The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 131 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T49 Wooing a mistress: suitors, go-betweens · 498 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
Speak softly (good mother) take heed what you say; let not my men hear you, lest they should call thee fool. Melibea is my mistress, Melibea is my desire, Melibea is my life, I am her servant, I am her slave. Good Sir, with this distrustfulness of yours, with this undervaluing of yourself, you interse●t such doubts, as cut off Celestina, in the midst of her discourse; you would tire out a whole world with your disordered, and confused interruptions. Why do you cross & bless yourself? Why do you keep such a wondering? It were better you would give her some thing for her pains. For these words are worthy better payment, and expect no less at your hands. Well hast thou spoken, dear mother, I wot full well, that my small reward can no ways reward your pains; but instead of a gown and a kirtle (because Tradesmen shall not share with you) take this little chain, put it about your neck, and go on with your discourse, and my joy. Call you that a little chain? Heard you him, Sempronio? This Spendthrift makes no reckoning of it; but I assure you, I will not give my part thereof for half a Mark of gold, let her share it never so ill. Peace, I say, for should my Master have overheard you, you should have had work enough, to pacify him, and to cure yourself; So offended is he already with your continual murmuring. As you love me (brother) hear, and hold your peace; for to this end, thou hast two ears, and but one tongue. He hath hanged himself so fast to that old woman's mouth, that he is both deaf, dumb and blind, like a body without a soul, or a bell without a clapper; insomuch, that if we should point at him scornfully with our fingers, he would say, We lifted up our hands to heaven, imploring his happy success in his love. Peace, harken, listen well unto Celestina. On my soul, she deserves it all, and more too, had he given it her. She speaks wonders. Noble Calisto, to such a poor weak old woman as myself, you have showed yourself exceeding frank and liberal; but as every gift is esteemed great, or little, in regard of him that gives it, I will not therefore compare therewith my small desert, which it surpasseth both in quality and quantity; but rather measure it with your magnificence, before which it is nothing. In requital whereof, I restore unto thee thy health, which was upon losing; thy heart, which was upon fainting; and thy wits, which were upon turning. Melibea is pained more for you, than you for her: Melibea loves you, and desires to see you: Melibea spends more hours in thinking upon you, then on herself: Melibea calls herself thine; and this she holds as a Title of liberty, and with this, she allays that fire, which burns more in her, than thyself.
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)
Speake softly (good mother) take heede what you say; let not my men heare you, lest they should call thee foole. Melibea is my mistresse, Melibea is my desire, Melibea is my life, I am her serant, I am her slaue. Good Sir, with this distrustfulnesse of yours, with this vndervaewing of your selfe, you interset such doubts, as cut off Celestina, in the midst of her discourse; you would tire out a whole world with your disordered, and confused interruptions. Why doe you crosse & blesse your selfe? Why do you keep such a wondring? It were better you would giue her some thing for her paines. For these words are worthy better payment, and expect no lesse at your hands. Well hast thou spoken, deare mother, I wot full well, that my small reward can no waies reward your paines; but instead of a gowne and a kirtle (because Trades-men shall not share with you) take this little chaine, put it about your necke, and goe on with your discourse, and my ioy. Call you that a little chaine? Heard you him, Sempronio? This Spend-thrift makes no reckoning of it; but I assure you, I will not giue my part thereof for halfe a Marke of gold, let her share it neuer so ill. Peace, I say, for should my Master haue ouer-heard you, you should haue had worke enough, to pacifie him, and to cure your selfe; So offended is he already with your continuall murmuring. As you loue me (brother) heare, and hold your peace; for to this end, thou hast two eares, and but one tongue. He hath hang'd himselfe so fast to that old womans mouth, that hee is both deafe, dumbe and blind, like a body without a soule, or a bell without a clapper; insomuch, that if wee should point at him scornefully with our fingers, he would say, We lifted vp our hands to heauen, imploring his happy successe in his loue. Peace, hearken, listen well vnto Celestina. On my soule, shee deserues it all, and more too, had hee giuen it her. She speakes wonders. Noble Calisto, to such a poore weake old woman as my selfe, you haue shewed your selfe exceeding franke and liberall; but as euery gift is esteemed great, or little, in regard of him that giues it, I will not therefore compare therewith my small desert, which it surpasseth both in qualitie and quantitie; but rather measure it with your magnificence, before which it is nothing. In requitall whereof, I restore vnto thee thy health, which was vpon losing; thy heart, which was vpon fainting; and thy wits, which were vpon turning. Melibea is pained more for you, then you for her: Melibea loues you, and desires to see you: Melibea spends more houres in thinking vpon you, then on her selfe: Melibea calls her selfe thine; and this shee holds as a Title of libertie, and with this, shee allayes that fire, which burnes more in her, then thy selfe.