The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 62 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim · 488 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T16: lady, madam, gentleman, lordship, ladies, honour, mistress, sweet, court, servant.
You are my good Lady and Mistress, you may say what you list, and it is my duty to hold my peace; you must command, and I must obey, but your rough language (I hope) will cost your Ladyship an old petticoat. And well hast thou deserved it. If I have not gained it with my tongue, I hope I have not lost it with my intention. Thou dost so confidently plead thy ignorance, that thou makest me almost ready to believe thee; yet will I in this thy so doubtful an excuse, hold my sentence in suspense, and will not dispose of thy demand upon the relish of so light an interpretation. Neither for all this would I have thee to think much of it, nor make it any such wonder, that I was so exceedingly moved; For two things did concur in thy discourse, the least of which was sufficient to make me run out of my wits. First, in naming this Gentleman unto me, who thus presumed to talk with me: then, that thou shouldst entreat me for him, without any further cause given; which could not but engender a strong suspicion of intention of hurt to my honour. But since all is well meant, and no harm intended, I pardon all that is past; for my heart is now somewhat lightened, sithence it is a pious, and a holy work, to cure the sick, and help the distressed. ay, and so sick (madam) and so distressed, that did you know it as well as I, you would not judge him the man, which in your anger you have censured him to be. By my say, the poor Gentleman hath no gall at all, no ill meaning in his heart. He is endued with thousands of graces; for bounty, he is an Alexander; for strength, an Hector; he has the presence of a Prince; he is fair in his carriage, sweet in his behaviour, and pleasant in his conversation; there is no melancholy, or other bad humour, that reigneth in him; Nobly descended, as yourself well knows; a great Tilter; and to see him in his armour, it becomes him so well, that you would take him to be another Saint George. Hercules had not that force and courage as he hath; His deportment, his person, his feature, his disposition, his agility, and activeness of body, had need of another manner of tongue to express it, than mine. I ache him all together, and for all in all, you shall not find such another; and for admired form, a miracle; and I am verily persuaded, that that fair and gentle Narcissus, who was enamoured with his own proper beauty, whenas in a glass he viewed himself, in the water was nothing so fair as he, whom now one poor tooth, with the extremity of its pain, doth so torment, that he doth nothing but complain.
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)
You are my good Lady and Mistresse, you may say what you list, and it is my duty to hold my peace; you must command, and I must obey, but your rough language (I hope) will cost your Ladiship an old petticoate. And well hast thou deseru'd it. If I haue not gain'd it with my tongue, I hope I haue not lost it with my intention. Thou dost so confidently plead thy ignorance, that thou makest me almost ready to beleeue thee; yet will I in this thy so doubtfull an excuse, hold my sentence in suspence, and will not dispose of thy demand vpon the relish of so light an interpretation. Neither for all this would I haue thee to thinke much of it, nor make it any such wonder, that I was so exceedingly moued; For two things did concurre in thy discourse, the least of which was sufficient to make me runne out of my wits. First, in naming this Gentleman vnto me, who thus presumed to talke with me: then, that thou shouldst intreat me for him, without any further cause giuen; which could not but ingender a strong suspition of intention of hurt to my honor. But since all is well meant, and no harme intended, I pardon al that is past; for my heart is now somewhat lightned, sithence it is a pious, and a holy worke, to cure the sick, and helpe the distressed. I, and so sicke (Madame) and so distressed, that did you know it as well as I, you would not iudge him the man, which in your anger you haue censured him to be. By my say, the poore Gentleman hath no gall at all, no ill meaning in his heart. Hee is indewed with thousands of graces; for bounty, he is an Alexander; for strength, an Hector; he has the presence of a Prince; hee is faire in his carriage, sweet in his behauiour, and pleasant in his conuersation; there is no melancholy, or other bad humour, that raigneth in him; Nobly descended, as your selfe well knowes; a great Tilter; and to see him in his armour, it becomes him so well, that you would take him to be another Saint George. Hercules had not that force and courage as he hath; His diportment, his person, his feature, his disposition, his agility, and actiuenesse of body, had neede of another manner of tongue to expresse it, then mine. I ake him all together, and for all in all, you shall not finde such another; and for admired forme, a miracle; and I am verily perswaded, that that faire and gentle Narcissus, who was inamored with his owne proper beauty, when as in a glasse he view'd himselfe, in the water was nothing so faire as he, whom now one poore tooth, with the extremity of its paine, doth so torment, that hee doth nothing but complaine.