Udall, Nicholas · published 1568 · first performed or written 1554 [c.1550-1557] (Annals) biblical play T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig typicality 0.77 · 512 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
Because that in my spirit verily I know, God will set up Iacob, and Esau down throw. I have showed you many a time ere this day, What the Lord of them being in my womb did say. I use not for to lie: And I believe certain, That the Lord spoke not these words to me in vain. And Iacob it is (I know) in whom the Lord will His promises to you made, and to your seed fulfil. I doubt not his promise made to me and my seed, Leaving to his conveyance how it shall proceed. The Lord after his way change th'inheritance, But I may not wittingly break our ordinance. Now would God, I could persuade my lord Isaac, Iacob to prefer, and Esau to put back. I may not do it wife, I pray you be content. The title of birthright that cometh by descent, Or the place of eldership coming by due course I may not change nor shift, for better nor for worse. Nature's law it is, the eldest son to knowledge, And in no wise to bar him of his heritage, And ye shall of Esau one day have comfort. Set a good long day then, or else we shall come short. I warrant you, he will do well enough at length. You must needs commend him being your might & strength Well, now go we hence, little Mido where art thou? I have stood here all this while, listening how you And my Dame Rebecca have been laying the law, But she hath as quick answers as ever I saw. Ye could not speak any thing unto her so thick, But she had her answer as ready and as quick. Yea, women's answers are but few times to seek. But I did not see Esau neither all this same week: Nor I do love your son Esau so well, As I do love your son Iacob by a great deal. No dost thou Mido, and tell me the cause why? Why? for I do not: And none other cause know I. But everybody as well one as other, Do wish that Iacob had been the elder brother. Well, come on, let us go. And who shall lead you? I? No, it is my office as long as I am by. And I would all wives, as the world this day is, Would unto their husbands likewise do their office. Why dame Rebecca, than all wedded men should be blind. What thou foolish lad, no such thing was in my mind. I Have heard it oft, but now I feel a wonder, In what grievous pain they die, that die for hunger. Oh my greedy stomach how it doth bite and gnaw? If I were at a rack, I could eat hay or straw. Mine empty guts do fret, my maw doth even tear, Would God I had a piece of some horsebread here. Yet is master Esau in worse case than I. If he have not some meat the sooner he will die:
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)
Bicauſe that in my ſpirite verily I know, God will ſet vp Iacob, and Eſau downe throwe. I haue ſhewed you many a tyme ere this day, What the Lorde of them beyng in my wombe dyd ſay. I vſe not for to lye: And I beleue certaine, That the Lorde ſpake not theſe wordes to me in vaine. And Iacob it is (I know) in whome the Lorde will His promiſes to you made, and to your ſeede fulfyll. I doubt not his promiſe made to me and my ſeede, Leauing to his conueyaunce howe it ſhall procéede. The Lorde after his way chaunge thinheritance, But I may not wetingly breake our ordinance. Nowe woulde God, I coulde perſuade my lorde Iſaac, Iacob to preferre, and Eſau to put backe. I may not do it wife, I pray you be content. The title of birthright that commeth by deſcent, Or the place of eldeſhyp comming by due courſe I may not chaunge nor ſhift, for better nor for wourſe. Natures lawe it is, the eldeſt ſonne to knowlage, And in no wiſe to barre ym of his heritage, And ye ſhall of Eſau one day haue comforte. Set a good long day then, or elſe we ſhal come ſhort. I warrant you, he will doe well inough at length. You muſt nedes cōmend him being your might & ſtrēgth Well, nowe go we hence, little Mido where art thou? I haue ſtoode here all thys while, liſtning howe you And my Dame Rebecca haue bene laying the lawe, But ſhe hath as quicke anſweres as euer I ſawe. Ye coulde not ſpeake any thing vnto hir ſo thicke, But ſhe had hir anſwere as ready and as quicke. Yea, womens anſweres are but fewe times to ſéeke. But I did not ſée Eſau neither all this ſame wéeke: Nor I do loue your ſonne Eſau ſo well, As I do loue your ſonne Iacob by a great deale. No doeſt thou Mido, and tell me the cauſe why? Why? for I doe not: And none other cauſe knowe I. But euery body as well one as other, Doe wiſh that Iacob had bene the elder brother. Well, come on, let vs goe. And who ſhall leade you? I? No, it is my office as long as I am by. And I woulde all wiues, as the worlde this day is, Woulde vnto their huſbandes likewiſe do their office. Why dame Rebecca, then al wedded men ſhold be blind. What thou fooliſh ladde, no ſuch thing was in my minde. I Haue hearde it ofte, but nowe I féele a wonder, In what grieuous paine they die, that die for hunger. Oh my gréedie ſtomacke howe it doth bite and gnawe? If I were at a racke, I could eate hey or ſtrawe. Mine emptie gutts doe frette, my mawe doth euen teare, Woulde God I had a piece of ſome horſebread here. Yet is maiſter Eſau in worſe caſe than I. If he haue not ſome meate the ſooner he will die: