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
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
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
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
And your dogge for all his fiercenesse and cruelnesse of nature when hee comes to bite another if hee throw himselfe downe at his feet hee will let him alone and doe him no harme and this is all out of pitie Againe to come to your birds and fowles of the ayre your Cocke eateth not any thing but hee first calleth his Hens about him and giues them part of his feeding The Pellicane with her beake breaketh vp her owne brest that she may giue her very bowels and intrals to her young ones to eat The Storkes maintaine their aged parents as long in the nest as they did giue them food when they were young and vnable to helpe themselues Now if God and Nature gaue such knowledge vnto beasts and birds why should wee that are men be more cruell one to another Why giue we not part of our graces and of our persons to our neighbors Especially when they are inuolued and afflicted with secret infirmities and those such that where the Medicine is thence was the cause of the maladie Melibea For Gods loue without any more dilating tell me who is this sicke man who feeling such great perplexity hath both his sicknes and his cure flowing from one and the selfe-same Fountaine Celest. You can not choose Lady but know a young Gentleman in this City nobly descended whose name is Calisto Melibea Inough inough No more good old woman Not a word not a word more I would aduise you Is this the sicke patient for whom thou hast made so many prefaces to come to thy purpose For what or whom cam'st thou hither Cam'st thou to seeke thy death Know'st thou for whom thou bearded Impudent thou hast troden these dangerous steps What ayles this wicked one that thou pleadest for him with such passion He is foolesicke is hee not Is hee in his wits I trow What would'st thou haue thought if thou should'st haue found me without some suspicion and iealousie of this foole What a wind-lace hast thou fetcht with what words hast thou come vpon me I see it is not said in vaine That the most hurtfull member in a man or woman is the tongue I will haue thee burned thou false Witch thou enemy to honesty thou Causeresse of secret errors Fie vpon thee Filth Lucrecia out of my sight with her send her packing away with her I pray she makes me ready to swound ay me I faint I dye she hath not left me one drop of bloud in my body But I well deserue this and more for giving eare to such a paltry huswife as shee is Beleeue me were it not that I regarded mine honour and that I am vnwilling to publish to the world his presumptuous audaciousnesse and boldnesse I would so handle thee thou accursed Hagge that thy discourse and thy life should haue ended both together Celest. In an ill houre came I hither If my spels and coniuration faile mee Goe to goe to I wot well inough to whom I speake This poore Gentleman this your brother is at the poynt of death and ready to dye Melibea Darest thou yet speake before mee and mutter words between thy teeth for to augment my anger double thy punishment Wouldst thou haue me soyle mine honour for to giue life to a foole to a mad man Shall I make my selfe sad to make him merry Wouldst thou thriue by my losse And reape profit by my perdition And receiue remuneration by my error Wouldst thou haue me ouerthrow and ruine my fathers house and honour for to raise that of such an old rotten Bawd as thou art Dost thou thinke I doe not perceiue thy drift That I doe not track thee step by step Or that I vnderstand not thy damnable errand But I assure thee the reward that thou shalt get thereby shall be no other saue that I may take from thee all occasion of farther offending heauen to giue an end to thy euill dayes Tell me Traitor as thou art how didst thou dare to proceed so farre with mee Celest. My feare of you Madame doth interrupt my excuse but my innocency puts new courage into me your presence againe disheartens me in seeing you so angry But that which grieues and troubles me most is that I receiue displeasure without any reason and am hardly thought on without a cause Giue mee leaue good Lady to make an end of my speach and then will you neither blame it nor condemne me then will you see that I rather seek to doe good seruice then indeauour any dishonest course and that I do it more to adde health to the Patient then to detract any thing from the fame and worth of the Physician And had I thought that your Ladiship would so easily haue made this bad construction out of your late noxious suspicion your licence should not haue beene sufficient warrant to haue imboldened me to speake any thing that might concerne Calisto or any other man liuing Melibea Let mee heare no more of this mad man name not this foole vnto mee this leaper ouer walls this Hob-goblin this night-walker this phantasticall spirit long-shanked