no melancholy or other bad humour that raigneth in him Nobly descended as your selfe well knowes a great Tilter and to see him in his armour it becomes him so well that you would take him to be another Saint George Hercules had not that force and courage as he hath His diportment his person his feature his disposition his agility and actiuenesse of body had neede of another manner of tongue to expresse it then mine I ake him all together and for all in all you shall not finde such another and for admired forme a miracle and I am verily perswaded that that faire and gentle Narcissus who was inamored with his owne proper beauty when as in a glasse he view'd himselfe in the water was nothing so faire as he whom now one poore tooth with the extremity of its paine doth so torment that hee doth nothing but complaine Melibea The Age I pray How long hath hee had it Celest. His age Madame Mary I thinke hee is about some three and twenty For heere stands shee who saw him borne and tooke him vp from his mothers feet Melibea This is not that which I aske thee Nor doe I care to know his age I aske thee how long he hath beene troubled with his tooth-ache Celest. Some eight daies Madame but you would thinke he had had it a yeere hee is growne so weake with it and the greatest ease and best remedy he hath is to take his Viall whereto hee sings so many songs in such dolefull notes that I verily beleeue they did farre exceed those which that great Emperor and Musician Hadrian composed concerning the soules departure from the body the better to endure without dismayment his approaching death For though I haue but little skill in musicke me thinks he makes the Viall when he plaies thereon to speake and when hee sings thereunto the birds with a better will listen vnto him then to that Musician of old which made the trees and stones to moue Had he been borne then Orpheus had lost his prey Weigh then with your selfe Sweet Lady if such a poore old woman as I am haue not cause to count my selfe happy if I may giue life vnto him to whom the heauens haue giuen so many graces Not a woman that sees him but praiseth Natures workemanship whose hand did draw so perfect a piece and if it bee their hap to talke with him they are no more mistresses of themselues but are wholy at his disposing and of Commanders desire to be commanded by him Wherfore seeing I haue so great reason to doe for him conceiue good Lady my purpose to be faire and honest my courses commendable and free from suspicion and iealousie Melibea O how I am falne out with mine owne impatience How angry with my selfe that hee being ignorant and thou innocent of any intended Ill thou hast endured the distemperature of my inraged tongue But the great reason I had for it frees mee from any fault of offence vrged thereunto by thy suspicious speaches but in requitall of thy sufferance I will forthwith fulfill thy request and likewise giue thee my Girdle And because I haue not leysure to write the charme till my mother comes home if this will not serue the turne come secretly for it to morrow morning Lucrecia Now now is my Mistresse quite vndone All the world cannot saue her she will haue Celestina come secretly to morrow I smell a Rat there is a Padde in the straw I like not this Come secretly to morrow I feare mee shee will part with something more then words Melibea What sai'st thou Lucrecia Lucrecia Mary I say Madame you haue worded well For it is now somewhat late Melibea I pray mother say nothing to this Gentleman of what hath passed betwixt you and mee lest he should hold me either cruell sudden or dishonest Lucrecia I did not lye euen now I see well inough how ill the world goes Celest. Madame I much maruell you should entertaine any the least doubt of my seruice Feare you not for I can suffer and couer any thing and I well perceiue that your great iealousie and suspicion of mee made you as commonly it doth to interpret my speeches to the worst sense Well I will take my leaue and goe hence with this Girdle so merrily as if I did presently see his heart leaping for ioy that you haue graced him with so great a kindnesse and I doubt not but I shall finde him much eased of his paine Melibea I will doe more for your sicke Patient then this if need require in requitall of your great patience Celest. Wee shall need more and you must doe more then this though perhaps you will not so well like of it and scarce thanke vs for it Melibea Mother what 's that thou talkest of thankes Celestina Mary I say Madame That we both giue you thanks that wee are both at your seruice and rest both deepely indebted to your Ladiship and that the paiment is there most certaine where the party is most bound to satisfie Lucrecia Heere 's Cat in the Panne What Chop-Logicke haue we heere Celestina Daughter Lucrecia Hold thy peace Come hither to me If to morrow I may see thee at my house I will giue thee