Wager, William · published 1570 · first performed or written 1560 [c.1559-c.1570] (Annals) moral T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness typicality 0.80 · 497 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
I have been young (saith David) and now am old, Yet the righteous forsaken I never did see: Nor their seed begging Bread I did not behold, Therefore your mind to the Prophets doth not agree, Cast all thy burden and care (saith Christ) on me. And I will provide to keep thee from danger and strife: Only seek thou to live a godly and good life. When Solon was asked of Croesus' the King, What man was most happy in this vale terestrial: To the end he seemed to attribute that thing, When men be assosiate with treasures selestiall. By the beginning no man can judge the same Solon doth say, That any man is happy that beareth breath: But yet by the end partly judge we may, For true happiness (saith he) consisteth after death. If this be true as undoubtedly it is, What men are more wicked, wretched and miserable: Then those that in riches accounted their bliss, Being infected with Ambition that sickness uncurable. The treasure of this world we may well compare, To Circe's the Witch with her crafty cawtilitie: Wherewith many men's minds so poisoned are, That quite they are carried to all infidelity, They are conjured so in deed and bewitched so sore, That treasure is their trust, yea, hope and delight: Enough serveth them not till that they have more, So against Contentation they still strive and fight. Though the Worldly man do follow their lust, Crying on Earth is our felicity and pleasure: Yet God doth so rule the hearts of the Just, That their study is, chiefly to get Heavenly treasure. Friends I take you both for honest men, I promise' you I would be glad to do for the best: Marry than I take care which way and when, I may get treasure therewith to live in rest. O, me thinks it is a very pleasant thing, To see a great heap of old Angels and Crowns: When I have store of money I can be merry and sing, For money as men say winneth both Cities and towns. Alas why should you not have that in estimation, Which God hath prepared for his dear elect: Should not our minds rest in full contentation, Having trust in that treasure most high in respect, Saint Paul whom the Lord so high doth erect. Says, it passeth the sense, our memories and mind: Much less can our outward eyes the same find. As for the treasure that you possess here, Through fickleness of Fortune soon fadeth away: The greatest of renown and most worthy Peer, Sometime in the end falleth to misery and decay. Record of Dionysius a King of much fame, Of the valiant Alexander, and Caesar the strong: Record of Tarquinus which Superbus had to name: And of Heliogabalus that ministered with wrong, To recite them all it would be very long. But these be sufficient plainly to prove: How soon and uncertainly riches doth remove.
seed 43: T35 · seed 44: T34 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I haue béen yung (ſaith Dauid) and now am olde, Yet the righteouſe forſaken I neuer did ſée: Nor their ſeed begging Bread I did not beholde, Therfore your minde to the Prophets dooth not agrée, Caſt all thy burden and care (ſaith Chriſte) on me. And I wil prouide to kéep thée from daunger and ſtrife: Onely ſeek thou to liue a godly and good life. When Solon was aſked of Creſſus the King, What man was moſte happy in this vale tereſtrial: To the end he ſéemed to attribute that thing, When men be aſſoſiate with treaſures ſeleſtiall. By the beginning no man can iudge the ſame Solon dooth ſay, That any man is happy that beareth breath: But yet by the end partely iudge we may, For true happines (ſaith he) conſiſteth after death. If this be true as vndoutedly it is, What men are more wicked, wretched and miſerable: Then thoſe that in riches account their bliſſe, Béeing infected with Ambition that ſicknes vncurable. The treaſure of this world we may wel compare, To Circes the Witch with her crafty cawtilitie: Wherwith many mens mindes ſo poyſoned are, That quite they are caryed to all infidelitie, They are coniured ſo in déed and bewitched ſo ſore, That treaſure is their truſt, yea, hope and delight: Inough ſerueth them not til that they haue more, So againſt Contentation they ſtil ſtriue and fight. Though the Worldly man doo folowe their luſt, Crying on Earth is our felicitie and pleaſure: Yet God dooth ſo rule the harts of the Iuſt, That their ſtudy is, cheefly to get Heauenly treaſure. Fréends I take you bothe for honeſt men, I promiſe you I would be glad to doo for the beſt: Mary then I take care which way and when, I may get treaſure therewith to liue in reſt. Oh, me thinks it is a very pleaſant thing, To ſée a great heap of olde Angels and Crownes: When I haue ſtore of money I can be mery and ſing, For money as men ſay winneth bothe Citties and townes. Alas why ſhould you not haue that in eſtimation, Which God hath prepared for his déer elect: Should not our mindes reſt in ful contentation, Hauing truſt in that treaſure moſte high in reſpect, Saint Paule whome the Lord ſo high dooth erect. Saith, it paſſeth the ſence, our memoryes and minde: Much leſſe can our outwarde eyes the ſame finde. As for the treaſure that you poſſeſſe héer, Through ficklenes of Fortune ſoon fadeth away: The greateſt of renown and moſte worthy Peer, Somtime in the end falleth to miſery and decay. Recorde of Dioniſius a King of much fame, Of the valiant Alexander, and Ceaſer the ſtrong: Recorde of Tarquinus which Superbus had to name: And of Heliogabalus that miniſtred with wrong, To reſite them all it would be very long. But theſe be ſufficient plainly to prooue: How ſoon and vncertainly riches dooth remooue.