Udall, Nicholas · published 1568 · first performed or written 1554 [c.1550-1557] (Annals) biblical play T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig typicality 0.74 · 487 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
I may now go play, Iacob leadeth Isaac. But I never saw such a pretty knack, How Iacob beguiled his father, how slightly. Now I see it true the blind eat many a fly. I quaked once for fear lest Iacob would be caught, But as hap was, he had his lesson well taught. But what will Esau say, when he cometh home? Choose him, but for me to go in it is wisdom. NOw I beseech the Lord prosper Iacob my son, In our hardy enterprise which we have begun. Isaac is eating such meat as he doth love, Which thing to bless Iacob I doubt not will him move: If he obtain the blessing as I trust he shall, Then shall my soul give to God laud perpetual. But I will in to hearken how the thing doth frame. Come in dame Rebecca, Who is it that doth me name? My master Isaac is coming forth straight way. He shall not find me here in no wise if I may. SEt me down on the bench where thou didst me first find: Now forsooth I have eat meat even to my mind. It hath refreshed my soul wonderfully well. Nor never drank I better wine that I can tell. If it were to your liking I am very glad. It was the best meat and wine that ever I had. Come kiss me son Esau with the kiss of peace, That my love towards thee may the more increase. I bless thee here for ever my son in this place, The Lord my God of might endue thee with his grace. What sweet flavour my sons raiment doth yield, Even the fragrant smell that cometh from a field. Which the Lord hath blessed, and the same lord bless thee: With the dew of heaven, the Lord thy ground increase That the fatness of the earth may never cease. The Lord send thee abundance of corn and wine, And prosper continually all thing that is thine. The Lord make great people servants unto thee: And nations to do homage and fealty. And here to succeed my place, mine heir I thee make, Of all things that I have, possession to take. Lord and ruler be thou over thy brethren all, And bow to thee as head, thy mother's children shall. Cursed be that man that shall thee curse or missay: And who that blesseth thee, blessed be he for aye. Thus here have I made my last will and testament, Which the Lord God ratify never to repent. Serve the Lord our God, and then well shalt thou speed, And he shall keep promise to multiply thy seed. My day draweth on, for old and feeble I am. When I die, put me to my father Abraham. Now kiss me once again my son, and then depart, And enter upon all, whereof now Lord thou art.
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 may now go play, Iacob leadeth Iſaac. But I neuer ſaw ſuch a prety knacke, How Iacob beguiled his father, how ſlightly. Now I ſée it true the blinde eate many a flye. I quaked once for feare leſt Iacob would be caught, But as happe was, he had his leſſon well taught. But what will Eſau ſay, when he commeth home? Chooſe him, but for me to go in it is wiſedome. NOw I beſeche the Lorde proſper Iacob my ſonne, In our hardy enterpriſe which we haue begonne. Iſaac is eating ſuch meate as he doth loue, Which thing to bleſſe Iacob I dout not will him moue: If he obteyne the bleſſing as I truſt he ſhall, Then ſhall my ſoule geue to God laude perpetuall. But I will in to harken how the thing doth frame. Come in dame Rebecca, Who is it that doth me name? My maiſter Iſaac is comming foorth ſtreight way. He ſhall not finde me here in no wiſe if I may. SEt me down on the bench where thou didſt me firſt find: Now forſooth I haue eate meate euen to my minde. It hath refreſhed my ſoule wonderfully well. Nor neuer dranke I better wine that I can tell. If it were to your liking I am very glad. It was the beſt meat and wine that euer I had. Come kyſſe me ſonne Eſau with the kyſſe of peace, That my loue towardes thée may the more increace. I bleſſe thée here for euer my ſonne in this place, The Lorde my God of might endue thée with his grace. What ſwete flauour my ſonnes raiment dooth yelde, Euen the fragrant ſmell that commeth from a fielde. Which the Lord hath bleſſed, and the ſame lord bleſſe thée: With the dewe of heauen, the Lorde thy ground encreaſe That the fatneſſe of the earth may neuer ceaſe. The Lorde ſend thée abundaunce of corne and wine, And proſper continually all thing that is thine. The Lord make great people ſeruants vnto thée: And nations to do homage and fealty. And here to ſuccede my place, mine heyre I thée make, Of all things that I haue, poſſeſſion to take. Lord and ruler be thou ouer thy brethern all, And bowe to thée as head, thy mothers children ſhall. Curſed be that man that ſhall thée curſe or miſſay: And who that bleſſeth thée, bleſſed be he for aye. Thus here haue I made my laſt will and teſtament, Which the Lord God ratifie neuer to repent. Serue the Lord our God, and then well ſhalt thou ſpéede, And he ſhall kepe promiſe to multiply thy ſéede. My day draweth on, for olde and féeble I am. When I dye, put me to my father Abraham. Now kiſſe me once again my ſonne, and then depart, And enter vpon all, wherof now Lorde thou art.