such a Lye as shall make thy haire as yellow as gold but tell not your Mistresse of it Thou shalt also haue a powder of mee to sweeten thy breath which is a little of the strongest There is not any in this kingdome that can make it but my selfe And there is not any thing in a woman that can be worse then a stinking breath Lucrecia A blessing on your aged heart for I haue more need of this then of my meate Celestina And yet you foole you will be talking and prating against mee Hold thy peace for thou know'st not what need thou maist haue of mee Doe not exasperate your Mistresse and make her more angry now then shee was before But let mee goe hence in peace Melibea What sai'st thou to her mother Celest. Nothing Madame wee haue done already Melibea Nay you must tell me what you said to her for I cannot abide that any body should speake any thing in my presence and I not haue a part therein And therefore without any more adoe let mee know it Celest. I intreated her to put your Ladiship in minde of the Charme that it might be writ out ready for mee and that shee should learne of mee to temper her selfe in the time of your anger putting her in mind of that ancient Adage From an angry man get thee gone but for a while but from an enemy for euer But you Madame had onely a quarell to those words of mine which you suspected and not any enmity to my person And say they had bin such as you conceited them yet were they not so bad as you would haue made them to be For it is euery daies experience to see men pain'd tormented for women and women as much for men And this
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
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
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
with you there I am hearing of a cause that concernes no lesse then my life and you keepe a tattling and a prattling there as you still vse to doe to trouble and molest â—me in my businesse and prouoke me to anger as you loue me hold your tongues and you will dye with delight such pleasure will you take in the repetition of her singular diligence Goe on deare mother what didst thou doe when thou saw'st thou wast left all alone Celest. O Sir I was so ouer-ioyed that whosoeuer had seene me might haue read in my face the merriment of my heart Calisto It is so now with mee But how much more had a man beforehand conceiued some such image in his minde But tell me wast thou not strucken dumbe with this so sudden and vnexpected an accident Celest. No But rather grew thereby the bolder to vtter my minde vnto her it was the thing that I desired it was euen as I would haue wisht it There was nothing could haue fell out so pat for me as to see my selfe all alone with her then beganne I to open the very bowels and intralls of my heart then did I deliuer my embassage and told her in what extreme paine you liued and how that one word of her mouth proceeding fauourably from her would ease you of your mighty torment And as one standing in suspence looking wisely and steadily vpon me somewhat amazed at the strangenesse of my message hearkning very attentiuely till shee might come to know who this should be that for want of a word of her mouth liu'd in such great paine and what manner of man he might be whom her tongue was able to cure In naming you vnto her she did cut off my words and with her hand strooke her selfe a blow on the brest as one that had heard some strange and fearefull newes charging mee to cease my prattle and to get mee out of her sight vnlesse I would her seruants should become my Executioners and make short worke with me in these my old and latter dayes aggrauating my audacious boldnesse calling mee Witch Sorceresse Bawd old Whore false Baggage bearded Miscreant the Mother of mischiefe and many other more ignominious names wherewithall they feare children And when she had ended with her Bugge-beares shee beganne to fall into often swownings and trances making many strange gestures full of feare and amazement all her senses being troubled her bloud boyling within her throwing her selfe this way and that way bearing in a strange kind of manner the members of her body one against another and then in a strong and violent fashion being wounded with that golden shaft which at the very voycing of your name had struck her to the heart writhing and winding her body her hands and fingers being clinched one within another like one struggling striuing for life that you would haue thought shee would haue rent them asunder hurling and rowling her eyes on euery side striking the hard ground with her tender feete Now I all this while stood me still in a corner like a cloth that is shrunke in the wetting as close as I could for my life not saying so much as any one word vnto her yet glad with all my heart to see her in this cruell and pittifull taking And the more her throwes and pangs were the more did I laugh in my sleeue at it because I thereby knew her yeelding would be the sooner and her fall the neerer yet must I tell you that whil'st her anger did foame out it's froth I did not suffer my thoughts to be idle nor giue them leaue to runne a wooll-gathering but recollecting my selfe and calling my wits about mee I tooke hold on Times fore-top and found a salue to heale that hurt which my selfe had made Calisto Deare mother thou hast told me that which whil'st I was hearing thee I had fore-casted in mine owne iudgement I did still dreame it would come to this but I doe not see how thou couldst light vpon a fit excuse that might serue the turne and proue good inough to couer and colour the suspition of thy demand though I know that thou art exceeding wise and in all that thou dost to my seeming more then a woman Sithence that as thou didst prognosticate her answer so didst thou in time prouide thee of thy reply What could that Tuscane Champion so much famoused thorowout all Italy haue done more Whose renowne hadst thou then beene liuing had beene quite lost who three daies before shee dyed diuined of the death of her old husband and her two sonnes Now doe I beleeue that which is so commonly spoken that a woman is neuer to seeke for an answer and though it be the weaker Sexe yet is their wit more quicke and nimble then that of men Celest. Say you me so Sir Well let it be so then I told her your torment was the tooth-ache and that the word which I craued of her was a kinde of Prayer or Charme which she knew to be very good and of great power against that paine Calisto O admirable craft O rare woman in thy arte O cunning creature O speedy remedy O discreet deliuerer of a message What humane vnderstanding is able to reach vnto so high a meanes of helpe And I verily perswade my selfe that if our age might purchase those yeeres past wherein Aeneas and Dido liu'd Venus would not haue taken so much paines for to attract the loue of Elisa to his sonne causing Cupid to assume the forme of Ascanius the better to deceiue her but would to make short worke of the businesse haue made choyce of thee to mediate the matter and therefore doe I hold my death happily imployed since that I haue put it into such hands and I shall euermore be of this minde that if my desire obtaine not it's wished effect yet know I not what could be done more according to nature for my good and welfare What thinke you now my Masters What can yee imagine more Was there euer the like woman borne in this world Had shee euer her fellow Celestina Sir doe not stop me in the course of my speach Giue me leaue to goe on for night drawes on And you know Hee that does ill hateth the light Calisto How What 's that No by no meanes For heauens sake doe not offer it you shall haue Torches you shall haue Pages any of my seruants make choyce of whom you will to accompany you home Parme. O yes in any case I pray take care of her because she is young and handsome and may chance to bee rauisht by the way Sempronio thou shalt goe with her because shee is afraide of the Crickets which chripe in the darke as shee goes home to her house Calisto Sonne Parmeno what 's that thou said'st Parme. I said Sir it were meete that I and Sempronio should accompany her home For it is very darke Calisto It is well said Parmeno you shall by and by proceed I
in the meane while some Conserues or the like confection that you may keepe some life in you till I returne Calisto Sempronio my faithfull seruant my good counsellour my loyall follower Be it as thou wilt haue it for I assure my selfe out of the vnspottednesse of thy pure seruice that my life is as deare vnto thee as thine owne Sem. Dost thou beleeue it Parmeno I wot well that thou wilt not sweare it Remember if you goe for the Conserues that you nimme a barrell for those you wot of you know who I meane And to a good vnderstanding euery thing will light in his lap or as he phrase is fall into his Cod-pisse Calisto What say'st thou Sempronio Sempr. I speake Sir to Parmeno that hee should runne quickly and fetch you a slice of Conserues of Citron or of Limons Parm. Loe Sir heere it is Calisto Giue it me hither Sempr. See how fast it goes downe I thinke the Diuell makes him make such quicke worke Looke if hee does not swallow it whole that hee may the sooner haue done Calisto My spirits are returned vnto me againe I promise you it hath done me much good My Sonnes both farewell Goe looke after the old woman and waite for good newes that I may reward you for your labour Parme. So now hee is gone The diuell and ill fortune follow thee for in the very same houre hast thou eaten this Citron as Apuleius did that poyson which turned him into an Asse ACTVS IX. THE ARGVMENT SEMPRONIO and Parmeno goe talking each with other to Celestina's house being come thithâ—â— they finde there Elicia and Areusa They sit downe to dinner being at dinner Elicia