The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 181 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play T49 Wooing a mistress: suitors, go-betweens typicality 0.79 · 445 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T49: mistress, gentleman, love, lady, woman, pray, gentlewoman, hear, honest, way.
O what busybodies, and what idle-headed persons be they who abuse your ears with such frivolous tales! whosoever told you that he heard any such matter out of my mouth, he told you an untruth; and some others, perhaps, because they see me go a-nights when the Moon shines, to water my horses, whistling, and singing, and such like kind of mirth, to drive away care, and to make me forget my toiling and my moiling, and all this before ten o'clock at night, conceive an evil suspicion; and of this suspicion, make certainties, and affirm that to be true, which themselves do falsely surmise. And Calisto is not so mad, or foolish, that at such an hour as that, he should go about a business of so great a consequence, but that he will first be sure that all abroad is quiet, and that every man reposes himself in the sweetness of his first sleep: and less are you to suppose, that he should go every night unto her; for such a duty will not endure a daily visitation. And that you may (Mistress) more manifestly see their falsehood; for (as the Proverb is) A liar is sooner ta'en, than he that is lame; we have not gone eight times a-month; and yet these lying babblers stick not to avouch, we go night after night. If you love me then (my dear Love) that I may accuse them to their faces, and take them in the noose of their falsehood, acquaint me with those days you determine to go thither; and if then they shall err in their report, I shall thereby be assured of your secrecy, and their roguery; for that being not true, which they tell me, your person shall be secured from danger, and I freed from any sudden fear of your life, hoping long to enjoy you. Mistress, let us not stand any longer upon examination of witnesses. This very night, when the clock shall strike twelve, they have appointed to meet by the way of the garden; tomorrow, you may ask them what they know; whereof, if any man shall give you true notice, I will be content that he shall scotch and notch me for a fool. And on which side of the garden (my sweetheart?) because I may contradict them the better, if I find them varying. By the street where the fat Hostess dwells, just on the backside of her house. No more (good man Ragge-tayle) it is enough, we need no more. Cursed is he who makes such Muleteers acquainted with his secrets. The Blockhead hath swallowed the bait; he hath let her unhinge him.
seed 43: T5 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
O what busie-bodies, and what idle-headed persons be they who abuse your eares with such friuolous tales! whosoeuer told you that hee heard any such matter out of my mouth, hee told you an vntruth; and some others, perhaps, because they see me goe anights when the Moone shines, to water my horses, whisling, and singing, and such like kinde of mirth, to driue away care, and to make me forget my toyling and my moyling, and all this before tenne a clocke at night, conceiue an euill suspition; and of this suspition, make certaineties, and affirme that to be true, which themselues doe falsly surmize. And Calisto is not so madde, or foolish, that at such an houre as that, he should goe about a businesse of so great a consequence, but that he will first be sure that all abroad is quiet, and that euery man reposes himselfe in the sweetenesse of his first sleepe: and lesse are you to suppose, that hee should goe euery night vnto her; for such a duty will not endure a daily visitation. And that you may (Mistresse) more manifestly see their falsehood; for (as the Prouerbe is) A lyer is sooner ta'ne, then he that is lame; wee haue not gone eight times a-month; and yet these lying babblers sticke not to auouch, we goe night after night. If you loue mee then (my deare Loue) that I may accuse them to their faces, and take them in the nooze of their falsehood, acquaint mee with those dayes you determine to goe thither; and if then they shall erre in their report, I shall thereby be assured of your secrecy, and their roguery; for that being not true, which they tell mee, your person shall be secured from danger, and I freed from any sudden feare of your life, hoping long to enioy you. Mistresse, let vs not stand any longer vpon examination of witnesses. This very night, when the clocke shall strike twelue, they haue appointed to meet by the way of the garden; to morrow, you may aske them what they know; whereof, if any man shall giue you true notice, I will be content that hee shall scotch and notch me for a foole. And on which side of the garden (my sweet-heart?) because I may contradict them the better, if I finde them varying. By the streete where the fat Hostesse dwels, iust on the backeside of her house. No more (good man Ragge-tayle) it is enough, we need no more. Cursed is hee who makes such Muleters acquainted with his secrets. The Blockhead hath swallowed the bayte; hee hath let her vnhinge him.