Rastell, John · published 1525 · first performed or written 1527 [c.1527-1530] (Annals) not in BritDrama unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 466 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
And also vicious churlyssh conditions May be in men born to great possessions And further as touching nobility yet standeth much part I think doubtless An suffycyencye reason doth agree But that suffisance making nobleness Must needs he annexed unto goodness For suffysauns is not the cause principal That god his noble but his goodness withal So virtue is ever the thing principal That gentleness & nobleness doth ensue Then these heads rulers & governors all Should come thereto be cause of their virtue And in authority they ought not continue Except they be good men discrete & wise And have a love & zeal unto justice wherefore sovereigns all that here present be Now mark well these reasons here brought in Both against men of high & of low degree For this intent only to rebuke sin For the best weigh that is for one to begin To convert the people by exhortation is to persuade them by natural reason For when that a man by his own reason juggyth himself for to offend That grudgeth his conscience & gyffyth compunction Into his heart to cause him amend But such blind bestis that will not intend To here no good council nor reason Ought by thee law to have sharp correction But then if the laws be not sufficient which have be made & ordained before To gift there fore condign punishment The princes & governors be bound evermore To cause new laws to be made therefore And to put such men in auctocyte That good men Just & indifferent be But because that men of nature evermore Be frail & following sensuality it is impossible in a manner therefore For any governouss that be in authority At all times Just & indifferent to be Except thes be bridled & thereto compelled By some straight laws for them devised As thus that no man such room occupy But certain years & than to be removed yet that while bound to attend diligently And if he offend & surely proved with out any favour that he be punished For the ponysshment of a judge or office Doth more good than of thousand other And until that such orders be devised substantially/ and put in execution Look never to see the world amended Nor of the great mischiefs the reformation But they that be bound to see the things done I pray god of his grace put in their minds To reform shortly such things amiss And though that I myself now praise Thus mine opinion have published Or any of my fellows hare in this place In any point here have us abused we beseech you to hold us excused And so the author hereof requireth you all And thus I commit you to god eternal.
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)
And also vycious churlyssh cōdycyons May be in men born to grete possessyons ¶And forther as touchyng nobylyte yet standyth much ꝑt I thynk doutles An suffycyencye reason doth agre But that suffysaunce makyng noblenes Must nedys he ānexid vnto goodnes For suffysauns is not the cause pryncypall That god his noble but hys goodnes wythall ¶So vertue is euer the thyng pryncypall That gentylnes & noblenes doth insue Then these hedys rulers & gouernours all Shuld come therto be cause of theyr vertue And in auctoryte they ought not contynue Except they be good men dyscrete & wyse And haue a loue & zele vnto Iustyce ¶wherfore souereyns all that here present be Now marke well these reasons here brought in Both agayns men of hye & of low degre For thys intent only to rebuke syn For the best wey that is for one to begyn To cōuert the people by exortacyon ys to ꝑswade them by naturall reason ¶For when that a man by hys owne reason Iuggyth hymselfe for to offend That grudgyth his cōscyens & gyffyth cōpuncyon Into hys herte to cause hym amend But such blynd bestꝭ that wyl not intend To here no good councell nor reason Ought by thee law to haue sharp coreccyon ¶But then yf the laws be not suffycyent whych haue be made & ordeynyd before To gyfe ther fore cōdygne ponyshment The pryncys & gouernours be bound euermore To cause new laws to be made therfore And to put such men in auctocyte That good men Iust & indyfferent be ¶But because that men of nature euermore Be frayle & folowyng sensualyte yt is impossyble in a maner therfore For any gouernouss that be in auctoryte At all tymys Iust & indyfferent to be Except thes be brydelyd & therto compellyd By some strayt laws for them deuysyd ¶As thus that no man such rome ocupye But certayn yerys & than to be remouyd yet that whyle bound to attend dylygently And yf he offend & surely prouyd wyth out any fauour that he be ponyhysshyd For the ponysshment of a Iuge or offycer Doth more good than of thousand other ¶And vntyll that such orders be deuysyd Substauncyally / and put in execucyon Loke neuer to see the world amended Nor of the gret myschefes the reformacion But they that be bounde to see the thyngꝭ done I pray god of his grace put in theyr myndys To reforme shortly suche thynges amys ¶And though that I my selfe now prase Thus myn oppynyon haue publysshed Or any of my felowes hare in this place In any poynt here haue vs abused we beseche you to holde vs excused And so the auctour hereof requyreth you all And thus I cōmyt you to god eternall.