and Sempronio fall out being risen from Table they grow friends againe In the meane while comes Lucrecia seruant to Melibea to call Celestina to come and speake with Melibea INTERLOCVTORS Sempronio Parmeno Celestina Elicia Areusa Lucrecia SEmpronio Parmeno I pray thee bring downe our Cloakes and our Rapiers for I thinke it be time for vs to goe to dinner Parme. Come let vs goe presently for I thinke they will finde fault with vs for staying so long Let vs not goe thorow this but that other streete that wee may goe in by the Vestals so shall we see whether Celestina haue ended her deuotions and take her along with vs Sempr. What Doe you thinke to finde her at her Theme now Is this a fit houre This a time for her to be at her Orizons Parme. That can neuer be said out of time which ought to be done at all times Sempr. It is true but I see you know not Celestina when she ha's any thing to do she neuer thinks vpon heauen the diuell a whit that she cares then for deuotion when she hath any thing in the house to gnaw vpon farewell all holinesse farewell all prayers and indeed her going to any of these Ceremonies is but to spy and pry only vpon aduantages for such persons as she may preuaricate and make for her profit And though shee bred thee vp I am better acquainted with her qualities then you are That which shee doth ruminate how many crack't maiden-heads shee hath then in cure how many Louers in this City how many young wenches are recommended vnto her what Stewards afford her prouision which is the more bountifull and how she may call euery man by his name that when shee chanceth to meet them shee may not salute them as strangers When you see her lips goe then is she inuenting of lies and deuising sâ—eights and tricks for to get money then doth she thus dispute with her selfe In this maner will I make my speech In this fashion will I cloze with him Thus then will he answer mee And to this I must thus reply Thus liues this creature whom we so highly honour Parm. Tush this is nothing I know more then this But because you were angry the to'ther day when I told Calisto so much I will forbeare to speake of it Sempr. Though wee may know so much for our owne good yet let vs not publish it to our owne hurt For to haue our Master to know it were but to make him discard her for such a one as she is and not to care for her and so leauing her hee must needs haue â—â—ther of whose paines wee shall reape no profit as we shall be sure to doe by her who by faire meanes or by foule shall giue vs part of her gaines Parme. Well and wisely hast thou spoken but hush the doore is open and shee in the house Call before you goe in peraduenture they are not yet fully ready or things are not in that order as they would haue it and then will they be loth to be seene Semp. Goe in man neuer stand vpon those niceties for we are all of a house Now iust now they are couering the Table Celest. O my young amorous youths my Pearles of gold Let the yeere goe about as well with me as you are both welcome vnto mee Parmeno What complements has the old Bawd Brother I make no question but you well enough perceiue her foystings and her flatteries Sempronio O! you must giue her leaue it is her liuing But I wonder what diuell taught her all her knacks and her knaueries Parme. What Mary I will tell you Necessity Pouerty and Hunger then which there are no better Tutours in the world No better quickeners and reuiuers of the wit Who taught your Pyes and your Parrats to imitate our proper Language and tone with their slit tongues saue onely necessitie Celest. Hola wenches girles where be you you fooles Come downe Come hither quickly I say for there are a couple of yong Gallants that would rauish mee Elicia Would they would neuer haue come hither for me O! it is a fine time of day is this a fit houre when you haue inuited your friends to a feast You haue made my cousin to waite heere these three long houres but this same lazy-gut Sempronio was the cause I warrant you of all this stay for hee has no eyes to looke vpon mee Sempr. Sweet-Heart I pray thee be quiet My Life my Loue you know full well that he that serues another is not his own man He that is bound must obey So that my subiection frees me from blame I pray thee be not angry Come let vs sit downe and fall to our meate Elicia I it is well you are ready at all times to sit downe and eate as soone as the cloth is laid with a cleane payre of hands but a shamelesse face Sempro. Come we will chide and brawle after dinner Now let vs fall to our vitailes Mother Celestina will it please you to sit downe first Celest. No first sit you downe my sonne for heere is roome enough for vs all let euery one take their place as they like and sit next her whom he loues best as for me who am a sole woman I will sit me down heere by this Iar of wine and
