Udall, Nicholas · published 1568 · first performed or written 1554 [c.1550-1557] (Annals) biblical play unassigned nearest T52 Prodigals, portions and poor kin · 496 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T52: brother, father, uncle, cousin, son, poor, bread, old, given, master.
AH sir, when one is hungry, good meat is much worth. And well fare a good brother yet in time of need, The world is now meetly well amended in deed. By my truth if I had bidden from meat any longer, I think my very maw would have fret asunder. Then had I been dead and gone I make God a vow! Surely then the world had had a great loss of you. For where should we have had your fellow in your place? What should I have done with my birthright in this case. Kept it still, and ye had not been a very ass. But the best pottage it was yet that ever was. It were sin not to sell one's soul for such gear. Ye have done no less in my conscience I fear. Who is this that standeth clattering at my back? A poor man of yours sir, that doth his dinner lack. Dinner whoreson knave? dinner at this time a day? Nothing with thee, but dinner and munching always. Why thou whoreson villain slave, who is hungry now? In deed sir (as seemeth by your words) not you. A man were better fill the bellies of some twelve, Than to fill the gut of one such whoreson elf, That doth none other good but eat and drink and sleep. He shall do some thing else whom ye shall have to keep. And that maketh thee so slothful and so lither, I dare say he was six hours coming hither, When I sent him to make provision afore, Not passing a mile hence or very little more. And yet being so far past the hour of dining, See and the knave be not for his dinner whining. Fast a while, fast with a mischief greedy slave, Must I provide meat for every glutton knave? I may fast for any meat that of you I have. Or deserve thy dinner before thou do it crave. If I have not deserved it at this season, I shall never deserve it in mine own reason. Ye promised I should eat till I cried hoe. Yea that was if we took either hare, tegge, or Do. But when yourself were hungry, ye said I wot what. What thou villain slave, tellest thou me now of that! Then, help, run apace, Ragau my good servant. Yea then was then, now is it otherwise: avaunt. Have I nothing to do but provide meat for you? Ye might have given me some part when ye had enough. What, of the red rice pottage with Iacob I had? Why, the crow would not give it her bird, thou art mad Is that meat for you? nay it would make you to rank. Nay soft brother mine, I must keep you more lank. It hath made me even since so lusty and fresh, As though I had eaten all delicates of flesh. I feel no manner faintness whereof to complain.
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)
AH ſir, when one is hungry, good meat is much worth. And well fare a good brother yet in time of néede, The worlde is now metely well amended in déede. By my truth if I had bidden from meate any longer, I thinke my very mawe would haue frette aſonder. Then had I bene dead and gone I make God a vowe▪ Surely then the world had had a great loſſe of you. For where ſhould we haue had your felow in your place? What ſhold I haue done with my birthright in this caſe. Kept it ſtill, and ye had not bene a very aſſe. But the beſt pottage it was yet that euer was. It were ſinne not to ſell ones ſoule for ſuch geare. Ye haue done no leſſe in my conſcience I feare. Who is this that ſtandeth clattering at my backe? A poore man of yours ſir, that doth his dinner lacke. Dinner whoreſon knaue? dinner at this time a day? Nothing with thée, but dinner and mounching alway. Why thou whoreſon villain ſlaue, who is hungry now? In dede ſyr (as ſéemeth by your wordes) not you. A man were better fyll the bellies of ſome twelfe, Than to fill the gutte of one ſuch whoreſon elfe, That doth none other good but eate and drink and ſlepe. He ſhall do ſome thing els whom ye ſhall haue to kepe. And that maketh thée ſo ſlouthfull and ſo lyther, I dare ſaie he was ſixe houres comming hither, When I ſent him to make prouiſion afore, Not paſſing a myle hence or very litle more. And yet being ſo farre paſt the houre of dining, Sée and the knaue be not for his dinner whining. Faſt a while, faſt with a miſchiefe gréedy ſlaue, Muſt I prouide meate for euery glutton knaue? I may faſt for any meate that of you I haue. Or deſerue thy dinner before thou do it craue. If I haue not deſerued it at this ſeaſon, I ſhall neuer deſerue it in mine owne reaſon. Ye promiſed I ſhould eate tyll I cried hoe. Yea that was if we toke either hare, tegge, or Doe. But when your ſelfe were hungry, ye ſaid I wot what. What thou villaine ſlaue, telleſt thou me now of that▪ Then, helpe, runne apace, Ragau my good ſeruant. Yea then was then, now is it otherwiſe: auaunt. Haue I nothing to do but prouide meate for you? Ye might haue geuē me ſom part when ye had ynough. What, of the red rice pottage with Iacob I had? Why, the crow would not geue it hir bird, thou art mad Is that meate for you? nay it would make you to ranke. Nay ſoft brother mine, I muſt kepe you more lanke. It hath made me euen ſince ſo luſty and freſhe, As though I had eaten all delicates of fleſhe. I fele no maner faintneſſe wherof to complaine.