Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1592 [Jun 10] (Annals) moral · Derby's (Strange's) Men unassigned nearest T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation · 500 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
Well, if thou be well advised, take thy oath, But yet remember before whom thou swearest, The God of truth and perfect equity, Which will revenge wrong to the innocent, with thousand plagues and tortures worse than death. By the holy contents of this Bible, And by that just God, before whom I stand, I saw this man, Peace, shameless villain, execrable wretch, Monster of nature, degenerate miscreant, whoever knew or heard so vile an oath, Vildly pronounced by such a damned slave, Have I such monstrous vipers in my land, That with their very breaths infect the air, Say Dunston, hast thou ever heard the like. My Liege, such loathsome weeds must needs infect the corn, Such Cankers perish both the root and branch, Unless they be soon spied and weeded out: I'll be the husbandman to mow such tars, Here Honesty, let him be manacled: And scar his forehead, that he may be known, As Cain for murder, he for perjury. Conicat. I beseech your Grace be good to me. Hon. I, you shall have a cold iron clapped in your forehead, hot one I would say, you are a slave indeed. conycatcher. Good Honesty. Good villain, there's no help for you. My fancies thoughts, like the labouring Spider, That spreads her nets, to entrap the silly Fly: Or like the restless billows of the seas, That ever alter by the fleeting air, Still hovering past their wonted passions, Makes me amazed in these extremities, The King commands me on his embassage, To Osrick's daughter, beauteous Alfrida, The height and pride of all this bounding ill, To post amain, plead love in his behalf, To court for him, and woo, and wed the maid, But have you never heard that theme, Deceit in love is but a merriment, To such as seek a rival to prevent, Whether (distraught) roams my unruly thoughts, It is the King I cozen of his choice, And he nil brook Earl Ethenwald should prove False to his Prince, especially in love. Then thus it shall be, I'll tell the king the maid is fair, Of nut brown colour, comely and fair spoken, Worthy companion to an Earl or so: But not a Bride for Edgar, England's King, This will allay the strong effects in love. Fame wrought in Edgar's mind of Alfrida. Well, I'll to court, and dally with the King, And work some means to draw his mind from love. NEighbour Walter I cannot but admire to see How housekeeping is decayed within this thirty year, But where the fault is God knows, I know not: My father in his life time gave hospitality to all strangers, and Distressed travelers, his table was never empty of bread, beef And beer, he was wont to keep a hundred tall men in his hall. He was a feaster of all comers in general, And yet was he never in want of money: I think God did bless him with increase, for his bountiful mind
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)
Wel, if thou be wel aduised, take thy oath, But yet remember before whome thou swearest, The God of trueth and perfect equitie, Which will reuenge wrong to the innocent, with thousand plagues and tortors worse than death. By the holy contents of this Byble, And by that iust God, before whome I stand, I saw this man, Peace, shamelesse villain, execrable wretch, Monster of nature, degenerate miscreant, Who euer knew or heard so vile an oath, Uildly pronounc'd by such a damned slaue, Haue I such monstrous vipers in my land, That with their verie breaths infect the aire, Say Dunston, hast thou euer heard the lyke. My Liege, such lothsome weeds must needs infect the corne, Such Cankers perish both the root and branch, Unlesse they be soone spied and weeded out: Ile be the husbandma to mowe such Tares, Here Honesty, let him be manacled: And scar his forehead, that he may be knowne, As Cain for murder, he for periurie. I beseech your Grace be good to me. I, you sha haue a cold yron in your forehead, I would say, you are a indede. onicatcher. Goo Honesty. Good villaine, theres no help for you. My fancies thoughts, lyke the labouring Spyder, That spreads her nets, to entrap the sillie Flie: Or lyke the restlesse billowes of the seas, That euer alter by the fleeting ayre, Still houering past their woonted passions, Makes me amazed in these extremities, The King commands me on his embassage, To Osricks daughter, beauteous Alfrrida, The height and pride of all this bounding ill, To poste amaine, plead loue in his behalfe, To court for him, and woo, and wed the maid, But haue you neuer heard that theame, Deceit in loue is but a merriment, To such as seeke ariuall to preuent, Whether (distraught) romes my vnruly thoughts, It is the King I cosen of his choise, And he nil brook Earl Ethenwald should prooue False to his Prince, especially in loue. Thē thus it shal be, Ile tel the king the maid is fair, Of nut browne cullour, comelie and fair spoken, Worthie companion to an Earle or so: But not a Bride for Edgar, Englands King, This will alay the strong effects in loue. Fame wrought in Edgars mind of Alfrida. Well, Ile to court, and dalie with the King, And worke some means to draw his mynde from loue. NEighbour Walter I cannot but admire to see How housekeeping is decayed within this thirtie yeare, But where the fault is God knowes, I knowe not: My father in his lyfe time gaue hospitality to all strangers, and Distressed traueillers, his table was neuer emptie of bread, beefe And beere, he was woont to keep a hundred tall men in his hall. He was a feaster of all commers in generall, And yet was he neuer in want of money: I thinke God did blesse him with increase, for his bountiful mind