and command then of her father Pleberio Calisto Speake softly good mother take heede what you say let not my men heare you lest they should call thee foole Melibea is my mistresse Melibea is my desire Melibea is my life I am her seruant I am her slaue Sempr. Good Sir with this distrustfulnesse of yours with this vndervalewing of your selfe you interseâ—t such doubts as cut off Celestina in the midst of her discourse you would tire out a whole world with your disordered and confused interruptions Why doe you crosse blesse your selfe Why do you keep such a wondring It were better you would giue her some thing for her paines For these words are worthy better payment and expect no lesse at your hands Calisto Well hast thou spoken deare mother I wot full well that my small reward can no waies reward your paines but instead of a gowne and a kirtle because Trades-men shall not share with you take this little chaine put it about your necke and goe on with your discourse and my ioy Parm. Call you that a little chaine Heard you him Sempronio This Spend-thrift makes no reckoning of it but I assure you I will not giue my part thereof for halfe a Marke of gold let her share it neuer so ill Sempr. Peace I say for should my Master haue ouer-heard you you should haue had worke enough to pacifie him and to cure your selfe So offended is he already with your continuall murmuring As you loue me brother heare and hold your peace for to this end thou hast two eares and but one tongue Parm. He hath hang'd himselfe so fast to that old womans mouth that hee is both deafe dumbe and blind like a body without a soule or a bell without a clapper insomuch that if wee should point at him scornefully with our fingers he would say We lifted vp our hands to heauen imploring his happy successe in his loue Sempr. Peace hearken listen well vnto Celestina On my soule shee deserues it all and more too had hee giuen it her She speakes wonders Celest. Noble Calisto to such a poore weake old woman as my selfe you haue shewed your selfe exceeding franke and liberall but as euery gift is esteemed great or little in regard of him that giues it I will not therefore compare therewith my small desert which it surpasseth both in qualitie and quantitie but rather measure it with your magnificence before which it is nothing In requitall whereof I restore vnto thee thy health which was vpon losing thy heart which was vpon fainting and thy wits which were vpon turning Melibea is pained more for you then you for her Melibea loues you and desires to see you Melibea spends more houres in thinking vpon you then on her selfe Melibea calls her selfe thine and this shee holds as a Title of libertie and with this shee allayes that fire which burnes more in her then thy selfe Calisto You my seruants Am I heere Heare I this Looke whether I am awake or not Is it day or is it night O thou great God of heauen I beseech thee this may not prooue a dreame Sure I doe not sleepe mee thinkes I am fully awake Tell mee mother dost thou make sport with mee in paying me with words Feare nothing but tell mee the truth for thy going to and fro deserueth a great deale more then this Celest. The heart that is wounded with desire neuer entertaineth good newes for certaine nor bad for doubtfull But whether I iest or no your selfe shall see by going this night to her house her selfe hauing agreed with mee about the time appointing you to be iust there as the clocke strikes twelue that you may talke together thorow the chinks of the doore from whose owne mouth you shall fully know my sollicitude and her desire and the loue which shee beares vnto you and who hath caused it Calisto It is enough Is it possible I should hope for so great a happinesse Can so great a blessing light vpon Calisto I dye till that houre come I am not capable of so great a glory I doe not deserue so great a fauour nor am I worthy to speake with so faire a Lady who of her owne free-will should affoord mee so great a grace Celest. I haue often heard that it is harder to suffer prosperous then aduerse fortune because the one hath neuer any quietude and the other still taketh comfort It is strange Sir that you will not consider who you are nor the time that you haue spent in her seruice nor the person whome you haue made to be your meanes And likewise that hitherto thou hast euer beene in doubt of hauing her and yet didst still endure all with patience and now that I doe certifie vnto thee the end of thy torment wilt thou put an end to thy life Consider consider I pray with thy selfe that Celestina is on thy side and that although all should be wanting vnto thee which in a Louer were to be required I would sell thee for the most complete gallant of the world for I would make for thee mountaines of most craggy rocks to grow plaine and smooth Nay more I would make thee goe to thorow the deepest channell or the