The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 51 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play T11 Siblings, kin and confidants typicality 0.81 · 427 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T11: sister, brother, love, friend, heart, father, mother, woman, lord, hear.
madam, by my life, as I am true old woman, or by any other oath you shall put me to, it is such, as all the whole Town is not able to match it. Look well upon it; it is as fine as the hair of your head, even and equal, as nothing more strong, as the strings of a Vial; white as a flake of Snow, spun all with mine own fingers; reeled and wound up with mine own hands. Look you (Lady) on some of the same in skeins; Did you ever see better? Three Royals, as I am true woman, I received no longer ago then yesterday for an ounce. Daughter Melibea, I will leave this honest woman with you; For methinks it is now high time, if I have not stayed too long, to go visit my sister, Wife unto Chremes: for I have not seen her since yesterday; and beside, her Page is now come to call me, and tells me that her old fit hath already been on her this pretty while. Now does the Devil go preparing opportunity for my Stratagem, by reinforcing this sickness upon the other. Go on, my good friend, stand stiffly to your tackling; be strong and shrink not. For now is the time or never; see you leave her not: and remove away this woman from me. But soft; I fear she hears me. Say, (friend) what is that thou sayst? I say (madam) Cursed be the devil and my evil Fortune, that your sister's sickness is grown now upon her in such an unlucky hour, that we shall have no fit time to dispatch our business: But I pray, what is her sickness? A pain in her side, which takes her in such grievous manner, that if it be true which her Page tells me, I fear me it will cost her her life. Good neighbour, let me entreat you for my sake to recommend her recovery unto your best devotions and prayers. Here (Lady, I give you my faithful promise, that as soon as I go hence, I will hie me to my Vestals, where I have many devout virgins, my friends, upon whom I will lay the same charge as you have laid upon me. Do you hear, Melibea? Content our neighbour, and give her that which is reason for her yarn. And you mother, I pray hold me excused, for I doubt not, but you and I shall have another day, when we shall have more leisure to enjoy one another.
nodes 357–364 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 51 of 205 in this edition
Length
427 words · 530 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T11 — Siblings, kin and confidantscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.807 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T15 · seed 44: T12 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Madame, by my life, as I am true old woman, or by any other oath you shall put me to, it is such, as all the whole Towne is not able to match it. Looke well vpon it; it is as fine as the haire of your head, euen and equall, as nothing more strong, as the strings of a Viall; white as a flake of Snow, spun all with mine owne fingers; reeled and wound vp with mine owne hands. Looke you (Lady) on some of the same in skaines; Did you euer see better? Three Royals, as I am true woman, I receiued no longer agoe then yesterday for an ounce. Daughter Melibea, I will leaue this honest woman with you; For mee thinks it is now high time, if I haue not stayed too long, to goe visit my sister, Wife vnto Chremes: for I haue not seene her since yesterday; and besides, her Page is now come to call mee, and tels me that her old fit hath already beene on her this pretty while. Now does the Diuell goe preparing opportunity for my Stratagem, by re-inforcing this sickenesse vpon the other. Goe on, my good friend, stand stifly to your tackling; be strong and shrinke not. For now is the time or neuer; see you leaue her not: and remooue away this woman from mee. But soft; I feare shee heares mee. Say, (friend) what is that thou sai'st? I say (Madame) Curst be the diuell and my euill Fortune, that your sisters sicknesse is growne now vpon her in such an vnlucky houre, that we shall haue no fit time to dispatch our businesse: But I pray, what is her sicknesse? A paine in her side, which takes her in such grieuous manner, that if it be true which her Page tels me, I feare me it will cost her her life. Good neighbour, let mee intreate you for my sake to recommend her recouery vnto your best deuotions and prayers. Heere (Lady, I giue you my faithfull promise, that as soone as I goe hence, I will hyemee to my Vestalls, where I haue many deuout virgins, my friends, vpon whom I will lay the same charge as you haue laid vpon mee. Doe you heare, Melibea? Content our neighbour, and giue her that which is reason for her yarne. And you mother, I pray hold me excused, for I doubt not, but you and I shall haue another day, when wee shall haue more leysure to enioy one another.