place in her wheele that you may say vnto me Mich you good dich you with your old ware you hindges are now growne rustie for want of oyling Sempr. Mother you make my haire stand on end to heare these strange things which you recount vnto vs would your Nobles your Knights and Learned men fall so low I am sure they are not all of them so badde as you make them to be Celest. No my son Ioue forbid that I should raise any such report or lay a generall scandall vpon any of their ranke For there were many old good men amongst them with whom I had but small dealings and could scarce endure to see me But amongst the greatest as they grew great in number so had I a great number of them some of one sort and some of another some I found very chaste and some that took the charge vpon them to maintaine such Traders as my selfe And I am still of this beliefe that of these there is no lack and these forsooth would send their Squires and young men to waite vpon me whithersoeuer I went and I should scarce haue set my foote within mine owne doores but straight at the heeles of me you should haue one come in with chickens another with Hens a third with Geese a fourth with Ducks This man sends me in Partriges that man Turtle Doues he a gammon of Bacon such a one a Tart or a Custard and some good fellow or other a good sucking Pigge or two for euery one as soone as he had a conuenient present so they came presently to register them in my house that I and those their pretty soules might merrily eat them together and as for wine we wanted none the best that a man could lay his lips to in the whole City was sent vnto me from diuers parts and corners of the Towne as that of Monviedro of Lugne of Toro of Madrigall of San-Martin and many other Townes and Villages And indeed so many that albeit I still keepe the differences of their taste and relish in my mouth yet doe I not retaine the diuersity of their foyles in my remembrance For it is enough for such an old woman as I that when a good cuppe of wine comes neer my nose I can be able to say This is such a wine or it comes from such a place or person why your presents from all parts from all sorts came vpon me as thicke as hops as flies to a pot of hony or as stones that are throwne vpon a stage boyes came tumbling in at my doore with as much prouision as they could carry on their backs But now those good daies are past I haue eaten all my white bread in my youth and know not how in the world to liue being fallen from so happy an estate Areusa Since we are come hither to be merry good mother doe not weepe I pray doe not vexe your selfe be of good cheere plucke vp your heart like a woman the world while wee are in it is bound to keepe vs all and no doubt but you shall haue enough Celest. O daughter I haue cause enough I think to weep when I call to mind those pleasant daies that are past and gone that merry life which then I led and how I had the world at will being serued honoured and sought to of all Why then there was not any new fruit or any the like dainty which I had not in my hands before others knew they were scarce blossom'd in those daies they were sure to be found in my house if any one with child should long for such a Toy Sempr. Mother the remembrance of the good time we haue had doth profit vs nothing when it cannot be recouered againe but rather brings griefe and sorrow to our selues as this interrupting discourse hath done but mother we will goe off and solace our selues whil'st you stay heere and giue this maid her answer Celest. Daughter Lucrecia passing ouer our former discourse I pray you tell mee what is the cause of your happy comming hither Lucrecia Beleeue me I had almost forgot my chiefe errand vnto you with thinking on that merry time which you talkt of Me thinkes I could continue fasting almost a whole yeere in harkening vnto thee and thinking on that pleasant life which those young wenches led me thinkes that with the very talking therof I haue a conceit with my selfe that at this present I feele my selfe in the same happinesse with them I shall now mistresse giue you to vnderstand the cause of my comming I am sent vnto you for my Ladies Girdle and moreouer my Ladie intreats you that you would come and visit her and that out of hand for shee feeles her selfe very ill and much pained and troubled with griefes and pangs about the heart I assure you she is very heart-sicke Celestina Of these petty griefes the report is more then the paine Is 't about the heart say you I maruell I promise you that so young a Gentlewoman as shee is should be pained at the heart Lucrecia Would thou wert as well drag'd along the streetes thou old traiterous Hagge as thou know'st well inough what shee ayles The subtill old Bawd comes and does her witcheries and her tricks and then goes her waies and afterwards when one comes vnto her for helpe she makes forsooth as if she knew no such matter it is newes forsooth to her Celest. What sai'st thou Daughter Lucrecia Mary I say mother would we were gone once and that you would giue me the Girdle Celest. Come let vs goe I will carry it along with me ACTVS X. THE ARGVMENT VVHilest Celestina and Lucrecia goe onward on their way Melibea talkes and discourses with her selfe Being come to the doore first enters Lucrecia anon after causes Celestina to come in Melibea after some exchange of words opens her mind to Celestina telling her how feruently she was falne in loue with Calisto They spy Alisa Melibea's mother comming they take their leaue each of other Alisa askes her daughter Melibea what businesse she had with Celestina and what she made there disswading her from conuersing with her and forbidding her her company INTERLOCVTORS Melibea Celestina Alisa Lucrecia MElibea O wretch that I am O vnfortunate Damsell Had I not beene better yesterday to haue yeelded to Celestina's petition and request when in the behalfe of that Gentleman whose sight hath made me his prisoner I was so earnestly sued vnto and so haue contented him and cured my selfe then to be thus forcibly driuen to discouer my heart when haply he will not accept of it when as already disaffianced in his hope for want of a good and faire answer hee hath set both his eyes and his heart vpon the loue and person of another how much more aduantageous vnto me would an intreated promise haue beene then a forced offerture to grant being requested then to yeeld being constrained O my faithfull seruant Lucrecia what wilt thou say of me what wilt thou thinke
of my iudgement and vnderstanding when thou shalt see me to publish that which I would neuer discouer vnto thee how wilt thou stand astonished of my honesty and modesty which like a Recluse shut vp from all company I haue euer hitherto kept inuiolable I know not whether thou hast suspected or no whence this my sorrow proceedeth or whether thou art now comming with that Solicitresse of my safety O thou high and supreme Power thou vnto whom all that are in misery and affliction call and cry for helpe the appassionated begge remedy the wounded craue healing thou whome the heauens seas earth and the Center of hell it selfe doth obey thou who submittedst all things vnto men I humbly beseech thee that thou wilt giue sufferance and patience to my wounded heart whereby I may be able to dissemble my terrible passion Let not this Leafe of my chastity lose it 's guylding which I haue laid vpon this amorous desire publishing my paine to be otherwise then that which indeed tormenteth me But how shall I be able to doe it That poysoned morsell so cruelly tormenting mee which the sight of that Gentlemans presence gaue me O Sexe of woman kind feeble and fraile in thy being why was it not granted as well vnto women to discouer their tormentfull and feruent flames as vnto men For then neither should Calisto haue cause to complaine nor I to liue in paine Lucrecia Aunt stay heere a while behinde this doore whilest I goe in and see with whom my Mistresse is talking Come in she is talking alone to her selfe Melibea Lucrecia make fast the doore there and pull downe the hanging ouer it O wise and honest old Dame you are exceeding welcome what thinke you that chance should so dispose of things and fortune so bring about her wheele that I should stand in neede of this wisdome and craue so suddenly of you that you would â—dy me in the selfe-same coyne the courtesie which was by you demanded of me for that Gentleman whome you were to cure by the vertue of my Girdle Celest. Say Lady what is your disease that you so liuely expresse the tokens of your torment in those your maiden blushes Melibea Truly mother I thinke there be some Serpents within my body that are gnawing vpon my heart Celest. It is well euen as I would haue it I will be euen with you you foole for your yesterdaies anger I will make you pay for it with a witnesse Melibea What 's that you say Haue you perceiued by my lookes any cause from whence my malady proceedeth Celest. You haue not Madame told me the quality of your disease and would you haue mee diuine of the cause That which I say is this that I am heartily sorry to see your Ladiship so sad and so ill Melibea Good old woman Doe thou make me merry then For I haue heard much of thy wisdome Celest. Madame as farre as humane knowledge can discerne of inward griefe I dare presume And for as much as for the health and remedy of infirmities and diseases these graces were imparted vnto men for the finding out of fit and conuenient medicines whereof some were attained to by experience some by Art and some by a naturall instinct some small portion of these good gifts this poore old creature my selfe haue gotten who is heere present to doe you the best seruice she can Melibea O how acceptable and pleasing are thy words to mine eares it is a comfortable thing to the sicke patient to see his physician to look cheerfully