lightest swelling sea without wetting of thy foot you know not on whom you haue bestowed your Largesse Calisto Remember your selfe mother did you not tell me that shee would come to mee of her owne accord Celestina Yes and that vpon her very knees Sempr. Pray heauen it be not a false alarme one thing rumord another purposed It may be a false fire-worke to blow vs all vp I feare mee it is a false traine a made match and a trappe purposely set to catch vs all Bethinke your selfe mother that so men vse to giue crooked pinnes wrapt vp in bread poysonsome pilles roll'd vp in Suger that they may not be seene and perceiued Parmeno I neuer heard thee speake better in my life the sudden yeelding of this Lady and her so speedy consenting to all that Celestina would haue her ingenders a strong suspition within mee and makes me to feare that deceiuing our will with her sweet and ready words she will rob vs on the wrong side as your Gypsies vse to doe when they looke in our hands to tell vs our fortunes Besides mother it is an old saying that with faire words many wrongs are reuenged and the counterfet stalking horse which is made but of Canuasse with his dissembled gate and the alluring sound of the tinckling of a bell driues the Partridges into the net the songs of the Syrens deceiue the simple Mariner with the sweetenesse of their voices Euen so shee with her exceeding kindnesse and sudden concession of her loue will seaze hand-smooth on a whole droue of vs at once and purge her innocency with Calisto's honour and our deaths Being like heerein to the teatling Lambe which suckes both her damm's teat and that of another Ewe Shee by securing vs will be reuenged both
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
the onely cause that drew mee hither My sonne I am sure thou art not ignorant how that your mother gaue you vnto me your father being then aliue who after thou wentst from me dyed of no other griefe saue onely what she suffered for the vncertainty of thy life and person For whose absence in those latter yeeres of her elder age she led a most painefull pensiue and carefull life And when the time came that she was to leaue this world shee sent for mee and in secret recommended thee vnto me and told me no other witnesse being by but heauen the witnesse to 〈◊〉 our workes our thoughts our hearts whom she alone interpose betweene her and mee that of all loues I should doe so much 〈◊〉 as to make inquirie after thee and when I had found thee 〈◊〉 thee vp foster thee as mine own and that as soon as thou 〈◊〉 come to mans estate wert able to know how to gouern thy selfe and to liue in some good manner and fashion that then I should discouer vnto thee a certain place where vnder many a lock and key she hath left thee more store of Gold and Siluer then all the reuenewes come to that thy Master Calisto hath in his possession And because I solemnly vow'd and bound my selfe by promise vnto her that I would see her desire as far foorth as lay in me to be well and truely performed she peacefully departed this mortall life and though a mans faith ought to be inuiolably obserued both to the liuing and the dead yet more especially to the dead for they are not able to doe any thing of themselues they cannot come to me and prosecute their right here vpon earth I haue spent much time mony in inquiring searching after thee could neuer till now heare what was become of thee and it is not aboue three daies since that I first heard of your being and where you abode Verily it hath much grieued me that thou hast gon trauelling wandring throughout the world as thou hast done from place to place losing thy time without either gaine of profit or of friends For as Seneca saith Trauellers haue many ends and few friends For in so short a time they can neuer fasten friendship with any and hee that is euery where is said to be no where Againe that meat cannot benefit the body which is no sooner eaten then eiected Neither doth any thing more hinder it's health then your diuersities and changes of meates Nor doth that would come to be healed which hath daily change of tents and neuer plasters Nor doth that Tree neuer proue which is often transplanted and remoued from one ground to another Nor is there any thing to profitable which at the first sight bringeth profit with it Therefore my good sonne leaue off these violencies of youth and following the doctrine and rule of thy Ancestors returne vnto reason settle thy selfe in some one place or other And where better then where I shal aduise thee taking mee and my counsell along with thee to whom thou art recommended both by thy father and mother And I as if I were thine owne true mother say vnto thee vpon those curses and maledictions which thy parents haue laid vpon thee if thou should'st be disobedient vnto me that yet a while thou continue heere and serue this thy Master which thou hast gotten thee till thou hearest further from mee but not with that foolish loyalty and ignorant honesty as hitherto thou hast done thinking to finde firmenesse vpon a false foundation as most of these Masters now a daies are But doe thou gaine friends which is a durable and lasting commodity sticke closely and constantly vnto them doe not thou liue vpon hopes relying on the vaine promises of Masters who sucke away the substance of their seruants with hollow-hearted and idle promises as the horse-leaches suck bloud and in the end fall off from them wrong them grow forgetfull of their good seruices and deny them any recompence or reward at all Wo be vnto him that growes old in Court The Masters of these times loue more themselues then their seruants neither in so doing doe they doe amisse The like loue ought seruants to beare vnto themselues Liberality was lost long agoe rewards are growne out of date magnificence is fled the countrie and with her all noblenesse Euery one of them is wholly now for himselfe and makes the best hee can of his seruants seruice seruing his turne as hee findes it may stand with his priuate interest and profit And therefore they ought to doe no lesse sithens that they are lesse then they in substance but to liue after their law and to doe as they doe My sonne Parmeno I the rather tell thee this because thy Master as I am informed is as it seemeth likewise vnto mee a Rompenecios one that befooles his seruants and weares them out to the very stumps lookes for much seruice at their hands and makes them small or no recompence He will looke to be serued of all but will part with nothing at all Weigh well my words and perswade thy selfe that what I haue said is true Get thee some friends in his house which is the greatest and preciousest Iewell in the world For with him thou must not thinke to fasten friendship A thing seldome seene where there is such difference of estate and condition as is betweene you two Opportunity thou seest now offers her selfe vnto vs on whose fore-top if wee will but take hold wee shall all of vs be great gainers and thou shalt presently haue something wherewithall to help thy selfe As for that which I told you of it shall bee well and safely kept when time shall serue in the meane while it shall be much for thy profit that thou make Sempronio thy friend Parme. Celestina my hayre stands an end to heare thee I tremble at thy words I know not what I should doe I am in a great perplexity One while I hold thee for my mother another while Calisto for my Master I desire riches but would not get them wrongfully for hee that rises by vnlawfull meanes falls with greater speed then he got vp I would not for all the world thriue by ill gotten gaine Celest. Marry Sir but so would I right or wrong so as my house may be raised high inough I care not Parme. Well wee two are of contrary minds For I should neuer liue contented with ill gotten goods for I hold cheerefull pouerty to be an honest thing Besides I must tell you that they are not poore that haue little but they that desire much And therefore say all you can though neuer so much you shall neuer perswade me in this to be of your beliefe I would faine passe ouer this life of mine without enuy I would passe thorow solitary woods and wildernesses without feare I would take my sleepe without â—â—â—rtings I would auoyd iniuries with gentle answers indure violence without reuiling
shouldst goe along with her and hasten her on since thou knowst that on her dililigence dependeth my well-fare on her slownesse my painfulnesse on her neglect my despaire Thou art wise I know thee to bee faithfull I hold thee a good seruant And therefore so handle the matter that she shall no sooner see thee but that shee may iudge of that paine which I feele and of that fire which tormenteth mee whose extreme heat will not giue me leaue to lay open vnto her the third part of my secret sickenesse So did it tye my tongue and tooke such hold on my sences that they were not onely busied but in a manner wasted and consumed which thou as one that is free from the like passion maist more largely deliuer letting thy words runne with a looser reyne Sempr. Sir I would faine goe to fulfill your command And I would fayne stay to ease you of your care your feare puts spurs to my sides and your solitarinesse like a bridle pulls mee backe But I will obey and follow your councell which is to goe and labour the old woman But how shall I goe For if I leaue you thus all alone you will talke idlely like one that is distracted doe nothing but sigh weepe and take on shutting your selfe vp in darknesse desiring solitude and seeking new meanes of thoughtfull torment wherein if you still perseuere you cannot escape either death or madnesse For the auoyding whereof get some good company about you that may minister vnto you occasion of mirth by recounting of witty conceits by intertaining you with Musicke and singing merry songs by relating Stories by deuising Motto's by telling tales by playing at cards iesting sporting In a word by inuenting any other kinde of sweet and delightfull recreation for to passe away the time that you may not suffer your thoughts to run still wandring on in that cruell errour whereinto they were put by that your Lady and Mistresse vpon the first trance and encounter of your Loue Calisto How like a silly foole thou talkest Know'st thou not that it easeth the paine to bewaile it's cause O how sweet is it to the sorrowfull to vnsheathe their griefes What ease doe broken 〈◊〉 bring with them O what a diminishing and refreshing to tearefull complaints is the vnfolding of a mans woes and bitter 〈◊〉 As many as euer writ of comfort and consolation doe all of them iumpe in this Sempr. Read a little farther and but turne ouer the leafe and you shall finde they say thus That to trust in things temporall and to seek after matter of sorrow is a kinde of foolishnesse if not madnesse And that Macias the Idoll of Louers forgetfull of himselfe because his mistresse did forget him and carelesse of his well fare because she cared not for him complaines himselfe thus That the punishment of loue consists in the contemplation thereof And that the best remedy against loue is not to thinke on thy loue The ease lies in the forgetting it Kick not therefore against the pricke feyne thy selfe to be merry pluck vp your spirits and be of good cheere and all you shall see shall be well for oftentimes opinion brings things whither it listeth Not that it should cause vs to swarue from the truth but for to teach vs to moderate our seâ—ce and to gouerne our iudgement Calisto Sempronio my friend for so thy loue makes me stile thee since it so grieues thee that I should be alone call Parmeno hither and hee shall stay with me and henceforth be thou as thou hast euer beene faithfull and loyall vnto mee For in the seruice of the seruant consisteth the Masters remuneration O Parmeno Parme. Heere Sir Calisto O I thinke not for I cannot see thee Leaue her not Sempronio Ply her hard follow her at an inch Forget mee not I pray thee Now Parmeno what thinkest thou of that which hath past to day My paine is great Melibea stately Celestina wise she is her crafts Master and we cannot doe amisse Thou hast maynly opposed thy selfe against her and to draw me to a detestation of her thou hast painted her forth to the purpose and set her out in her colours and I beleeue thee For such and so great is the force of truth that it commands euen the tongues of our enemies But be she such as thou hast described her to be yet had I rather giue her an hundred Crownes then giue another fiue Parme. Is the winde in that doore Doe you beginne to complaine already Haue you now better bethought your selfe Wee shall shortly complaine too at home for I feare mee we shall fast for this frankenesse Calisto It is thy opinion Parmeno that I aske Gratifie mee therein Hold dost thou looke Why hang'st thou downe thy head when thou shouldest answer me But I perceiue that as enuy is sad and sadnesse without a tongue thine owne will can doe more with thee then feare of my displeasure What is that thou grumblest at What didst thou mutter to thy selfe as though thou wert angry Parm. I say Sir that it had been better you had imployed your liberality on some present or the like seruices vpon Melibea her selfe then to cast away your money vpon this old Bawd I know well enough what shee is and which is worse on such a one as mindes to make you her slaue Calisto How you foole her slaue Parme. I her slaue For to whom thou tellest thy secret to him doest thou giue thy liberty Calisto It is something that the foole hath said but I would faine know this of thee whether or no when as there is a great distance betwixt the intreater and the intreated the suitor and the party sued vnto either out of authority of obedience or greatnesse of estate and dignity or noblenesse of descent of bloud as there is betwixt my Mistresse and my selfe Whether or no I pray it be not necessary to haue an intercessour or mediatour for mee who may euery foot go to and fro with my messages vntill they arriue at her eares of whom to haue a second Audience I hold it impossible And if it be thus with me tell me whether thou approuest of what I haue done or no Parm. The diuell approue it for mee Calisto What saist thou Parme. Marry I say Sir that neuer any errour came yet vnaccompanied and that one inconuenience is the cause of another and the doore that opens vnto many Calisto Thy saying I approue but vnderstand not thy purpose Parme. Then thus Sir your losing of your Hawke the other day was the cause of your entring into the Garden where Melibea was to looke if she were there your entring the cause that you both saw her and talked with her your talke ingendred loue your loue brought forth your paine and your paine will be the cause of your growing carelesse and wretchlesse both of your body soule and goods And that which grieues me most is that you must fall into the hands of that same
you in these parts this many a day What accident hath brought you hither Celest. My loue daughter my loue and the desire I haue to see all my good friends and to bring you commendations from your Cousin Elicia as also to see my old and young Mistresse whom I haue not seene since I went from this end of the Towne Lucrecia Is this your onely errand from home Is it possible you should come so farre for this I promise you you make me much to maruell For I am sure you were not wont to stirre your stumps but you knew wherefore nor to goe a foote forth of doores vnlesse it were for your profit Celest. What greater profit you foole would you haue then a man to cumply with his desires Besides such old women as we neuer want businesse especially my selfe who hauing the breeding of so many mens daughters as I haue I goe to see if I can sell a little yarne Lucrecia Did not I tell you so before I wote well what I said you neuer put in a penny but you take out a pound Be your paines neuer so little you will be sure you will be well paid for it But to 〈◊〉 that passe my old mistresse hath begunne a web shee hath need to buy it and thou hast neede to sell it Come in and stay heere awhile you and I will not fall out Alisa Lucrecia who is that you talke withall Lucrecia With that old woman forsooth with the scotch on her nose who sometimes dwelt hard by here in Tanners Row close vpon the Riuer-side Alisa Now I am further to seeke then I was before if thou wilt giue mee to vnderstand an vnknowne thing by a thing that is lesse knowne is to take vp water in a Sieue Lucrecia Madame Why this old woman is better knowne then the hearbe Rew. Doe not you remember her that stood on the Pillory for a Witch That sold young wenches by the great and by whole sale and that hath mard many thousands of marriages by sundring man and wife and setting them at oddes Alisa What Trade is she of What is her Profession it may be by that I shall know her better Lucrecia Fosooth she persumes Calls Vailes and the like she makes your sublimate Mercury and hath some thirty seuerall Trades besides shee is very skilfull in hearbs shee can cure little children And some call her The old woman The Lapidary for her great dealing in stones Alisa All this makes me neuer a whit the wiser Tell mee her name if thou knowst it Lucrecia If I knew it Why there is neither young nor old in all this City but knowes it And should not I then know it Alisa If you know it so well why then doe not you tell it me Lucrecia I am ashamed forsooth Alisa Goe too you foole Tell mee her name Doe not anger mee by this your delay Lucrecia Her name sauing your Reuerence is Celestina Alisa Hi hi hi Now beshrew your fingers O my heart O my sides I am not able to stand for laughing to see that the lothing which thou hast of this poore old woman should make thee ashamed to name her vnto me Now I call her to minde Goe too you are a wagge No more of this Shee poore soule is come to begge somewhat of mee Bid her come vp Lucrecia Aunt it is my Mistresse pleasure you come vp Cel. My good Lady All blessings abide with you and your noble daughter My many griefes and infirmities haue hindred my visiting of this your house as in duty I was bound to doe But heauen knowes how faire are the intralls of my inward affection how free from any spot of foulnesse It knowes the sincerity of my heart and trunesse of my loue For distance of place displaceth not that loue which is lodged in the heart So that what heeretofore in my selfe I did much desire now my necessity hath made mee to performe And amongst other my many Crosses and miseries in this life my Crosses in my purse grow dayly lesse and lesse so that I haue no better remedy to helpe my selfe withall and to relieue this my poore estate then to sell this little parcell of yarne of mine owne spinning to make Coyfes and Kerchiefes and vnderstanding by your maid that you had need thereof howbeit I am poore in euery thing I praise my fate saue the richnesse of this grace it is wholy at your command if either it or I may doe you any seruice Alisa Honest neighbour thy discourse and kinde offer moue me to compassion and so moue me that I had rather light vpon some fit occasion whereby I might supply thy wants then diminish thy web still thanking thee for thy kinde offer and if it be such as will serue my turne I shall pay you well for it Celest. Madame by my life as I am true old woman or by any other oath you shall put me to it is such as all the whole Towne is not able to match it Looke well vpon it it is as fine as the haire of your head euen and equall as nothing more strong as the strings of a Viall white