The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 43 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 · 540 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
How dost thou think to make him thine? He is a crafty subtle fox; He will hardly be drawn in; He is a shrewd fellow to deal withal. For such a crafty Knave, we must have a Knave and a half, and entertain two traitors for the taking of one. I will bring him to have Areusa, so and make him Cocksure ours; and he shall give us leave without any let, to pitch our nets, for the catching of Calisto's coin. But dost thou think thou canst do any good upon Melibea? Hast thou any good bought to hang by? There is not that Surgeon, that can at the first dressing, give a true judgement of his patient's wound: but what I see, and think for the present, I will plainly deliver unto thee. Melibea is fair; Calisto fond and frank; he cares not to spare his purse, nor I my pains; he is willing to spend, and I to speed him in his business; Let his money be stirring, and let the suit hang as long as it will. Money can do any thing; it splitteth hard Rocks; it passeth over river's dryfoot; there is not any place so high, whereunto an Ass laden with gold will not get up; his unadvisedness, and ferventness of affection, is sufficient to mar him, and to make us. This I have thought upon; this I have searched into; this is all I know concerning him and her: and this is that which must make most for our profit. Well, now must I go to Pleberio's house. Sempronio, farewell. For though Melibea brave it, and stands so high upon her pantofles; yet is not she the first that I have made to stoop, and leave her cackling; they are all of them ticklish, and skittish; the whole generation of them is given to wenching & flinging: but after they are well weighed, they prove good highway jades, and travel quietly; you may kill them, but never tire them. If they journey by night, they wish it may never be morning. They curse the Cocks, because they proclaim it is day: the Clocks, because they go too fast: they lie prostrate, as if they looked after the Pleiades and the North star, making themselves Astronomers, and star gazers; But when they see the morning star arise, they sigh for sorrow, and are ready to forsake their bodies. And the clearing of the day, is the clouding of their joy. And above all, it is worth the while, to note how quickly they change copy, and turn the Cat in the pan; They entreat him, of whom they were entreated; they endure torment for him, whom before they had tormented; they are servants to those, whose Mistresses they were; they break thorough stone walls, they open windows, feign sickness; if the hinges of their doors chance to creak, they anoint and supple them with oil, that they may perform their office without any noise. I am not able to express unto thee the great impression of that sweetness, which the primary and first kisses of him they love, leaveth imprinted in their hearts. They are enemies of the mean, and wholly set upon extremes.
seed 43: T46 · seed 44: T41 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
How dost thou thinke to make him thine? Hee is a crafty subtill foxe; Hee will hardly be drawne in; Hee is a shrewd fellow to deale withall. For such a crafty Knaue, wee must haue a Knaue and a halfe, and intertaine two traytours for the taking of one. I will bring him to haue Areusa, so and make him Cock-sure ours; and he shall giue vs leaue without any let, to pitch our nets, for the catching of Calisto's coyne. But dost thou thinke thou canst doe any good vpon Melibea? Hast thou any good bought to hang by? There is not that Surgeon, that can at the first dressing, giue a true iudgement of his Patients wound: but what I see, and thinke for the present, I will plainely deliuer vnto thee. Melibea is faire; Calisto fond and frank; he cares not to spare his purse, nor I my paines; hee is willing to spend, and I to speed him in his businesse; Let his money be stirring, and let the suite hang as long as it will. Money can doe any thing; it splitteth hard Rocks; it passeth ouer Riuers dry-foote; there is not any place so high, whereunto an Asse laden with gold will not get vp; his vnaduisednesse, and feruentnesse of affection, is sufficient to marre him, and to make vs. This I haue thought vpon; this I haue searcht into; this is all I know concerning him and her: and this is that which must make most for our profit. Well, now must I goe to Pleberio's house. Sempronio, fare-well. For though Melibea braue it, and stands so high vpon her pantofles; yet is not shee the first that I haue made to stoope, and leaue her cackling; they are all of them ticklish, and skittish; the whole generation of them is giuen to winching & flinging: but after they are well weyghed, they prooue good high-way Iades, and trauell quietly; you may kill them, but neuer tyre them. If they iourney by night, they wish it may neuer be morning. They curse the Cockes, because they proclaime it is day: the Clockes, because they go too fast: they lye prostrate, as if they lookt after the Pleyades and the North star, making themselues Astronomers, and starre gazers; But when they see the morning starre arise, they sigh for sorrow, and are ready to forsake their bodies. And the clearing of the day, is the clouding of their ioy. And aboue all, it is worth the while, to note how quickely they change copy, and turne the Cat in the pan; They intreat him, of whom they were intreated; they indure torment for him, whom before they had tormented; they are seruants to those, whose Mistresses they were; they breake thorow stone walls, they open windowes, feyne sicknesse; if the hinges of their doores chance to creake, they anoynt and supple them with oyle, that they may performe their office without any noyse. I am not able to expresse vnto thee the great impression of that sweetnesse, which the primary and first kisses of him they loue, leaueth imprinted in their hearts. They are enemies of the meane, and wholly set vpon extremes.