Rastell, John · published 1525 · first performed or written 1527 [c.1527-1530] (Annals) not in BritDrama unassigned nearest T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness · 529 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Why desire men than praise evermore Of the acts of their ancestors done before One cause there of is for lak of learning They ꝑseyve not the reason of the thing Another is be cause there be many That call themself gentlemen unworthy which life voluptuously & bestial And do no good in the world at all But lice in pride sloth & unthrystynes And be cause they have no manner goodness Nor property nor virtue in them where by Any man should think them any praise worthy Therefore they seek for commendation Of the actis that their ancestors have done Then Imeruell men desire to be called Of the blood of them that excelled In worldly honour as kings & emperors where some were tyrantꝭ some were conquerors And few desire to be called of their blood which have been called Just men virtuous & good And used indifferent justice & equity meekness abstynens or wilful poverty if I should tell the the very cause true It is because they love no such virtue which virtue & gentle conditions should be Longyng to gentylmen of ꝓperte If gentle conditions be the cause lo Tken will I compare with both you two For I have used ever gentle manner And so have mine ancestors that before were For fursto: all when this world began Long after there were but few people than Men had sufficient of every thing with out great labour for food & clothing All thing was in common among them doubtless But after ward when people did increase Ich man to increase his pleasure & volupte Of goodꝭ & landes desyryd ꝓperte whereof great sttyf & debate did arise Then such as my ancestors were that werewyse Did studi to make laws how the people might be Lyssing together in pease & unity And against enmiys alway defended The people that tilled the ground & laboured The people pseyving than their goodness Their great wit discretion & gentleness were cōtent to gyfe them ꝑt of the ꝓffet Coming of their lands which they did get As corn catell & such thynꝭ as they won But after when that coin of money began They changed those sevenuse & were content To gift them in money an amnyell rend So for their good & vetteous conditions They came furst to landꝭ & possessions So possessions began & were furst found Upon a good & reasonable ground By goggꝭ sweet body thou liest falsely All possessions began turst of tyranny For when people began furst to increase Some gave themself all to Idylnes And would not labour but take by violence That other men got by labour & diligence Than they that laboured were fain to gift Them ꝑt of their gettingꝭ in peace of life Or ellis for their lands money a portion So possessions began by extortion And when such extorsyoners had oppressed The labouring people than they ordained And made laws marvelous straight & hard That their heyris might enjoy it afterward So the law of inhetyaunce was furst begun which is a thing against all good reason That any inheritance in the world should be
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)
Why desyre men then prayse euermore Of the actis of theyr auncestours done before One cause ther of ys for lak of lernyng They ꝑseyue not the reason of the thyng Another is be cause ther be many That call them self gentylmen vnworthy whych lyfe voluptuously & bestyall And do no good in the world at all But lyse in pryde slouth & vnthrystynes And be cause they haue no maner goodnes Nor ꝓperte nor vertew in them wher by Any man shulde thynk them any prayse worthy Therfore they seke for cōmendacyon Of the actꝭ that theyr auncestours haue done Then Imeruell men desyre to be callyd Of the blode of them that excellyd In worldly honour as kyngꝭ & emꝑours where some were tyrantꝭ some were cōquerours And few desyre to be callyd of theyr blod whych haue ben callyd Iust mē verteous & good And vsyd indifferent Iustyce & equyte Mekenes abstynens or wylfull pouerte yf I shuld tell the the verey cause trew It is because they loue no such vertew whych vertew & gentyll cōdycyons shuld be Longyng to gentylmen of ꝓperte If gentyl cōdycyons be the cause lo Tken wyll I compare with both you two For I haue vsyd euer gentyll maner And so haue myn auncestours that before were For fursto: all when thys worlde began Long after ther were but few people than Men had suffycyent of euery thyng wyth oute gret labour for fode & clothyng All thyng was in cōmyn among them doutles But after warde when people dyd increse Ich man to increse hys pleasure & volupte Of goodꝭ & landes desyryd ꝓperte wereof grete sttyf & debate dyd aryse Thē such as mie aūcestours were that werewyse Did studi to make laws how the people myght be Lyssyng to gedyr in pease & vnyte And agayns enmiys alwey defendyd The people that tyllyd the ground & laboryd The people pseyuyng than theyr goodnes Theyr gret wyt dyscressyon & gentylnes were cōtent to gyfe them ꝑt of the ꝓffet Comyng of theyr landꝭ whych they dyd get As corn catell & such thynꝭ as they wan But after when that coyn of money began They chaūgid those seuenuse & were cōtent To gyfe them in money an ānyell rent So for theyr good & vetteous cōdycyons They cam furst to lādꝭ & possessyons So possessyons began & were furst found Uppon a good & resonable ground By goggꝭ swete body thou lyest falsely All possessions began turst of tyranny For when people began furst to encrese Some gafe them self all to Idylnes And wold not labour but take by vyolence That other men gat by labour & dylygence Than they that labouryd were fayne to gyfe Them ꝑt of theyr gettingꝭ in peas of lyfe Or ellꝭ for theyr landis money a porcyon So possessyons began by extorcyon And when such extorsyoners had oppressyd The labouryng people than they ordeynyd And made laws meruelous strayte & hard That theyr heyrꝭ myght inioy it afterward So the law of inhetyaunce was furst begon whych is a thyng agayns all good reason That any inherytaunce in the world shuld be