as a flake of Snow spun all with mine owne fingers reeled and wound vp with mine owne hands Looke you Lady on some of the same in skaines Did you euer see better Three Royals as I am true woman I receiued no longer agoe then yesterday for an ounce Alisa Daughter Melibea I will leaue this honest woman with you For mee thinks it is now high time if I haue not stayed too long to goe visit my sister Wife vnto Chremes for I haue not seene her since yesterday and besides her Page is now come to call mee and tels me that her old fit hath already beene on her this pretty while Celest. Now does the Diuell goe preparing opportunity for my Stratagem by re-inforcing this sickenesse vpon the other Goe on my good friend stand stifly to your tackling be strong and shrinke not For now is the time or neuer see you leaue her not and remooue away this woman from mee But soft I feare shee heares mee Alisa Say friend what is that thou sai'st Celest. I say Madame Curst be the diuell and my euill Fortune that your sisters sicknesse is growne now vpon her in such an vnlucky houre that we shall haue no fit time to dispatch our businesse But I pray what is her sicknesse Alisa A paine in her side which takes her in such grieuous manner that if it be true which her Page tels me I feare me it will cost her her life Good neighbour let mee intreate you for my sake to recommend her recouery vnto your best deuotions and prayers Celest. Heere Lady I giue you my faithfull promise that as soone as I goe hence I will hye mee to my Vestalls where I haue many deuout virgins my friends vpon whom I will lay the same charge as you haue laid vpon mee Alisa Doe you heare Melibea Content our neighbour and
long Melibea You mine enemy what say you Speake out I pray that I may heare you Hast thou any thing to say in thy excuse whereby thou maist satisfie my anger and cleare thy selfe of this thy errour and bold attempt Celestiâ—a Whilest your choler liues my cause must needes dye And the longer your anger lasteth the lesse shall my excuse be heard But wonder not that you should be thus rigorous with mee For a little heate will serue to set young bloud a boyling Melibea Little heate say you Indeed thou maist well say little because thy selfe yet liues whilst I with griefe indure thy great presumption What words canst thou demand of me for such a one as he is that may stand with my good Answer to my demand because thou sayst thou hast not yet concluded And perhaps thou maist pacifie me for that which is past Celestina Mary a certaine Charme Madame which as hee is informed by many of his good friends your Ladiship hath which cureth the tooth-ache as also that same admirable Girdle of yours which is reported to haue beene found and brought from Cumae the Caue there and was worne 't is thought by the Sibilla or Prophetesse of that place which Girdle they say hath such a singular and peculiar property and power with the very tutch to abate and ease any ache or anguish whatsoeuer Now this Gentleman I told you of is exceedingly pained with the tooth-ache and euen at deaths doore with it And this was the true cause of my comming But since it was my ill hap to receiue so harsh and vnpleasing an answer let him still for me continue in his paine as a punishment due vnto him for sending so vnfortunate a messenger For since in that muchnesse of your vertue I haue found much of your pity wanting I feare mee hee would also want water should he send mee to the Sea to fetch it And you know sweet Lady that the delight of vengeance and pleasure of reuenge endureth but a moment but that of pity and compassion continueth for euer and euer Melibea If this be that thou would'st haue why did'st thou not tell me of it sooner Why went'st thou about the bush with mee What needed all those circumstances Or why did'st thou not deliuer it in other words Celest. Because my plaine and simple meaning made me beleeue that though I should haue propos'd it in any other words whatsoeuer had they beene worse then they were yet would you not haue suspected any euill in them For if I were failing in the fitnesse of my preface and did not vse so due and conuenient a preamble as I should haue done it was because truth needeth no colours The very compassion that I had of his paine and the confidence of your magnificency did choake in my mouth when I first beganne to speake the expression of the cause And for that you know Lady that sorrow workes turbation and turbation doth disorder and alter the tongue which ought alwaies to be ty'de to the braine for heauens loue lay not the fault on me and if he hath committed an errour let not that redound to my hurt for I am no farther blameable of any fault then as I am the messenger of the faulty Breake not the rope where it is weakest Be not like the Cobweb which neuer shewes it's force but on poore little Flyes No humane Law condemnes the father