The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality · chunk 7 of 19
Anonymous · published 1602 · first performed or written 1601 [Feb 22] (Annals) moral · Children of the Chapel (second) · before the Court unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 539 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
How now, my friends, what needs this variance? Money comes not by force, money comes by chance: And sith at one instant, you both seek for money, Appeal both to Fortune, and then shall you try, Whether either or neither may hit to have money. Gentleman, you say well, I know not your name, But indeed for that purpose to Fortune I came; For furtherance whereof if I might obtain Your friendly help, I would quite your pain. I am your old acquaintance, sir, remember me. Thee, quoth 'a, for thy large offers I may not forget thee. You be both my friends, and therefore, indifferently, I will commend you both to Fortune's courtesy. Lady most bright, renowned goddess fair, Unto thy stately throne, here do repair Two suitors of two several qualities, And qualities indeed that be mere contraries; That one is called, wasteful Prodigality; That other cleped, covetous Tenacity; Both at once unto your royal majesty, Most humbly make their suits for money. Let's hear what they can say. Divine Goddess, behold, with all humility, For money I appeal unto thy deity; Which in high honour of thy majesty, I mean to spend abroad most plentifully. Sweet mistress, grant to poor Tenacity, The keeping of this golden darling money: Chill vow to thee, so long as life shall dure, Under strong lock and key, Ihill keep him vast & sure, Nay, pleaseth then your pleasant fantasy, To hear them plead in musical harmony? It liketh me. None better. Well, though my singing be but homely, Chill sing and spring to, e're ch'd lose money. Well, to it a God's name, let saying go than, And each sing for himself the best he can. THe Princely heart, that freely spends, Relieves full many a thousand more, He getteth praise, he gaineth friends, And people's love procures therefore. But pinching fist, that spareth all, Of due relief the needy robs, Nought can be caught, where nought doth fall, There comes no good of greedy Cobs: This issue therefore do I make, The best deserver draw the stake. WHilst thou dost spend with friend and foe, At home che hold the plough byth' tail: Che dig, che delve, che zet, che zow, Che mow, che reap, che ply my flail. A pair of dice is thy delight, Thou liv'st for most part by the spoil: I truly labour day and night, To get my living by my toil: Chill therefore sure, this issue make, The best deserver draw the stake. Hola, satis disputatum. Nay, by my father's soul, friend, now chave one begun, Lett'ym to't, che pass not when che done. Lo, Lady, you have heard our reasons both expressed, And thereby are resolved, I hope, who merits best. Dame Fortune dealeth not by merit, but by chance: He hath it but by hap, whom Fortune doth advance; And of his hap as he hath small assurance: So in his hap likewise is small continuance. Therefore at a venture, my dear son Money, I do commit you unto Prodigality. To Prodigality? ah poor Money, I pity thee; Continual unrest must be thy destiny: Each day, each hour, yea, every minute tossed, Like to a tennis ball, from pillar to post.
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)
How now, my friends, what needs this variance? Money comes not by force, money comes by chance: And sith at one instant, you both seeke for money, Appeale both to Fortune, and then shall you trie, Whether eyther or neyther may hit to haue money. Gentleman, you say well, I know not your name, But indeed for that purpose to Fortune I came; For furtherance whereof if I might obtaine Your friendly help, I would quite your paine. I am your old acquaintance, sir, remember me. Thee, quoth a, for thy large offers I may not forget thee. You be both my friends, and therefore, indifferently, I will commend you both to Fortunes curtesie. Ladie most bright, renowmed goddesse faire, Vnto thy stately throne, here doe repaire Two suiters of two seuerall qualities, And qualities indeed that be meere contraries; That one is called, wastefull Prodigality; That other cleaped, couetous Tenacity; Both at once vnto your royall maiestie, Most humbly make their suites for money. Let's heare what they can say. Diuine Goddesse, behold, with all humilitie, For money I appeale vnto thy ; Which in high honour of thy maiestie, I meane to spend abroad most plentifully. Sweet mustrisse, graunt to poore Tenacity, The keeping of this golden darling money: Chill vow to thee, so long as life shall dure, Vnder strong locke and key, chil keep him & sure, Nay, pleaseth then your pleasant fantasie, To heare them plead in musicall harmonie? It liketh me. None better. Well, though my singing be but homely, Chill sing and spring to, chud lose money. Well, to it a Gods name, let saying goe than, And eche sing for himselfe the best he can. THe Princely heart, that freely spends, Relieues full many a thousand more, He getteth praise, he gaineth friends, And peoples loue procures therefore. But pinching fist, that spareth all, Of due reliefe the needy robs, Nought can be caught, where nought doth fall, There comes no good of greedie Cobs: This issue therefore doe I make, The best deseruer draw the stake. VVHilst thou dost spend with friend and foe, At home che hold the plough by'th taile: Che dig, che delue, che zet, che zow, Che mow, che reape, che ply my flaile. A paire of dice is thy delight, Thou liu'st for most part by the spoile: I truely labour day and night, To get my liuing by my toile: Chill therefore sure, this issue make, The best deseruer draw the stake. Hola, satis disputatum. Nay, by my fathers soule, friend, now chaue one begun, Lett'ym too't, che passe not when che done. Lo, Lady, you haue heard our reasons both exprest, And thereby are resolu'd, I hope, who merits best. Dame Fortune dealeth not by merit, but by chance: He hath it but by hap, whom Fortune doth aduance; And of his hap as he hath small assurance: So in his hap likewise is small continuance. Therefore at a venture, my deare sonne Money, I doe commit you vnto Prodigalitie. To Prodigality? ah poore Money, I pittie thee; Continuall vnrest must be thy destinie: Ech day, ech houre, yea, euery minute tost, Like to a tennis ball, from piller to post.