Udall, Nicholas · published 1568 · first performed or written 1554 [c.1550-1557] (Annals) biblical play T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation typicality 0.61 · 497 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
IN the Book of Genesis it is expressed, That when God to Abraham made sure promise That in his seed all nations should be blessed: To send him a son by Sara he did not miss, Then to Isaac (as there recorded it is) By Rebecca his wife, who had long time been barren When pleased him, at one birth he sent sons twain. But before Iacob and Esau yet borne were, Or had either done good, or ill perpetrate: As the prophet Malachi and Paul witness bear, Iacob was chosen, and Esau reprobate: Iacob I love (said God) and Esau I hate. For it is not (sayth Paul) in man's renewing or will, But in God's mercy who chooseth whom he will. But now for our coming we shall exhibit here Of Iacob and Esau how the story was, Whereby God's adoption may plainly appear: And also, that whatever God's ordinance was, Nothing might defeat, but that it must come to pass. That if this story may your eyes or ears delight, We pray you of patience, while we it recite. NOw let me see what time it is by the star light? God's for his grace man, why it is not yet midnight, We might have slept these four hours yet I dare well say. But this is our good Esau his common play: What the devil aileth him? now truly I think plain, He hath either some worms or botts in his brain. He scarcely sleepeth .xij. good hours in two weeks. I wot well his watching maketh me have lean cheeks. For there is none other life with him day by day, But up Ragau, up drowsy hogs head I say: Why when? Up, will it not be? Vp. I come anon. Up, or I shall raise you in faith ye drowsy whoreson. Why, when? shall I fet you? I come sir by and by. Up with a wild wanion, how long wilt thou lie? Up I say, up at once. Up up, let us go hence, It is time we were in the forest an hour sense. Now the devil stop that same yelling throat (think I) somewhiles. For from he call, farewell all wink of eye. Begin he once to call, I sleep no more that stound, Though half an hours sleep were worth x thousand pound. Anon when I come in, and bid him good morrow: Ah sir, up at last, the devil give thee sorrow. Now the devil break thy neck (think I by and by) That hast no wit to sleep, nor in thy bed to lie. Then come on at once, take my quiver and my bow, fet Lovell my hound, and my horn to blow. Then forth go we fasting an hour or two ere day, Before we may well see either our hands or way, And there range we the wild forest, no crumb of bread From morning to stark night coming within our head,
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)
IN the Boke of Geneſis it is expreſſed, That whē God to Abrahā made ſure promis That in his ſéede al nations ſhold be bleſſed: To ſend him a ſon by Sara he did not miſſe, Then to Iſaac (as there recorded it is) By Rebecca his wife, who had lōg time bē barain Whē pleaſed him, at one birth he ſent ſons twaine. But before Iacob and Eſau yet borne were, Or had eyther done good, or yll perpetrate: As the prophete Malachie and Paule witneſſe beare, Iacob was choſen, and Eſau reprobate: Iacob I loue (ſayde God) and Eſau I hate. For it is not (ſayth Paule) in mans renuing or will, But in Gods mercy who choſeth whome he will. But now for our comming we ſhal exhibite here Of Iacob and Eſau howe the ſtory was, Wherby Gods adoption may plainly appeare: And alſo, that what euer Gods ordinance was, Nothing might defeate, but that it muſte come to paſſe. That if this ſtorie may your eyes or eares delite, We pray you of pacience, while we it recite. NOw lette me ſée what tyme it is by the ſtarre light? Gods for his grace man, why it is not yet midnight, We might haue ſlept theſe four houres yet I dare well ſay. But this is our good Eſau his common play: What the dyuell ayleth him? now truly I thinke plaine, He hath either ſome wormes or bottes in his braine. He ſcarcely ſléepeth .xij. good houres in two wéekes. I wote wel his watching maketh me haue leane chéekes. For there is none other life with hym day by day, But vp Ragau, vp drouſy hogges head I ſay: Why when? Vp, will it not be? Vp. I come anon. Vp, or I ſhall reyſe you in fayth ye drouſy hooreſon. Why, when? ſhall I fette you? I come ſyr by and by. Vp with a wilde wenyon, how long wilt thou lie? Vp I ſay, vp at once. Vp vp, let vs goe hence, It is tyme we were in the forreſt an houre ſence. Nowe the deuill ſtoppe that ſame yallyng throte (thynke I) Somwhiles. For from he call, farewell all winke of eye. Begin he once to call, I ſléepe no more that ſtounde, Though half an houres ſlepe wer worth .x. thouſand poūd. Anon when I come in, and bydde him good morow: Ah ſyr, vp at laſt, the deuyll gyue thée ſorow. Nowe the diuell breake thy necke (thinke I by and by) That haſt no witte to ſleape, nor in thy bedde to lye. Then come on at once, take my quiuer and my bowe, Fette Louell my hounde, and my horne to blowe. Then forth goe we faſtyng an houre or two ere day, Before we may well ſée either our handes or way, And there raunge we the wilde foreſt, no crumme of bread From morning to ſtarck night coming within our head,