The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 118 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T41 Household service: masters, doors and po · 444 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T41: master, house, door, iohn, old, mistress, basket, lord, gentleman, ick.
methinks (mother) it could not choose but be wondrous troublesome unto you, to have the charge of so many young wenches. For they are very dangerous Cattle to keep, and will ask a great deal of pains. Pains, Sweetheart? Nay, they were an ease, and pleasure unto me; they did all of them obey me; they did all of them honour me; they did all of them reverence me: not one of them that would swerve from my will: what I said, stood for a Law; it was good and currant amongst them; not any one of them, to whom I gave entertainment, ever made their own choice any further than it stood with my liking; were he lame, crooked, squint-eyed, or crippled: all was one, he was the welcom'st and the soundest, that brought me the soundest gains; mine was the profit, and theirs the pains. Besides, I needed no servants; for in keeping them, I had servants enough. Why, your Noblemen, your Knights, your old men, your young men, your learned men, men of all sorts and dignities, from the highest to the lowest; why, they were all at my service: and when I came to a feast, my foot was no sooner in, but I had presently as many Bonnets veiled unto me, as if I had been a Duchess: he that had least acquaintance, lest business with me, was held the most vile, and basest fellow. They spying me almost a League off; they would forsake their most earnest occasions, one by one, two by two, and come to me, to see if I would command them any service; and withal, ask me severally, how his love, how his mistress did? When they saw me once pass by, you should have such a shuffling and scraping of feet, and all in such a general gaze, and so out of order, that they did neither do nor say any thing aright. One would call me mistress, another Aunt, others their love, others honest old woman. There, they would consent, when they should come to my house: there they would agree when I should go unto theirs; there they would offer me money; there they would make me large promises; there likewise present me with gifts: some kissing the lappet of my Coat; and some other my cheek, that by these kindnesses, they might give me contentment, and work me to their will. But now Fortune hath brought me to so low a place in her wheel, that you may say unto me, Mich you good dich you with your old ware, you hinges are now grown rusty for want of oiling.
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)
Me thinkes (mother) it could not choose but be wondrous troublesome vnto you, to haue the charge of so many young wenches. For they are very dangerous Cattell to keepe, and will aske a great deale of paines. Paines, Sweet-heart? Nay, they were an ease, and pleasure vnto me; they did all of them obey me; they did all of them honour me; they did all of them reuerence mee: not one of them that would swarue from my will: what I said, stood for a Law; it was good and currant amongst them; not any one of them, to whom I gaue entertainement, euer made their owne choise any further then it stood with my liking; were he lame, crooked, squint-ey'd, or crippled: all was one, he was the welcom'st and the soundest, that brought me the soundest gaines; mine was the profit, and theirs the paines. Besides, I needed no seruants; for in keeping them, I had seruants enow. Why, your Noblemen, your Knights, your old men, your young men, your learned men, men of all sorts and dignities, from the highest to the lowest; why, they were all at my seruice: and when I came to a feast, my foote was no sooner in, but I had presently as many Bonnets vailed vnto me, as if I had been a Dutchesse: he that had least acquaintance, least businesse with me, was held the most vile, and basest fellow. They spying me almost a League off; they would forsake their most earnest occasions, one by one, two by two, and come to me, to see if I would command them any seruice; and withall, aske me seuerally, how his loue, how his mistresse did? When they saw me once passe by, you should haue such a shuffling and scraping of feet, and all in such a generall gaze, and so out of order, that they did neither doe nor say any thing aright. One would call mee mistresse, another Aunt, others their loue, others honest old woman. There, they would consent, when they should come to my house: there they would agree when I should goe vnto theirs; there they would offer mee mony; there they would make me large promises; there likewise present me with gifts: some kissing the lappet of my Coat; and some other my cheeke, that by these kindesses, they might giue mee contentment, and worke me to their will. But now Fortune hath brought mee to so low a place in her wheele, that you may say vnto me, Mich you good dich you with your old ware, you hindges are now growne rustie for want of oyling.