Anonymous · published 1594 · first performed or written 1592 [Jun 10] (Annals) moral · Derby's (Strange's) Men unassigned nearest T39 Profit, conscience and dishonest dealing · 531 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
Thanks Dunston for thy honourable love, And thou deserv'st to be a Counsellor, For he deserves not other to command, That hath no power to master his desire, For Locrine being the eldest son of Brute, Did dote so far upon an Almain maid, And was so ravished with her pleasing sight, That full seven years he kept her under earth, Even in the life time of fair Gwendolyn: Which made the Cornish men to rise in Arms, And never left till Locrine was slain: And now though late, at last I call to mind, What wretched ends fell to Adulterers. And if your Grace call Abraham's tale to mind, When that Egyptian Pharo craved his wife, You will no doubt forgive my nephews guilt, Who by the merry jest he showed your Grace, Did save your Honour and her chastity. We take it so, and for amends Ethenwald, give me thy hand and we are friends, And love thy wife and live together long, For Edgar hath forgot all former wrong. Thanks gracious King, and here upon my knee, I rest to be disposed as you please: Enough Ethenwald, but who comes here. Why, I think I have taken in hand an endless task, To smell a Knave, 'tis more than a Dog can do: I have disguised myself of purpose to find A couple of Knaves, which are yet behind, The next Knave is a Priest, called Iohn the precise, That with counterfeit holiness blinds the people's eyes, This is one of them that will say it is a shame, For men to swear and blaspheme Gods holy name: Yet if a make a good Sermon but once in a year, 'a will be forty times in a Tavern making good cheer, Yet in the Church he will read with such sobriety, That you would think him very precise, and of great honesty. What Honesty, hast thou dispatched and found these privy knaves? I shall do anon, I have them in sent, but I will be gone. Good Lord, I praise God I am come from our morning's exercise, Where I have profited myself, and eified my brethren, In showing the way to salvation by my doctrine: And now I am going to the Court to prefer my petition. I would give a hundred pound it were granted: 'tis a thing of nothing, but here comes one of the Court, God save you, brother in Christ, are you towards the King. I marry am I, what then, why dost thou ask? Nothing sir, but I would desire you to stand my friend To get me the king's hand and seal to this letter: I would not use it (sir) to hinder any man for a thousand pound: For indeed I am a Clergy man by my profession: 'tis nothing sir, but as you see, to have the king's seal, T carry Tin, Lead, Wool and broad Clothes beyond seas, For you know (sir) every man will make the most he can of his own And for my part, I use it but for a present necessity, If you will undertake to do it, I'll give you a hundred pound.
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)
Thanks Dunston for thy honorable loue, And thou deseru'st to be a Counsellour, For he deserues not other to commaund, That hath no power to maister his desire, For Locrin being the eldest sonne of Bute, Did dote so far vpon an Almaine maid, And was so rauisht with her pleasing sight, That full seuen yeares he kept her vnder earth, Euen in the lyfe time of faire Guendolin: Which made the Cornish men to rise in Armes, And neuer left till Locrin was slaine: And now though late, at last I call to minde, What wretched ends fell to Adulterers. And if your Grace cal Abrams tale to mind, When that Egyptian Pharo craued his wife, You will no doubt forgiue my Nephewes guilt, Who by the mery iest he shewed your Grace, Did saue your Honour and her chastitie. We take it so, and for amends Ethenwald, giue me thy hande and we are friends, And loue thy wyfe and liue together long, For Edgar hath forgot all former wrong. Thanks gratious King, and here vpon my knee, I rest to be disposed as you please: Ynough Ethenwald, but who comes here. Why, I think I haue taken in hand an endles taske, To smell a Knaue, tis more than a Dog can doe: I haue disguised my self of purpose to finde A couple of Knaues, which are yet behind, The next Knaue is a Priest, calde Iohn the precise, That with counterfeit holinesse blinds the peoples eyes, This is one of them that wil say it is a shame, For men to swear and blaspheme Gods holie name: Yet if a make a good Sermon but once in a yeare, A will be fourtie tymes in a Tauerne making good cheere, Yet in the Church he will read with such sobrietie, That you would thinke him verie precise, and of great honesty. What Honesty, hast thou dispatcht and found these priuie knaues? I shal doe anon, I haue them in sent, but I wil be gone. Good Lord, I praise God I am come from our mornings exercise, Where I haue profited my selfe, and eified my brethren, In shewing the way to saluation by my doctrine: And now I am going to the Court to prefer my petition. I would giue a hundred pound it were graunted: Tis a thing of nothing, but here comes one of the Court, God saue you, brother in Christ, are you towards the King. I mary am I, what then, why doest thou aske? Nothing sir, but I would desire you to stand my friend To get me the Kings hand and seale to this letter: I would not vse it (sir) to hinder any man for a thousand pound: For indeed I am a Cleargie man by my profession: Tis nothing sir, but as you see, to haue the Kings seale, T carie Tin, Lead, Wool and broad Clothes beyond seas, For you know (sir) euery man wil mak the most he can of his own And for my part, I vse it but for a present necessitie▪ If you will vndertake to doe it, Ile giue you a hundred pound.