covering Save man himself which is born all naked And therefore he should be than most wretched
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)
¶well than there is no reason therof why But because he is the thyng omnipotent And is in hun self so suffycyent And nedyth the helpe of no nothyr thyng To the helpe of hys gloryous beyng But euery other thyng hath nede of his ayde ¶Mary that is very trough & well sayde And lykwyse yt thynge that hath most nede Is the thyng that is most wreched So suffycyency is euer noblenes And necessyte is euer wrechydnes And he that hath more nede of that thyng For the p̄teruacyon of hys lyuyng Then his felow hath his felow must nedꝭ be By thys same reason more noble than he what than .P. by the same reason it ꝓuith lo ye be but caytyffꝭ & wrechis both two And by the same reason ꝓue I shall That I am the noblyst man of vs all For I haue nede of no maner thyng That ye can do to help of my lyffyng For euery thyng whereby ye do lyf I noryss it & to you both do gyf I plow I tyll & I ster the ground wherby I make the corn to habounde whereof ther is made both drynk & bred wych the which dayly ye must nedis be fed I noryss the catell & fowlys also Fyssh & herbis & other thyngie mo Fell herr & woll whych the bestis do bere I noryssh & preserue which ye do were which yf ye had not no dowt ye shuld Starue for sak of clothis because of colde So both you shulde die or lyue in necessite If ye had not cōfort & help of me And as for your fyne cloth & costly aray I cannot see whi ye ought or mai Call your self noble because ye were it which was made bi other menis labour & wit And also your dilicate drinkis & viand Bi other menis labours be made so pleasand Therefore mayster marchaunt now to you I sei I can not see but I am able & mai Lyf wythout you or your purueaunce Lyue wythout you or your purueyaunce For of fode & cloth I haue suffisaunce Of my self for lyffing necessary And now sir knyght to you I sey playnly I see not that ye can any thyng do For the cōmyn well or ought longyng therto But ech man beyng in auctoryte Hauyng wit may do it as well as ye Therfore to spek now of necessyte Ther is nother of you both but ye be In more nede than I therfore I sey playn I am more noble than other of you twayn Now that is a folysh reason so god me saue For by the same reason thou woldyst haue Eueri best fyssh & other foule than To be more noble of birth than a man For man hath more nede of bodely coueryng Than they haue for they nede no thinge The bestꝭ haue herr & also a thik skin The fissh skalis or shelis to kepe theyr bodyes in The foulis fethirs & so eueri thing Bi nature hath his ꝓper couering Saue man himself which is born all nakyd And therfore he shuld be than most wrechyd