The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 132 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T48 Addressing a lady: love, desire and inti · 456 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T48: lady, love, heart, fair, eyes, la, lord, tears, fie, face.
You my servants; Am I here? Hear I this? Look whether I am awake or not? Is it day, or is it night? O thou great God of heaven, I beseech thee, this may not prove a dream; Sure, I do not sleep, methinks I am fully awake. Tell me, mother, dost thou make sport with me, in paying me with words? Fear nothing, but tell me the truth; for thy going to and fro deserveth a great deal more than this. The heart, that is wounded with desire, never entertaineth good news for certain; nor bade for doubtful. But whether I jest, or no; yourself shall see, by going this night to her house (her self having agreed with me about the time) appointing you to be just there as the clock strikes twelve, that you may talk together thorough the chinks of the door; from whose own mouth, you shall fully know my solicitude, and her desire, and the love which she bears unto you, and who hath caused it. It is enough; Is it possible, I should hope for so great a happiness? Can so great a blessing light upon Calisto? I die till that hour come. I am not capable of so great a glory. I do not deserve so great a favour, nor am I worthy to speak with so fair a Lady, who of her own freewill, should afford me so great a grace. I have often heard, that it is harder to suffer prosperous, then adverse fortune; because the one hath never any quietude, and the other still taketh comfort. It is strange, Sir, that you will not consider who you are, nor the time that you have spent in her service; nor the person, whom you have made to be your means: And likewise, that hitherto, thou hast ever been in doubt of having her, and yet didst still endure all with patience; and now, that I do certify unto thee the end of thy torment, wilt thou put an end to thy life? Consider, consider, I pray, with thyself, that Celestina is on thy side; and that although all should be wanting unto thee, which in a Lover were to be required, I would sell thee for the most complete gallant of the world; for I would make for thee mountains of most craggy rocks, to grow plain, and smooth. Nay, more, I would make thee go to thorough the deepest channel, or the lightest swelling sea, without wetting of thy foot: you know not on whom you have bestowed your Largesse. Remember yourself, mother, did you not tell me, that she would come to me of her own accord? Yes, and that upon her very knees.
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)
You my seruants; Am I heere? Heare I this? Looke whether I am awake or not? Is it day, or is it night? O thou great God of heauen, I beseech thee, this may not prooue a dreame; Sure, I doe not sleepe, mee thinkes I am fully awake. Tell mee, mother, dost thou make sport with mee, in paying me with words? Feare nothing, but tell mee the truth; for thy going to and fro deserueth a great deale more then this. The heart, that is wounded with desire, neuer entertaineth good newes for certaine; nor bad for doubtfull. But whether I iest, or no; your selfe shall see, by going this night to her house (her selfe hauing agreed with mee about the time) appointing you to be iust there as the clocke strikes twelue, that you may talke together thorow the chinks of the doore; from whose owne mouth, you shall fully know my sollicitude, and her desire, and the loue which shee beares vnto you, and who hath caused it. It is enough; Is it possible, I should hope for so great a happinesse? Can so great a blessing light vpon Calisto? I dye till that houre come. I am not capable of so great a glory. I doe not deserue so great a fauour, nor am I worthy to speake with so faire a Lady, who of her owne free-will, should affoord mee so great a grace. I haue often heard, that it is harder to suffer prosperous, then aduerse fortune; because the one hath neuer any quietude, and the other still taketh comfort. It is strange, Sir, that you will not consider who you are, nor the time that you haue spent in her seruice; nor the person, whome you haue made to be your meanes: And likewise, that hitherto, thou hast euer beene in doubt of hauing her, and yet didst still endure all with patience; and now, that I doe certifie vnto thee the end of thy torment, wilt thou put an end to thy life? Consider, consider, I pray, with thy selfe, that Celestina is on thy side; and that although all should be wanting vnto thee, which in a Louer were to be required, I would sell thee for the most complete gallant of the world; for I would make for thee mountaines of most craggy rocks, to grow plaine, and smooth. Nay, more, I would make thee goe to thorow the deepest channell, or the lightest swelling sea, without wetting of thy foot: you know not on whom you haue bestowed your Largesse. Remember your selfe, mother, did you not tell me, that shee would come to mee of her owne accord? Yes, and that vpon her very knees.