Udall, Nicholas · published 1568 · first performed or written 1554 [c.1550-1557] (Annals) biblical play T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig typicality 0.80 · 485 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
I thank you for it father as doth me behoue. And now thou seest my days draw towards an end. That is to me great ruth if I could it amend. I must go the way of all mortal flesh. Therefore while my memory and wit is yet fresh, I would thee endow mine heritage to succeed: And bliss thee, (as I ought) to multiply my seed. The God of my father Abraham, and of me, Hath promised, that our seed as the sand shall be. He is a God of truth, and in his words just. Therefore in my working shall be no fault I trust. Now therefore son Esau, get thee forth to hunt, With thy bow and quiver, as erst thou hast been wont, Bring me of thy venison that is good. Ye shall have of the best that runneth in the wood. When thou comest home, to dress it, it shall behove: And to make for mine own tooth such meat as I love. Thus do mine own dear son, and then I shall thee kiss With the kiss of peace, and thee for ever bliss. Your will t'accomplish most dear father Isaac, Wits all good haste and speed, I shall not be found slack. Then help lead me home, in my tent that I were set. And then go when thou wilt. I shall withouten let. THis talk of Isaac in secret have I heard. And what end it should come to my heart is afeard. near had I so much ado to forbear to speak. But the Lord (I trust) will Isaac's purpose break. O God of Abraham, make it of none effect: Let Iacob have the blessing whom thou hast elect. I for my part shall work what may be wrought, That it may to Iacob from Esau be brought, And in will I go to see what I can devise, That Isaac's intent may fail in any wise. NAy, we must on hunting go, yet once more again And never come home now except we speed certain But I trow for hunger I have provided here: That whatever befall I Ragau shall have cheer. I have no time to tell what delicates here be, But think this to be true) for better men than me. And what? shall Esau hereof have any part? Nay I trust to convey it by such pretty art, That till the bag be clear, he shall it never see. I shall, and if he faint, feed him as he fed me. I shall requite his shutting me out of the door. That if he bid me run to get him meat afore, I shall run as fast as my feet were made of lead, And tell him, there is none, though I may well be speed. I will be even with him for my fare last day When he was with Iacob.
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)
I thancke you for it father as doth me behoue. And now thou ſéeſt my dayes draw towardes an ende. That is to me great ruth if I coulde it amende. I muſt go the way of all mortall fleſhe. Therfore while my memory and witte is yet freſhe, I woulde thée endow mine heritage to ſuccéede: And bliſſe thée, (as I ought) to multiply my ſéede. The God of my father Abraham, and of me, Hath promiſed, that our ſéede as the ſande ſhal be. He is a God of truth, and in his wordes iuſt. Therfore in my workyng ſhall be no faute I truſt. Now therfore ſonne Eſau, get thée forth to hunte, With thy bowe and quiuer, as erſt thou haſt bene wont, Bring me of thy veniſon that is good. Ye ſhall haue of the beſt that runneth in the wood. When thou commeſt home, to dreſſe it, it ſhall behoue: And to make for mine owne tooth ſuch meate as I loue. Thus doo mine owne dere ſonne, and then I ſhal thée kiſſe With the kooſſe of peace, and thée for euer bliſſe. Your will t'accompliſhe moſte dere father Iſaac, Wits all good haſt and ſpede, I ſhall not be found ſlack. Then helpe lead me home, in my tente that I were ſet. And then go when thou wilt. I ſhall withouten lette. THis talke of Iſaac in ſecrete haue I heard. And what end it ſhould come to my hert is afeard. Nere had I ſo muche ado to forbeare to ſpeake. But the Lorde (I truſt) will Iſaacs purpoſe breke. O God of Abraham, make it of none effecte: Let Iacob haue the bleſſing whom thou haſt elect. I for my parte ſhall worke what may be wrought, That it may to Iacob from Eſau be brought, And in will I go to ſée what I can deuiſe, That Iſaacs intent may fayle in any wiſe. NAy, we muſt on hunting go, yet once more again And neuer com home now except we ſpede certain But I trowe for hunger I haue prouided here: That what euer befall I Ragau ſhall haue chere. I haue no time to tell what delicates here be, But thinke this to be true) for better men than me. And what? ſhall Eſau hereof haue any parte? Nay I truſt to conueigh it by ſuch prety arte, That till the bag be clere, he ſhal it neuer ſée. I ſhall, and if he faint, feede him as he fedde me. I ſhall requite his ſhutting me out of the dore. That if he bidde me runne to get him meat afore, I ſhall runne as faſt as my feet were made of leade, And tell him, there is none, though I may wel be ſpead. I will be euen with him for my fare laſt day When he was with Iacob.