Nelson, Thomas · published 1590 · first performed or written 1590 [Oct 29] (Annals) civic play; pageant unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 555 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
ATtend my Lord, and mark the tale I tell, Whose form you see is monstrous, strange and rare. Before a manlike shape, behind a fishes fell, this strange disguise doth make full many stare, And since they press to know why I come here, Let them be still, the cause shall soon appear. WIthin this common wealth (my Lord) all those the live in awe Do seek each-daie for to perform & keep the stablished law, Yea such do keep the sabbath day in reverence as they ought And fish days too as well as flesh, which many set at nought Yet if the same were well observed, flesh seldom would be dear, And fish abound at each man's board more plenty in each year, Then England's store would be increased with butter, cheese & beef And thousands set to work for fish, that now beg for relief. This shape so strange, show they are strange, & do digres from reason That shun in eating fish and flesh, to keep both time and season, Which fault reformed, our common wealth would flourish in such wise, As never any did behold the like with mortal eyes. OH worthy City now rejoice in Christ, for through his grace with peace he hath thee bless He sends thee still such godly magistrates, as daily seeks to keep thee from unrest. Muse not my Lord, to see the Sun doth shine on England's peace, who sits in princely throne, It doth presage her Sun shine still shall last, and make her foes afeard at every blast. So long as peace directed is by truth, and Gods pure word received as it ought, So long the Lord will bless this little land, and make it flow with plenty in each place. Rule now my Lord and keep this City well, reform abuses crept into the same, So shall your fame eternized be for aye, and London still preserved from decay. And I that do support the Goldsmith's arms, which long in love to you have been united, Will do my best to shadow you from harms, and find the means your loves may be requighted. THe blessed peace which England doth possess, and so hath done this thirty two years space. I Fame am sent and charged to do no less, with trumpets sound, but spread it in each place. That all may wish with hearts which do not feign, our royal peace in England still may rain. I Represent your peace and chiefest good, that every hour doth pray for your defence, I sit as shadow for that royal blood, whose life is pure, and still hath this pretence, That whilst she lives even with her heart and might, she seeks in peace for to defend your right. Wisdom supporteth still the public state, Wisdom foreseeth ere it be too late. YEa policy prevents each traitorous fact, And doth perform full many a famous act, Both Policy and Wisdom will not cease, Each night and day for to preserve this peace. GOds sacred truth lo here I represent, whom England's peace doth still maintain in place, I bring you comfort for your soul's content, which England's peace doth willingly embrace: And for her sake by whom God's truth doth stand, the God of heaven doth bless this little land.
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)
ATtend my Lord, and marke the tale I tell, Whoſe forme you ſée is monſtrous, ſtrange and rare. Before a manlike ſhape, behinde a fiſhes fell, this ſtrange diſguiſe doth make full many ſtare, And ſince they preaſe to know why I come here, Let them be ſtill, the cauſe ſhall ſoone appeare. WIthin this cōmon wealth (my Lord) all thoſe ye liue in awe Do ſéeke each-daie for to performe & kéep the ſtabliſht law, Yea ſuch do keep ye ſabboth day in reuerence as they ought And fiſh dais too as wel as fleſh, which many ſet at naught Yet if the ſame were well obſerude, fleſh ſeldome would be déere, And fiſh abound at each mans boord more plentie in each yéere, Then Englands ſtore would be increaſt with butter, chéeſe & béefo And thouſands ſet to worke for fiſh, that now beg for reléefe. This ſhape ſo ſtrange, ſhew they are ſtrange, & do digres frō reaſon That ſhun in eating fiſh and fleſh, to kéepe both time and ſeaſon, Which fault reformd, our cōmon wealth would floriſh in ſuch wiſe, As neuer anie did beholde the like with mortall eies. OH worthie Citie now reioyce in Chriſt, for through his grace with peace he hath thée bleſſ Hée ſends thée ſtill ſuch godly magiſtrates, as dailie ſéekes to keepe thée from vnreſt. Muſe not my Lord, to ſée the Sunne doth ſhine on Englands peace, who ſits in princely throne, It doth preſage her Sunne ſhine ſtill ſhall laſt, and make her foes afeard at euerie blaſt. So long as peace directed is by truth, and Gods pure word receiued as it ought, So long the Lord will bleſſe this little land, and make it flow with plentie in each place. Rule now my Lord and keepe this Citie well, reforme abuſes crept into the ſame, So ſhall your fame eternizde be for aie, and London ſtill preſerued from decaie. And I that do ſupport the Goldſmiths armes, which long in loue to you haue bin vnited, Will do my beſt to ſhadow you from harmes, and finde the meanes your loues may be requighted. THe bleſſed peace which England doth poſſeſſe, and ſo hath done this thirtie two yeres ſpace. I Fame am ſent and chargde to do no leſſe, with trumpets ſound, but ſpread it in each place. That all may wiſh with hearts which do not faine, our roiall peace in England ſtill may raine. I Repreſent your peace and chiefeſt good, that euerie houre doth praie for your defence, I ſit as ſhadow for that roiall bloud, whoſe life is pure, and ſtill hath this pretence, That whileſt ſhe liues euen with her heart and might, ſhe ſeekes in peace for to defend your right. VVIſedome ſupporteth ſtill the publike ſtate, Wiſedome foreſeeth ere it be too late. YEa pollicie preuents each traiterous fact, And doth performe full many a famous act, Both Pollicie and Wiſedome will not ceaſe, Each night and daie for to preſerue this peace. GOds ſacred truth loe here I repreſent, whom Englands peace doth ſtil maintain in place, I bring you comfort for your ſoules content, which Englands peace doth willingly imbrace: And for her ſake by whom Gods truth doth ſtand, the God of heauen doth bleſſe this little land.