woman bee shee well experienced is a good helpe a comforter a friend a mother nay more then a mother A good Inne to giue ease and rest to a sound man and a good Hospitall for to cure a sicke man a good Purse in time of need a good Chest to keepe money in prosperitie a good Fire in winter inuironed with spits of good rost-meat a good Shade in summer and a good Tauerne to eate and drinke in Now my pretty little foole what sai'st thou to all this What dost thou thinke of it I know thou art by this time ashamed of that which thou hast spoken to day thou can'st not say B to a Battle-doore thou art strucke so dumbe and so dead and therefore I will presse thee no further nor craue any more at thy hands then that which friendship craues of thee which is Looke vpon Sempronio next vnder heauen my selfe haue made him a man I could wish you would liue and loue together as brothers and friends for being in league with him thou shalt liue in the fauor and loue of thy Master and in good repute with all the world for Sempronio I tell thee is well belou'd hee is diligent a good Courtier a proper seruant a fellow of a good fashion and one that is willing to imbrace thy friendship which will turne to both your profits if you will but hand-fast your affections each to other Besides you know that you must loue if you will be beloued Trowtes cannot bee taken with drie breeches And if the Cat will haue fish she must wet her foote Nor does Sempronio owe this of right vnto thee nor is hee bound to loue thee vnlesse thou exchange loue for loue it is meere simplicitie not to be willing to loue and yet looke to be beloued of others And as great folly to repay friendship with hatred Parm. Mother I confesse my second fault and crauing pardon for what is past I offer my selfe to be ordred by you in all my future proceedings But yet me thinkes it is impossible that I should hold friendship with Sempronio hee is frappish and I cannot beare he is chollericke and I can carrie no coles How then is it possible to make a true contract betwixt two such contrary natures Celest. But you were not wont to be thus froward Parm. In good fay mother you say true But the more I grow in yeeres the lesse I grow in patience Tush I haue forgotten that lesson as if I had neuer knowne what it meant I am I confesse the man I was nor is Sempronio himselfe neyther can hee nor will hee stead mee in any thing I neuer yet tasted any the least kindnesse from him Celest. A sure friend is knowne in a doubtfull matter and in aduersity is his faith proued Then comes he neerest vnto him when hee is farthest from comfort and with greater desire doth hee then visit his house when as prosperous fortune hath forsaken it What shall I say vnto thee Sonne of the vertues of a good and fast friend There is nothing more to bee beloued nothing more rare he refuseth no burden You two are equalls and paritie of persons similitude of manners and simpathy of hearts are the maine props that vp-hold friendship Take heed my sonne for if thou hast any thing it is safely kept for thee Be thou wise to gaine more for this is gain'd already to your hands Your father O what paines tooke hee for it But I may not put it into your hands till you lead a more reposed life and come to a more compleate and full age Parm. Mother what doe you call a reposed life Celest. Mary sonne to liue of your selfe Not to goe thorow other mens houses nor to set thy foote vnder another mans table which thou shalt still bee inforced to doe vnlesse thou learne to make profit of thy seruice for out of very pitty to see thee goe thus totred and torne not hauing a ragge almost to hang on thy breeche did I beg that mantle which thou saw'st of Calisto not so much for the mantles sake as for that there being a Taylor belonging to the house and thou before being without a Ierkin hee might bestow it vpon thee So that I speake not for mine owne profit as I heard you say but for thy good For if you rely onely vpon the ordinary wages of these Gallants it is such that what you get by it after tenne yeeres seruice you may put it in your eye and neuer see the worse Inioy thy youth good daies good nights good meate and good drinke when thou mai'st haue these things lose them not Let that be lost that will be lost Doe not thou mourne for the wealth which was left thy Master for that will but shorten thy daies sithence wee can inioy it no longer then wee liue O Sonne Parmeno and well may I call thee sonne since I had the breeding of thee so long a time follow my counsell seeing it proceeds out of pure loue and an earnest desire to see thee grow vp in honour O! how happy should I be might I but see thee and Sempronio agree see you two friends and sworne brothers in euery thing that yee may come to my poore house to be merrie and to see mee now and then and to take your pleasure each of you with his Wench Parme. His Wench mother Celest. I his Wench and a young one too As for old flesh my selfe am old enough and such a wench as Sempronio would be glad of with all his heart with t'one halfe of that regard and affection which I shew to thee What I speake comes from my intralls and the verie bowels of mee Parmeno Mother you shall not be deceiued in mee Celest. And if I should the matter is not great For what I doe I do for charitie and for that I see thee here alone in a strange Land and for the respect which I beare vnto those bones of her who recommended thee vnto me When you are more man you will thinke of all this and come to a truer knowledge of things and then thou wilt say that old Celestina gaue me good counsell Parme. I know that as well now though I am but young as if I were elder and howbeit I spake against you to day it was not because I thought that to be ill spoken which you said but because I saw when I told my Master the truth and aduised him for the best he ill intreated mee and therefore henceforth let vs shake hands and vse him accordingly doe what thou wilt vnto him I will hold my peace for I haue already too much offended in not crediting thee in this businesse concerning him Celest. In this and all other thou shalt not onely trip but fall as long as thou shalt not take my counsell with thee which comes from thy true and faithfull friend Parmeno Now I blesse the time wherein I serued thee counting those daies happy vnder which thou bredst mee vp of
old age hath made me lose my hearing for not onely that which I see heare and know but euen the very inward secrets of thy heart and thoughts I search into and pierce to the full with these my intellectuall eyes these eies of my vnderstanding I would haue thee to know Permeno that Calisto is loue-sicke sicke euen to the death Nor art thou for this to censure him to be a weak and foolish man for vnresistable loue subdueth all things Besides I would haue thee to know if thou knowst it not already that there are these two conclusions that are euermore infallibly true The first is that euery man must of force loue a woman and euery woman loue a man The second is that he who truely loues must of necessity be much troubled mou'd with the sweetnes of that superexcellent delight which was ordain'd by him that made all things for the perpetuating of mankind without which it must needs perish and not only in humane kind but also in fishes birds beasts all creatures that creepe and crawle vpon the earth Likewise in your soules vegetatiue some plants haue the same inclination disposition that without the interpositioÌ„ of any other thing they be planted in some little distance one of another and it is determined and agreed vpon by the generall-consent of your Gardeners and husband-men to be Make and Female How can you answer this Parmeno Now my pretty 〈◊〉 foole you mad wagge my soules sweet Genius my Pearle 〈…〉 well my honest poore silly Lad my pretty little Monky-face come hither you little whoreson Alack how I pitty thy simplicity thou knowst nothing of the world nor of it's delights Let me run mad and dye in that fit if I suffer thee to come neere me as old as I am Thou hast a harsh and ill fauourd hoarse voyce by thy brizzled beard it is easily guest what manner of man you are Tell mee is all quiet beneath No motions at all to make in Venus Court Sempr. O! As quiet as the taile of a Scorpion Celest. It were well and it were no worse Parme. Ha ha he Celest. Laugh'st thou thou pocky rogue Parme. Nay mother be quiet hold your peace I pray Doe not blame me and doe not hold mee though I am but young for a foole I loue Calisto tyed thereunto out of that true and honest fidelity which euery seruant owes vnto his Master for the breeding that he hath giuen me for the benefit which I receiue from him as also because I am well respected and kindely intreated by him which is the strongest chaine that linkes the loue of the seruant to the seruice of his Master As the contrary is the breaking of it I see hee is out of the right way and hath wholly lost himselfe and nothing can befall a man worse in this world then to hunt after his desire without hope of a good and happy end especially he thinking to recouer his game which himselfe holdeth so hard and difficult a pursuite by the vaine aduice and foolish reasons of that beast Sempronio which is all one as if he should goe about with the broade end of a Spade to dig liâ—le wormes out of a mans hand I hate it I abhorre it It is abominable and with griefe I speake it I doe much lament it Celestina Knowst thou not Parmeno that it is an absolute folly or meere simplicity to bewaile that which by wayling cannot bee holpen Parme. And therefore doe I wayle because it cannot be holpen For if by wayling and weeping it were posible to worke some remedy for my Master so great would the contentment of that hope be that for very ioy I should not haue the power to weepe But because I see all hope thereof to be vtterly lost with it haue I lost all my ioy and for this cause doe I weepe Celest. Thou weepest in vaine for that which cannot by weeping be auoyded thou canst not turne the istreame of his violent passion and therefore maist truly presume that he is past allâ—re Tell mee Parmeno hath not the like happened to others as well as to him Parme. Yes But I would not haue my Master through mourning and grieuing languish and grow sicke Celestina Thy Master is well inough He is not sicke and were hee neuer so sicke neuer so much payned and grieued I my selfe am able to cure him I haue the power to doe it Parme. I regard not what thou saist For in good things better is the Act then the Power And in bad things better the Power then the Act So that it is beter to be well then an the way to bee well And better is the possibility of being sicke then to be sicke indeed and therefore Power in ill is better then the Act Celest. O thou wicked villaine How Idly dost thou talke as if thou didst not vnderstand thy selfe It seemes thou dost not know his disease What hast thou hitherto said What wouldst thou haue What is 't that grieues you Sir Why lamentest thou Be you dispos'd to jest and make your selfe merry or are you in good earnest and would'st faine face out truth with falsehood Beleeue you what you list I am sure hee is sicke and that in Act and that the Power to make him whole lyes wholly in the hands of this weake old woman Parme. Nay rather of this weake old Whore Celest. Now the Hang-man be thy ghostly father my little rascall my pretty villaine how dar'st thou be so bold with me Parme. How as though I did not know thee Celest. And who art thou Parm. Who marry I am Parmeno sonne to Alberto thy gossip who liu'd some little while with thee for my mother recommended mee vnto thee when thou dwelt'st close by the riuers side in Tanners row Celest. Good Lord and art thou Parmeno Claudina's sonne Parm. The very same Celest. Now the fire of the pockes consume thy bones for thy mother was an old whore as my selfe Why dost thou persecute me Parmeno It is he in good truth it is hee Come hither vnto mee come I say many a good jerke and many a cuffe on the eare haue I giuen thee in my daies and as many kisses too A you little rogue dost thou remember sirrha when thou lay'st at my beds feet Parm. Passing well and sometimes also though I was then but a little Apish boy how you would take me vp to your pillow and there lye hugging of me in your armes and because you sauour'd somewhat of old age I remember how I would fling and flye from you Celest. A pocks on you for a rogue Our impudent art thou not ashamed to talke thus But to leaue off all jesting and to come to plaine earnest Heare me now my childe and hearken what I shall say vnto thee For though I am called hither for one end I am come for another And albeit I haue made my selfe a stranger vnto thee and as though I knew thee not yet thou wast
dust from his horses with his curry-combe What My Sosia My inward friend Him whom I wish so well vnto though perhaps he knowes not of it Him whom I haue longed to know led only by the fame and good report which I heare of him What He that is so faithfull to his Master So good a friend to his acquaintance I will imbrace thee my Loue I will hugge thee in mine armes for now that I see thee I see report comes short and verily perswade my selfe that there are more vertues in thee then I haue been told of Fame hath been too sparing of thy praise come sweet heart let vs goe in and sit downe in my chamber for it does me good to looke vpon thee O! how thou dost resemble my vnfortunate Parmeno How liuely doth thy person represent him vnto mee This is it that makes this day to shine so cleare that thou art come to visit mee Tell mee gentle Sir did you euer know mee before Sosia The fame gentlewoman of your gentle and sweete disposition of your good graces discretion and wisdome flies with so swift a wing and in so high a pitch through all this City that you need not much to maruell if you be of more knowne then knowing For there is not any man that speakes any thing in praise of the fairest and beautifullest in this City but that you are ranked in the first place and remembred as the prime and chiefest amongst them all Elicia This poore silly fellow this wretched sonne of a whore to see how hee exceedes himselfe and speakes beyond the compasse of his common wit hee doth not vse to talke thus wisely He that should see him goe to water his horses riding on their bare ridge without a Saddle and his naked legges hanging downe beneath his Canuasse frocke cut out into foure quarters and should now see him thus handsome and well suited both in his cloake and other his cloathes it would giue a man wings and tongue and make him crow as this Cockrell doth Areusa Your talke would make mee blush and runne away for shame were there any body heere to heare how you play vpon me But as it is the fashion of all you men you neuer goe vnprouided of such kinde of phrases as these these false and deceitfull praises are too common amongst you you haue words moulded of purpose to serue your turne withall and to suite your selues as you see cause to any woman whatsoeuer yet for all this am I not afraid of you neyther will I start or budge from you But I must tell you Sosia by the way this praising of me thus is more then needs for though thou shouldst cōmend me yet should I loue thee And that thereby thou shouldst thinke to gaine my loue is as needlesse for thou hast gained it already There are two things which caused me Sosia for to send for thee intreating thee to take the paines to come and see me wherein if I finde you to double or dissemble with mee I haue done with you What they are I will leaue them to your selfe to relate though I know it is for your owne good which makes mee to doe as I doe Sosia Heauen forbid that I should vse any cogging with you or seeke by subtilty to deceiue you I came hither vpon the assurance that I had of the great fauors which you intend and now do me holding my selfe not worthy to pull off your shooes Do thou therefore direct my tongue answer thou for mee to thine owne questions for I shall ratifie and confirme whatsoeuer thou shalt propound Areusa My Loue thou know'st how dearely I lou'd Parmeno And as it is in the Prouerbe Hee that loues Beltram loues any thing that is his all his friends were alwaies welcome vnto mee his good seruice to his Master did as much please mee as it pleased himselfe When hee saw any harme towards Calisto hee did study to preuent it Now as all this is true so thought I it good to accquaint thee with it First then did I send for thee that I might giue thee to vnderstand how much I loue thee how much I ioy and euer shall in this thy visiting mee nor shalt thou lose any thing by it if I can helpe it but rather turne to thy profit and benefit Secondly since that I haue setled my eyes my loue and affection on thee that I may aduise thee to take heede how thou commest in danger and besides to admonish thee that thou doe not discouer thy secrets to any For you see what ill befell Parmeno and Sempronio by imparting things of secrecy vnto Celestina for I would not willingly see thee dye in such an ill fashion as your fellow and companion did it is enough for mee that I haue bewayled one of you already and therefore I would haue you to know that there came one vnto mee and told me that you had discouered vnto him the loue that is betwixt Calisto and Melibea and how hee wanne her and how you your selfe night by night went along with him and many other things which now I cannot call to minde Take heede friend for not to keepe a secret is proper onely vnto women yet not vnto all but such as are fooles and children Take heede I say for heere-hence great hurt may come vnto you and to this end did Nature giue you two eares and two eyes and but one tongue to the end that what you see and heare should be double to that you speake Take heede and doe not thinke your friend will keepe your secret when you your selfe cannot keepe it when therefore thou art to goe with thy Master Calisto to that Ladies house make no noyse lest you be heard for some haue told me that euery night you keepe a coyle and cannot containe your selues as men transported and ouer-ioyed Sosia 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
and mitigate my sorrow Pleberio This daughter shall presently be done I will goe my selfe and will it to be prouided Melibea Friend Lucrecia this place me thinkes is too high I am very loth to leaue my fathers company I prythee make a step down vnto him and intreat him to come to the foot of this Tower for I haue a word or two which I forgot to tell him that he should deliuer from me to my mother Lucrecia I goe Madame Melibea They haue all of them left me I am now alone by my selfe and no body with mee The manner of my death falls fit and pat to my minde it is some ease vnto mee that I and my beloued Calisto shall so soone meet againe I will shut and make fast the dore that no body may come vp to hinder my death nor disturbe my departure nor to stop me in my iourney wherin I purpose to poast vnto him not doubting but to visit him as well this very day as he did mee this last night All things fadge aright and haue falne out as luckily as I could wish it I shall now haue time and leysure enough to recount to my father Pleberio the cause of this my short and sudden end I confesse I shall much wrong his siluer hayres and offer much iniury to his elder yeers I shall work great wo vnto him by this my errour I shall leaue him in great heauinesse and desolation all the daies of his life But admit my death will be the death of my dearest parents and put case that the shortning of my daies will be the shortning of theirs who doth not know but that others haue beene more cruell to their parents then I am Prusias King of Bythinia without any cause not induring that paine which I doe slew his owne father Ptolomy King of Egypt slew both father and mother and brother and wife and all for the loue of his Mistris Orestes kil'd his mother Clytemnestar and that cruell Emperour Nero onely for the fulfilling of his pleasure murdred his owne mother These and such as they are worthy of blame These are true Parricides not I who with mine owne punishment and with mine owne death purge away the guilt which otherwise they might moe iustly lay vpon mee for their deaths There haue beene others far more cruell who haue slaine their own children and their owne brothers in comparison of whose errours mine is as nothing at least nothing so great Philip King of Macedon Herod King of Iuryne Constantine Emperour of Rome Laodice Queene of Cappadocea and Medea the Sorceresse all these slew their owne sonnes and dearest children and that without any reason or iust cause preseruing their owne persons still in safety To conclude that great cruelty of Phrâ—ates King of the Parthians occurres to my remembrance who because hee would haue no successour behinde him murdred Orodes his aged father as also his onely sonne besides some thirty more of his brethren These were delicts worthy blame indeed because they keeping their owne persons free from perill butchered their Ancestours their successours and their brethren True it is that though all this be so yet are we not to imitate them in those things wherein they did amisse but it is not in my power to doe otherwise And thou great Gouernour of the heauens who art witnesse to my words thou see'st the small power that I haue ouer my passion thou seest how my liberty is captiuated and how my senses are taken with that powerfull loue of that late deceased Gentleman who hath depriued mee of that loue which I beare to my liuing parents Pleberio Daughter Melibea what make you there alone what is it you would you haue with mee shall I come vp to you Melibea No good father content you where you are trouble not your selfe nor striue to come to me you shall but disturbe and interrupt that short speach which I am now to make vnto you Now by and by shalt thou be suddenly wounded thy heart shall presently be prickt with griefe and shall bleede abundantly to see the death of thy onely daughter My end drawes neere at hand is my rest and thy passion my ease and thy paine my houre of keeping company and thy time of solitarinesse You shall not need my most honoured father to seeke out any instruments of musick to asswage my sorrow nor vse any other sound saue the sound of bels for to ring my knell and bring my body to the graue And if thou canst harken vnto mee for teares if thine eyes will giue thine cares leaue to heare thou shalt heare the desperate cause of this my forced yet ioyfull departure see thou neyther speake nor weepe interrupt mee not eyther with teares or words vnlesse thou mean'st more heereafter to be tormented in not knowing why I doe kill my selfe then thou art now sorrowfull to see my death Neither aske nor answer mee any thing nor question me any further then what of mine owne accord I shall willingly tell thee for when the heart is surcharged with sorrow the eare is deafe to good counsell and at such a time good and wholsome words rather incense then allay rage Heare my aged father the last words that euer I shall speake vnto you And if you entertaine them as I hope you will you will rather excuse then condemne my errour I am sure you both well perceiue and heare that most sad and doleful lamentation which is made thorowout all this City I am sure you heare this great noyse and ringing of bells the skriking and cryings out of all sorts of people this howling and barking of dogges this noyse and clattering of Armour Of all this haue I beene the cause I euen this very day haue clothed the greater part of the Knights and Gentlemen of this City in mourning I euen this very day haue left many seruants orphaned and quite destitute of a Master I haue beene the cause that many a poore soule hath now lost it 's almes and reliefe I haue beene the occasion that the dead should haue the company of the most complete Gentleman for his good graces and qualities that euer was borne I haue beene the occasion that the liuing haue lost the onely Patterne and Paragon of courtesie of gallant inuentions of witty deuices of neatnesse and decency in his cloathes of speech of gate of kindnesse and of vertue I haue beene the occasion that the earth doth now inioy the most noble body and the freshest flowre of youth that euer was created in this age of ours And because you may stand amazed and astonished at the sound of these my vnusuall and vnaccustomed crimes I will open the businesse and make this matter appeare more cleare vnto you It is now deare father many dayes since that a Gentleman called Calisto whom you well knew as likewise his Ancestors and noble Linage did languish and pine away for my loue As for his vertues and goodnesse they were generally knowne to the
bent against sorted to a gentle intertaining of thy suite For all that I haue heard hitherto are rather tokens of hate then of loue Celestina The greatest glory which is giuen to that secret office of the Bee which little creature of nature the discreeter sort ought to imitate is that whatsoeuer be toucheth he conuerteth it into a better substance then in it selfe it was In like manner hath it so befalne mee with those coy and squeamish speeches of Melibea and all other her scornefull and disdainefull behauiours all her sowre looks and words I turned into honey her anger into mildenesse her fury into gentlenesse and her running from me into running to mee Tell me man What didst thou thinke Celestina went thither for What would she make there whom you haue already rewarded beyond her desert vnlesse it were to pacifie her fury to oppose my selfe to all accidents to be your shield and buckler in your absence to receiue vpon my mantle all the blowes that were strucke at you to endure those reuilings bitter tauntings and those disdainfull termes which such as she is vsually make show of when they are first sued vnto for their loue And why forsooth doe they this Onely to the end That what they giue may the better be estemed and therefore they still speake worst of him whom they loue best and make a show of most dislike where they like most Which if it should not be so there would be no difference between the loue of a common whore and an honest Damsell that staâ— is vpon her honour if euery one should say yea as soone as she is asked And therefore when they see a man loues them though themselues burne and fry in the liueliest flames of loue yet for modesties sake they will outwardly show a coldnesse of affection a sober countenance a pleasing kinde of strangenesse a constant minde a chaste intent and powre forth words as sharpe as Vineger that their owne tongues wonder at this their great sufferance making them forcibly to confesse that with their mouthes whose contrary is contained in their hearts But because I would haue thee haue some ease of thy sorrowes and take some repose whilst I relate at large vnto thee all the words that passed betweene her and mee and by what meanes I made my first entrance into Melibea's house Know for thy comfort that the end of her discourse was very good Calisto Now deare mother that you haue giuen mee assurance that I may boldly with comfort expect the extremest vigour of her answer say what thou wilt and I shall be attentiue thereunto Now my heart is at rest now my thoughts are quiet now my veynes receiue and recouer their lost bloud now haue I lost my feare now doe I finde some ioy now am I cheerefull Let vs if it please you goe vp where in my chamber you shall report that at full which I haue heard in briefe Celestina With all my heart Sir Come let vs goe Parme. O what starting holes does this foole seeke for to flye from vs that he may at his pleasure weepe for ioy with Celestina and discouer vnto her a thousand secrets of his light and doting appetite First to aske her I know not how oft of euery particular and then haue her answer him to the same sixe seuerall times one after another and neuer to make an end but ouer and ouer and ouer with it againe hauing no body by to tell him how tedious he is Fie vpon him I am sick to think vpon it Go your wayes you foole Get you vp with a murraine but we will not stay long after you Calisto Marke mother how Parmeno goes mumbling to himselfe see how the slaue crosses himselfe to heare what thou hast brought to passe by thy great diligence Obserue in what a maze he stands Looke looke Celestina dost thou see what hee is doing See and the villaine does not crosse himselfe againe Come vp vp vp and sit you downe I pray whilest I on my knees giue eare to thy sweete answer Say on And tell mee quickely by what meanes thou gotst into the house Celest. By selling a parcell of thread which I had by which trick I haue taken in my daies more then thirty of as good worth and quality as her selfe So it pleased fortune to fauour mee in this world and some better women I wisse and of greater rancke were shee more honorable then shee is Calisto Greater mother perhaps in body but not in noblenesse of birth not in state not in beauty not in discretion not in statelinesse linked with gracefulnesse and merit not in vertue nor in speach Parme. Now the fooles steele beginnes to strike fire now his bels beginne to iangle marke how his clocke goes it neuer strikes vnder twelue the finger of his dyall point is still vpon high noone all vpon the most Sempronio tell the clocke keepe true reckoning how standst thou gazing like a wide-mouthed driueling foole hearing his fooleries and her lies Sempr. O thou venomous tongued Villaine thou rayling Rascall Why shouldst thou alone stop thy eares at that to which all the world besides is willing to harken And say they are but tales and fables which shee tels him yet were it onely but for this that their discourses are of loue thou oughtst to lend them a willing attention Celest. Noble Calisto Let thy eares be open to that which I shall tell thee and thou shalt see what thy good fortune and my great eare haue effected for thee For when I was about to pitch a price of my thread and to sell it Melibea's mother was called away to goe visit a sister of hers that lay exceeding sicke and because she could not stay with me her selfe so necessary was her absence she left Melibea to conclude the bargaine and to driue such a price with mee as shee should thinke fit Calisto O ioy beyond compare O singular opportunity O seasonable time O that I had layne hid vnderneath thy mantle that I might haue heard her but speake on whom heauen hath so plentifully powred forth the fulnesse of his graces Celestina Vnder my mantle noble Sir Alacke poore soule as I am what would you haue done there Why shee must needes haue seene you at least thorow thirty holes should not fortune giue mee a better Parm. Well I will get me gon I say nothing Sempronio heare you all for mee I will be hang'd if the foole my Master doe not measure with his thoughts how many steps there be betweene this and Melibea's house And if hee not contemplate euery kinde of action and gesture shee might vse as how she lookt how she stood when shee was bargaining for the thread All his senses all the powers faculties of his soule are wholy taken vp and possest with her but he will finde in the end that my counsell would haue done him more good then all the cunning tricks and coozenages of Celestina Calisto What 's the matter
leaue other mens thoughts and cares to themselues and let vs go sleepe for it is time and a good sound sleepe without feare will fat me more and doe me more good then all the Treasure and wealth or Venice ACTVS VIIJ THE ARGVMENT THe day appeares Parmeno departs and takes his leaue of Areusa and goes to his Master Calisto He findes Sempronio at the doore they enter into amitie goe ioyntly to Calisto's chamber they finde him talking with himselfe being risen hee goes to Church INTERLOCVTORS Parmeno Areusa Calisto Sempronio PArmeno It is day O what a spight is this Whence is it that it is so light in the chamber Areusa What doe you talke of day Sleepe Sir and take your rest for it is but euen now since we lay down I haue scarce shut mine eyes yet would you haue it to be day I pray you open the window by you the window there by your beds head and you shall then see whether it be so or no Parm. Gentlewoman I am in the right it is day I see it is day I am not deceiued No no I knew it was broad day when I saw the light come thorow the chinks of the doore O what a Villaine am I Into how great a fault am I falne with my Master I am worthy of much punishment O how farre daies is it Areusa Farre daies Parme. I farre daies very farre daies Areusa Neuer trust mee Alas I am not eased of my Mother yet It paines me still I know not what should be the reason of it Parmeno Deare loue what wouldst thou haue mee to doe Areusa That wee talke a little on the matter concerning my indisposition Parme. What should we talke Loue any more if that which hath been said already be not sufficient excuse that in me which is more necessary for it is now almost high noone and if I stay any longer I shall not be welcome to my Master To morrow is a new day and then I will come to see you againe and as often afterwards as you please and therefore was one day made after another because that which could not be performed in one day might bee done in another as also because wee should see one another the oftener In the meane while let me intreate you to doe mee the fauour that you will come and dine with vs to day at Celestina's house Areusa With all my heart and I thanke you too Fare-well good lucke be with you I pray pull the doore after you Par. And fare you well too O singular pleasure O singular ioy What man liues there this day that can say he is more fortunate then I am Can any man be more happy any more successefull then my selfe that I should enioy so excellent a gift so curious a creature and no sooner aske then haue Beleeue me if my heart could brooke this old womans treasons I could creepe vpon my knees to doe her a kindnesse How shall I bee able to requite her O heauens To whom shall I impart this my ioy To whom shall I discouer so great a secret To whom shall I discouer some part of my glorie It is true that the old woman told mee That of no prosperitie the possession can be good without company and that pleasure not communicated is no pleasure O! who can haue so true a feeling of this my happinesse as my selfe But lo yonder is Sempronio standing at our doore hee hath beene stirring betimes I shall haue a pittious life with my Master if he be gone abroad but I hope hee is not if hee be hee hath left his old wont But being he is not now himselfe no maruell if he breake custome Sempr. Brother Parmeno if I knew that countrey where a man might get wages by sleeping it should goe hard but I would make a shift to get thither For I would not then come short of any man I would scorne to be put downe but would gaine as much as another man be hee who hee will be that beares a head But what is the matter that thou like a carelesse and retchles fellow loytring I know not where hast been so negligent and slow in thy returne I cannot deuise what should be the cause of this thy so long stay vnlesse it were to giue old Celestina a warming to night or to rub her feete as you were wont to doe when you were a Little-one Parme. O Sempronio my good friend I pray thee doe not interrupt or rather corrupt my pleasure Doe not intermix thy anger with my patience doe not inuolue thy discontentment with my quiet Doe not soyle with such troubled water the cleare liquor of those gladsome thoughts which I harbour in my heart Doe not sowre with thy malicious taunts and hatefully reprehensions the sweetnesse of my delight Receiue me cheerefull imbrace me with ioy and I shall tell thee wonders of my late happy proceedings Sempr. Come out with it out with it Is it any thing touching Melibea Say Lad hast thou seene her Parm. What talk'st thou to me of Melibea It is touching another that I wish better vnto then Melibea And such a one if I be not deceiued as may compare with her both in handsomnes and beauty Melibea Why she is not worthy to carry her shooes after her as though forsooth the world and all that therein is be it beauty or otherwise were onely inclosed in Melibea Sempr. What meanes this fellow Is hee mad I would fayne laugh but I cannot Now I see wee are all in loue the world is at an end Calisto loues Melibea I Elicia and thou out of meere enuy hast found out some one with whom thou might'st lose that little wit thou hast Parm. Is it folly say you to loue Then am I a foole But if foolishnesse were a paine some in euery house would complaine Sempr. I appeale to thy selfe by thine owne iudgement thou art no better For my selfe haue heard thee giue vaine and foolish counsell to Calisto and to crosse Celestina in euery word shee spake to the hinderance of both our profits O Sir you were glad of this it was meate alone to you Who you No not for a world would you beare a part with vs But since I haue caught you in my clutches I will hamper you yfaith Now that thou art in those hands that may hurt thee they shall doe it assure thy selfe they shall Parm. It is not Sempronio true courage nor manly valour to hurt or hinder any man but to doe good to heale and helpe him and farre greater is it to be willing so to doe I haue euermore made reckoning of thee as of mine owne brother Let not that be verified of thee which is commonly spoken amongst vs that a slight cause should part true friends I tell you you doe not vse me well Nay you deale very ill with mee I know not whence this rancor should arise Doe not vexe me Sempronio Torment me not with these thy wounding words And shall I tell
you It is a very strange and strong kinde of patience which sharpe taunts and scoffs which like so many needles and bodkins set to the heart cannot pierce and pricke thorow Sempr. I say nothing but that now you haue your wench you will allow one pilchard more to the poore boy in the Stable Parme. You cannot hold your heart would burst if you should not vent your choler Well I will giue way and should you vse me worse I will pocket vp all your wrongs and the rather because it is an old saying No humane passion is perpetuall Semp. But you can vse Calisto worse aduising him to that which thou thy selfe seek'st to shunne neuer letting him alone but still vrging him to leaue louing of Melibea wherein thou art iust like vnto a signe in an Inne which giues shelter to others and none to it selfe O Parmeno now mai'st thou see how easie a thing it is to finde fault with another mans life and how hard to amend his owne I say no more your selfe shall be your own Iudge and from this day forward we shall see how you behaue your selfe sithence you haue now your porrenger as well as other folkes If thou hadst beene my friend as thou professest when I stood in need of thee thou should'st then haue fauoured mee and made shew of thy loue and assisted Celestina in all that had beene for my profit and not to driue in at euery word a nayle of malice Know moreouer that as wine in the Lees when it is drawne to the very dregges driueth drunkards from the Tauerne the like effect hath necessity or aduersity with a fained friend and false mettle that is gilded but slightly ouer quickly discouers it selfe to be but counterfeit Parmeno I haue often-times heard it spoken and now by experience I see it is true that in this wretched life of ours there is no pleasure without sorrow no contentment without some crosse or counterbuffe of fortune We see our fairest daies our clearest Sunne-shines are ouer-cast with clouds darkenesse and raine our solaces and delights are swallowed vp by dolours and by death laughter mirth and merriment are waited on by teares lamentations and other the like mortall passions In a word Sweet meate will haue sowre sauce and much ease and much quietnesse much paine and much heauinesse Who could come more friendly or more merrily to a man then I did now to thee And who could receiue a more vnkind wellcome or vnfriendly salutation Who liues there that sees himselfe as I haue seene my selfe raised with such glory to the height of my deare Areusa's loue And who that sees himselfe more likely to fall from thence then I being so ill intreated as I am of thee Nay thou wilt not giue mee leaue to tell thee how much I am thine how much I will further thee in all I am able how much I repent me of that which is past and what good counsell and reprehensions I haue receiued of Celestina and all in fauour of thee and thy good and the good of vs all And now that we haue our Masters and Melibea's game in our owne hands now is the time that wee must thriue or neuer Sempronio I like your words well but should like them better were your workes like vnto them which as I see the performance so shall I giue them credence but tell me I pray thee what 's that me thought I heard you talke euen now of Areusa Doe you know Areusa that is Cousin to Elicia Parme. Why what were all the ioy I now inioy did I not inioy her Sempronio What does the foole meane He cannot speake for laughing What doest thou call this thy inioying her Did shee shew her selfe vnto thee out at a window Or what is the matter Parm. No great matter Onely I haue left her in doubt whether shee be with childe or no Sempr. Thou hast strucke mee into a maze continuall trauell may doe much often dropping makes stones hollow Parme. How continuall trauell Why I neuer thought of hauing her till yesterday then did I worke her and now shee is mine owne Sempr. The old woman had a finger in this businesse had shee not Parmeno Why should you thinke so Sempr. Because shee told mee how much shee loued you how well she wisht you and that she would worke her for you you were a happy man Sir you had no more to doe but to come and take vp And therefore they say It is better with him whom fortune helpeth then with him that riseth earely But was shee the godfather to this businesse Parm. No but shee was the godmother which is the truer of the two And you know when a man comes once to a good tree he will stay a while by it and take the benefit of the shade I was long a comming but when I came I went quickly to worke I dispatcht it in an instant O brother what shall I say vnto thee of the graces that are dwelling in that wench of her language and beauty of body But I will deferre the repetition thereof to a fitter opportunitie Sempr. Shee can be no other but cousin to Elicia thou canst not say so much of her but that this other hath as much and somewhat more But what did shee cost thee Hast thou giuen her any thing Parme. No not any thing but whatsoeuer I had giuen her it had beene well bestowed for shee is capable of euery good thing and such as shee are by so much the better esteemed by how much the dearer they are bought and like Iewels are the higher prized the more they cost vs But saue in this my Mistresse so rich a thing was neuer purchast at so low a rate I haue inuited her to day to dinner to Celestina's house and if you like of it let vs all meet there Semp. Who brother Parme. Thou and she and the old woman and Elicia and there wee will laugh and be merry Sempr. O good heauens how glad a man hast thou made mee Thou art franke and of a free and liberall disposition I will neuer faile thee now I hold thee to be a man now my minde giues me that Fate hath some good in store for thee all the hatred and malice which I bare thee for thy former speeches is now turned into loue I now doubt not but that the league which thou hast made with vs shall be such as it ought to be Now I long to imbrace thee Come let vs now liue like brothers and let the diuell go hang himselfe All those contentious words notwithstanding whatsoeuer haue passed between vs let there be now no falling out and so haue peace all the yeere long for the falling out of friends is euermore the renewing of loue let vs feast and be merry for our Master will fast for vs all Parme. What does that man in desperation doe Sempr. Hee lyes where you left him last night stretching himselfe all along vpon his pallate by his
remain in man And therefore come what will come fall backe fall edge I will not desist to accomplish her desire for whose sake all this hath hapned For it is better for mee to pursue the benefit of that glory which I expect then the losse of those that are dead They were proud and stout and would haue beene slaine at some other time if not now The old woman was wicked and false as it seemes in her dealings not complying with that contract which shee had made with them so that they fell out about the true mans cloake taking it from the true owner to share it amongst themselues But this was a iust iudgement of God vpon her that she should receiue this payment for the many adulteries which by her intercession and meanes haue beene committed Sosia and Tristianico shall prouide themselues they shall accompany me in this my desired walke they shall carry the Scaling-ladders for the walls are very high To morrow I will abroad and see if I can reuenge their deaths if not I will purge my innocency with a fained absence or else faine my selfe mad that I may the better inioy this so tastefull a delight of my sweet Loue as did that great Captaine Vlysses to shunne the Troiane warre that hee might lie dulcing at home with his wife Penelope ACTVS XIIIJ THE ARGVMENT MELIBEA is much afflicted she talkes with Lucrecia concerning Calisto's slacknesse in comming who had vowd that night to come and visit her The which hee performed And with him came Sosia and Tristan and after that he had accomplished his desire they all of them betooke them to their rest Calisto gets him home to his Palace and there begins to complaine and lament that he had staied so little a while with Melibea and begs of Phoebus that hee would shut his beames that he might the sooner goe to renew his desire INTERLOCVTORS Melibea Lucrecia Sosia Tristan Calisto MElibea Me thinks the Gentleman whome we looke for stayes very long Tel me Lucrecia what think'st thou will he come or no Lucrecia I conceiue Madame he hath some iust cause of stay and it is not in his power to come so soone as you expect Melibea Good spirits be his guard and preserue his person from perill For his long stay doth not so much grieue mee but I am afraid lest some misfortune or other may befall him as he is on his way vnto vs For who knowes whether he cōming so willingly to the place appointed and in that kind of fashion as such Gentlemen as hee on the like occasion and the like houre vse to goe whether or no I say he may chance to light vpon the night-watch or be met by the Alguazils and they not knowing him haue set vpon him and he to defend himselfe hath either hurt them or they him Or whether some roguish Curre or other with his cruel teeth for such dogs as they make no difference of persons haue perhaps vnfortunately bit him Or whether he hath fallen vpon the Causey or into some dangerous pit whereby he may receiue some harme But Ay me these are but inconueniences which my conceiued loue brings forth and my troubled thoughts present vnto me Goodnes forbid that any of these misfortunes should befall him Rather let him stay as long as it shall please himselfe from comming to visit mee But harke harke what steps are those that I heare in the street And to my thinking likewise I heare somebody talking on this side of the garden Sosia Tristan set the ladder here for though it be the higher yet I take it to be the better place Tristan Get vp Sir And I will along with you For we know not who is there within they are talking I am sure who-ere they be Calist. Stay here you foole I will in alone for I heare my Lady and Mistris Melibea Your seruant your slaue Calisto who prizes more yours then her owne life O my deare Lord take heed how you leape leape not downe so high you kill me if you doe I shall swound in seeing it Come downe come downe gently I pray Take more leasure in comming downe the ladder as you loue mee come not so fast Calisto O diuine Image O precious pearle before whom the whole world appeareth foule O my Lady and my glory I imbrace and hug thee in mine armes and yet I not beleeue it such a turbation of pleasure seazeth on my person that it makes me not feele the fulnes of that ioy I possesse Melibea My Lord sithence I haue intrusted my selfe in your hands since I haue beene willing to cumply with your will let me not be worse thought of for being pittifull then if I had bene coy and mercilesse Nor doe not worke my vndoing for a delight so momentary and performed in so short a space For Actions that are ill after they are committed may easier be reprehended then amended Reioyce thou in that wherein I reioyce which is to see and draw neere vnto thy person to view and touch thee But do not offer either to aske or take that which being taken away is not in thy power to restore Take heed Sir that you goe not about to ouerthrow that which with all the wealth in the world you are not able to repaire Calisto Deare Lady since for to obtaine this fauour I haue spent my whole life what folly were it in me to refuse that which you haue so kindly conferr'd vpon me Nor Madame do I hope that you will lay so hard a command vpon me or if you should yet haue I not power to containe my selfe within the limits of your command Doe not impose such a point of cowardize vpon me For I tell you it is not in any man that is a man to forbeare in such a case and to condition so hard with himselfe much lesse in mee louing as I do and hauing swumme as I haue done all my life long thorow this sea of thy desire and mine owne loue Will you then after my so many trauels deny me entrance into that sweet hauen where I may find some ease of all my former sorrowes Melibea As you loue me Calisto though my tongue take liberty to talke what it will yet I prythee let not thy hands doe all what they can Be quiet good Sir since I am yours suffice it you content your selfe in the inioying of this outwardnes which is the proper fruit of Louers and not to robbe me of the greatest ewell which Nature hath inrich't mee with Consider besides That it is the property of a good shepheard to fleece but not to flay his sheep to sheare them but not to vncase them Calisto Madame What meane you by this That my passions should not be at peace That I shall runne ouer my torments anew That I shall returne to my old yoke againe Pardon Sweet Lady these my impudent hands if too presumptuously they presse vpon you which once did neuer thinke so all together were
Elicia For loues sake ha done tell vs of no more Bastonado him I pray thee for I would haue him beaten but not slaine Centurio I sweare by the whole generation of Turke and Termagaunt that it is as possible for this right arme of mine to bastonado a man and not kill him as it is for the Sunne to stand still in the Firmament and neuer moue Areusa Sister let not you and I sorrow for the matter why should wee seeme to pitty him Let him doe with him what hee will let him kill him as hee findes himselfe humour'd when hee comes to doe the businesse let Melibea weepe as well as you haue done before her and so let vs leaue him Centurio see you giue a good accompt of that which is committed to your charge Take your owne course any way so as you reuenge vs on him shall content vs but in any case take heed that hee doe not escape without paying for his errour Cent. O Heauens he is going to Pluto I warrant you already I will giue him his passe-port I warrant you vnlesse hee betake him to his heeles and runne away from me Dearest in my affection it glads mee to the heart that I haue this occasion offred vnto mee though it be but in a trifle and a matter scarce worth thanks that you may know by this how farre I would if occasion serued inforce my selfe for your sake Areusa Mars direct thy hand aright And so farewell for it is time for vs to be gone Centurio Well adieu Goe your waies like a couple of head-strong and pertinacious whores as you be Now will I bethinke my selfe how I may excuse my selfe of my promise and in such sort too that they may be perswaded that I vsed all possible diligence for to execute their desire and that it was not of negligence for the freeing of my selfe from danger I will faine my selfe sicke But what will that profit me for then they will be at me againe when I am well Againe if I shall tell them that I haue beene there and that I forced them to flye they will aske mee who they were how many in number and in what place I buckled with them and what apparell they wore and by what markes I knew them to be such and such and the diuell awhit shall I be able to tell them And then all the fat is in the fire What counsell then shall I take that may cumply with mine own safety and their desire I will send for lame Thraso and his companions and tell them that because this night I shall be otherwise imployed they would goe and make a clattering with their Swords and Bucklers in manner of a fray for to feare and affright certaine young men whom they shall finde in such a place which seruice was faithfully recommended vnto mee to execute This I know is a sure course and no other hurt can follow thereupon saue to make them fly and so get them home to bed ACTVS XIX THE ARGVMENT CALISTO going with Sosia and Tristan to Pleberic's garden to visit his Melibea who staid looking for him attended by Lucrecia Sosia recounts vnto Tristan all that which had passed betwixt him and Areusa Calisto remaining in the garden with Melibea Thraso and his companions come sent thither by the appointment of Centurio for the fulfilling of that which hee had promised to Areusa and Elicia Vpon whom Sosia sallies forth Now Calisto hearing from the garden where hee remained with Melibea the clashing and clattering which they made would needes goe foorth amongst them Which issuing forth was the cause that his daies were finished for this is the recompence which such Louers receiue VVhence they may learne that it is better for them not to loue at all then so to loue INTERLOCVTORS Sosia Tristan Calisto Melibea Lucrecia SOsia Softly that wee may not be heard As wee goe from hence to Pleberio's garden I will tell thee all brother Tristan that passed this day betwixt Areusa and my selfe taking my selfe now to be the happiest man in the world Thou shalt vnderstand then that vpon the good report which shee heard of mee shee fell extremely in loue with mee and sent me word by Elicia that I would doe her the kindnesse as to come and speake with her But omitting many other speaches of good counsell which then past betweene vs shee made present shew vnto mee that shee was now as much mine as euer shee was Parmeno's Shee requested mee that I would continually come and visit her and that she did not doubt but that shee should long inioy my loue And I sweare to thee brother by that dangerous way wherein wee walke and as euer any good may heereafter befall mee that twice or thrice it was as much as euer I could doe for my life to forbeare from boording her but that very shame did hinder mee seeing her so faire and so well clad and my selfe in an old Mouse-eaten cloake still as shee moued and aduanced her selfe shee did breathe forth a most sweet and redolent odour of Muske and I neuer stirr'd or heau'd my body but I sent forth a most ranke sent of that horse-dung which had got within my shooes Shee had a hand as white as snow and euer and anon as she pull'd off her gloue thou wouldst haue thought that she had scattered flowres of Orenges about the roome so that as well in regard of this as also because at that time shee was somewhat busie I was content to deferre my boldnesse till another day as likewise because all things at the first sight are not so tractable for the more they are communicated the better are they vnderstood in their participation Tristan 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 wise Sosia and consider with thy selfe if she doe not goe a birâ—ing 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 Sosia O Tristan thou discreete young man more hast thou spoken then could be expected from one of thy yeeres A shrewd suspition hast thou raised in mee and I feare mee too true but because wee are hard by the garden and our Master is close at our heeles let vs breake off this discourse which is too large for the present and deferre it to some fitter opportunity Calisto Doe you heare there Set vp the ladder and see you make no noyse for mee thinkes I heare my Mistresse tongue Sure it is shee she is talking to some body who e'r it be I will get me vp to the top of the wall and there will I stand harkning awhile to see if I can heare from her any good token of her loue to mee in this my absence Melibea Sing on Lucrecia if thou lou'st mee I prythee sing on for it does my heart good to heare thee sing on I say till my Lord come Be not too loud and let vs goe aside into this greene walke that they that passe by may not heare vs Lucrecia O that I kept the Key Which opes to these faire flowers To plucke them day by day When you doe leaue these bowers The Lillies and the Roses Put on their newest colours And when thy Loue reposes They breathe their freshest odours Melibea O how sweet is thy musick to mine eares it makes my heart euen to melt and dissolue for ioy I prythee giue not ouer Lucrecia Sweete is the fount the place I dranke at being drie More sweete Calisto's face In Melibea's eye And though that it be night His sight my heart will cheere And when hee downe shall light O how I 'll clippe my Deare The Wolfe for ioy doth leape To see the Lambkinnes mooue The Kidde ioyes in the teate And thou ioy'st in thy Loue Neuer was louing wight Of 's friend desired so Ne'r Walkes of more delight Nor nights more free from woe Melibea Friend Lucrecia me thinkes I see that which thou singest represented most liuely vnto me me thinks I see him as perfectly with these mine eyes as if hee stood iust before mee Goe on for thou dost exceeding well and with an excellent Ayre I will beare a part with thee and helpe thee as well as I can Melibea and Lucrecia Sweet trees who shade this mold Of earth your heads downe bend When you those eyes behold Of my best-loued friend Faire starres whose bright appeare Doth beautifie the skye Why wake yee not my Deare If he asleeping lie Melibea Heare mee now I prythee I will sing alone Melibea You birds whose warblings prooue Aurora draweth neere Goe flye and tell my Loue That I expect him heere The night doth poasting mooue Yet comes hee not againe God grant some other Loue Doe not my Loue detaine Calisto The sweetnesse of thy voyce hath rauish't mee I cannot endure to let thee liue any longer in a pained