vpon him Me thinks I see my heart broken betweene thy hand in pieces which with a little labour and by power and vertue of thy tongue thou art able if thou wilt to ioyne together and make it whole againe euen as easily as Alexander that great King of Macedon dream't of that wholesome roote in the mouth of a Dragon wherewith he healed his seruant Ptolomy who had beene bitten by a Viper and therefore for the loue of Ioue disroabe your selfe that you may more easily and more diligently looke into the nature of my disease and affoord me some remedy for it Celest. A great part of health is the desiring of health And a good signe of mending to be willing to mend For which reason I reckon your griefe the lesse and hold it the lesse dangerous But that I may minister a wholesome medicine vnto you and such a one as may be agreeable to your disease it is requisite that you first satisfie me in these three particulars The first is on which side of your body your paine doth lye most The second how long you haue had this paine whether it hath taken you but of late or no For your newly growing infirmities are sooner cured in the tendernesse of their growth then when they haue taken deepe rooting by ouer-long perseuering in their office So beasts are sooner tamed when they are young and more easily brought to the yoake then when their hide is throughly hardned So far better doe those plants grow vp and prosper which are remooued when they are young and tender then those that are transplanted hauing long borne fruit The third is whether this your euill hath proceeded of any cruell thought which hath taken hold on you This being made knowne you shall see mee set my selfe roundly to worke about your cure for it is very fit and conuenient that you should open the whole truth as well to your Physician as your Confessour Melibea Friend Celestina Thou wise Matrone and great Mistresse in thy Art thou hast well opened vnto me the way by which I may manifest my maladie vnto thee Beleeue me you haue questioned me like a wise woman and like one that is well experienced in these kind of sickenesses My paine is about my heart it's residence neere vnto my left Pappe but disperseth it selfe ouer euery part of my body Secondly it hath beene so but of late nor did I euer thinke that any paine whatsoeuer could haue so depriued me of my vnderstanding as this doth it troubles my sight changes my countenance takes away my stomacke I cannot sleepe for it nor will it suffer mee to inioy any kinde of pleasure touching the thought which was the last thing you demanded concerning my disease I am not able to deliuer it vnto you and as little the cause thereof For neither death of kinsfolke nor losse of temporall goods nor any sudden passion vpon any vision nor any doting dreame nor any other thing can I coniecture to be the cause of it saue onely a kinde of alteration caused by your selfe vpon your request which I suspected in the behalfe of that Gentleman Calisto when you entreated me for my Charme Celest. What Madame Is Calisto so bad a man Is his name so bad that onely but to name him should vpon the very sound thereof send forth such poyson Deceiue not your selfe Doe not beleeue that this is the cause of your griefe I haue another thing
will cause his coat to be well cudgelled for though hee be somewhat foolish punishment will make him wise but mee thinkes hee comes weeping What 's the matter Sosia Why dost thou weepe Whence com'st thou now Why speak'st thou not Sosia O miserable that I am what misfortune could be 〈◊〉 ore O what great dishonour to my Masters house O what an vnfortunate morning is this O vnhappy young men Tristan What 's the matter man Why dost thou keepe such adoe Why grieu'st thou thus What mischiefe hath befalne vs Sosia Sempronio and Parmeno Tristan What of Sempronio and Parmeno What meanes this foole Speake a little plainer thou torment'st me with delayes Sosia Our old companions our fellowes our brethren Tristan Thou art eyther drunke or mad or thou bringest some ill newes along with thee Why dost thou not tell mee what thou hast to say concerning these young men Sosia That they lie slayne in the streete Tristan O vnfortunate mischance Is it true Didst thou see them Did they speake vnto thee Sosia No They were e'n almost past all sense but one of them with much adoe when hee saw I beheld him with teares beganne to looke a little towards me fixing his eyes vpon me and lifting vp his hands to heauen as one that is making his prayers vnto God and looking on mee as if hee had ask't mee if I were not sorry for his death And straight after as one that perceiu'd whither he was presently to goe he let fall his head with teares in his eyes giuing thereby to vnderstand that hee should neuer see mee againe till we did meete at that day of the great Iudgement Tristan You did not obserue in him that he would haue askt you whether