Wager, William · published 1570 · first performed or written 1560 [c.1559-c.1570] (Annals) moral T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness typicality 0.85 · 482 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
The greatest boasters are not the best givers: Nor the earnest preachers are the best livers. As sucre increaseth riches and honour, So covetous enlargeth daily more and more. I know sun in this realm which once were content With poorly enough which God to them had sent. Wishing of a good conscience as they said verily: That God would once again restore the verity. If it please thee good Lord (said they) thy word to us again sand And then truly our Covetous lives we will amend. But since it hath pleased God, them to wealth to restore: They are ten times more Covetous than they were before. Yea headlong without all consideration: They for Covetous make some laws in that nation. Such buying and selling of Leaces and benefices: Such doubling of wares to extreme prices. So shamefully God's ministers they poule & shave: That not half enough to live upon they have. But it is an old saying and a true certainly: it will not out of the flesh that is bred in the bone verily. The worldly man will needs be a worldly man still: Well choose you I will let you alone do what you wil. I cannot think but those that of me hold scorn: Will be glad of me or ever the year be half worn. Marry far well? adieu to the devil: Body of me, he would make me his drivil. You may see what a trusty friend he is: A beggarly knave I warrant you by the bliss. And even so he and they went about me to make: Within a while I should have gone to the hedge for a stake. I warrant you that you should have proved shortly: They would not have lost you one groat nor penny. I marvel you would tarry with them any time or season: You are old enough I trow to be ruled by reason. A shame take them all, I have spent on them xx. pound: That I had of money and of mine own good ground. I am a shamed of myself so God me save: Because I have sold almost all that ever I have. My friends and companions when I go in the street: So God help me, I am a shamed with them to meet. Passion of me it was time to look about: They would quite have undone you, or else without doubt. But I trow, I trow, if you will be ruled by me: What I will do for you, or ere it be long you shall see. A thousand, thousand, thousand ways I can invent: To fetch in double as much as you have spent. Be ruled by you? yes here I do you both embrace: As mine own mind to follow all my lives space. For I tell you plain I am weary of their School:
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)
The greateſt boſters are not the beſt giuers: Nor the erneſt preachers are the beſt liuers. As ſucre increaſeth riches and honor, So couetouſe inlargeth dayly more and more. I knowe ſōe in this realme which once were cōtent With poorely inough which God to them had ſent. Wiſhing of a good conſcience as they ſaid verily: That God would once again reſtore the veritie. If it pleaſe thee good Lord (ſaid they) thy woord to vs again ſend And then truely our Couetouſe liues we wil amend. But ſince it hath pleaſed God, them to welth to reſtore: They are ten times more Couetouſe then they were before. Yea hedling without all conſideration: They for Couetouſe make ſome lawes in that nation. Such bying and ſelling of Leaces and benifices: Such doubling of wares to extreme prices. So ſhamefully Gods miniſters they poule & ſhaue: That not half inough to liue vpon they haue. But it is an olde ſaying and a true certainly: it wil not out of the fleſh yt is bred in ye bone verily. The worldly man wil needs be a worldly man ſtil: Wel chuſe you I wil let you alōe doo what you wil. I cannot think but thoſe that of me holde ſcorne: Wil be glad of me or euer the yéer be half worne. Mary fare wel? adieu to the deuil: Body of me, he would make me his driuil. You may ſée what a truſty freend he is: A beggerly knaue I warrant you by the bliſſe. And euen ſo he and they went about me to make: Within a while I ſhould haue gone to the hedge for a ſtake. I warrant you that you ſhould haue proued ſhortly: They would not haue loſt you one grote nor peny. I maruail you would tary with them any time or ſeaſon: You are olde inough I trowe to be ruled by reaſon. A ſhame take them all, I haue ſpent on them xx. poūd: That I had of money and of mine owne good ground. I am a ſhamed of my ſelf ſo God me ſaue: Becauſe I haue ſolde almoſte all that euer I haue. My freends and companions when I go in the ſtreet: So God help me, I am a ſhamed with them to meet. Paſſion of me it was time to look about: They would quite haue vndoon you, or els without dout. But I trowe, I trowe, if you wil be ruled by me: What I wil doo for you, or ere it be long you ſhall ſée. A thouſand, thouſand, thouſand waies I can inuent: To fetch in double aſmuch as you haue ſpent. Be ruled by you? yes héer I doo you bothe imbrace: As mine owne minde to folowe all my liues ſpace. For I tel you plain I am wery of their Schole: