The Spanish Bawd (Calisto and Meliboea) (Celestina) · chunk 204 of 205
Mabbe, James / Rojas, Fernando de · published 1631 · first performed or written 1631 (Annals) tragicomedy; literary play unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 413 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
who shall accompany my disaccompanied habitation? who shall cherish me in mine old age? who with gentle usage shall cocker my decaying years? O Love, Love, I did not think thou hadst had the power to kill thy subjects! I was wounded by thee in my youth: did pass thorough the midst of thy flames. Why didst thou let me scape? Was it that thou might'st pay me home (for my flying from thee then) in mine old age? I had well thought, that I had been freed from thy snares, when I once began to grow towards forty; and when I rested contented with my wedded consort, and when I saw I had that fruit, which this day thou hast cut down, I did not dream that thou wouldst in the children have taken vengeance of the parents; and I know not whether thou woundest with the sword, or burnest with fire. Thou leavest our clothes whole, and yet most cruelly woundest our hearts; thou makest that which is foul, to seem fair and beautiful unto us. Who gave thee so great a power? who gave thee that name which so ill befitteth thee? If thou wert Love, thou wouldst love thy servants; and if thou didst love them, thou wouldst not punish them as thou dost. If to be thy fellow, were to live merrily, so many would not kill themselves, as my daughter now hath, & infinite of us. What end have thy servants and their Ministers had? as also that false Bawd, Celestina, who died by the hands of the faithfullest companions, that ever she lighted upon in her life, for their true performance in this thy venomous & empoisoned service? They lost their heads; Calisto, he broke his neck; and my daughter, to imitate him, submitted herself to the selfsame death. And of all this thou wast the cause; they gave thee a sweet name; but thy deeds are exceeding sour: thou dost not give equal rewards; and that Law is unjust, which is not equal alike unto all. Thy voice promiseth pleasure, but thy actions proclaim pain; happy are they who have not known thee, or knowing thee, have not cared for thee. Some led with, I know not what error, have not sticked to call thee a god; But I would have such fools as these to consider with themselves, it savours not of a Deity, to murder or destroy those that serve and follow him.
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)
who shall accompany my disaccompanied habitation? who shall cherish me in mine old age? who with gentle vsage shall cocker my decaying yeeres? O Loue, Loue, I did not thinke thou hadst had the power to kill thy subiects! I was wounded by thee in my youth: did passe thorow the midst of thy flames. Why didst thou let me scape? Was it that thou might'st pay me home (for my flying from thee then) in mine old age? I had well thought, that I had bin freed from thy snares, when I once began to growe towards forty; and when I rested contented with my wedded consort, and when I saw I had that fruit, which this day thou hast cut down, I did not dreame that thou would'st in the children haue taken vengeance of the parents; and I know not whether thou woundest with the sword, or burnest with fire. Thou leauest our clothes whole, and yet most cruelly woundest our hearts; thou makest that which is foule, to seeme fayre and beautifull vnto vs. Who gaue thee so great a power? who gaue thee that name which so ill befitteth thee? If thou wert Loue, thou wouldst loue thy seruants; and if thou didst loue them, thou wouldst not punish them as thou dost. If to be thy fellow, were to liue merrily, so many would not kill themselues, as my daughter now hath, & infinit of vs. What end haue thy seruants and their Ministers had? as also that false Bawd, Celestina, who dy'd by the hands of the faithfullest companions, that euer she lighted vpon in her life, for their true performance in this thy venomous & impoisoned seruice? They lost their heads; Calisto, he brake his necke; and my daughter, to imitate him, submitted her selfe to the selfe-same death. And of all this thou wast the cause; they gaue thee a sweete name; but thy deedes are exceeding sowre: thou dost not giue equall rewards; and that Law is vniust, which is not equall alike vnto all. Thy voyce promiseth pleasure, but thy actions proclaime paine; happy are they who haue not knowne thee, or knowing thee, haue not cared for thee. Some ledde with, I know not what error, haue not stickt to call thee a god; But I would haue such fooles as these to consider with themselues, it sauors not of a Deity, to murder or destroy those that serue and follow him.