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
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
I will call to him to come vp for my sake shew him good countenance take notice of him speake kindly vnto him entertaine him friendly and if you thinke fit let him inioy you and you him and both one another for though he gayne much I am sure you shall lose nothing by the bargaine Areusa Mother I am not ignorant that as well these as all other your former speeches vnto me haue euer beene directed to my good and benefit but how is it possible that I should doe this that you would now haue mee For you know to whom I am bound to giue an account as already you haue heard and if hee know I play false he will kill me My neighbours they are enuious and malicious and they will straight-way acquaint him therewith And say that no great ill should befall me saue only the losing of his loue it will be more then I shall gaine by giuing contentment to him for whom you intreate or rather command mee Celest. For this feare of yours my selfe haue already prouided for wee entred in very softly Areusa Nay I doe not speake for this night but for many other that are to come Tush were it but for one night I would not care Celestina What Is this your fashion Is this the manner of your carriage And you vse these niceties you shall neuer haue a house with a double roome but liue like a begger all the daies of your life What are you afraide of our Sweet-heart now he is absent What would you then doe were he now in Towne It hath euer beene my ill fortune to giue counsell vnto fooles such as cannot see their owne good say what I will they will erre still stand in their owne light But I doe not much wonder at it For though the world be wide yet there are but few wise in it Great is the largenesse of the earth but small the number of those that haue experience Ha daughter Did you but see your cousins wisedome or but know what benefit my breeding and counsell hath brought her how cunning how witty and what a Mistresse in her arte you would be of another minde say what I will vnto her shee patiently indures my reprehensions shee hearkens to my aduice and does all what I will haue her doe shee will sometimes boast that shee hath at one time had one in bed with her another wayting at the doore and a third sighing for her within the house and yet hath giuen good satisfaction to them all And art thou afraide who hast but two to deale withall Can one cock fill all thy Cisternes One conduit-pipe water all thy Court If this be your diet you may chance to rise a hungred you shall haue no meate left against another time I will not rent your fragments I cannot liue vpon scraps One could neuer please mee I could neuer place all my affection vpon one two can doe more then one they giue more and they haue more to giue It goes hard Daughter with that Mouse that hath but one hole to trust to for if that be stopt shee hath no meanes to hide her selfe from the Cat he that hath but one eye you see in what danger he goes One sole Act maketh not a Habit It is a rare and strange thing to see a Partridge flye single to feed alwaies vpon one dish brings a loathing to the stomacke one Swallow makes not a Summer one witnesse alone is of no validitie in Law Hee that hath but one suite of clothes and shee that hath but one gowne to her backe quickly weares them out What would you doe daughter with this number of one Many more inconueniences can I tell thee of this single soale number if one may be a number If you be wise be neuer without two for it is a laudable and commendable company as you may see it in your selfe who hath two eares two feet and two hands two sheets vpon one bed and two smockes wherewith to shift you and the more you haue the better it is for you for still as it is in the Prouerbe The more Moores the better market and honour without profit is no other but as a Ring vpon the finger And because one Sacke cannot hold them both apply your selfe to your profit Sonne Parmeno come vp Areusa O let him not come vp if you loue mee the pockes be my death if I am not ready to swound to thinke on 't I know not what to doe for very shame Nay fie mother what meane you to call him vp you know that I haue no acquaintance with him I neuer exchang'd a word with him in all my life Fye how I am ashamed Celest. I am here with thee wench I who will stand betwixt him and thee I will quit thee of this shame and will couer thee close and speake for you both For hee is as bashfull as you for your life Parme. Gentlewoman heauens preserue this gracious presence of yours Areusa You are welcome gentle Sir Celest. Come hither you Asse whither goe you now to sit moping downe in a corner Come come be not so shamefast for it was the bashfull man whom the Diuell brought to Court for hee was sure he should get nothing there hearken both of you what I shall now say vnto you You my friend Parmeno know already what I promist you and you daughter what I intreated at your hands Laying aside therefore the difficultie in drawing thee to grant that which I desired few words I conceiue to be best because the time will not permit mee to be long He for his part hath hitherto liu'd in great paine and griefe for your sake and therefore you seeing his torment I know you will not kill him and I likewise know that your selfe liketh so well of him that it shall not be amisse that he stay with you heere this night in the house Areusa For my mayden-heads sake mother let it not be so pray doe not command it me Parme. Mother as you loue my life as you loue goodnesse let me not goe hence vntill we be well agreed for shee hath wounded me with her eyes to death and I must dye through loue vnlesse you helpe me offer her all that which my father left with you for me tell her I will giue her all that I haue Besides doe you heare Tell her that me thinks she will not vouchsafe to looke vpon me Areusa What doth this Gentleman whisper in your eare Thinks he that I will not performe ought of your request Celest. No daughter no such matter he saies that he is very glad of your good loue and friendship because you are so honest and so worthy and that any benefit shall light well that shall fall vpon you Come hither Modesty Come hither you bashfull foole Areusa He will not be so vnciuill as to enter into another bodies ground without leaue especially when it lies in seuerall Celest. So vnciuill Doe you stand vpon leaue Would you
such a false-hearted white-liuer'd slaue that I should beleeue him and his lies that I should once suffer him to come within my doores What a diuell is there good in him his hayre is curled and shagg'd like a water Spaniell his face scotcht and notcht he hath beene twice whipt vp and downe the Towne hee is lame on his sword-arme and hath some thirty whores in the common Stewes Get thee out of my house and that presently too looke mee no more in the face speake not to mee no not a word neyther say thou that thou did'st euer know mee lest by the bones of my father who begot me of my mother who brought me forth I cause 2000 Bastinadoes to be laid vpon that Millers backe of thine For I would thou shouldst know I haue a friend in a corner that will not sticke to doe a greater matter then that for mee and come off handsomely with it when he has done Centurio The foole is mad I thinke But doe you heare Dame if I be nettled I shall sting some body if my choller be moued I shall drawe teares from some I shall make some body put finger in the eye I shall yfaith But for once I will goe my wayes and say nothing I will suffer all this at your hands lest some body may come in or the neighbours chance to heare vs Elicia I will in for that is no true sound of sorrow which sends forth threatnings and reuilings Areusa O wretch that I am Is 't you my Elicia I can hardly beleeue it But what meanes this Who hath cloath'd thee thus in sorrow What mourning weede is this Beleeue mee Cousin you much afright mee Tell me quickly what 's the matter For I long to know it O what a qualme comes ouer my stomack Thou hast not left me one drop of bloud in my body Elicia Great sorrow great losse that which I shew is but little to that which I feele and conceale My heart is blacker then my mantle my bowels then my veyle Ah Cousin Cousin I am not able to speake through hoarsenesse I cannot for sobbing send my words from out my brest Areusa Ay miserable mee why dost thou hold me in suspence Tell mee tell mee I say doe not you teare your hayre doe not you scratch and martyre your face deale not so ill with your selfe Is this euill common to vs both Appertaines it also vnto mee Elicia Ay my Cousin my deare Loue Sempronio and Parmeno are now no more they liue not they are no longer of this world dead alasse they are dead Areusa What dost thou tell mee No more I intreat thee for pitty hold thy peace lest I fall downe dead at thy feet Elicia There is yet more ill newes to come vnto thine eares Listen well to this wofull wight and shee shall tell thee a longer Tale of woe thy sorrowes haue not yet their end Celestina shee whom thou knewst well shee whom I esteemed as my Mother shee who did cocker mee as her childe shee who did couer all my infirmities shee who made me to be honoured amongst my equals shee by whose meanes I was knowne thorow all the City and suburbs of the same stands now rendring vp an account of all her works I saw her with these eyes stabb'd in a thousand places They slew her in my lap I folding her in mine armes Areusa O strong tribulation O heauy newes worthy our bewayling O swift-footed misfortunes O incurable destruction O inrreparable losse O how quickly hath fortune turned about her wheele Who slew them How did they dye Thou hast made mee almost besides my selfe with this thy newes and to stand amazed as one who heares a thing that seemes to be impossible It is not eight