The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 69 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 · 521 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
A wise man altereth his purpose, but a fool persevereth in his folly: a new business requires new counsel; and various accidents, various advice. Nor did I think (Son Sempronio) that fortune would have befriended me so soon. Besides, it is the part of a discreet messenger, to do that which the time requires; especially, whenas the quality of the business cannot conceal or admit of dissembled ●ime. And moreover, I know that thy Master (as I have heard) is liberal, and somewhat of a womanish longing; and therefore will give more for one day of good news, then for a hundred, wherein he is pained. And with his pain, mine will be increased: his in loving, and mine in trudging to and fro. For your quick and speedy pleasures beget alteration; and great alteration doth hinder deliberation. Again, where will you find goodness, but in that which is good? And nobleness of blood, but in large and long continued rewards? Peace, you fool, let me alone with him, and you shall see how your old woman will handle him. Then tell me what passed concerning that noble Lady. Acquaint me but with one word of her mouth; for trust me, I long as much to know her answer, as my Master doth. Peace, you fool; What? Does your complexion change? Does your colour alter? I know by your nose, what porridge you oue. You had rather have the taste, then sent of this business. Come I prithee, let us hie us, for thy Master will be ready to run mad, if we stay overlong. And I am little better, because you will not stay and tell me. Master, Master? What's the matter, you fool? I see Sempronio and Celestina coming towards the house. And at every step they make a stop; and look where they stand still, there Sempronio, with the point of his sword, makes streaks and lines in the ground. It is some earnest matter sure that they are debating, but what it should be, I cannot devise. O thou careless absurd Ass; Canst thou descry land, and not make to the shore? See them coming, and not hie thee to open the door? O thou Supreme Deity: with what come they? What news do they bring? whose stay hath been so long, that I have longed more for their coming, than the end of my remedy. O my sad ears, prepare yourselves for that which you are now to hear: for in Celestina's mouth rests either my present case, or eternal heartgrief. O that I could fall into a slumber, and pass away this short, this little, little space of time, in a dream wherein I might see the beginning, and ending of her speech. Now I verily believe, that more painful to a Felon, is the expecting of that his cruel and capital sentence, than the Act itself, of his certain and foreknown death. O leaden-heeled Parmeno; slower than the Snail, dead-handed as thou art, dispatch, I say, and unbolt this troublesome door, that this honourable woman may enter in, in whose tongue lies my life.
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)
A wise man altreth his purpose, but a foole perseuereth in his folly: a new busines requires new counsell; and various accidents, various aduice. Nor did I thinke (Son Sempronio) that fortune would haue befriended mee so soone. Besides, it is the part of a discreete messenger, to doe that which the time requires; especially, when as the quality of the businesse cannot conceale or admit of dissembled ime. And moreouer, I know that thy Master (as I haue heard) is liberall, and somewhat of a womanish longing; and therefore will giue more for one day of good newes, then for a hundred, wherein he is pained. And with his paine, mine will be increased: his in louing, and mine in trudging to and fro. For your quicke and speedie pleasures beget alteration; and great alteration doth hinder deliberation. Againe, where will you finde goodnesse, but in that which is good? And noblenesse of blood, but in large and long continued rewards? Peace, you foole, let me alone with him, and you shall see how your old woman will handle hm. Then tell mee what passed concerning that noble Lady. Acquaint mee but with one word of her mouth; for trust mee, I long as much to know her answer, as my Master doth. Peace, you foole; What? Does your complexion change? Does your colour alter? I know by your nose, what porridge you oue. You had rather haue the taste, then sent of this businesse. Come I prythee, let vs hye vs, for thy Master will be ready to runne mad, if we stay ouer-long. And I am little better, because you will not stay and tell me. Master, Master? What's the matter, you foole? I see Sempronio and Celestina comming towards the house. And at euery step they make a stop; and looke where they stand still, there Sempronio, with the point of his sword, makes streakes and lines in the ground. It is some earnest matter sure that they are debating, but what it should be, I cannot deuise. O thou carelesse absurd Asse; Canst thou discry land, and not make to the shoare? See them comming, and not hye thee to open the doore? O thou Supreme Deity: with what come they? What newes doe they bring? whose stay hath beene so long, that I haue longed more for their comming, then the end of my remedy. O my sad eares, prepare your selues for that which you are now to heare: for in Celestina's mouth rests either my present case, or eternall heart-griefe. O that I could fall into a slumber, and passe away this short, this litlte, little space of time, in a dreame wherein I might see the beginning, and ending of her speech. Now I verily beleeue, that more painefull to a Fellon, is the expecting of that his cruell and capitall sentence, then the Act it selfe, of his certaine and fore-knowne death. O leaden-heeled Parmeno; slower then the Snayle, dead-handed as thou art, dispatch, I say, and vnbolt this troublesome doore, that this honourable woman may enter in, in whose tongue lies my life.