Calisto were there or no But since thou hast such manifest proofes of this cruell sorrow let vs haste with these dolefull tidings to our Master Sosia Master Master doe you heare Sir Calisto What are you mad Did not I will you I should not be wakened Sosia Rowze vp your selfe and rise for if you doe not sticke vnto vs we are all vndone Sempronio and Parmeno lie beheaded in the Market-place as publike malefactors and their fault proclaimed by the common Cryer Calisto Now heauen helpe mee What it 's thou tell'st mee I know not whether I may beleeue thee in this thy so sudden and sorrowfull newes Didst thou see them Sosia I saw them Sir Calisto Take heede what thou say'st for this night they were with mee Sosia But rose too earely to their deaths Calisto O my loyall seruants O my chiefest followers O my faithfull Secretaries and Counsellours in all my affaires Can it be that this should be true O vnfortunate Calisto thou art dishonoured as long as thou hast a day to liue what shall become of thee hauing lost such a paire of trusty seruants Tell mee for pitty's sake Sosia what was the cause of their deaths What spake the Prolamation Where were they slaine by what Iustice were they beheaded Sosia The cause Sir of their deaths was published by the cruell executioner or common hangman who deliuered with a loud voyce Iustice hath commanded that these violent murderers be put to death Calisto Who was it they so suddenly slew who might it be it is not foure houres agoe since they left me How call you the party whom they murthered What was hee for a man Sosia It was a woman Sir one whom they call Celestina Calisto What 's that thou sayest Sosia That which you heard me tell you Sir Calisto If this be true kill thou me too I will forgiue thee For sure there is more ill behinde more then was either seene or thought vpon if that Celestina be slaine that hath the slash ouer her face Sosia It is the very same Sir for I saw her stretcht out in her owne house and her maide weeping by her hauing receiued in her body aboue thirty seuerall wounds Calisto O vnfortunate young men How went they Did they see thee Spake they vnto thee Sosia O Sir had you seen them your heart would haue burst with griefe One of them had all his braines beaten out in most pittifull manner and lay without any sense or motion in the world The other had both his armes broken his face so sorely bruised that it was all blacke and blue and all of a goare-bloud For that they might not fall into the Alguazils hands they leapt downe out of a high window and so being in a manner quite dead they chopt off their heads when I thinke they scarce felt what harme was done them Calisto Now I beginne to haue a taste of shame and to feele how much I am toucht in mine honour would I had excused them and had lost my life so I had not lost my honour my hope of atchieuing my commenced purpose which is the greatest griefe and distaste that in this case I feele O my name and reputation how vnfortunately dost thou goe from Table to Table from mouth to mouth O yee my secret my secret actions how openly will you now walke thorow euery publike street and open Market-place What shall become of me Whither shall I go If I goe forth to the dead I am vnable to recouer them and if I stay heere it will be deemed cowardize What counsell shall I take Tell me Sosia what was the cause they kild her Sosia That maid Sir of hers which sate weeping and crying ouer her made knowne the cause of her death to as many as would heare it saying that they slew her because she would not let them share with her in that chaine of gold which you had lately giuen her Cal. O wretched and vnfortunate day O sorrow able to breake euen a heart of Adamant How goe my goods from hand to hand and my name from tongue to tongue All will be published and come to light whatsoeuer I haue spokē either to her or them whatsoeuer they knew of my doings whatsoeuer was done in this businesse I dare not go forth of doores I am ashamed to looke any man in the face O miserable young men that yee should suffer death by so sudden a disaster O my ioyes how doe you goe declining and waining from me But it is an ancient Prouerbe That the higher a man climbes the greater is his fall Last night I gained much today I haue lost much Your Sea-calmes are rare seldome I might haue beene listed in the roll of the happy if my fortune would but haue allayd these tempestuous winds of my perdition O Fortune how much and thorow how many parts hast thou beaten mee But howsoeuer thou dost shake my house and how opposite soeuer thou art vnto my person yet are aduersities to be endured with an equall courage and by them the heart is prooued whether it be of Oke or Elder strong or weake there is no better Say or Touchstone in the world to know what finenesse or what Characts of Vertue or of Fortitude
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