expectation O my sweet Mistresse and my lifes happinesse what woman could euer be borne into the world that should be able to depriue thee of thy great deseruingnesse O interrupted melody O musick suddenly broke oft O short-timed pleasure O my deare heart why didst thou not continue thy harmony without interrupting thy ioy and cumplying with both our desires Melibea O pleasing treason O sweete-sudden passion What my Lord my soule Is it hee I cannot beleeue it where hast thou beene thou bright shining Sunne In what place hast thou hid thy brightnesse from me Is it not a pretty while since that thou heard'st mee Why dist thou suffer me to send forth my words into the Ayre senselesse and foolish as they were and in this hoarse Swannish voyce of mine looke on the Moone and see how bright shee shines vpon vs looke on the Cloudes and see how speedily they racke away harken to the gurgling waters of this fountaine how sweet a murmure and what a pretty kind of purling they make rushing along these fresh herbes and pleasant flowres harken to these high Cypresses how one bough makes peace with another by the intercession of a milde gentle temperate wind which moues them to and fro Behold these silent and quiet shades how darke they are and how excellently well prepar'd for the couering and concealing of our sports Lucrecia why how now friend what are you doing art thou turn'd mad with pleasure Let me alone with my Loue touch him not I charge you doe not you plucke and hale him from me doe not burthen his body with your heauy armes Let mee inioy what is mine you shall not possesse any part of my pleasure Calisto Deare Lady and glory of my life if you loue me giue not ouer your singing let not my presence which glads thee be of a worse and more vnfortunate condition then my absence which did grieue thee Melibea Why my Loue would you haue mee sing or how can I sing for my desire of thee was that which ruled my voyce and made mee to ayre my notes But now that thou art come that desire disappeares it is vanished and the Tone of my voyce distempred and out of tune And because you Sir are the patterne of courtesie and good behauiour
how can you in reason require my tongue to speake when as you cannot rule your owne hands and keepe them quiet Why doe not you forget these tricks and learne to leaue them Lay your command vpon them to be quiet and will them to lay aside this offensiue custome and consider my dearest that as to see thee whilest thou carriest thy selfe quietly and ciuilly is the greatest happinesse that eyther my heart or my eye can inioy so is it as displeasing vnto me to see thee handle me so roughly Thy honest sporting pleaseth mee but thy dishonest hands offend mee especially when they are too farre out of reason And though loue ofttimes forget reason yet amongst your well-educated and noble and generous spirits kindnesse keepes a decorum and reuels not but with decency let such Sweet-heart be our imbraces such and so modest be our dalliance my dearest Calisto my Loue my Lord And since I wholy subiect my selfe to your pleasure be it your pleasure to take make such worthy benefit of my affection presence and seruice as best beseemes true Louers and is agreeable to both our high births and breeding But alas silly woman why should I direct you No I will not Doe Calisto doe what you will and say what you will I am yours to vse please your selfe and you shall please mee Calisto Madame ferueney of loue loues not to be idle pardon then I pray you if I haue beene too busie Lucrecia Now neuer trust mee againe if I harken to them any longer Heer 's a life indeede O how I feele my selfe melt within like snow against the Sunne and how squeamish my Mistresse seemes because forsooth shee would faine be intreated Assuredly had I beene in her case and haue lost so much time I should thinke the worse of my selfe the longest day of my life Melibea Sir shall I send Lucrecia to fetch you some sweet-meats Calisto No Lady no other sweet-meats for mee saue onely to imbrace this thy body to fold it within mine armes and to haue the possession of thy beauty Euery where a man may eate and drinke for his money that a man may haue at any time it is euery where to be bought but that which is not vendible that which in all the world is not to be matched and saue onely in this garden not to be found againe from one Pole to the other Why wish you me not rather that I should not let slippe the least moment in inioying so sweete a treasure Lucrecia My head akes with hearing and yet their tongues ake not with talking nor their armes with colling nor their lips with kissing Sure they will make mee gnaw the finger of my gloue all to pieces Calisto O my deare Mistresse I could wish it would neuer be day that I might still inioy that sweet happinesse and fulnesse of content which my senses receiue in the noble conuersing with this thy delicate and dainty sweete Selfe Melibea Sir it is I that inioy this happinesse this fulnesse of content If any body gaine by it it is I and I must acknowledge my selfe most infinitly beholding vnto you that you would vouchsafe to visit mee in so kinde and louing a manner as no thankes are able to requite so great a fauour Sosia Out you Ruffianly Rascals come yee to fright those that feare you not Had I bin ware of your comming or had you staid any longer I would haue sent some of you packing and haue giuen you somewhat that should haue stuck by youâ— Out you Rogues Calisto Madame this is Sosia's voyce suffer mee to goe and see that they doe not kill him for there is no body with him but a little Page that came with me Giue me my cloake quickly it lies vnder you Melibea O vnfortunate that I am I pray do not go without your Curaces If you loue me come back I wil help to arme you my selfe Calisto That Mistresse which a sword a cloak and a good heart cannot doe can neuer be effected by Curace Caske or Cowardice Sosia Yea are you come againe I shall be with you to bring by and by you come for wooll doe you But if you stay a little longer I shall send you home without a fleece I shall plume you I shall you Rascals Calisto Lady if you loue mee let mee goe The ladder stands ready for mee Melibea O miserable mee Why dost thou goe so furiously and so fast and all disarmed as thou art to hazard thy life among'st thou know'st not whom Lucrecia come hither quickly for Calisto is gone to thrust himselfe into a quarrell Let vs take his Curaces and throw them ouer the wall for he hath left them heere behinde him Tristan Stay Sir doe not come downe They are gone it is no body but lame Thraso and a company of other Rogues with him that made a noyse as they past by And Sosia is come backe againe Take heed Sir hold fast by the ladder for feare lest you fall Calisto Oh oh Looke vpon me Ay me I am a dead man oh Tristan Come hither quickly Sosia for our vnfortunate Master is falne from the ladder and neither speakes nor wagges Sosia Master Master doe you heare Sir Let vs call a little at this other doore Hee heares on neyther eare hee is as dead as a doore-nayle there is no more life in him then in my great grand-father who dy'd some hundred yeeres since O foule mishappe What will become of vs Lucrecia Harke harke Madame what a great mischance is this Melibea O wretch that I am what doe I heare Tristan O my Master my master is dead and with him all my happinesse all my good hee is falne headlong downe hee is dead hee is dead and which is a fearefull thing suddenly dead O pittifull pittifull O horrible sight Helpe Sosia helpe to gather vp these braines that lye scattered heere amongst the stones and let vs put them againe into his head O vnfortunate Master O vnlucky day O sudden and vnexpected end Melibea O disconsolate woman that I am What a thing is this What vile mishap that hath thus disturbed our quiet What mischance can possibly proue so cruell as that which I now heare Help mee Lucrecia to get vp this wall that I may see my sorrow vnlesse you will haue mee fill my fathers house with cryes and skrikes What Is all my ioy turned into smoake Is all my pleasure lost All my glory come to an end Lucrecia Tristan wha't 's the matter my Loue why dost thou weepe so bitterly why take you on so beyond all measure reason Tristan I bewaile my great misery I bewaile my many sorrowes My Master Calisto hath falne from the ladder and is dead his head is in three pieces hee dyed suddenly and lamentably torne and dasht to pieces beare this sad message to his new friend that she must neuer more expect her pained Louer Sosia doe thou take vp his feete and let vs carry his body hence that hee may not in
