Udall, Nicholas · published 1568 · first performed or written 1554 [c.1550-1557] (Annals) biblical play unassigned nearest T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness · 540 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Nay it is his nature, do what ye can for him, No thank at his hand but choose you sink or swim. Then reason it with him in a meet time and place, And he shall be ready to flee straight in your face. This proverb in Esau may be understand: Claw a churl by the tail, and he will file your hand. Well iwis Esau, ye did know well enough That I had as much need to be meated as you. Have I trotted and trudged all night and all day, And now leave me without door, and so go your way? Have I spent so much labour for you to provide, And you nothing regard what of me may betide? Have I run with you while I was able to go, And now you purchase food for yourself and no more? Have I taken so long pain you truly to serve, And can ye be content that I famish and starve? I must lackey and come lugging greyhound and hound And carry the weight I dare say of twenty pound, And to help his hunger purchase grace and favour, And now to be shut out fasting for my labour. By my faith I may say, I serve a good master, Nay nay, I serve an ill husband and a waster. That neither profit regardeth nor honesty, What marvel I then if he pass so light on me? But Esau now that ye have sold your birthright, I commend me to you, and god give you good night. And let a friend tell him his fault at any time, Ye shall hear him chafe beyond all reason or rhyme. Except it were a fiend or a very hellhound, Ye never saw the match of him in any ground. When I show him of good will what others do say, He will fall out with me, and offer me a fray. And what can there be a worser condition, Than to do ill, and refuse admonition? Can such a one prosper, or come to a good end? Then I care not how many children God me send. Once Esau shall not beguile me, I can tell: Except he shall fortune to amend, or do well. Therefore why do I about him waste thus much talk, Whom no man can induce ordinately to walk? But some man perchance doth not a little wonder, How I who but right now did roar out for hunger, Have now so much vacant and void time of leisure, To walk and to talk, and discourse all of pleasure. I told you at the first, I would provide for one: My mother taught me that lesson a good while agone. When I came to Iacob his friendship to require, I drew near and near till I came to the fire. There hard beside me stood the pottage pot, Even as God would have it, neither cold nor hot, Good simple Iacob could not turn his back so thick, But I at the ladle got a gulp or a lick. So that ere I went I made a very good meal. And dined better cheap than Esau a good deal. But here cometh now master Esau forth.
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)
Nay it is his nature, doo what ye can for him, No thanke at his hand but chooſe you ſinke or ſwim. Then reaſon it with him in a mete time and place, And he ſhall be ready to flée ſtraight in your face. This prouerbe in Eſau may be vnderſtande: Clawe a churle by the tayle, and he will file your hand. Well ywiſſe Eſau, ye did knowe well ynouw That I had as muche nede to be meated as you. Haue I trotted and trudged all night and all day, And now leaue me without dore, and ſo go your way? Haue I ſpent ſo muche labour for you to prouide, And you nothing regarde what of me may betide? Haue I runne with you while I was able to go, And now you purchaſe foode for your ſelfe and no mo? Haue I taken ſo long paine you truly to ſerue, And can ye be content that I famiſhe and ſterue? I muſt lackey and come lugging greyhound and hound And carry the weight I dare ſay of twentie pound, And to helpe his hunger purchaſſe grace and fauour, And now to be ſhutte out faſting for my labour. By my faith I may ſay, I ſerue a good maiſter, Nay nay, I ſerue an ill huſband and a waſter. That neither profite regardeth nor honeſtie, What meruaile I then if he paſſe ſo light on me? But Eſau nowe that ye haue ſolde your birthright, I commende me to you, and god geue you good night. And let a friend tell him his faute at any time, Ye ſhall heare him chafe beyonde all reaſon or rime. Except it were a fiende or a verie helhounde, Ye neuer ſawe the matche of him in any grounde. When I ſhewe him of good will what others do ſay, He wil fall out with me, and offer me a fray. And what can there be a worſer condition, Than to doe yll, and refuſe admonition? Can ſuche a one proſper, or come to a good ende? Then I care not howe many children God me ſende. Once Eſau ſhall not beguile me, I can tell: Except he ſhall fortune to amende, or doe well. Therfore why doe I about hym waſt thus much talke, Whome no man can induce ordinately to walke? But ſome man perchaunce doth not a little wonder, Howe I who but right nowe did rore out for hunger, Haue nowe ſo muche vacant and voyde time of leaſure, To walke and to talke, and diſcourſe all of pleaſure. I tolde you at the fyrſt, I woulde prouide for one: My mother taught me that leſſon a good whyle agone. When I came to Iacob his friendſhyp to require, I drewe nere and nere tyl I came to the fyre. There harde beſyde me ſtode the potage pot, Euen as God would haue it, neither colde nor hot, Good ſimple Iacob coulde not tourne his backe ſo thicke, But I at the ladell got a goulpe or a licke. So that ere I went I made a very good meale. And dynde better cheape than Eſau a good deale. But here commeth nowe maiſter Eſau forth.