like a Stork in shape and proportion like a picture in Arras that is ill-wrought or an ill-fauour'd fellow in an old sute of hangings Say no more of him vnlesse you would haue mee to fall downe dead where I stand This is hee who saw mee the other day and beganne to court mee with I know not what extrauagant phrases as if hee had not beene well in his wits professing himselfe to be a great Gallant Tell him good old woman if hee thinke that I was wholy his and that he had wonne the field because it pleased me rather to consent to his folly then correct his fault and yeeld to his errand then chastise his errour that I was willing rather to let him goe like a foole as hee came then to publish this his presumptuous enterprize Moreouer aduise him that the next way to haue his sicknesse leaue him is to leaue off his louing and wholy to relinquish his purpose if he purpose to impart health to himselfe which if he refuse to doe tell him from mee that he neuer bought words all the daies of his life at a dearer rate Besides I would haue him know that no man is ouercome but he that thinks himselfe so to be So shall I liue secure and he contented But it is euermore the nature of fooles to thinke other like themselues Returne thou with this very answer vnto him for other answer of me shall he none nor neuer hope for any for it is but in vaine to intreat mercy of him of whom thou canst not haue mercy And for thine owne part thou maist thanke God that thou scapest hence scot-free I haue heard inough of you heeretofore and of all your good qualities though it was not my hap to know you Celestina Troy stood out more stoutly and held out longer And many fiercer Dames haue I tamed in my dayes Tush No storme lasteth
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
disblame and excuse thy doings I coniure thee that thou answer mee truely by the vertue of that great power which thy Lady hath ouer mee Celestina Cease good Sir this vaine and idle humour for my eares are tyred with attention and the Girdle almost worne out with your often handling Calisto O wretch that I am farre better had it beene for mee had the heauens made me so happy that thou hadst beene made and wouen of these mine owne armes and not of silke as now thou art that they might haue daily reioyced in clasping and inclosing with due reuerence those members which thou without sense or feeling not knowing what it is to inioy so great a glory holdest still in strict imbracements O what secrets shouldst thou then haue seene of that so excellent an image Celest. Thou shalt see more and inioy more in a more ample and better manner if thou lose it not by talking as thou dost Calisto Peace good mother giue mee leaue a little for this and I well vnderstand one another O my eyes call to your remembrance how that yee were the cause of my ill and the very doore thorow which my heart was wounded and that he is seene to doe the hurt who doth giue the cause of the harme Call to your remembrance I say that yee are debtours to my well-fare Looke here vpon your medicine which is come home to your owne house to cure you Sempr. Sir it is not your reioycing in this girdle that can make you to enioy Melibea Calisto How like a foole thou pratest without eyther wit or reason Thou disturber of my delight what meanest thou by this Sempr. Mary that by talking and babbling so much as you doe you kill both your selfe and those which heare you and so by consequence ouerthrow both thy life and vnderstanding either of which to want is sufficient to leaue you darkling and say good night to the world Cut off your discourse therefore and listen vnto Celestina and heare what she will say vnto thee Calisto Mother are my words troublesome vnto you or is this fellow drunke Celest. Howbeit they be not yet should you not talke thus as you doe but rather giue an end to these your long complaints Vse a girdle like a girdle that you may know to make a difference of your words when you come to Melibea's presence let not your tongue equall the apparell with the person making no distinction betwixt her and her garments Calisto O my much honoured Matrone my mother my comfortresse Let mee glad my selfe a little with this messenger of my glory O my tongue Why doest thou hinder thy selfe in entertaining any other discourse leauing off to adore that present Excellency which peraduenture thou shalt neuer see in thy power O yee my hands With what presumption with what slender reuerence doe you touch that Treacle which must cure my wound Now that poyson cannot hurt mee wherewith that cruell shot of Cupid hath it's sharpe point deepely indipped For now I am safe since that shee who gaue mee my wound giues mee also my medicine O deare Celestina Thou that art the delight of all old Dames the ioy of young wenches the ease of the afflicted and comfort of such comfortlesse wretches as my selfe do not punish me more with feare of thee then I am already punished with shame of my