The Three Laws of Nature, Moses, and Christ, Corrupted by the Sodomites, Pharisees, and Papists · chunk 15 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 0.73 · 498 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
I marvel how he, could come to so much good. Yes, yes, by pollage, and by shedding Christian blood. Crosers and mytars, in Rome are good merchandyce And all to little, to maintain their pomp and vice. The pope for whoredom, hath in Rome and Viterbye Of gold and silver, a wonderful substance yearly Tush they be in England, that much rather would to dwell, Whores in their dioceses, than the readers of Christ's Gospel. They do the better, for by them they may have profyght As for the other, do trouble them day and night, Well, now step forward, and go do your business. To the corrupting, of the law of Moses. Doubt not but we shall, make him a crepple blind. Sing then at our farewell, to recreate our mind. Now am I left alone. And these, two. merchants gone, Their mischiefs to conclude. I think within a while, They will trap & beguile The worthy law of Iude. ambition first of all, With his rites bestial, will make the people swine. In draff will he then lead, And with traditions feed Where they shall sup or dine. Covetousness will work, That many one shall bark, Like dogs against the truth. Some shall God's word defile, & some will it revile Soch beastliness ensueth. ambition hath this hour All the whole spiritual, pour And may do what him lust. Now covetousness doth rule, And hath both horse & mule. All matters by him dyscust. Now byshopryckes are sold, & the holy ghost for gold The pope doth buy and sell. The truth may not be told, under pains manifold With sendynges down to hell. The people priests do famish, And their goods from them ravish. Yea, and all the world they blind. All princes do they mock, And rob the syllye flock Nothing they leave behind. On the face of Moses, A veil they have cast doubtless. The light of the law to hide. Lest Men to Christ should come, from ceremonies dumb As to their heavenly guide. The law can never be, at any liberty. Where such two enemies reign. Now is it time to walk, of this more will I talk, when I come hither again. If pity may move, your gentle christian hearts, let it now stir ye, to mourn this heavy chasice. Two enemies with me, have played most wicked parts. And left me stark blind, God knoweth to my sore grievance, And I think also, to your more hindrance. To lead you to Christ sometime, a guide I was. Now am I so blind, I can not do it, Alas. Most rygorouslye, those enemies now of late. Deed fall upon me, and spoil me of my sight. One was ambition, which ever ought me hate, And Covetousness, the other enemy height. Now forsooth and God, in their most cruel spite. The one made me blind, the other made me lame, And when they had done, there at they had great game
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)
I maruele how he, coulde come to so moch good. Yes, yes, by pollage, and by shedynge Christen blood. Crosers and mytars, in Rome are good merchandyce And all to lyttle, to maynteyne their pompe and vyce. The pope for whoredom, hath in Rome and Viterbye Of golde and syluer, a wonderfull substaūce yearlye Tush they be in Englande, that moch rather wolde to dwell, Whores in their dyoceses, than the readers of Christes Gospell. They do the better, for by thē they maye haue profyght As for the other, do trouble them daye and nyght, Well, now steppe forewarde, and go do your busynes. To the corruptynge, of the lawe of Moyses. Doubt not but we shall, make hym a crepple blynde. Synge then at our farwel, to recreate our mynde. Now am I left alone. And these, ii. merchaūtes gone, Their myschefes to conclude. I thynke within a whyle, They wyll trappe & begyle The worthy lawe of Iude. Ambycyon first of all, With hys rytes bestiall, wyll make the people swyne. In draffe wyll he thē lede, And with tradycyōs fede Where they shall suppe or dyne. Couetousnes wyll warke, That many one shall barke, Lyke dogges agaynst the truth. Some shall Gods worde defyle, & some wyll it reuyle Soch beastlynesse ensuth. Ambycyon hath thys houre All the whole spirytuall, poure And maye do what hym lust. Now couetousnesse doth rule, And hath both horse & mule. All matters by hym dyscust. Now byshopryckes are solde, & the holy ghost for gold The pope doth bye and sell. The truth maye not be tolde, vndre paynes manyfolde With sendynges downe to hell. The people prestes do famysh, And their goodes frō them rauysh. Yea, and all the worlde they blynde. All prynces do they mock, And robbe the syllye flocke Nothynge they leaue behynde. On the face of Moyses, A vayle they haue cast doughtles. The lyght of the lawe to hyde. Least Mē to Christ shuld cōme, frō ceremonyes dōme As to their heauenly gyde. The lawe can neuer be, at anye lyberte. Where soch two enemyes raigne. Now is it tyme to walke, of thys more wyll I talke, whan I come hyther agayne. If pytie maye moue, your gentyll christen hartes, Lete it now sturre ye, to mourne thys heauye chasice. Two enemyes with me, haue played most wycked partes. And left me starke blynde, God knoweth to my sore greuaunce, And I thynke also, to your more hynderaunce. To leade yow to Christ somtyme, a gyde I was. Now am I so blynde, I can not do it, Alas. Most rygorouslye, those enemyes now of late. Ded fall vpon me, and spoyle me of my syght. One was Ambycyon, whych euer ought me hate, And Couetousnesse, the other enemye hyght. Now forsoth and God, in their most cruell spyght. The one made me blynde, the other made me lame, And whā they had done, ther at they had great game