The Three Laws of Nature, Moses, and Christ, Corrupted by the Sodomites, Pharisees, and Papists · chunk 11 of 30
Bale, John · published 1548 · first performed or written 1538 [revised c.1547 and 1562] (Annals) moral T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.78 · 505 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
When the priests might walk. And with young wives talk. Than had we children plenty. Than cuckolds might leap, A score on a heap, Now is there not one to twenty. When the Monks were fat. And rank as a rat. With bellies like a Boar. Then all things were dear, Both beef, bread and bear, Now grudge the iourers sore. When bishops might burn. And from the truth turn. The syllye simple soul. Than durst no man creak, Open mouth nor speak. Of Christ nor yet of Powle. Now are the knaves bold. With Scriptures to hold, And teach them every where. The carter, the souter. The bodger, their clowter, That all will away I fear. At us so they pull. Our livings are dull, We are now like to fall. If we do not fight, For the churches right, By the Mess we shall lose all. But I pray ye sir, tell me what is your name▪ The law of Moses, to lie I were to blame. In these same parties, what do ye now intend? Mankind to reform, that he his life amend. I show what sin is, & what thing pleaseth god, I comfort the just, and the ill I punish with rod. The comen people, have thought it commodyouse, diverse Gods to have, with rites superstitious. My commandment is, to seek one God alone, And in all their needs, to him to make their moan. Among the gentiles, was it thought non injury, If a man were hurt, to slay his adversary. This thing I forbid, and say, thu shalt not kill, Law is the revenger, the man may do no ill. Some persons there are, that inordynatlye love. Those are persuaded, all things them to behove. Which I inhybyte, saying continually, No rape shalt thu do, nor yet commit adultery. Thu shalt do no theft, nor covet that is not thine. Against thy neighbour, shalt thu not falsely define. We may do nothing, if we be pinned in thus. Neither you nor God, to that hardetrade shall bring us. We must have one God, & worship him alone? Marry that in deed, would make a Turk to groan. If we be stricken, we may not strike again? A proper bargain, and dyscretelye uttered plain. For cumpanyes sake, ye say we may not love? I defy your worst, and to you there is my glove. What, thu wilt not fight? thy wits are better than so In the quarrel of love, I shall prove ye ere I go, By the Mess I think, to put ye to your fence. Thu were much better, to keep thy patience. Nay by cocks soul frynd, I must lay ye on the coat In loves cause to fight, ye may soon have me a float Nay, have at your pysche, defend ye if ye may. Soch a fool art thu, as seek thine own decay. If Iones meddle, to the it will be death. diddest thu never hear that law sleath in his wreath
seed 43: T4 · seed 44: T5 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Whan the prestes myght walke. And with yonge wyues talke. Than had we chyldren plentye. Than cuckoldes myght leape, A score on a heape, Now is there not one to twentye. Whan the Monkes were fatte. And ranke as a ratte. With bellyes lyke a Bore. Then all thynges were dere, Both befe, breade and bere, Now grudge the iourers sore. Whan Byshoppes myght burne. And from the truth turne. The syllye symple sowle. Than durst no man creake, Open mouthe nor speake. Of Christ nor yet of Powle. Now are the knaues bolde. With Scriptures to holde, And teache them euery where. The carter, the sowter. The bodger, ther clowter, That all wyll awaye I fere. At vs so they pulle. Our lyuynges are dulle, We are now lyke to fall. If we do not fyght, For the churches ryght, By the Messe we shall lose all. But I praye ye ser, tell me what is your name▪ The lawe of Moses, to lye I were to blame. In these same partyes, what do ye now intende? Mankynde to refourme, that he hys lyfe amende. I shewe what synne is, & what thynge pleaseth god, I confort the iust, and the yll I ponnysh with rod. The cōmen people, haue thought it commodyouse, Dyuerse Goddes to haue, with rytes superstycyouse. My cōmaundement is, to seke one God alone, And in all their nedes, to hym to make their mone. Amonge the Gentyles, was it thought nō iniurye, If a man wer hurt, to slee hys aduersarye. Thys thynge I forbyd, and saye, thu shalt not kyll, Lawe is the reuenger, the man maye do no yll. Some persones there are, that inordynatlye loue. Those are perswaded, all thynges them to behoue. Whych I inhybyte, saynge contynuallye, No rape shalt thu do, nor yet commyt aduouterye. Thu shalt do no theft, nor couete that is not thyne. Agaynst thy neyber, shalt thu not falsely dyffyne. We maye do nothynge, if we be pynned in thus. Neyther yow nor God, to that hardetrade shall brynge vs. We must haue one God, & worshypp hym alone? Marry that in dede, wolde make a Turke to grone. If we be stryken, we maye not stryke agayne? A proper bargayne, and dyscretelye vttered playne. For cumpanyes sake, ye saye we maye not loue? I defye your worst, and to yow there is my gloue. What, thu wylt not fyght? thy wyttes are better thā so In the quarell of loue, I shall proue ye ere I go, By the Messe I thynke, to put ye to your fence. Thu were moch better, to kepe thy pacyence. Naye by cockes sowle frynd, I must lay ye on the coate In loues cause to fyght, ye maye sone haue me a floate Naye, haue at your pysche, defende ye if ye maye. Soch a fole art thu, as seke thyne owne decaye. If Iones meddle, to the it wyll be death. Dedyst thu neuer hear that lawe sleath ī hys wreath