for the sonnes offence nor the sonne for the fathers nor indeed Lady is it any reason that his presumption should occasion my perdition though considering his desert I should not greatly care that hee should be the delinquent and my selfe be condemned since that I haue no other Trade to liue by saue to serue such as hee is This is my occupation this I make my happinesse Yet withall Madame I would haue you to conceiue that it was neuer in my desire to hurt one to helpe another though behind my backe your Ladiship hath perhaps been otherwise informed of mee But the best is it is not the vaine breath of the vulgar that can blast the truth assuredly I meane nothing in this but onely plaine and honest dealing I doe little harme to any I haue as few enemies in this City as a woman can haue I keepe my word with all men and what I vndertake I performe as faithfully as if I had twenty feete and so many hands Melibea I now wonder not that your Ancients were wont to say That one onely teacher of Vice was sufficient to marre a great City For I haue heard such and so many tales of thy false and cunning tricks that I know not whether I may beleeue thy errand was for this charme Celestina Neuer let me pray or if I pray let me neuer be heard if you can draw any other thing from me though I were to be put to a thousand torments Melibea My former late anger will not giue mee leaue to laugh at thy excuse For I wot very well that neither oath nor torment shall make thee to speake the truth For it is not in thy power to doe it Celestina You are my good Lady and Mistresse you may say what you list and it is my duty to hold my peace you must command and I must obey but your rough language I hope will cost your Ladiship an old petticoate Melibea And well hast thou deseru'd it Celest. If I haue not gain'd it with my tongue I hope I haue not lost it with my intention Melibea Thou dost so confidently plead thy ignorance that thou makest me almost ready to beleeue thee yet will I in this thy so doubtfull an excuse hold my sentence in suspence and will not dispose of thy demand vpon the relish of so light an interpretation Neither for all this would I haue thee to thinke much of it nor make it any such wonder that I was so exceedingly moued For two things did concurre in thy discourse the least of which was sufficient to make me runne out of my wits First in naming this Gentleman vnto me who thus presumed to talke with me then that thou shouldst intreat me for him without any further cause giuen which could not but ingender a strong suspition of intention of hurt to my honor But since all is well meant and no harme intended I pardon all that is past for my heart is now somewhat lightned sithence it is a pious and a holy worke to cure the sick and helpe the distressed Celest. I and so sicke Madame and so distressed that did you know it as well as I you would not iudge him the man which in your anger you haue censured him to be By my say the poore Gentleman hath no gall at all no ill meaning in his heart Hee is indewed with thousands of graces for bounty he is an Alexander for strength an Hector he has the presence of a Prince hee is faire in his carriage sweet in his behauiour and pleasant in his conuersation there is
then this And I hope he will well reward me for my paines being so franke and Noble a Gentleman as hee is ACTVS VJ. THE ARGVMENT CELESTINA being entred Calisto's house Calisto with great affection and earnestnesse demandeth of her what had hapned betwixt her and Melibea While they continue talking together Parmeno hearing Celestina speake wholy for her selfe and her owne priuate profit turning himselfe toward Sempronio at euery word he giues her a nip for the which he is reprehended by Sempronio In the end old Celestina discouers to Calisto all the whole businesse and shewes him the Girdle she brought from Melibea And so taking her leaue of Calisto shee gets her home to her owne house taking Parmeno along with her INTERLOCVTORS Calisto Celestina Parmeno Sempronio CAlisto What good newes mother speak deare mother Celest. O my good Lord and Master Calisto How is it how is it with you O my new Louer and not without iust cause of fairest Melibea How canst thou make this old woman amends who hath hazarded her life in thy seruice What woman was euer driuen to such narrow shifts The very thought whereof makes my heart to faint emptying my vitall veynes of all their bloud I would haue giuen my life for lesse then the price of this old tottred Mantle which you see heere on my backe Parme. Thou art all I see for thy selfe That is it thou shoot'st at Thou art like a Lettice that growes betwixt two Cole-worts If thou be let alone thou wil ouer-top them The next word I look for is that she begge a Kirtle for her Mantle thou art all I perceiue for thy selfe and wilt not aske any thing whereof others may haue part The old woman