The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 41 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 518 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
Well hast thou said; I hold with thee, and jump in thy opinion; thy words have well pleased me, we cannot err. Yet notwithstanding (my son) it is necessary, that a good Proctor should follow his Clients cause diligently and painfully; that he colour his plea with some feigned show of reason; that he press some quillet or quirk of Law; to go and come into open Court, though he be checked, and receive some harsh words from the judge's mouth, to the end that they who are present, may both see and say, that though he did not prevail, yet he both spoke and laboured hard for his fee. So shall not he want Clients, nor Celestina suitors in cases of Love. Do as thou thinkst good. Frame it to thine own liking; This is not the first business thou hast taken in hand. The first, (my son?) Few virgins (I thank Fortune for it) hast thou seen in this City, which have opened their shops, and traded for themselves, to whom I have not been a broker to their first spun thread, and holp them to vent their wares; there was not that wench borne in the world, but I writ her down in my Register, and kept a Catalogue of all their names, to the intent that I might know how many escaped my net. Why, what didst thou think of me, Parmeno? Can I live by the air? Can I feed myself with wind? Do I inherit any other land? Have I any other house or Vineyard? Knowest thou of any other substance of mine, besides this office? By what do I eat and drink? By what do I find clothes to my back, and shoes to my feet? In this City was I borne; in it was I bred; Living (though I say it) in good credit and estimation, as all the world knows. And dost thou think then, that I can go unknown? He that knows not both my name, and my house, thou mayst hold him a mere stranger. Tell me, (Mother) what passed betwixt you and my fellow Parmeno, when I went up with Calisto for the Crowns? I told him his dream, and the interpretation thereof; and how that he should gain more by our company, and joining in friendship with us, then with all his gay glozings, and embroidered works which he uttereth to his Master; How he would always live poor and in want, and be made a scoff and laughing stock, unless he would turn over a new leaf, and alter his opinion; that he should not make himself a Saint, and play the hypocrite before such an old beaten bitch as myself. I did put him in mind of his own mother relating unto him what a one she was, to the end that he might not set my office at nought, herself having been of the same Trade: for should he but offer to speak ill of me, he must needs stumble first on her. Is it long (mother) since you first knew her?
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Wel hast thou said; I hold with thee, and iumpe in thy opinion; thy words haue well pleased me, wee cannot erre. Yet notwithstanding (my sonne) it is necessary, that a good Proctour should follow his Clyents cause diligently and painfully; that hee colour his plea with some feyned show of reason; that hee presse some quillet or quirke of Law; to goe and come into open Court, though hee be check't, and receiue some harsh words from the Iudges mouth, to the end that they who are present, may both see and say, that though hee did not preuaile, yet he both spake and laboured hard for his fee. So shall not hee want Clyents, nor Celestina suitors in cases of Loue. Doe as thou thinkst good. Frame it to thine own liking; This is not the first businesse thou hast taken in hand. The first, (my sonne?) Few virgins (I thanke Fortune for it) hast thou seene in this Citty, which haue opened their shops, and traded for themselues, to whom I haue not beene a broaker to their first spunne thread, and holpe them to vent their wares; there was not that wench borne in the world, but I writ her downe in my Register, and kept a Catalogue of all their names, to the intent that I might know how many escap'd my net. Why, what didst thou thinke of mee, Parmeno? Can I liue by the ayre? Can I feed my selfe with winde? Doe I inherit any other land? Haue I any other house or Vineyard? Knowest thou of any other substance of mine, besides this office? By what doe I eate and drinke? By what doe I finde clothes to my backe, and shooes to my feete? In this City was I borne; in it was I bred; Liuing (though I say it) in good credit and estimation, as all the world knowes. And dost thou thinke then, that I can goe vnknowne? Hee that knowes not both my name, and my house, thou maist hold him a meere stranger. Tell me, (Mother) what past betwixt you and my fellow Parmeno, when I went vp with Calisto for the Crownes? I told him his dreame, and the interpretation thereof; and how that hee should gaine more by our company, and ioyning in friendship with vs, then with all his gay gozings, and imbroydere works which he vttereth to his Master; How he would alwaies liue poore and in want, and be made a scoffe and laughing stocke, vnlesse he would turne ouer a new leafe, and alter his opinion; that he should not make himselfe a Saint, and play the hypocrite before such an old beaten bitch as my selfe. I did put him in minde of his owne mother relating vnto him what a one she was, to the end that hee might not set my office at nought, her selfe hauing beene of the same Trade: for should hee but offer to speake ill of mee, hee must needes stumble first on her. Is it long (mother) since you first knew her?