The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 88 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T26 Devils, hell and fiends · 519 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T26: devil, hell, devils, sure, soul, fiend, sr, wife, lord, men.
Son, no more. For mine eyes already run over, and my tears begin to break over those banks, which should bound them in. O! had I in all this world, but such another friend? Such another companion? Such a comfortress in my troubles? Such an easer, and lightner of my heart's heaviness? Who did supply my wants? Who knew my secrets? To whom did I discover my heart? Who was all my happiness, and quietness, but thy mother? She was nearer and dearer unto me, than my gossip, or mine own sister. O! how well-favoured was she, and cheerful of countenance? How lusty? How quick? How neat? How portly and majestical in her gate? How stout and manly? Why, she would go you at midnight without or pain, or fear, from Church-yard, to Church-yard, seeking for implements appertaining to our Trade, as if it had been day. Nor did she omit either Christians, Moores, or Jews, whose Graves and Sepulchres she did not visit. By day she would watch them, and by night she would dig them out; taking such things as should serve her turn. So that she took as great pleasure in darkness of the night, as thou dost comfort in the brightness of the day. She would usually say; that the night was the sinful man's cloak, that did hide and cover all his rogueries, that they might not be seen, though perhaps she had not the like dexterity and skill in all the rest of those tricks that appertained to her Trade: yet one thing shall I tell thee, because thou shall see what a mother thou hast lost, though I was about to keep it in; but it makes no matter, it shall out to thee. She did pull out seven teeth out of a fellow's head that was hanged, with a pair of Pincers, such as you pull out stubbed hairs withal; whilst I did pull off his shoes. She was excellent at a Circle, and would enter it far better than myself, and with greater boldness, though I also was very famous for it in those days, more I wiss, than I am now; who have together with her, lost almost my cunning. What shall I say more unto thee, but that the very Devils themselves did live in fear of her? she did hold them in horror, and dread, making them to tremble and quake, when she began to exercise her exorcisms, her spells, her incantations, her charms, her conjurations, and other words of most horrisonous roaring, and most hideous noise. she was as well known to them all, as the beggar knows his dish; or as thyself in thine own house. One Devil coming tumbling in upon the neck of another, as fast, as it pleased her to call them up, and not one of them durst tell her a lie; such power had she to bind them: so that ever since she died, I could never attain to the truth of any thing. Parmeno, may this woman no better thrive, than she pleaseth me with those her wordy praises.
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)
Sonne, no more. For mine eyes already runne ouer, and my teares beginne to breake ouer those bankes, which should bound them in. O! had I in all this world, but such another friend? Such another companion? Such a comfortresse in my troubles? Such an easer, and lightner of my hearts heauinesse? Who did supply my wants? Who knew my secrets? To whom did I discouer my heart? Who was all my happinesse, and quietnesse, but thy mother? She was neerer and dearer vnto me, then my gossip, or mine owne sister. O! how well-fauored was she, and cheerefull of countenance? How lustie? How quicke? How neate? How portly and maiesticall in her gate? How stout and manly? Why, shee would goe you at midnight without or paine, or feare, from Church-yard, to Church-yard, seeking for implements appertaining to our Trade, as if it had been day. Nor did she omit either Christians, Moores, or Iewes, whose Graues and Sepulchres she did not visit. By day she would watch them, and by night shee would dig them out; taking such things as should serue her turne. So that she tooke as great pleasure in darknesse of the night, as thou dost comfort in the brightnesse of the day. She would vsually say; that the night was the sinfull mans cloak, that did hide and couer all his rogueries, that they might not be seene, though perhaps she had not the like dexteritie and skill in all the rest of those tricks that appertāined to her Trade: yet one thing shall I tell thee, because thou shall see what a mother thou hast lost, though I was about to keepe it in; but it makes no matter, it shall out to thee. She did pull out seuen teeth out of a fellowes head that was hang'd, with a paire of Pincers, such as you pull out stubbed haires withall; whil'st I did pull off his shooes. She was excellent at a Circle, and would enter it farre better then my selfe, and with greater boldnes, though I also was very famous for it in those dayes, more I wisse, then I am now; who haue together with her, lost almost my cunning. What shall I say more vnto thee, but that the very Diuels themselues did liue in feare of her? Shee did hold them in horrour, and dread, making them to tremble and quake, when shee beganne to exercise her exorcismes, her spels, her incantations, her charmes, her coniurations, and other words of most horrisonous roaring, and most hideous noyse. Shee was as well knowne to them all, as the begger knowes his dish; or as thy selfe in thine owne house. One Diuell comming tumbling in vpon the necke of another, as fast, as it pleased her to call them vp, and not one of them durst tell her a lye; such power had shee to binde them: so that euer since shee dy'd, I could neuer attaine to the truth of any thing. Parmeno, may this woman no better thriue, then shee pleaseth mee with those her wordy prayses.