Udall, Nicholas · published 1568 · first performed or written 1554 [c.1550-1557] (Annals) biblical play unassigned nearest T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig · 508 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
Why then should not I thank the Lord, if it please him That I shall now be blind, and my sight wax all dim. For who so to old age will here live and endure, Must of force abide all such defaults of nature. Why must I be blind too, if I be an old man? How shall I grope the way, or who shall lead me than? If the Lord have pointed thee such old days to see, He will also provide that shall be meet for thee. I trow if I were blind, I could go well enough, I could grope the way thus, and go as I do now. I have done so ere now both by day and by night, As I see you grope the way, and have hit it right. Yea sir boy, will ye play any such childish knack? As to counterfeit your blind master Isaac: That is but to mock him for his impediment. Nay I never did it in any such intent. Nay it is to tempt God before thou have need: Whereby thou mayst provoke him in very deed, With some great misfortune or plague to punish thee. Then will I never more do so while I may see: But against I be blind, I will be so perfect, That though no man lead me, I will go at midnight. Now wife, touching the purpose that I sought for you. What sayth my lord Isaac to his handmaid now? Ye have oft in covert words been right earnest To have me grant unto you a boon and request: But ye never told me yet plainly what it was, Therefore I have ever yet let the matter pass. And now of late by oft being from me absent, I have half suspected you to be scarce content. But wife Rebecca, I would not have you to mourn, As though I did your honest petition wourne. For I never meant to deny in all my life Any lawful or honest request to my wife. But in case it be a thing unreasonable, Then must I needs be to you untractable. Now therefore say on, and tell me what is your case. I would, if I were sure in your heart to find grace: Else sir I would be loath. To speak do not refrain, And if it be reasonable ye shall obtain: Otherwise, ye must pardon me gentle sweet wife. Sir, ye know your son Esau, and see his life, How loose it is, and how stiff he is and stubborn, How recklessly he doth himself misgovern: He giveth himself to hunting out of reason, And serveth the Lord and us at no time or season. These conditions can not be acceptable In the sight of God, nor to men allowable. Now his brother Iacob your younger son and mine, Doth more apply his heart to seek the ways divine. He liveth here quietly at home in the Tent, There is no man nor child but is with him content.
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)
Why then ſhould not I thanke the Lorde, if it pleaſe him That I ſhall nowe be blynde, and my ſight waxe all dim. For who ſo to olde age will here liue and endure, Muſt of force abide all ſuche defautes of nature. Why muſt I be blinde too, if I be an olde man? How ſhall I grope the way, or who ſhall leade me than? If the Lorde haue pointed thée ſuch olde dayes to ſée, He wil alſo prouide that ſhall be méete for thée. I trowe if I were blinde, I coulde goe well inowe, I coulde grope the way thus, and goe as I do nowe. I haue done ſo ere now both by day and by night, As I ſee you grope the way, and haue hitte it right. Yea ſyr boy, will ye play any ſuche childiſhe knack? As to counterfaite your blinde maiſter Iſaac: That is but to mocke him for his impediment. Nay I neuer dyd it in any ſuche intent. Nay it is to tempt God before thou haue néede: Wherby thou mayſt prouoke hym in very déede, With ſome great miſfortune or plague to puniſh thée. Then will I neuer more do ſo while I may ſee: But againſt I be blinde, I will be ſo perfight, That though no man leade me, I will go at midnight. Nowe wife, touching the purpoſe that I ſought for you. What ſayth my lorde Iſaac to his handemayde now? Ye haue ofte in couerte wordes ben right earneſt To haue me graunt vnto you a boune and requeſt: But ye neuer tolde me yet plainly what it was, Therfore I haue euer yet lette the matter paſſe. And now of late by ofte being from me abſent, I haue halfe ſuſpected you to be ſcarce content. But wife Rebecca, I woulde not haue you to mourne, As though I did your honeſt petition wourne. For I neuer ment to denie in all my life Any lawfull or honeſt requeſt to my wyfe. But in caſe it be a thing vnreaſonable, Then muſt I néedes be to you vntractable. Now therfore ſay on, and tell me what is your caſe. I woulde, if I were ſure in your heart to fynde grace: Elſe ſyr I woulde be lothe. To ſpeake do not refraine, And if it be reaſonable ye ſhall obtaine: Otherwiſe, ye muſt pardon me gentle ſwéete wife. Sir, ye knowe your ſonne Eſau, and ſée his life, Howe looce it is, and howe ſtiffe he is and ſtubborne, Howe retcheleſly he doth him ſelfe miſgouerne: He geueth himſelfe to hunting out of reaſon, And ſerueth the Lorde and vs at no time or ſeaſon. Theſe conditions can not be acceptable In the ſyght of God, nor to men allowable. Nowe his brother Iacob your yonger ſonne and mine, Dothe more applie his heart to ſéeke the wayes diuine. He liueth here quietly at home in the Tent, There is no man nor childe but is with him content.