The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 117 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness · 502 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Thou art in the right, my girl; I will take no care for you, you will shift for yourself; I perceive you know what you do, you need not to be told on which side your bread is buttered, you are no baby, I see: and wise men tell us, that better is a crust of bread, and a cup of cold water with peace and quietness, than a house full of dainties, with brabbling and wrangling. But now let us leave this argument, for here comes Lucrecia. Much good to you (good Aunt) and to all this fair company and great meeting. So great, daughter? hold you this so great a meeting? It appears that you have not known me in my prosperity, which is now some twenty years since. There be those that have seen me in better case than I am now; and he that now sees me, I wonder his heart doth not burst with sorrow. I tell thee, (wench) I have seen at this table, where your kinswomen now sit, nine gallant young wenches, much about your age; for the eldest was not above eighteen, and not one of them under fourteen. But such is this world, it comes and goes upon wheels. We are like pots in a water-wheel, or like buckets in a Well; one up, and another down, one full, and another empty; it is fortune's Law, that nothing can continue any long time in one, and the selfsame state of being. Her order is alteration; Her custom, change. I cannot without tears deliver unto you the great honour I then lived in; though now, (such is my ill fortune) by little and little, it hath gone decaying▪ And as my days declined; so diminished and decreased my profit. It is an old saying; That whatsoever is in this world, it doth either increase or decrease. Every thing hath its limits; Every thing it's degrees of more or less: my honour did mount to that height, as was fitting for a woman of my quality to rise unto; and now of force, it must descend and fall as much: By this I know, that I am near to my end, and that the Lease of my life is now expiring, and all my years are almost spent and gone: and I also well know, that I did ascend, that I might descend; that I flourished, for to wither; that I had joy, that I might have sorrow; that I was borne to live; lived, to grow; grew, to grow old; and grow old to die: and though it did always appear unto me, that I ought in this respect to suffer my misery the more patiently, yet as I am formed of flesh and blood▪ and bear this heavy mass of sin about me, I cannot but think on't now and then with grief, nor can I wholly as I would, blot every thought thereof out of the woeful role of my wretched remembrance.
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)
Thou art in the right, my girle; I will take no care for you, you will shift for your selfe; I perceiue you know what you doe, you need not to be told on which side your bread is buttred, you are no baby, I see: and wise men tell vs, that better is a crust of bread, and a cup of cold water with peace and quietnesse, then a house full of dainties, with brabbling and wrangling. But now let vs leaue this argument, for heere comes Lucrecia. Much good to you (good Aunt) and to all this faire company and great meeting. So great, daughter? hold you this so great a meeting? It appeares that you haue not knowne me in my prosperity, which is now some twenty yeeres since. There be those that haue seene mee in better case then I am now; and hee that now sees mee, I wonder his heart doth not burst with sorrow. I tell thee, (wench) I haue seene at this table, where your kinswomen now sit, nine gallant young wenches, much about your age; for the eldest was not aboue eighteene, and not one of them vnder foureteene. But such is this world, it comes and goes vpon wheeles. We are like pots in a water-wheele, or like buckets in a Well; one vp, and another downe, one full, and another empty; it is fortunes Law, that nothing can continue any long time in one, and the selfesame state of being. Her order is alteration; Her custome, change. I cannot without teares deliuer vnto you the great honour I then liu'd in; though now, (such is my ill fortune) by little and little, it hath gone decaying▪ And as my daies declined; so diminished and decreased my profit. It is an old saying; That whatsoeuer is in this world, it doth either increase or decrease. Euery thing hath it's limits; Euery thing it's degrees of more or lesse: my honour did mount to that height, as was fitting for a woman of my quality to rise vnto; and now of force, it must descend and fall as much: By this I know, that I am neere to my end, and that the Lease of my life is now expiring, and all my yeeres are almost spent and gone: and I also well know, that I did ascend, that I might descend; that I flourished, for to wither; that I had ioy, that I might haue sorrow; that I was borne to liue; liu'd, to grow; grew, to grow old; and grow old to dye: and though it did alwaies appeare vnto me, that I ought in this respect to suffer my misery the more patiently, yet as I am formed of flesh and bloud▪ and beare this heauy masse of sinne about me, I cannot but thinke on't now and then with griefe, nor can I wholy as I would, blot euery thought thereof out of the wofull role of my wretched remembrance.