dayes agoe since I saw them all aliue Tell me good friend How did this cruell and vnlucky chance happen Elicia You shall know I am sure Cousin you haue already heard tell of the loue betwixt Calisto and that foole Melibea And you likewise saw how Celestina at the intercession of Sempronio so as shee might be paid for her paines vndertooke the charge of that businesse and to be the meanes to effect it for him wherein shee vsed such diligence and was so carefull in the following of it that shee drew water at the second spitting Now when Calisto saw so good and so quicke a dispatch which he neuer hoped to haue effected amongst diuers other things hee gaue this my vnfortunate Aunt a chaine of gold And as it is the nature of that metall that the more we drinke thereof the more wee thirst shee when she saw her selfe so rich appropriated the whole gaine to her selfe and would not let Sempronio and Parmeno haue their parts it being before agreed vpon betweene them that whatsoeuer Calisto gaue her they should share it alike Now they being come home weary one morning from accompaning their Master with whom they had beene abroad all night being in great choller and heate vpon I know not what quarrells and brawles as they themselues said that had betyded them they demanded part of the chayne of Celestina for to relieue themselues therewith Shee stood vpon deniall of any such couenant or promise made betweene them affirming the whole gaine to be due to her and discouering withall other petty matters of some secrecie For as it in the Prouerbe when Gossips brawle then out goes all So that they being mightily inraged on the one side necessity did vrge them which rents and breaks all the loue in the world on the other side the great anger and wearinesse they brought thither with them which many times workes an alteration in vs And besides they saw that they were forsaken in their fayrest hopes shee breaking her faith and promise with them So that they knew not in the world what to do and so continued a great while vpon termes with her some hard words passing to and fro betweene them But in the end perceiuing her couetous disposition and finding that she still perseuered in her denyall they layd hands vpon their swords and hackt and hew'd her in a thousand pieces Areusa O vnfortunate woman Wast thou ordained to end thy dayes in so miserable a manner as this But for them I pray what became of them How came they to their end Elicia They as soone as euer they had committed this foule murder that they might auoyde the Iustice the Alcalde passing by by chance at that very instant made mee no more adoe but leapt presently out at the windowes and being in a manner dead with the fall they presently apprehended them and without any further delay chopt off their heads Areusa O my Parmeno my loue what sorrow doe I feele for thy sake How much doth thy death torment mee It grieues me for that my great loue which in so short a space I had settled vpon him sithence it was not my fortune to inioy him longer But being that this ill successe hath insued being that this
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
been questioned For without any contradiction they would all of them haue yeelded and ioyntly haue giuen their consent that Melibea should haue borne it from them so that it should rather haue been called the Apple of concord then of discord Besides as many women as are now borne and doe know her curse themselues and their fortune complaining of heauen because it did not remember them when it made her consuming as well their bodies as their liues with enuy being ready to eat their owne flesh for very anger still augmenting martyrdomes to themselues thinking to equall that perfection by arte which Nature had bestowed vpon her without any labour They pill and dis-haire their eye-browes with nippers with playsters of Pitch or Barme and other the like instruments They seeke after Wall-wort and the like hearbs roots sprigs and flowres to make Lyes wherewithall to bring their haire to the colour of hers spoyling and martyring their faces clothing them with diuers colourings glissenings paintings vnctions oyntments strong waters white and red pargetings which to auoide prolixity I repeate not Now iudge then whether shee whom Nature hath so richly beautified be worthy the loue and seruice of so meane a man as my selfe Celest. Sempronio I vnderstand your meaning but giue him leaue to runne on for he will fall anon from his Asse and then his iourney will be at an end you shall see he will come by and by to a full poynt and so conclude Calisto In her Nature as in a glasse did wholy behold her selfe that she might make her most absolutely perfect for those graces which she had diffused vnto diuers she had ioyntly vnited them in her and ouer-viewed this her worke with so curious an eye that nothing might be added to make it fairer To the end that they might know who had the happinesse to see her the worthinesse and excellency of her Painter only a little faire Fountaine-water with a combe of yuorie is sufficient without any other slibber-slabbers to make her surpasse all other of her Sexe in beauty and courtesie These are her weapons with these she kils and ouer-comes and with these hath she bound mee in so hard and strong a chaine that I must for euer remaine her prisoner Celestina Sir put a period to your words trouble your selfe no more for this chaine which shackles thee is not so strong but my file is as sharpe to cut it in sunder which I will doe for thee that thou mayst be at liberty And therefore giue me now licence to take my leaue of you For it growes very late and let me haue the girdle aâ—ng with me For you know I must needs vse it Calisto O disconsolate that I am my misforunes still pursue me for with thee or with this girdle or with both I would willingly haue beene accompanied all this darke and tedious night But because there is no perfect happinesse in this our painefull and vnhappy life let solitarinesse wholy possesse my soule and cares be my continuall companions What ho Where be these men Why Parmeno I say Parmeno Heere Sir Calisto Accompany this Matrone home to her house and as much pleasure and ioy goe with her as sorrow and woe doth stay with me Celest. Sir fare you well To morrow I shall make my returne and visit you againe not doubting but my gowne and her answer shall meete heere together for now time doth not serue And in the interim let me intreate you to be patient Settle your thoughts vpon some other things and doe not so much as once thinke vpon her Calisto Not thinke vpon her It is impossible Nay it were prophane to forget her for whom my life onely pleaseth mee ACTVS VIJ. THE ARGVMENT CELESTINA talkes with Parmeno inducing him to concord and amitte with Sempronio Parmeno puts her in mind of the promise she made him for the hauing of Areusa whom he exceedingly loued They goe to Areusa's house where that night Parmeno remained Celestina hies her home to her owne house and knocking at the doore Elicia opens it vnto her blaming her for her tarrying so long INTERLOCVTORS Celestina Parmeno Areusa Elicia CElestina Parmeno my sonne since we last talkt together I haue not had any fit opportunitie to expresse vnto thee the infinitenesse of that loue which I beare vnto thee and as all the world can well witnesse for mee how well I haue spoken of thee in thy absence Euery man eare hath beene filled with the good reports I haue made of thee The reason thereof I need not to repeate for I euer held thee to be my sonne at least by adoption and therefore thought thou wouldst haue shew'd thy selfe more naturall and louing towards me But in stead thereof thou gau'st me bad payment euen to my face crossing whatsoeuer I said thinking ill of all that I spake whispering and murmuring against me in the presence of Calisto I was well perswaded that after thou hadst once yeelded to my good counsell that you would not haue turned your heele and kickt against me as you did nor haue falne off from your promise But notwithstanding all this I perceiue some old relique yet still remaining of my former folly And so speaking rather to satisfie thine owne humor then that thou canst render any reason for it thou dost hinder thy selfe of profit to giue thy tongue contentment Heare me my sonne if thou hast not heard me already Looke I say and consider with thy selfe that I am old and well strucken in yeeres and good counsell only lodgeth with the elder sort it being proper to youth to follow pleasure and delight But my hope is that of this thy errour thy youth onely is in fault and I trust that you will beare your selfe better towards mee heereafter and that you will alter your ill purpose together with your tender yeeres For as it is in the Prouerbe Our customes suffer change together with our hayres and wee vary our disposition as we vary our yeeres I speake this my sonne because as we grow in age so grow we in experience new things daily offring themselues to our view for youth lookes no farther then to things present occupying his eie only in that he sees set before him but riper yeeres omit neither things present things past nor things to come And sonne Parmeno if you would but bethink your selfe of the loue I haue heeretofore borne you I know it cannot escape your knowledge that the first nights lodging that you tooke when you were a stranger and came newly to this City was in my house But you young men care not for vs that are old but gouerne your selues according to the sauour and relish of your owne palates you neuer think that you haue or shall haue need of vs you neuer thinke vpon sicknesse you neuer think that this flowre of your youth shall fade But doe you heare me my friend and marke what I say vnto you That in such cases of necessitie as these an old
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
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
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
expect that which I doe when thou strikest twelue thou wouldst neuer indure to bee tyed to the will of the master that made thee O yee hyematicall and winterly months which now hide your heads and liue in darknes and obscurity Why haste yee not to cut off these tedious daies with your longer nights Me thinks it is almost a yeere since I saw that sweete comfort and most delightfull refreshing of my trauels But what doe I aske Why like a foole doe I out of impatiencie desire that which neuer either was or shall bee For your naturall courses did neuer learne to wheele away For to all of them there is an equall course to all of them one and the selfe-same space and time Not so much as to life and death but there is a settled and limited end The secret motions of the high firmament of heauen of the Planets and the North-starre and of the increase and wane of the Moone all of these are ruled with an equall reyne all of these are moued with an equall spurre Heauen Earth Sea Fire Wind Heate and Cold What will it benefit me that this clocke of yron should strike twelue if that of heauen doe not hammer with it And therefore though I rise neuer so soone it will neuer the sooner be day But thou my sweete Imagination thou who canst onely helpe me in this case bring thou vnto my Phantasie the vnparaleld presence of that glorious Image Cause thou to come vnto my eares that sweete Musicke of her words those her vnwilling hangings off without profit that her prety I prythee leaue off Forbeare good Sir if you loue me Touch me not Doe not deale so discourteously with me Out of whose ruddy lips me thinks I heare these words still sound Doe not seek my vndoing which she would euermore be out withall Besides those her amorous imbracements betwixt euery word that her loosing of her selfe from me and clypping mee againe that her flying from mee and her comming to mee those her sweete sugred Kisses and that her last salutation wherewith shee tooke her leaue of mee O with what paine did it issue from her mouth with what resuscitation of her spirits with how many teares which did seeme to be so many round pearles which did fall without any noyse from her cleare and resplendent eyes Sosia What thinkst thou of Calisto How hath he slept It is now vpon foure of the clocke in the after-noone and he hath neyther as yet called vs nor eaten any thing Tristan Hold your peace for sleepe requires no haste Besides on the one side he is oppressed with sadnes and melancholy for his seruants and on the other side transported with that gladsome delight and singular great pleasure which he hath inioyed with his Melibea And thou know'st that where two such strong and contrary passions meete in whomsoeuer they shall house themselues with what forcible violence they will worke vpon a weake and feeble subiect Sosia Dost thou thinke that he takes any great griefe and care for those that are dead If she did not grieue more whom I see here out of the window goe along the street she would not weare a vayle that colour as she does Tristan Who is that brother Sosia Come hither and see her before she be past Seest thou that mournefull mayd which wipes the teares from her eyes That is Elicia Celestina's seruant and Sempronio's friend she is a good pretty handsome wel-fauoured wench though now poore soule shee be left to the wide world and forsaken of all For shee accounted Celestina her mother and Sempronio her chiefest and best friend And in that house where you see her now enter there dwels a very fayre woman she is exceeding wel-fauoured very fresh and louely she is halfe Courtezane yet happy is hee and counts himselfe so to be that can purchase her fauour at an easie rate and winne her to be his friend Her name is Areusa for whose sake I know that vnfortunate and poore Parmeno indured many a miserable night And I know that shee poore soule is nothing pleased with his death ACTVS XV. THE ARGVMENT AREVSA vtters iniurious speaches to a Ruffian called Centurio who takes his leaue of her occasioned by the comming in of Elicia which Elicia recounts vnto Areusa the deaths which had insued vpon the loue of Calisto and Melibea And Areusa and Elicia agree and conclude together that Centurio should reuenge the death of all those three vpon the two young Louers This done Elicia takes her leaue of Areusa and would not be intreated to stay because shee would not lose her market at home in her accustomed Lodging INTERLOCVTORS Elicia Centurio Areusa ELicia What ayles my Cousin that shee cries and takes on as shee does It may be shee hath already heard of that ill newes which I came to bring her if she haue I shall haue no reward of her for my heauy tydings So weepe weepe on weepe thy belly-full let thine eyes breake their banks and ouerflow thy bosome with an eternall deluge for two such men were not euery where to be had it is some ease yet vnto mee that shee so risents the matter and hath so true a feeling of their deaths Doe teare and rent thy hayre as I poore soule haue done before thee and thinke and consider with thy selfe that to fall from a happy life is more miserable then death it selfe O how I hugge her in my heart How much more then euer heeretofore doe I now loue her that she can expresse her passion in such liuely colours and paint forth sorrow to it 's perfect and true life Areusa Get thee out of my house thou ruffianly Rascall thou lying companion thou cheating Scoundrell thou hast deluded mee thou Villaine thou hast plai'd bob-foole with mee by thy vaine and idle offers and with thy faire words and flattering speaches A pocks on that smooth tongue of thine thou hast rob'd me of all that I haue I gaue thee you Rogue a Ierkin and a Cloake a Sword and a Buckler and a couple of Shirts wrought with a thousand deuices all of needle-worke I furnished thee with armes and a Horse and placed thee with such a Master as thou wast not worthy to wipe his shooes And now that I intreat thee to do a businesse for mee thou makest a thousand friuolous excuses Centurio Command mee to kill tenne men to doe you seruice rather then to put me to walke a League on foot for you Areusa Why then did you play away your horse You must be a Dicer with a murraine had it not beene for mee thou hadst beene hang'd long since Thrice haue I freed thee from the gallowes foure times haue I disimpawnd thee first from this and then from that Ordinary when as thou might'st haue rotted in prison had not I redeem'd thee and paid thy debts O that I should haue any thing to doe with such a Villaine that I should be such a foole that I should haue any affiance in
mischance hath hapned and being that their liues now lost cannot be bought or restored by teares doe not thou vexe thy selfe so much in grieuing and weeping out thine eyes I grieue as much and beleeue thou hast but little aduantage of mee in thy sorrowing and yet thou seest with what patience I beare it and passe it ouer Elicia O! I grow mad O wretch that I am I am ready to run out of my wits Ay me there is not any bodies griefe that is like to mine there is not any body that hath lost that which I haue lost O how much better and more honest had my teares beene in another persons passion then mine owne whither shall I goe for I haue lost both money meate drinke and clothes I haue lost my friend and such a one that had hee beene my husband hee could not haue beene more kinde vnto mee O thou wise Celestina thou much honoured Matrone and of great authority how often did'st thou couer my faults by thy singular wisdome Thou took'st paines whil'st I tooke pleasure thou went'st abroad whil'st I staid at home thou went'st in tatters and ragges whil'st I did ruffle in Silkes and Satens thou still camest home like a Bee continually laden whil'st I did nothing but spend and play the vnthrift for I knew not else what to doe O thou worldly happinesse and ioy which whilest thou art possessed art the lesse esteemed Nor' dost thou euer let vs know what thou art till we know that thou art not finding our losse greater by wanting then in inioying thee neuer knowing what we haue till we haue thee not O Calisto and Melibea occasioners of so many deaths let some ill attend vpon your loue let your sweete meate haue some sowre sauce your pleasure paine let your ioy be turned into mourning the pleasant flowres whereon you tooke your stolne solace let them be turned into Serpents and Snakes your songs let them be turned into howlings the shady trees of the garden let them be blasted and withered with your looking on them your sweet senting blossomes and buddes let them be blacke and dismall to behold Areusa Good Cousin content your selfe I pray be quiet inioyne silence to your complaints stop the Couduit-pipes to your teares wipe your eyes take heart againe vnto you For when fortune shuts one gate she vsually sets open another and this estate of yours though it be neuer so much broken it will be soldred and made whole againe And many things may be reuenged which are impossible to be remedied whereas this hath a doubtfull remedy and a ready reuenge Elicia But by whom shall we mend our selues Of whom shall we be reuenged when as her death and those that slew her haue brought all this affliction and anguish vpon mee Nor doth the punishment of the delinquent lesse grieue me then the errour they committed What would you haue me to do when as all the burthen lies vpon my shoulders I would with all my heart that I were now with them that I might not lie heere to lament and bewaile them all as I doe And that which grieues mee most is to see that for all this that Villaine Calisto who hath no sense nor feeling of his seruants deaths goes euery night to see and visit his filth Melibea feasting and solacing himselfe in her company whilest she growes proud glorying to see so much bloud to be sacrificed to her seruice Areusa If this be true of whom can wee reuenge our selues better And therefore hee that hath eaten the meate let him pay the shot leaue the matter to mee let me alone to deale with them For if I can but tracke them or but once find the sent of their footing or but haue the least inkling in the world when how where and at what houre they visit one another neuer hold me true daughter to that old pasty-wench whom you knew full well if I doe not giue them sowre sauce to their sweete meate and make that their loue distastefull which now they swallow downe with delight and if I imploy in this businesse that Ruffian whom you found mee rayling against when you came into the house if he proue not a worse Executioner for Calisto then Sempronio was for Celestina neuer trust me more O! how quickely the Villaine would fat himselfe with ioy and how happy would hee hold himselfe if I would but impose any seruice vpon him for he went away from me very sad and heauy to see how coursely I vsed him and should I but now send for him againe and speake kindly vnto him he would thinke himselfe taken vp in some strange sweet rapture so much will he be rauished with ioy And therefore tell me Cousin how I may learne how this businesse goes for I will set such a trap for them as if they be taken in it shall make Melibea weepe as much as now she laugheth Elicia Mary I know sweete Cousin another companion of Parmeno's Calisto's groome of the stable whose name is Sosia who accompanies him euery night that hee goes I will see what I can suck from him and this I suppose will be a very good course for the matter you talke of Areusa But heare you me Cousin I pray doe me the kindnesse to send Sosia hither vnto me I will take him in hand a little I will entertaine talke with him and one while I will so flatter him another while make him such faire offers that in the end I will diue into him and reach the very depth of his heart and learne from him as well what hath beene already as what is to be done heereafter At least learne so much as we desire to know or may serue our turne and when I shall haue effected this I will make him and his Master to vomit vp all the pleasure they haue eaten And thou Elicia that art as deare to me as mine owne soule doe not you vexe your selfe any more but bring your apparell and such implements as you haue and come and liue with mee for there where you are you shall remaine all alone and sadnesse you know is a friend to solitarinesse What wench anew Loue will make thee forget the old one Sonne that is borne will repaire the loue of three that be dead With a new successour we receiue a new the ioyfull memory and lost delights of forepassed times If I haue a loafe of bread or a penny in my purse thou shalt haue halfe of it And I haue more compassion of thy sorrow then of those that did cause it True it is that the losse of that doth grieue a man more which hee already possesseth then the hope of the like good can glad him be it neuer so certaine You see the matter is past all remedy and dead men cannot be recald you know the old saying Fie vpon this weeping let them dye and we liue As for the rest that remaine behinde leaue that to me I will take order for Calisto and Melibea and I
haue risen a little earlier Harke harke good Mistresse Melibea harke I say Melibea What does the foole there sneaking in the corner Lucrecia Come hither Madame and you shall heare how forward your father and mother are for to prouide you a husband you shall be married out of hand out of hand Madame Melibea For all loues sake speake softly they will heare you by and by let them talke on they beginne to doat for this month they haue had no other talke their minde hath runne on nothing else it may be their heart tels them of the great loue which I beare to Calisto as also of that which for this months space hath passed between vs I know not whether they haue had any inkling of our meeting or whether they haue ouer-heard vs nor can I deuise in the world what should be the reason why they should be so hot vpon the matter and more eager for the marrying of mee now then euer heeretofore but they shall misse of their purpose they shall labour it in vaine for to what vse serues the clapper in the Mil if the Miller be deafe Who is he that can remoue me from my glory Who can withdraw me from my pleasure Calisto is my Soule my Life my Lord on whom I haue set vp my rest and in whom I haue placed all my hopes I know that in him I cannot be deceiued And since that hee loues me with what other thing but loue can I requite him All the debts in the world receiue their payment in a diuers kind but loue admits no other payment but loue I glad my selfe in thinking on him I delight my selfe in seeing him and reioyce my selfe in hearing him Let him doe with mee what he will and dispose of me at his pleasure if he will goe to Sea I will goe with him if hee will round the world I will along with him if he will sell mee for a slaue in the enemies Countrey I will not resist his desire Let my Parents let me inioy him if they meane to inioy me let them not settle their thoughts vpon these vanities nor thinke no more vpon those their marriages For it is better to be well belou'd then ill married and a good friend is better then a bad husband Let them suffer mee to inioy the pleasure of my youth if they minde to iniov any quietnesse in their age if not they will but prepare destruction for me and for themselues a Sepulchre I grieue for nothing more then for the time that I haue lost in not inioying him any sooner and that hee did not know me as soone as he was knowne vnto me I will no husband I will not fully the knots of matrimony nor treade against the matrimoniall steppes of another man nor walke in the way of wedlocke with a stranger as I finde many haue done in those ancient bookes which I haue read which were farre more discreete and wiser then my selfe and more noble in their estate and Linage whereof some were held among the heathens for goddesses as was Venus the mother of Eneas and of Cupid the god of loue who being married broke her plighted troth of wedlocke as likewise diuers others who were inflamed with a greater fire and did commit most nefarious and incestuous errors as Myrrha with her father Semyramis with her sonne Canace with her brother others also in a more cruell and beastly fashion did transgresse the Law of Nature as Pasiphae the wife of King Minos with a Bull and these were Queenes and great Ladies vnder whose faults considering the foulnesse of them mine may passe as reasonable without note of shame or dishonesty My loue was grounded vpon a good and iust cause and a farre more lawfull ground I was wooed and sued vnto and captiuated by Calisto's good deserts being thereunto solicited by that subtil and cunning Mistris in her Art Dame Celestina who aduentured her selfe in many a dangerous Visit before that euer I would yeeld my selfe true prisoner to his loue And now for this month and more as you your selfe haue seene hee hath not failed no not so much as one night but hath still scaled our garden walls as if hee had come to the scaling of a fort and many times hath beene repulsed and assaulted it in vaine being driuen to withdraw his siege And yet for all this hee continued more constant and resolute still and neuer would giue ouer as one that thought his labour to be well bestowed For my sake his seruants haue beene slaine for my sake hee hath wasted and consumed his substance for my sake hee hath fayned absence with all his friends in the City and all day long hee hath had the patience to remaine close prisoner in his owne house and onely vpon hope wherein hee counted himselfe happy to see mee in the night Farre farre therefore from mee be all ingratitude farre be all flattery and dissimulation towards so true and faithfull a Louer for I regard in my regard to him neyther husband father nor kindred for in losing my Calisto I lose my life which life of mine doth therefore please me because it pleaseth him which I desire no longer to inioy then he shall ioy in it Lucrecia Peace Madame harke harke they continue in their discourse Pleberio Since wife mee thinkes you seeme to like well of this motion it is not amisse that wee make it knowne to our daughter wee may doe well to tell her how many doe desire her and what store of sutors would be willing to come vnto her to the end that she may the more willingly entertaine our desire and make choyce of him whom she liketh best For in this particular the Lawes allow both men and women though they be vnder paternall power for to make their owne choyce Alisa What doe you meane husband Why doe you talke and spend time in this Who shall be the messenger to acquaint our daughter Melibea with this strange newes and shall not affright her therewith Alasse doe you thinke that she can tell what a man meanes or what it is to marry or be married or whether by the coniunction of man and woman children are begot or no Doe you think that her simple and vnspotted Virginity can suggest vnto her any filthy desire of that which as yet she neither knowes nor vnderstandeth nor cannot so much as conceiue what it meanes It is the least part of her thought Beleeue it my Lord Pleberio she doth not so much as dreame on any such matter and assure your selfe be hee what hee will be eyther noble or base faire or soule we will make her to take whom it pleaseth vs whom we like him shall shee like shee shall confirme her will to ours and shall thinke that fit which wee thinke fit and no further for I know I trow how I haue bred and brought vp my daughter Melibea Lucrecia Lucrecia runne hye thee quickly and goe in by the backe doore in the hall
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