Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 19 (piety, thalander, crimes, blessings, loathed, pretend…). Matches are highlighted.
weeping will not vail nor help, nor courtesy will serve, What vayieth then a manly heart, his courage to let swerve, Well wife she is our daughter deer, and we her parents eke, U rtuous ever me thought the wench, gentle, wise, and meek. And for our parts thou knowest Oh Lord, it was our chiefest awe, Our Daughter to instruct and
Full speech
¶True no, no, alas, not true I trust it be, And yet that she shall die therefore, both our two eyes shall see. ¶Gods goodness and his power and might, all living creatures see, And therefore Lord even as thou wilt, we leave it unto Thee, ¶Mine are the joys, and yours none, God hath given all to me, For greater joys then I do feel, there surely none can be. My Daughter was given to the death, thou keptest her with thy might, Thou helpest her for thy mercy sake, because her cause was right, Thus I confess and will do still, while life in me does reign, Thou only God haste strength enough, to rid each wight from pain. ¶And for the commons of this realm, Oh Lord grant my request, But what thou and the Prince does will, they judge it for the best. ¶Sorrow oft times does try a man, it is a manly partly, When sorrows do oppress a man, to show a manly heart, Where weeping will not vail nor help, nor courtesy will serve, What vayieth then a manly heart, his courage to let swerve, Well wife she is our daughter deer, and we her parents eke, U rtuous ever me thought the wench, gentle, wise, and meek. And for our parts thou knowest Oh Lord, it was our chiefest awe, Our Daughter to instruct and teach the trade of Moses l we, And therefore Lord if our offence, or else her own desert, Have be the cause of this her fallen, yet qualify her smart, And grant that with her life, her fame may also die, And that we hear no more her fault, this only bowne ask I. And sure I am those wicked men that do accuse her still, Do it because that she her self, would not obey their will. Then Lord of thy hie majesty, this only bowne ask I, By guilty means thou wilt not let, and innocent to die. ¶Peace fie, I know as well as you, that God can well withstand All kind of ill that may befall, but who can escape his hand. If God to sh w us what we are, does suffer us to fallen, What flesh can that Oh Lord withstand, not one amongst us all, And yet he shall not think by this, that I do judge it true, That this is laid unto her charge, and both we thus do rue. ¶I know also where is Gods fear, such lust cannot prevail.
Plot summary
Plot — The Most Virtuous and Godly Susanna
Satan commissions Ill Report to bring about the downfall of Susanna, a paragon of virtue. Since pride, gluttony, envy, sloth, and covetousness have failed to achieve this, Ill Report decides to use lust. He selects the elders Voluptas and Sensualitas as his instruments of temptation, and they are tempted in turn when they see Susanna. Susanna’s husband Joachim leaves to inspect his realm, leaving the elders to administer justice in his absence. The elders spy on Susanna as she bathes in her orchard after dinner, and proposition her for sex. When she refuses, they slander her with whoredom. Meanwhile Joachim discovers that the elders are corrupt and hated by the people. The elders’ perjured testimony ensures that Susanna is sentenced to death, but God intervenes, sending Daniel to reveal the truth. The elders are stoned, and die penitent. Ill Report is hanged, and a frustrated Satan arrives to carry him to hell and tormenters for his failure. Susanna and her family count their blessings.