The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 40 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play T6 Money, debt and credit typicality 0.76 · 596 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
What sayst thou of servants? Thinkest thou, that any 〈◊〉 is like to come unto us, by labouring in this business? Or, that we shall be burned with those Sparkles which scatteringly fly forth of Calisto's 〈◊〉? I had rather see him, and all his love 〈◊〉 to the devil; upon the 〈◊〉 discovery therefore of any danger, (〈◊〉 chance to go 〈◊〉) I will eat no more of his bread, I will not stay with him, no not an 〈◊〉. For, it is better to lose his serve, than 〈◊〉 in serving him. But Time will tell me what I 〈◊〉 do. For, before his final downfall, he will (like a house, that is ready to fall) give some token himself of his own ruin. And therefore, Master, let us in any case keep our persons from peril; let us do what may be done; if it be possible, let us work her for him this year: if not this, the next; if not the next, when we may; if never, the worse luck his: Though there is not any thing so hard to suffer in its beginning, which time doth not soften and reduce to a gentle sufferance. And there is no wound so painful, which in time doth not slacken much of its torment. Nor was there ever any pleasure so delightful, which hath not by long continuance been much diminished and lessened. Ill and good, prosperity and adversity, glory and grief; all these with time lose the force and strength of their rash and hasty beginning; Whereas matters of admiration, and things earnestly desired, once obtained, have no sooner been come, then forgotten, no sooner purchased, but relinquished. Every day we see new and strange accidents, we hear as many, and we pass them over; leave those, and harken after others; them also doth time lessen & make contingible, as things of common course. And I pray, what wonder would you think it, if some should come and tell you; There was such an earthquake in such a place, or some such other things; tell me, would you not straight forget it? As also, if one should say unto you, Such a River is frozen, such a blind man hath recovered his sight; thy father is dead; such a thunder bolt fell in such a place; Granada is taken; the King enters it this day; the Turk hath received an overthrow; tomorrow you shall have a great Eclipse; such a bridge is carried away with the flood; such a one is now made a Noble man; Peter is robbed; Annes hath hanged herself. Now in such cases, what wilt thou say, save only this? That some three days past, or upon a second view thereof, there will be no wonder made of it. All things are thus; they all pass after this manner; all is forgotten and thrown behind us, as if they had never been. just so will it be with this my Master's Love; the farther it goes on, the more it will slacken: For long custom doth allay sorrow, weakeneth and subdueth our delights, and lesseneth wonders. Let us make our profit of him, whilst this plea is depending; and if we may with a dry root do him good, the easier the better; if not, by little and little we will solder up this flaw, and make all whole by Me●●●●● holding him in scorn and contempt. And if this will do no good upon him, Better it is, that the Master be pained, than his man 〈◊〉
nodes 304–304 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 40 of 205 in this edition
Length
596 words · 770 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T6 — Money, debt and creditcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.757 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T9 · seed 44: T10 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
What sayst thou of seruants? Thinkest thou, that any is like to come vnto vs, by labouring in this businesse? Or, that wee shall be burned with those Sparkles which scatteringly flye foorth of Calisto's ? I had rather see him, and all his loue to the diuell; vpon the discouery therefore of any danger, ( chance to goe ) I will eate no more of his bread, I wil not stay with him, no not an . For, it is better to lose his serue, then in seruing him. But Time will tell mee what I doe. For, before his finall downe-fall, he will (like a house, that is ready to fall) giue some token himselfe of his owne ruine. And therefore, Maer, let vs in any case keepe our persons from perill; let vs doe what may be done; if it be possible, let vs work her for him this yeer: if not this, the next; if not the next, when we may; if neuer, the worse lucke his: Though there is not any thing so had to suffer in it's beginning, which time doth not soften and reduce to a gentle sufferance. And there is no wound so painefull, which in time doth not slacken much of it's torment. Nor was there euer any pleasure so delightfull, which hath not by long continuance beene much diminished and lessened. Ill and good, prosperity and aduersity, glory and griefe; all these with time lose the force and strength of their rash and hasty beginning; Whereas matters of admiration, and things earnestly desired, once obtained, haue no sooner beene come, then forgotten, no sooner purchased, but relinquished. Euery day we see new and strange accidents, wee heare as many, and wee passe them ouer; leaue those, and hearken after others; them also doth time lessen & make cotingible, as things of common course. And I pray, what wonder would you thinke it, if some should come and tell you; There was such an earth-quake in such a place, or some such other things; tell me, would you not streight forget it? As also, if one should say vnto you, Such a Riuer is frozen, such a blinde man hath recouered his sight; thy father is dead; such a thunder bolt fell in such a place; Granada is taken; the King enters it this day; the Turke hath receiu'd an ouer-throw; to morrow you shall haue a great Eclypse; such a bridge is carried away with the flood; such a one is now made a Noble man; Peter is rob'd; Annes hath hang'd her selfe. Now in such cases, what wilt thou say, saue onely this? That some three daies past, or vpon a second view thereof, there will be no wonder made of it. All things are thus; they all passe after this maner; all is forgotten and throwne behind vs, as if they had neuer beene. Iust so will it be with this my Masters Loue; the farther it goes on, the more it will slacken: For long custome doth allay sorrow, weakeneth and subdueth our delights, and lesseneth wonders. Let vs make our profit of him, whilest this plea is depending; and if wee may with a dry roote doe him good, the easier the better; if not, by little and little wee will solder vp this flaw, and make all whole by Me holding him in scorne and contempt. And if this will doe no good vpon him, Better it is, that the Master be pained, then his man