will implume him not leauing him so much as one feather how cunningly does shee worke him how craftly pitch her news to catch me and my Master seeking to make me faithlesse and him foolish Doe but marke her Sempronis be still and giue her but the hearing and you shall see shee will not demand any money of my Master because it is diuisible Sempro. Peace thou despairefull fellow lest Calisto kill thee if he chance to heare thee Calisto Good mother either cut off thy discourse or take thou this sword and kill mee Parm. Now what a Diuell ailes he He shakes and quiuers like a fellow that hath had his senses ouer-toucht with quicke-siluer Looke hee cannot stand on his legges would I could helpe him to his tongue that I might heare him speake againe sure he cannot liue long if this fft continue Wee shall get well by this his loue shall wee not Euery man his mourning weed and there 's an end Celest. Your sword Sir Now I hope not What Take your sword and kill you There 's a word indeed to kill my heart No let your sword serue to kill your enemies and such as wish you harme As for mee I will giue thee life man by that good hope which I haue in her whom thou louest best Calisto Good hope mother Celestina I good hope and well may it be called so since that the gates are set open for my second returne And shall I tell you she will sooner receiue me in this poore tottred Gowne and Kirtle then others in their silks and cloth of gold Parme. Sempronio sow mee vp this mouth for I can no longer hold A pocks on her she hath hedg'd in the Kirtle to her Gowne Could not one alone haue contented her Sempr. You will hold your peace will you not By Ioue you were best be quiet or I shall set you hence in a diuels name What Is there no ho with you Say she begge her apparell of him what 's that to thee she does well in it and I commend her for it hauing such need thereof as she has And thou know'st Where the Flamin sings there hath he his offrings he must haue food and rayment Par. True he hath so but as his seruice is so is his allowance he sings all the yeere long for it and this old Iade would in one day for treading some three steps cast off all her rugged hayres and get her a new coate which is more then she could well doe these fifty yeeres Sem. Is this all the good she taught thee Is all your old acquaintance come to this Is this all the obligation you owe her for her paines in breeding you vp Sure she ha's brought her Hogges to a good market in bestowing so great kindenesse on so very a Pigge Par. I could be well content that she should pill and pole aske and haue shaue cut but not cut out all the cloth for her own coat Sempr. It is her fault I must confesse but other Vice hath shee none saue onely that shee is a little too couetous But let her alone and giue her leaue to prouide straw first for to thatch her owne walls and to lay the ioyses first of her owne house then afterwards shall she boord ours else had it beene better for her shee had neuer knowne vs Calisto Mother as you loue goodnesse if you be a good woman tell mee what was shee doing How got you into the house How was she apparelled On which side of the house did you find her What countenance did shee shew thee at thy first entrance How did shee looke on thee Celest. With such a looke and countenance as your braue fierce buls vse towards those that cast sharp darts against them when they come for to be baited or like your wilde bores when they make towards those Mastiues which set vpon them Calisto Be these thy good hopes These signes of health What then are those that are mortall Why death it selfe could not be halfe so deadly For that would ease and rid me of this my torment then which none is greater none more grieuous Semp. These are my Masters former fires he renewes afresh his wonted flames What a strange kind of man is he He hath not the patience to stay to haere that which so earnestly hee hath desired Parmeno Now Sir Who talkes now I must not speake a word but did my Master heare you he would cudgell your coat as well as mine Sempr. Some euill fire consume thee for thou speakest prediudicially of all but I offend no man Let some intolerable mortall disease or some pestilent plague seaze vpon thee and consume thee Thou quarrelsome contentious enuious and accursed Caytiffe Is this thy friendship this the amity thou hast contracted with Celestina and me Goe with the Diuels name if this be thy loue Calisto If thou wilt not thou that art sole Queene and soueraigne of my life that I dye desperate and that my soule goe condemned from hence to perpetuall paine so impatient am I of hearing these things delay mee no longer but certifie mee briefely whether thy glorious demand had a happy end or no As also whether that cruell and sterne looke of that impious face whose frownes murder as many as they are
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