Udall, Nicholas · published 1568 · first performed or written 1554 [c.1550-1557] (Annals) biblical play T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig typicality 0.82 · 511 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
seeing thy brother Esau is such an one, Why rebukest thou him not when ye are alone? Why dost thou not give him some good sad wise counsel? He lacketh not that mother, if it would avail. But when I do him any thing of his fault tell, He calleth me foolish proud boy with him to mell. He will sometime demand by what authority, I presume to teach them which mine elders be? He will sometime ask if I learn of my mother, To take on me teaching of mine elder brother? Sometime when I tell him of his lewd behaviour, He will lend me a mock or twain for my labour: And sometime for anger he will out with his purse And call me as please him, and swear he will do worse. Oh Lord, that to bear such a son it was my chance. Mother, we must be content with God's ordinance. Or, if I should needs have Esau to my son, Would God thou Iacob hadst the Eldership won. Mother, it is to late to wish for that is past: It will not be done now wish ye never so fast. And I would not have you to wish against God's will: For both it is in vain, and also it is ill. Why did it not please God, that thou shouldest as weal Tread upon his crown, as hold him fast by the he'll? Whatsoever mystery the Lord therein meant, Must be referred to his unsearched judgement. And whatsoever he hath pointed me unto, I am his own vessel his will with me to do. Well, some strange thing therein of God intended was, And what he hath decreed, must sure come to pass. I remember when I had you both conceived, A voice thus saying from the Lord I received: Rebecca, in thy womb are now two nations, Of unlike natures and contrary fashions. The one shall be a mightier people elect: And the elder to the younger shall be subject. I know this voice came not to me of nothing: Therefore thou shalt follow my counsel in oh thing. So it be not displeasing to the Lord I must. I fear the lord eke, who is merciful and just: And loath would I be, his majesty to offend, But by me (I doubt not to work he doth intend, Assay if thou canst, at some one time or other, To buy the right of eldership from thy brother: Do thou buy the birthright that to him doth belong, So mayst thou have the blessing, and do him no wrong. What thou hast once bought, is thine own of due right. Mother Rebecca, if withouten fraud I might, I would your advise put in ure with all my heart, But I may not attempt any such guileful part: To buy my brother's eldership and his birthright, I fear would be a great offence in God's sight. Which thing if I wist, to redeem I ne would, Though I might get thereby ten millions of gold.
seed 43: T48 · seed 44: T49 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Seyng thy brother Eſau is ſuche an one, Why rebukeſt thou hym not when ye are alone? Why doeſt thou not gyue him ſome good ſad wyſe counſaile? He lacketh not that mother, if it woulde auaile. But when I doe him any thing of his fault tell, He calleth me fooliſhe proude boy with him to mell. He will ſomtime demaunde by what authoritée, I preſume to teache them which mine elders bee? He will ſomtime aſke if I learne of my mother, To take on me teaching of mine elder brother? Sometime when I tell hym of his leude behauour, He will lende me a mocke or twaine for my labour: And ſomtime for anger he will out with his purſe And call me as pleaſe hym, and ſweare he will doe wurſe. Oh Lorde, that to beare ſuch a ſonne it was my chaunce. Mother, we muſt be content wyth Gods ordinaunce. Or, if I ſhoulde néedes haue Eſau to my ſoonne, Would God thou Iacob haddeſt the Elderſhip woonne. Mother, it is to late to wiſhe for that is paſt: It will not be done now wiſh ye neuer ſo faſt. And I woulde not haue you to wiſh agaynſt Gods wyll: For both it is in vaine, and alſo it is yll. Why did it not pleaſe God, that thou ſhouldeſt as wele Treade vpon his crowne, as holde hym faſt by the hele? Whatſoeuer myſterie the Lorde therein ment, Muſt be referred to his vnſerched iudgement. And what ſoeuer he hath pointed me vnto, I am his owne veſſell his will with me to do. Well, ſome ſtraunge thing therin of God intended was, And what he hath decréed, muſt ſure come to paſſe. I remember when I had you both conceiued, A voyce thus ſaying from the Lorde I receiued: Rebecca, in thy wombe are now two nations, Of vnlike natures and contrary faſhions. The one ſhal be a mightier people elect: And the elder to the yonger ſhall be ſubiect. I knowe this voyce came not to me of nothing: Therfore thou ſhalt folow my counſell in o thing. So it be not diſpleaſing to the Lorde I muſt. I feare the lorde eke, who is mercifull and iuſt: And loth would I be, his maieſtie to offende, But by me (I doubt not to worke he doth intende, Aſſay if thou canſt, at ſome one tyme or other, To buie the right of elderſhip from thy brother: Do thou buye the birthright that to hym doth belong, So mayſt thou haue the bleſſing, and doe hym no wrong. What thou haſt once bought, is thyne owne of due right. Mother Rebecca, if withouten fraude I might, I would your aduiſe put in vre wyth all my hart, But I may not attempt any ſuch guilefull part: To buie my brothers elderſhip and hys birthright, I feare woulde be a great offence in Gods ſight. Which thyng if I wiſt, to redéeme I ne wolde, Though I might get therby ten millions of golde.