selfe suffer me to let loose the reines of my contemplation giue me leaue to goe foorth into the streets with this iewell that they who see mee may know that there is not any man more happy then my selfe Sempr. Doe not infistulate your wound by clapping on it still more and more desire Sir it is not this string nor this girdle alone wherein your remedy must depend Calisto I know it well yet haue I not the power to abstaine from adoring so great a relique so rich a gift Celest. That 's a gift which is giuen gratis but you know that shee did this for to ease your tooth-ache and to cloze vp your wounds and not for any respect or loue which shee beares to you But if I liue shee shall turne the leafe ere I leaue her Calisto But the Charme you talkt of Celestina Shee hath not giuen it mee yet Calisto And what was the cause why shee did not Celestina The shortnesse of time and therefore will'd mee that if your paine did not decrease I should returne to her againe to morrow Calisto Decrease Then shall my paine decrease when I see a decrease of her cruelty Celest. Sir content your selfe with that which hath hitherto bin said and done shee is already bound I haue shew'd you how as farreforth as shee is able shee will be ready to yeeld you any helpe for this infirmitie of yours which I shall craue at her hands And tell me I pray if this bee not well for the first bowt Well I will now get me home and in any case haue a care that if you chance to morrow to walke abroad that you goe muzzled about the cheeks with a cloth that she seeing you so bound about the chaps may not accuse mee of petitioning a false-hood Calisto Nay to doe you seruice I will not sticke to clap on foure double clothes but of all loues tell me past there any thing more betweene you For I dye out of longing for to heare the words which flow from so sweet a mouth How didst thou dare not knowing her be so bold to shew thy selfe so familiar both in thy entrance and thy demand Celest. Not knowing her They were my neighbours for foure yeeres together I dealt with them I conuersed with them I talked with them and laught together with them day and night O! how merry wee haue beene Her mother why she knowes me better then her owne hands and Melibea too though now shee bee growne so tall so great so courteous and discreete a Lady Parmeno Sempronio a word with you in your eare Sempronio Say on What 's the matter Parmeno Mary this Celestina's attention giues matter to our Master to inlarge his discourse giue her a touch on the toe or make some signe to her that shee may be gone and not waite thus as shee doth vpon his answers For there is no man bee hee neuer so much a foole that speakes much when hee is all alone Calisto Didst thou say Melibea was courteous I thinke it was but in a mocke Was her like euer borne into the world Did God euer create a better or more perfect body Can the like proportion be painted by any pensill Is she not that Paragon of beautie from whence all eyes may copy forth a true patterne of vnimitable excellence If Hellen were now aliue for whom so great a slaughter was made of Greekes and Troianes or faire Polixena both of them would haue done their reuerence to this Lady for whom I languish If she had been present in that contention for the Apple with the three Goddesses the name of contention had neuer
good what they approue that is bad And since this is a true rule and common custome amongst them doe not iudge of Melibea's either goodnesse or beauty by that which they affirme Sempr. Gentlewomen let mee answer you in a word Your ill tongued multitude and pratling vulgar neuer pardon the faults of great persons no not of their Soueraigne himselfe which makes me to thinke that if Melibea had so many defects as you taxe her withall they would e're this haue beene discouered by those who know her better then wee doe And howbeit I should admit all you haue spoken to be true yet pardon me if I presse you with this particular Calisto is a Noble Gentleman Melibea the Daughter of Honourable parents So that it is vsuall with those that are descended of such high Linage to seeke and inquire each after other and therefore it is no maruell if he rather loue her then another Areusa Let him be base that holds himselfe base they are the Noble Actions of men that make men Noble For in conclusion we are all of one making flesh and bloud all Let euery man striue to be good of himselfe and not goe searching for his vertue in the Noblenesse of his Ancestors Celest. My good children as you loue mee cease this contentious kinde of talke and you Elicia I pray you come to the Table againe sit you downe I say and doe not vexe and grieue your selfe as you doe Elicia With this condition that my meate may be may poyson and that my belly may burst with that I eate Shall I sit downe and eate with this wicked Villaine that hath stoutly maintained it to my face and no body must say him nay That Melibea That Dishclout of his is fairer then