The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 188 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T23 Husbands, wives and jealousy · 549 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T23: wife, husband, cuckold, jealousy, woman, jealous, mistress, love, house, honest.
Friend Sosia, another more ripe and mature brain, and better experimented in matters of the world than mine is, were very necessary to be your adviser in this business; yet as farforth as my tender age, and the means of my natural parts and wit shall be able to reach unto; I will tell you what I think. This woman, (as you told me yourself) is a known and a noted whore; and therefore whatsoever hath passed between you, flatter not yourself, but rather believe, that her words do not want deceit. Her offers, I persuade me were false, though I know not to what end she made them. If she love thee, because thou art a Gentleman; how many better than thyself hath she rejected? If because thou art rich; she knows well enough that thou hast no other dust, then that which clings to the Currycomb. If because thou art nobly descended, and of high Lineage; she knows thy name is Sosia, and so was thy fathers; and that he was borne and bred in a poor little Hamlet, getting his living by following the Ploughtail, and breaking Clods of earth, for which thyself art more fit than to make a Lover. Be wise, Sosia, and consider with thyself, if she do not go a birding, to see if she could get out of thee, the secrecy of this walk, whereby to work some heartburning, and breed no good blood betwixt Calisto and Pleberio, out of that envy which she bears to Melibea's pleasure. Beware (I say:) for Envy (I tell you) is an incurable infirmity, when it is once settled: she is a guest that is always more troublesome, then thankful for her lodging, and is never merry, but at other folks' miseries; nor ever laughs, but at a shrewd turn. Now then, if this be so: O! how this wicked woman will deceive thee with her smooth and subtle words, whereof, such as she are never to seek, but have them still ready in the deck, and more perfect than their Pater noster? With this venomous vice, she will not stick to damn her soul, so as she may please her appetite; she would fain turn all things topsy-turvy, and set men together by the ears, and only for to content her damnable desire. O Ruffianly Strumpet! O mankind Quean! With what white bread hath she given thee crooked pins, to choke thee? she cares not now she sells and barters her body, so as she may truck and exchange it for strife and contention. Hear me, Sosia, and if thou dost as thou may'st presume upon it, that it is as I tell thee, deal (if thou wilt be advised by me) as doubly with her; for he that deceives the deceiver, you know what I mean: and if the Fox be crafty, more crafty is he that catches him. I would have thee make a countermine against these her wicked, and devilish imaginations. Set up scaling ladders to meet with her lewdness; and then cry quittance with her, when she thinks herself most safe and secure; and laugh at her afterwards, when thou art by thyself all alone in thy stable: the bay horse thinks one thing, and he that saddles him, another.
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)
Friend Sosia, another more ripe and mature braine, and better experimented in matters of the world then mine is, were very necessary to be your aduiser in this businesse; yet as farreforth as my tender age, and the meanes of my naturall parts and wit shall be able to reach vnto; I will tell you what I thinke. This woman, (as you told me your selfe) is a known and a noted whore; and therefore whatsoeuer hath past betweene you, flatter not your selfe, but rather beleeue, that her words doe not want deceit. Her offers, I perswade mee were false, though I know not to what end she made them. If shee loue thee, because thou art a Gentleman; how many better then thy selfe hath she reiected? If because thou art rich; she knowes well enough that thou hast no other dust, then that which clings to the Curry-combe. If because thou art nobly descended, and of high Linage; she knowes thy name is Sosia, and so was thy fathers; and that he was borne and bred in a poore little Hamlet, getting his liuing by following the Plough-tayle, and breaking Clods of earth, for which thy selfe art more fit then to make a Louer. Be wie, Sosia, and consider with thy selfe, if she doe not goe a biring, to see if she could get out of thee, the secrecy of this walke, whereby to worke some heart-burning, and breed no good bloud betwixt Calisto and Pleberio, out of that enuy which she beares to Melibea's pleasure. Beware (I say:) for Enuy (I tell you) is an incurable infirmity, when it is once settled: shee is a guest that is alwaies more troublesome, then thankfull for her lodging, and is neuer merry, but at other folkes miseries; nor euer laughes, but at a shrewd turne. Now then, if this be so: O! how this wicked woman will deceiue thee with her smooth and subtill words, whereof, such as she are neuer to seeke, but haue them still ready in the deck, and more perfect then their Pater noster? With this venemous vice, shee will not sticke to damne her soule, so as shee may please her appetite; shee would faine turne all things topsituruy, and set men together by the eares, and onely for to content her damnable desire. O Ruffianly Strumpet! O mankind Queane! With what white bread hath shee giuen thee crooked pinnes, to choake thee? Shee cares not now shee sells and barters her body, so as shee may truck and exchange it for strife and contention. Heare mee, Sosia, and if thou doest as thou may'st presume vpon it, that it is as I tell thee, deale (if thou wilt be aduised by mee) as doubly with her; for he that deceiues the deceiuer, you know what I meane: and if the Foxe be crafty, more crafty is hee that catches him. I would haue thee make a counter-mine against these her wicked, and diuellish imaginations. Set vp scaling ladders to meete with her lewdnesse; and then cry quittance with her, when shee thinkes her selfe most safe and secure; and laugh at her afterwards, when thou art by thy selfe all alone in thy stable: the bay horse thinkes one thing, and hee that saddles him, another.