Tailor, Robert · published 1614 · first performed or written 1613 [Feb 21] (Annals) comedy T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.75 · 477 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
How full of sweet content had this life been, If it had been embraced but before My burdenous conscience was so fraught with sin; But now my griefs o'ersway that happiness: O that some lecher or accursed betrayer: Of sacred friendship, might but here arrive, And read the lines repentant on each tree, That I have carved t'express my misery: My admonitions now, would sure convert, The sinfulst creature; I could tell them now, How idly vain those humans spend their lives, That daily grieve not for offences past, But to enjoy some wantons company; Which when obtained, what is it, but a blot, Which their whole lives repentance scarce can clear: I could now tell to friend betraying man, How black sin is hateful treachery, How heavy on their wretched souls 'twill fit, When fearful death doth plant his siege but near them, How heavy and affrightful will their end Seem to appeach them, as if then they knew, The full beginning of their endless woe Were then appointed; which astonishment O blessed repentance keep me Albert from! And suffer not despair to overwhelm, And make a shipwreck of my heavy soul. whose's here, a Page: what black disastrous fate Can be so cruel to his pleasing youth? So now Maria, here thou must forego What nature lent thee to repay to death; Famine I thank thee, I have found thee kindest, Thou settest a period to my misery. It is Maria that fair innocent, Whom my abhorred lust hath brought to this; I'll go for sustenance: and O you powers! If ever true repentance wan acceptance, O show it Albert now, and let him save His wronged beauty from untimely grave. Sure some thing spoke, or else my feebled sense Hath lost the use of its due property; Which is more likely, then that in this place, The voice of human creature should be heard; This is far distant from the paths of men, Nothing breathes here but wild and ravening beasts, With airy monsters, whose shadowing wings do seem To taste a vale of death in wicked livers; Which I live dreadless of, and every hour Strive to meet death, who still unkind avoids me: But that now gentle famine doth begin For to give end to my calamities. See, here is carved upon this trees smooth bark, Lines knit in verse, a chance far unexpected; Assist me breathe a little to unfold, what they include. I that have writ these lines, am one, whose sin Is more than grievous; for know, that I have been A breaker of my faith, with one whose breast Was all composed of truth: but I digressed. And fled, them brats of his dear friendship's love, Clasping to falsehood did a villain prove, As thus shall be expressed: my worthy friend Loved a fair beauty, who did condescend
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)
How full of ſweet content had this life beene, If it had beene embraced but before My burthenous conſcience was ſo fraught with ſinne; But now my griefes oreſway that happineſſe: O that ſome lecher or accurſt betrayer: Of ſacred friendſhip, might but here arriue, And reade the lines repentant on each tree, That I haue caru'd t'expreſſe my miſery: My admonitions now, would ſure eonuert, The ſinfulſt creature; I could tell them now, How idely vaine thoſe humanes ſpend their liues, That daily grieue not for offences paſt, But to enioy ſome wantons company; Which when obteyn'd, what is it, but a blot, Which their whole liues repentance ſcarſe can cleere: I could now tell to friend betraying man, How blacke ſinne is hatefull trechery, How heauy on their wretched ſoules t'will fit, When fearefull death doth plant his ſiege but nere them, How heauy and affrightfull will their end Seeme to appeach them, as if then they knew, The full beginning of their endleſſe woe VVere then appointed; which aſtoniſhment O bleſt repentance keepe me Albert from! And ſuffer not diſpaire to ouer-whelme, And make a ſhip-wracke of my heauy ſoule. Whoſe here, a Page: what blacke diſaſterous fate Can be ſo cruell to his pleafing youth? So now Maria, here thou muſt forgoe What nature lent thee to repaie to death; Famine I thanke thee, I haue found thee kindeſt, Thou ſet'ſt a period to my miſery. It is Maria that faire innocent, Whom my abhorred luſt hath brought to this; Ile goe for ſuſtenance: and O you powers! If euer true repentance wan acceptance, O ſhew it Albert now, and let him ſaue His wronged beauty from vntimely graue. Sure ſome thing ſpake, or els my feebled ſence Hath loſt the vſe of its due property; VVhich is more likely, then that in this place, The voice of humane creature ſhould be heard; This is farre diſtant from the pathes of men, Nothing breaths here but wilde and rauening beaſts, VVith ayry monſters, whoſe ſhaddowing wings doe ſeeme To taſte a vale of death in wicked liuers; VVhich I liue dreadleſſe of, and euery hower Striue to meete death, who ſtill vnkinde auoids me: But that now gentle famine doth begin For to giue end to my calamities. See, here is caru'd vpon this trees ſmooth barke, Lines knit in verſe, a chaunce farre vnexpected; Aſſiſt me breath a little to vnfold, what they include. I that haue writ theſe lines, amone, whoſe ſinne Is more then grieuous; for know, that I haue beene A breaker of my faith, with one whoſe breſt Was all compos'd of truth: but I digreſt. And fled, them brats of his deare friendſhips loue, Claſping to falſhood did a vilane proue, As thus ſhall be expreſt: my worthy friend Lou'd a faire beauty, who did condiſcend