The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 75 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T56 Magic, spells and conjuring · 532 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T56: magic, faustus, charms, charm, conjure, spirits, skill, ho, power, spells.
No. But rather grew thereby the bolder to utter my mind unto her; it was the thing that I desired; it was even as I would have wished it: There was nothing could have fallen out so pat for me, as to see myself all alone with her: then began I to open the very bowels and entrails of my heart; then did I deliver my embassage, and told her in what extreme pain you lived, and how that one word of her mouth, proceeding favourably from her, would ease you of your mighty torment. And as one standing in suspense, looking wisely and steadily upon me, somewhat amazed at the strangeness of my message, hearkening very attentively, till she might come to know who this should be, that for want of a word of her mouth, lived in such great pain, and what manner of man he might be, whom her tongue was able to cure? In naming you unto her, she did cut off my words, and with her hand struck herself a blow on the breast, as one that had heard some strange and fearful news; charging me to cease my prattle, and to get me out of her sight, unless I would her servants should become my Executioners, and make short work with me in these my old and latter days; aggravating my audacious boldness; calling me Witch, Sorceress, Bawd, old Whore, false Baggage, bearded Miscreant, the Mother of mischief; and many other more ignominious names, wherewithal they fear children. And when she had ended with her Bugbears, she began to fall into often swoonings and trances, making many strange gestures, full of fear and amazement, all her senses being troubled, her blood boiling within her, throwing herself this way and that way, bearing in a strange kind of manner the members of her body one against another; and then in a strong and violent fashion, being wounded with that golden shaft, which at the very voicing of your name, had struck her to the heart, writhing and winding her body, her hands and fingers being clinched one within another, like one struggling & striving for life, that you would have thought, she would have rent them asunder, hurling and rolling her eyes on every side, striking the hard ground with her tender feet. Now, I all this while, stood me still in a corner, like a cloth that is shrunk in the wetting, as close as I could for my life, not saying so much as any one word unto her; yet glad with all my heart, to see her in this cruel and pitiful taking. And the more her throws and pangs were, the more did I laugh in my sleeve at it; because I thereby knew, her yielding would be the sooner, and her fall the nearer: yet must I tell you, that whilst her anger did foam out its froth, I did not suffer my thoughts to be idle, nor give them leave to run a woolgathering, but recollecting myself, and calling my wits about me, I took hold on Time's foretop, and found a salve to heal that hurt, which myself had made.
seed 43: T45 · seed 44: T51 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
No. But rather grew thereby the bolder to vtter my minde vnto her; it was the thing that I desired; it was euen as I would haue wisht it: There was nothing could haue fell out so pat for me, as to see my selfe all alone with her: then beganne I to open the very bowels and intralls of my heart; then did I deliuer my embassage, and told her in what extreme paine you liued, and how that one word of her mouth, proceeding fauourably from her, would ease you of your mighty torment. And as one standing in suspence, looking wisely and steadily vpon me, somewhat amazed at the strangenesse of my message, hearkning very attentiuely, till shee might come to know who this should be, that for want of a word of her mouth, liu'd in such great paine, and what manner of man he might be, whom her tongue was able to cure? In naming you vnto her, she did cut off my words, and with her hand strooke her selfe a blow on the brest, as one that had heard some strange and fearefull newes; charging mee to cease my prattle, and to get mee out of her sight, vnlesse I would her seruants should become my Executioners, and make short worke with me in these my old and latter dayes; aggrauating my audacious boldnesse; calling mee Witch, Sorceresse, Bawd, old Whore, false Baggage, bearded Miscreant, the Mother of mischiefe; and many other more ignominious names, wherewithall they feare children. And when she had ended with her Bugge-beares, shee beganne to fall into often swownings and trances, making many strange gestures, full of feare and amazement, all her senses being troubled, her bloud boyling within her, throwing her selfe this way and that way, bearing in a strange kind of manner the members of her body one against another; and then in a strong and violent fashion, being wounded with that golden shaft, which at the very voycing of your name, had struck her to the heart, writhing and winding her body, her hands and fingers being clinched one within another, like one struggling & striuing for life, that you would haue thought, shee would haue rent them asunder, hurling and rowling her eyes on euery side, striking the hard ground with her tender feete. Now, I all this while, stood me still in a coner, like a cloth that is shrunke in the wetting, as close as I could for my life, not saying so much as any one word vnto her; yet glad with all my heart, to see her in this cruell and pittifull taking. And the more her throwes and pangs were, the more did I laugh in my sleeue at it; because I thereby knew, her yeelding would be the sooner, and her fall the neerer: yet must I tell you, that whil'st her anger did foame out it's froth, I did not suffer my thoughts to be idle, nor giue them leaue to runne a wooll-gathering, but recollecting my selfe, and calling my wits about mee, I tooke hold on Times fore-top, and found a salue to heale that hurt, which my selfe had made.