Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
There were two debtors, whom I did well know, Which were in debt to a lender that was thrifty: The one five hundred pence truly did owe, And the other ought not above fifty: Neither of these debtor had wherewith to pay, Wherefore the lender forgave both, as it did behove. Now according to your judgement I pray you say, Which of these debtors ought the lender most love▪ Marry, he to whom most was forgiven I suppose, In few words truly you have heard my sentence. You have rightly judged, and to the purpose. Absolving my question like a man of science, See you this woman? I know that in your hearts You condemn her as a sinner very unmeet To enter among you, and to touch any parts, Of my body, yea either head or feet: Saying among yourselves, if this were a Prophet, He would know what manner a woman this is Which thus cometh in while we be at meat, A sinner she is, and hath done greatly amiss. I say unto you, that into this world▪ I am come To call such great debtors unto repentance, The just, which in their conceits own but a small sum Have no need of their creditors deliverance. What a thief is this? he judgeth our master's thought, If we destroy him not, he will surely mar all. I ever said that he was worse than nought, But among us purvey for him we shall. Sir, you take upon you very presumptuously, I have bidden you unto my house here of good will, And you reason of matters here contemptuously: But take your pleasure, it shall not greatly skill. I say unto you, that for this cause was I borne, To bear witness unto the verity, I see who be hypocrites full of dissembling scorn, And who be persons of faith and simplicity. Where as you think you have done me pleasure, In bidding me to eat and drink with you here, Your intent was to show your richesses and treasure, And that your holiness might to me appear. But this woman hath showed to me a little obsequy: For these gestures which she showeth to me, proceed from a true meaning heart verily, As by her humility plainly you may see. When I came into your house the truth to say, You gave me no water to wash my feet withal, This woman hath washed them here this day, With the tears of her eyes which on them did fall, With the hair of her head she hath wiped the same, Thinking all other clothes thereto over vile, Horrible in her fight is her sin and blame, Thinking herself worthy of eternal exile. You gave me no kiss as the manner of the country is But this woman since the time that I came in,
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)
There were two detters, whom I dyd well know, Whiche were in debt to a lender that was thriftie: The one fiue hundred pence truely did owe, And the other ought not aboue fiftie: Neither of these debters had wherwith to pay, Wherfore the lender forgaue both, as it dyd behoue. Nowe according to your iudgement I pray you say, Which of these detters ought the lender most loue▪ Mary, he to whom most was forgiuen I suppose, In few wordes truly you haue heard my sentence. You haue rightly iudged, and to the purpose. Absoluyng my question like a man of science, See you this woman? I know that in your hertes You condemne her as a synner very vnmete To enter among you, and to touche any partes, Of my body, yea either head or feete: Saying among your selues, if this were a Prophet, He would know what maner a woman this is Which thus commeth in while we be at meate, A sinner she is, and hath done greatly amisse. I say vnto you, that into this world▪ I am come To call suche great detters vnto repentance, The iust, which in their cōceits owe but a small sūme Haue no nede of their creditours deliuerance. What a thief is this? he iudgeth our masters thoght, If we destroy hym not, he will surely marre all. I euer sayd that he was worse than nought, But among vs puruey for him we shall. Sir, you take vpon you very presumptuously, I haue bydden you vnto my house here of good will, And you reason of matters here contemptuously: But take your pleasure, it shall not greatly skill. I say vnto you, that for this cause was I borne, To beare witnesse vnto the veritie, I see who be hypocrites full of dissemblyng scorne, And who be persons of faith and simplicitie. Where as you thinke you haue done me pleasure, In bidding me to eate and drinke with you here, Your intent was to shew your richesse and treasure, And that your holynesse might to me appeare. But this woman hath shewed to me a little obsequie: For these gestures whiche she sheweth to me, Procede from a true meanyng heart verily, As by her humilite plainly you may see. When I came into your house the truth to say, You gaue me no water to washe my feete withall, This woman hath washed them here this day, With the teares of her eies which on them did fall, With the haire of hir head she hath wiped the same, Thinking all other clothes therto ouer vile, Horrible in hir fight is hir synne and blame, Thinkyng hir self worthy of eternall exile. You gaue me no kisse as the maner of the countrey is But this woman since the tyme that I came in,