Medwall, Henry · published 1530 · first performed or written c.1496 (Annals) not in BritDrama unassigned nearest T56 Magic, spells and conjuring · 488 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T56: magic, faustus, charms, charm, conjure, spirits, skill, ho, power, spells.
Thalmyghty god/ that made each creature As well in heaven/ as other place earthly By his wise ordinance/ hath purveyed me nature To be as minister/ under him immediately For thencheason/ that I should perpetually His creatures/ in such degree maintain as it hath pleased/ his grace for them to ordain To me it longeth by natural engendure thing to continue/ that hath spirit of life which/ ne were my help should never endure But suddenly perish/ and wax all caitiff Atwyxt thesementies/ that whilom were at strife I have suaged/ the old repugnance and knit them together/ in manner of alliance The I have ordained/ the God's Dean Lady of the see// and every fresh fountain which commonly decreceth/ when she gineth wane And waxeth abundant/ when she creceth again Of ebb and flood/ she is cause certain and raineth as princes/ in every isle and town That with the see/ is compassed environ I am causer/ of such impression as appeareth wondrous/ to man's sight As of flames/ that from the sterry region Seemeth to fall/ in times of the night Some shoot sidelong/ and some down right which causeth the ignorant/ to stand in dread that stars do fall/ yet falleth there none in deed What needeth it to speak/ of things here by low as fowls/ beasts/ and fishes in their hind Of trees/ herbs/ and stones how they grow In which/ men sundry and many virtuous find One thing be ye sure/ and think it in your mind No manner creature/ may take on hy●…ure Of these works/ but only I nature And plainly there is/ in earth no manner thing That is not partner/ of my influence I do provide/ for every best living Of natural food/ always suffycence And give them also/ a manner of prudence Whereby they may/ naturallyensew Thing that is delectable/ and tother eschew Who taught the cock/ his watch hours to observe And sing of courage/ with shyrll throat on high who taught the pellycan/ her tender heart to carve For she nold suffer/ her bird to die Who taught the nyghtyngall/ to record busily Her strange entuny●/ in silence of the night Certes I nature/ and none other wight But if that I/ should clepe to memory Each strange effect/ and every great marvel That I have caused/ I ensure you faithfully That rather time/ than process should me fail it were your pain/ and to me but travail All such matters/ as now to bring in place Wherefore I let pass them/ tell other time and space But if ye covet/ now to know theffect Of things natural/ by true conclusion Counsel with Arystotell/ my philosopher elect Which hath left/ in books of his tradition Now every thing/ by heavenly constellation Is brought to effect/ and in what manner wise As far as man's wit/ may naturally comprise Wherefore sith god/ of his great largesse
seed 43: T49 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
¶ Thalmyghty god / that made eche creature As well in heuen / as other place erthly By hys wyse ordynaunce / hath purueyd me nature To be as mynyster / vnder hym immedyately For thencheson / that I shold perpetually Hys creatures / in suche degre mayntayne as yt hath pleased / hys grace for theym to ordeyne ¶ To me yt longeth by naturall engendure thing to contynew / that hath spyryte of lyfe whyche / ne were my helpe shuld neuer endure But sodenly peryshe / and wax all caytyfe Atwyxt thesementys / that whylom were at stryfe I haue swaged / the old repugnaunce and knyt theym togeder / in maner of alyaunce ¶ The I haue ordeyned / the goddys Deane Lady of the see / / and euery freshe fontayn whyche comenly decreceth / whan she gynneth wane And waxeth abundant / whan she creceth agayne Of eb and flode / she ys cause certayne and reyneth as prynces / in euery yle and town That wyth the see / ys compassed enuyron ¶ I am causer / of suche impressyon as appereth wonderouse / to mannys syght As of flammes / that from the sterry regyon Semeth to fall / in tymes of the nyght Some shote sydelong / and some down ryght whyche causeth the ignorant / to stand in drede that sterrys do fall / yet falleth there none in dede ¶ What nedeth yt to speke / of thyngys here by low as fowles / bestys / and fysshes in theyre hynde Of trees / herbys / and stones how they grow In whyche / men sondry and meny vertuous fynde One thyng be ye sure / and thynk yt in your mynde No maner creature / may take on hyure Of these works / but onely I nature ¶ And playnly there ys / in erthe no maner thynge That ys not partyner / of my influence I do prouyde / for euery beste lyuynge Of naturall foode / alway suffycence And geue theym also / a maner of prudence Wherby they may / naturallyensew Thyng that ys delectable / and thother exchew ¶ Who taught the cok / hys watche howres to obserue And syng of corage / wyth shyrll throte on hye who taught the pellycan / her tender hart to carue For she nolde suffer / her byrdys to dye Who taught the nyghtyngall / to recorde besyly Her strange entuny / in sylence of the nyght Certes I nature / and none other wyght ¶ But yf that I / shold clepe to memorye Eche strange effecte / and euery great meruayll That I haue caused / I ensure you faythfully That rather tyme / than processe shuld me fayll yt were your payne / and to me but trauayll All suche maters / as now to bryng in place Wherfore I let passe theym / tell other tyme and space ¶ But yf ye couet / now to know theffecte Of thyngys naturall / by trew conclusyon Counsell with Arystotell / my phylosopher electe Whyche hath left / in bokys of hys tradycyon Now euery thyng / by heuynly constellacyon Is brought to effecte / and in what maner wyse As far as mannys wytt / may naturally compryse ¶ Wherfore syth god / of hys great largesse