whole world So great was his loue-torment and so little both place and opportunity to speake with me that he was driuen to discouer his passion to a crafty and subtill woman named Celestina which Celestina comming as a suiter vnto mee in his behalfe drew my secret loue from forth my bosome and made mee to manifest that vnto her which I concealed from mine own mother she found the meanes to win me to her will shee made the match betweene vs shee plotted how his desire and mine should take effect And if hee dearely loued me I was not therein deceiued shee made vp that sad conclusion of that sweete and vnfortunate execution of his will and thus being ouer-come with the loue of Calisto I gaue him entrance into your house hee scaled your walls with ladders and brake into your garden brake my chaste purpose by taking from mee the flowre of my Virginity And thus almost this moneth haue wee liu'd in this delightfull errour of loue And as he came this lastnight vnto mee as hee was wont to doe e'en iust about the time that he should haue returned home as ill fortune would haue it who in the mutability of her nature ordereth and disposeth all things according to her disordered custome the walls being high the night darke the ladder light and weake his seruants that brought it vnacquainted with that kinde of seruice hee going downe somewhat hastily to see a fray which he heard in the streete betweene his seruants and some others that then passed by being in choller making more haste then good speed thinking he should neuer come soone enough not eying well his steps he sets his foot quite besides the rounds and so fell downe and with that wofull and vnfortunate fall hee pitcht vpon his head and had his braines beaten out and dasht in pieces against the stones and pauement of the streete Thus did the destinies cut off his thred thus cut off his life without confession cut off my hope cut off my glory cut off my company Things therefore being thus tell me father What cruelty were it in me he dying disbrained that I should liue pained all the daies of my life His death inuiteth mine inuiteth nay inforceth mee that it be speedily effected and without delay it teacheth mee that I should also fall headlong down that I may imitate him in all things It shall not be said of mee that those that are dead and gone are soone forgotten And therefore I will seeke to content him in my death since I had not time to giue him content in my life O my Loue and deare Lord Calisto expect mee for now I come But stay a little though thou dost expect mee and be not angry I prythee that I delay thee being that I am now paying my last debt and giuing it my finall account to my aged father to whom I owe much more O my best beloued father I beseech you if euer you did loue mee in this painefull forepassed life that we may both be interred in one Tombe and both our Obsequies be solemnized together I would faine speake some words of comfort vnto you before this my gladsome and well-pleasing end gathered and collected out of those ancient bookes which for the bettering of my wit and vnderstanding you willed me to reade were it not that my memory failes me being troubled and disquieted with the losse and death of my Loue as also because I see your ill indured teares trickle so fast downe your wrinckled cheekes Recommend mee to my most deare and best-beloued mother and doe you informe her at large of the dolefull occasion of my death I am glad with all my heart that shee is not heere present with you for her sight would but increase my sorrow Take aged father the gifts of old age for in large daies large griefes are to be endured Receiue the pledge and earnest of thy reuerend age receiue it at the hands of thy beloued daughter I sorrow much for my selfe more for you but most for my aged mother and so I recommend me to you both and both of you vnto your more happinesse to whom I offer vp my soule leauing the care to you to couer this body that is now comming downe vnto you ACTVS XXI THE ARGVMENT PPLEBERIO returning weeping to his chamber his wife Alisa demands the cause of this so sudden an ill Hee relates vnto her the death of her daughter Melibea shewing vnto her her bruised body and so making lamentation for her hee giues a conclusion to this Tragick Comedy INTERLOCVTORS Alisa Pleberio ALisa Why Pleberio my Lord what 's the matter why doe you weepe and snobbe and take on in such extreme and violent manner I haue lyen euer since in a dead swound so was I ouercome with griefe when I heard that our daughter was so ill And now hearing your pittifull lamentations your loude cryings your vnaccustomed complaints your mournings and great anguish they haue so pierced my very bowels made so quicke a passage to my heart and haue so quickned and reuiued my troubled and benummed senses that I haue now put away the griefe which I entertained thus one griefe driues out another and sorrow expelleth sorrow Tell mee the cause of your complaint Why doe you curse your honorable old age Why do you desire death Why doe you teare your milke-white hayres vp by the roates Why doe you scratch and rend your reuerend face Is any ill befalne Melibea For I pray you tell mee for if shee be not well I cannot liue Pleberio Out alas Ay mee my most noble wife Our solace is in the suds our ioy is turn'd into annoy all our conceiued hopes are vtterly lost all our happinesse is quite ouerthrowne let vs now no longer desire to liue And because vnexpected sorrowes leaue a greater impression of griefe and because they may bring thee the sooner to thy graue as also that I may not alone by my selfe bewayle that heauy losse which belongs to vs both looke out and behold her whom thou broughtst forth and I begot dash't and broken all to pieces The cause I vnderstood from her selfe but layd open more at large by this her sadde and sorrowfull seruant Helpe to lament these our latter daies which are now growing to an end O yee good people who come to behold my sorrowes and you Gentlemen my louing friends doe you also assist to bewayle my misery O my daughter and my onely good it were cruelty in mee that I should out-liue thee My threescore yeeres were fitter for the graue then thy twenty but the order of my dying was altred by that extremity of griefe which did hasten thy end O yee my boary hayres growne foorth to no other end saue sorrow it would better haue suted with you to haue beene buryed in the earth then with these golden tresses which lye heere before mee Too too many are the dayes that I haue yet to liue I will complaine and cry out
lesse reason doe I finde for my comfort for much more miserable doe I finde my misfortune and doe not so much grieue at her death as I doe lament the manner of her death Now shall I lose together with thee most vnhappy daughter those feares which were daily wont to affright mee Onely thy death is that which makes mee secure of all suspitions and iealousies What shall I doe when I shall come into thy chamber and thy withdrawing roome and shall finde it solitary and empty What shall I doe when as I shall call thee and thou shalt not answer me Who is he that can supply that want which thou hast caused Who can stop vp that great breach in my heart which thou hast made Neuer any man did lose that which I haue lost this day Thogh in some sort that great fortitude of Lambas de Auria Duke of Genoa seemeth to sute with my present estate and condition who seeing his sonne was wounded to death tooke him and threw him with his owne armes foorth of the shippe into the sea But such kinde of deaths as these though they take away life yet they giue reputation and many times men are inforced to vndergoe such actions for to cumply with their honour and get themselues fame and renowne But what did inforce my daughter to dye but onely the strong force of loue What remedy now thou flattering world wilt thou affoord my wearisome age How wouldst thou haue me to rely vpon thee I knowing thy falsehoods thy gins thy snares and thy nets wherein thou intrap'st and takest our weake and feeble wills Tell me what hast thou done with my daughter where hast thou bestow'd her 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 O thou enemy to all reason To those that serue thee least thou giuest thy greatest rewards vntill thou hast brought them at last into this thy troublesome dance Thou art an enemy to thy friends and a friend to thy enemies and all this is because thou dost not gouerne thy selfe according to order reason They paint thee blind poore and young they put a Bowe into thy hand wherein thou drawest and shootest at random but more blind are they that serue thee For they neuer taste or see the vnsauory distastful recompence which they receiue by thy seruice thy fire is of hot burning lightning which scorches vnto death yet leaues no impression or print of any wound at all The sticks which thy flames consume are the soules and liues of humane creatures which are so infinit and so numberlesse that it scarce accurreth vnto me with whom I should first begin not only of Christians but of Gentiles of Iewes and all forsooth in requitall of their good seruices What shall I speak of that Macias of our times and how by louing he came to his end Of whose sad and wofull death thou wast the sole cause What seruice did Paris do thee What Helena What Clytemnestra What Aegisthus All the world knowes how it went with them How well likewise didst thou requite Sapho Ariadne and Leander and many other besides whom I willingly silence because I haue enough to do in the repetition of mine own misery I complaine me of the world because I was bred vp in it for had not the world giuen me life I had not therein begot Melibea not being begot shee had not beene borne not being borne I had not lou'd her and not louing her I should not haue mourned as now I do in this my latter and vncomfortable old age O my good companion O my bruised daughter bruised euen all to pieces Why wouldst thou not suffer me to diuert thy death why wouldst thou not take pitty of thy kinde and louing mother why didst thou shew thy selfe so cruell against thy aged father why hast thou left me thus in sorrow why hast thou left me comfortlesse and all alone in hâc lachrimarum valle in this vaile of teares and shadow of death FINIS Lucan lib. 6. iuxta finem To the Reader LO heere thy Celestine that wicked wight Who did her tricks vpon poore Louers prooue And in her company the god of Loue Lo grace beauty desire terrour hope fright Faith falsehood hate loue musicke griefe delight Sighes sobs teares cares heates colds girdle gloue Paintings Mercury Sublimate dung of Doue Prison force fury craft scoffes Art despight Bawds Ruffians Harlots seruants false vntrue And all th' effects that follow on the same As warre strife losse death infamy and shame All which and more shall come vnto thy view But if this Booke speake not his English plaine Excuse him for hee lately came from Spaine