Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1592 [Jun 10] (Annals) moral · Derby's (Strange's) Men unassigned nearest T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness · 500 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Then (father) thus live I that use me wit, Unto myself I love still to be wise, For when I am driven to shift for meat or coin, Or gay apparel to maintain me brave, Then do I flaunt it out about the change, As if I were some landed Gentleman, And falling in with some rich merchant there, I take commodities for six months' day, The bill being made, I must set to my hand, Then if I pay not, they may burn the band. Then father, hark how I have profited, Walter your son that keeps the country, I have raised the markets, and oppressed the poor, And made a thousand go from door to door: And why did I (think you) use this extremity, Because I would have corn enough to feed the enemy, Father, you know we have but a while to live, Then while we live, let each man shift for one: For he that can not make shift in the world, They say he's unworthy to live in it. And he that lives must still increase his store, For he that hath most wealth of all desireth more. Brethren you have spoken well, I must needs say, But now give ear to me, to me that keeps the court. Father, I live as Aristipus did, & use my wits to flatter with the king. If any in private conference name the king, I straight inform his Grace they envy him: Did Sinon live with all his subtlety? He could not tell a flattering tale more cunningly: Some time I move the King to be effeminate, And spend his time with some coy Courtesan: Thus with the King I curry favour still, Though with my heart I wish him any ill: And sometime I can counterfeit his hand and seal, And borrow money of the communality: And thus I live and flaunt it with the best, And dice and card inferior unto none: And none dares speak against me in the court, Because they know the King doth favour me. And I among my brethren and my friends Do still instruct them with my doctrine, And Yea and nay goes through the world with us. Fie, not an oath we swear for twenty pound, Brethren (say we) take heed by Adam's fall, For by his sins we are condemned all. Thus preach we still unto out brethren, Though in our heart we never mean the thing: Thus do we blind the world with holiness, And so by that are termed pure Precisians. Full well and wisely have you said my sons, And I commend you for your forward minds: That in your lives bewray whose sons ye are: Here have I been a bailiff three score years, And used exaction on the dwellers by, For if a man were brought before my face, For cozenage, theft, or living on his wit, For counterfeiting any hand or seal, The matter heard, the witness brought to me,
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)
Then (father) thus liue I that vse me wit, Unto my selfe I loue still to be wise, For when I am driuen to shift for meat or coine, Or gay apparell to maintaine me braue, Then doe I flaunt it out about the change, As if I were some landed Gentleman, And falling in with some rich merchant there, I take commodities for sixe months day, The bill being made, I must set to my hand, Then if I pay not, they may burne the band. Then father, hark how I haue profited, Walter your son that keeps the countrie, I haue raised the markets, and opprest the poore, And made a thousand goe from dore to dore: And why did I (think you) vse this extremitie, Because I would haue corne yough to feed the enemie, Father, you know we haue but a while to liue, Then while we liue, let each man shift for one: For he that can not make shift in the world, They say hees vnworthy to liue in it. And he that liues must still increase his store, For he that hath most wealth of all more. Brethren you haue spoken wel, I must needs say, But now giue eare to me, to me that keeps the court. Father, I liue as Aristipus did, & vse my wits to flatter with the king. If any in priuate conference name the king, I straight informe his Grace they enuie him: Did Sinon liue with all his subtiltie? He could not tell a flattering tale more cunninglie: Some tyme I moue the King to be effeminate, And spend his tyme with some coy Curtizan: Thus with the King I currie faour still, Though with my heart I wish him any ill: And sometime I can counterfeit his hand and seale, And borrow money of the communalty: And thus I liue and flaunt it with the best, And dice and carde inferiour vnto none: And none dares speake against me in the court, Because they know the King doth fauour me. And I among my brethren and my friends Doe still instruct them with my doctrine, And Yea and nay goes through the world with vs▪ Fie, not an oath we sweare for twentie pound, Brethren (say we) take heed by Adams fal, For by his sinnes we are condemned all. Thus preach we still vnto out brethren, Though in our heart we neuer meane the thing: Thus doe we blind the world with holinesse, And so by that are tearmed pure Precisians. Full well and wisely haue you said my sonnes, And I commend you for your forward mindes: That in your liues bewray whose sonnes ye are: Here haue I hene a Bayliefe three score yeares, And vsde exaction on the dwellers by, For if a man were brought before my face, For cosenage, theft, or liuing on his wit, For counterfeiting any hand or seale, The matter heard, the witnesse brought to me,