Anonymous · published 1593 · first performed or written 1591 [1590-1593] (Annals) history · Unknown unassigned nearest T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness · 443 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Neighbours, neighbours, the weakest nowadays goes to the wall, But mark my words, and follow the counsel of Iohn Ball. England is grown to such a pass of late, That rich men triumph to see the poor beg at their gate. But I am able by good scripture before you to prove, That God doth not this dealing allow nor love. But when Adam delved, and Eue span, Who was then a Gentleman. Brethren, brethren, it were better to have this community, Then to have this difference in degrees: The landlord his rent, the lawyer his fees. So quickly the poor man's substance is spent, But merrily with the world it went, When men eat berries of the hawthorn tree, And thou help me, I'll help thee, There was no place for surgery, And old men knew not usury: Now 'tis come to a woeful pass, The Widow that hath but a pan of brass, And scarce a house to hide her head, Sometimes no penny to buy her bread, Must pay her Landlord many a groat, Or 'twill be pulled out of her throat: Brethren mine so might I thrive, As I wish not to be alive, To see such dealings with extremity, The Rich have all, the poor live in misery: But follow the counsel of Iohn Ball, I promise you I love ye all: And make division equally, Of each man's goods indifferently, And rightly may you follow Arms, To rid you from these civil harms. Well said Parson so may it be, As we purpose to prefer thee: we will have all the Rich men displaced, And all the bravery of them defaced, And as rightly as I am Jack Straw, In spite of all the men of Law, Make thee Archbishop of Canterbury, And Chancellor of England or I'll die. How sayst thou Wat, shall it be so? I Jack Straw, or else I'll bide many a foul blow. It shall be no other but he, That thus favours the Commonalty, Stay we no longer prating here, But let us roundly to this gear, 'tis more than time that we were gone, Wele be Lords my masters every one. And I my masters will make one, To fight when all our foes be gone, Well shall they see before we'll lack, Wele stuff the Gallows till it crack. I hope we shall have men enough, To aid us herein What, how thinkest thou? Tag and rag thou needst not doubt. But who shall be Captain of the Rout. That shall you two for all our Kentish men. Fellow Captain welcome let's about it. Agreed fellow Captains to London.
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)
Neighbors, neighbors, the weakeſt now a dayes goes to the wall, But marke my words, and follow the counſell of Iohn Ball. England is growne to ſuch a paſſe of late, That rich men triumph to ſee the poore beg at their gate. But I am able by good ſcripture before you to proue, That God doth not this dealing allow nor loue. But when Adam delued, and Eue ſpan, VVho was then a Gentleman. Brethren, brethren, it were better to haue this communitie, Then to haue this difference in degrees: The landlord his rent, the lawyer his fees. So quickly the poore mans ſubſtance is ſpent, But merrily with the world it went, VVhen men eat berries of the hauthorne tree, And thou helpe me, Ile helpe thee, There was no place for ſurgerie, And old men knew not vſurie: Now tis come to a wofull paſſe, The Widdow that hath but a pan of braſſe, And ſcarſe a houſe to hide her head, Sometimes no penny to buy her bread, Muſt pay her Landlord many a groat, Or twil be puld out of her throat: Brethren mine ſo might I thriue, As I wiſh not to be aliue, To ſee ſuch dealings with extremitie, The Rich haue all, the poore liue in miſerie: But follow the counſell of Iohn Ball, I promiſe you I loue yee all: And make diuiſion equally, Of each mans goods indifferently, And rightly may you follow Armes, To rid you from theſe ciuill harmes. Well ſaid Parſon ſo may it bee, As wee purpoſe to preferre thee: Wee will haue all the Rich men diſplaſte▪ And all the brauerie of them defaſte, And as rightly as I am Iacke Straw, In ſpight of all the men of Law, Make thee Archbiſhop of Caunterberie, And Chauncellor of England or Ile die. How ſaiſt thou Wat, ſhall it bee ſo? I Iacke Straw, or elſe Ile bide many a fowle blow. It ſhall bee no other but hee, That thus fauours the Communaltie, Stay wee no longer prating here, But let vs roundly to this geare, Tis more than time that we were gone, VVele be Lords my Maiſters euery one. And I my Maiſters will make one, To fight when all our foes be gone, VVell ſhall they ſee before wele lacke, VVele ſtuffe the Gallowes till it cracke. I hope we ſhall haue men inow, To aide vs herein Wat, how thinkeſt thou? Tag and rag thou needſt not doubt. But who ſhall be Captaine of the Rowt. That ſhall you two for all our Kentiſh men. Fellow Captaine welcome lets about it. A greed fellow Captaines to London.