I Sempr. I prythee Sweet-heart be quiet it was you that made the comparison and comparisons you know are odious and therefore it is you that are in the fault and not I Areusa Come sister come and sit with vs I pray come eate with vs Haue you no more wit then to be angry with such a crosse foole as hee I would not doe him so much pleasure as to forbeare my meate for him let him goe hang if hee be peeuish will you be peeuish too I pray you sit downe vnlesse you will haue me likewise to rise from the Table Elicia The necessity which I haue imposed vpon my selfe to please thee in all things and in all thy requests makes mee against my will to giue contentment to this enemy of mine and to carry my selfe out of my respect to this good company more fairely towards him then otherwise I would Sempronio Ha ha he Elicia What dost thou laugh at Now the euill Canker eate and consume that vnpleasing and offensiue mouth of thine Celest. Sonne I pray thee no more Do not answer her for then we shall neuer make an end This is nothing to the present purpose Let vs follow our businesse and attend that which may tend to our good Tell me How does Calisto How hap't it you left him thus all alone How fell it out that both of you could slip away from him Parme. He flung from vs with a vengeance fretting and fuming like a mad-man his eyes sparkeling foorth fire his mouth venting forth curses despairefull discontented in minde and like one that is halfe besides himselfe and is now gone to Saint Mary Magdalens to desire of God that thou maist well and truely gnaw the bones of these Chickens vowing neuer to come home till hee heare that thou art come with Melibea in thy lap Thy gowne and kirtle and my cassocke are cock-sure For the rest let the world slide but when we shall haue it that I know not all the craft is in the catching Celest. Let it come when it will come it shall be welcome when e're it comes A cassocke is good weare after winter And sleeues are good after Easter Euery thing makes the heart merry that is gotten with ease and without any labour especially comming from thence where it leaues so small a gap and from a man of that wealth and substance who with the very branne and scraps of his house would make me of a begger to become rich such is the surplus and store of his goods and such as hee it neuer grieues them what they spend considering the cause wherefore they giue For they feele it not when they are in the heat and passion of their loue it paines them not they neither see nor heare which I iudge to be true by others that I haue knowne to be lesse passionate and lesse scorched in the fiery flames of loue then Calisto is in so much that I haue seen them neither eat nor drink neither laught nor weep neither sleep nor wake neither speake nor hold their peace neither liue in paine nor yet finde ease neither be contented nor yet complaine of discontentment answerable to the perplexity of that sweet and cruell wound of their hearts And if naturall necessity forceth them to any one of these they are so wholly forgetfull of themselues and strucke into such sudden senslesnesse of their present being and condition that eating their hands forget to carry their meat to their mouthes Besides if you talke with them they neuer answer you directly Their bodies are there with you but where they loue there are their hearts and their senses Great is the force of loue His power doth not only reach ouer the earth but passeth also ouer the seas He holds an equall command ouer all mankinde He breaks thorow all kinde of difficulties and dangers whatsoeuer It is a tormentfull thing full of feare and of care His eye roles euery way nothing can escape him And if any of you that be heere ing perhaps 100. stripes vpon them and afterwards thrust them out of dores with their haire about their cares and their fardles at their backs rating them in most vile manner crying Out of my doors you thiefe you whore you strumpet this is no place for such paltry baggages Thou shalt not spoyle my house I will not be thus dishonoured by thee So that in stead of expected recompence they receiue nothing but bitter reuilements Where they expect to goe preferred out of the house they goe preiudiced out of the house And where they expect to be well married they are quite mar'd in their reputation And where they expect iewels and wedding apparell there are they sent out naked and disgraced these are their rewards these their benefits and these the payments they receiue for their seruice They are bound to giue them husbands and in liew thereof they strip them of their clothes The greatest grace and honour which they haue in their Ladies house is to be imployed in walking the streetes from one Ladie to another and to deliuer their Ladies message As My Lady hath sent to know how you doe how you did rest to night how your physicke wrought with you and how many occasions it gaue your
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