as euery naturall good excelleth the artificiall from whom it hath it's beginning But of this for this time no more but let vs now goe and see her who must work out well fare Celest. Soft me thinkes I heare some body on the stayres they are now comming downe Sempronio make as though you did not heare them stand close and listen what they say and let me alone to speake for vs both And thou shalt see how handsomely I will handle the matter both for thee and mee Sempr. Due so then Speake thou Celest. Trouble mee no more I say leaue importuning me for to ouercharge one who is heauy enough already laden with paine and â—â—uish were to spurre a sicke beast Alas poore soule mee thinkes 〈◊〉 so possessed with thy Masters paine and so affected with his affliction that Sempronio seemes to be Calisto and Calisto to be Sempronio and that both your torments are both but in one and the same subiect Besides I would haue you thinke that I came not hither to leaue this controuersie vndecided but will dye rather in the demand and pursuite of this my purpose then not see his desire accomplished Calisto Parmeno stay stay awhile make no noyse stand still I pray thee and listen a little what they say So huâ—h that we may see in what state wee liue what wee are like to trust to and how the world is like to goe with vs O notable woman O worldly goods vnworthy to be possessed by so high a spirit O faithfull and trusty Sempronio Hast thou well obseru'd him my Parmeno Hast thou heard him Hast thou noted his earnestnesse Tell me haue I not reason to respect him What saist thou man Thou that art the Clozet of my secrets the Cabinet of my Counsell and Councell of my soule Parme. Protesting first my innocency for your former suspition and cumplying with my fidelity since you haue giuen me such free liberty of speech I will truly deliuer vnto you what I thinke Heare mee therefore and let not your affection make you deafe nor hope of your pleasure blinde you haue a little patience and be not too hasty for many through too much eagernesse to hit the pinne haue shot farre beside the white And albeit I am but young yet haue I seene somewhat in my dayes besides the obseruation and fight of many things doe teach a man much experience Wherefore assure your selfe and thereon I durst pawne my life that they ouer-heard what wee said as also our comming downe the stayres and haue of set purpose fallen into this false and feyned expression of their great loue and care wherein you now place the end of your desire Sempr. Beleeue mee Celestîna Parmeno aimes vnhappily Celest. Be silent For I sweare by my haly-doome that whither comes the Asse thither also shall come the saddle Let mee alone to deale with Parmeno and you shall see I will so temper him e'r I haue done with him that I will make him wholly ours And see what wee gaine hee shall share with vs for goods that are not common are not goods It is communication that makes combination in loue and therefore let vs all gaine let vs all deuide the spoile and let vs laugh and be merry all alike I will make the slaue so tame and so gentle that I will bring him like a bird to picke bread from my first And so we will be two to two and all three joyne to coozen the fourth Thou and I will ioyne together Parmeno shall make a third and all of vs cheate Calisto Calisto Sempronio Sempr. Sir Cal. What art thou doing thou that art the key of my life Open the doore O Parmeno now that I see her I feele my selfe well me thinks I am now aliue againe See what a reuerend Matrone it is What a presence she beares worthy respect A man may now see how for the most part the face is the Index of the mind O vertuous old age O inaged vertue O glorious hope of my desired end O head the all ayer of my passion O relieuer of my torment and viuification of my life resurrection from my death I desire to draw neer vnto thee my lips long to kisse those hands wherein consists the fulnesse of my recouery but the vnworthinesse of my person debars mee of so great a fauour Wherefore I heere adore the ground whereon thou treadest and in reuerence of thee bow downe my body to kisse it Celest. Sempronio Can faire words make me the fatter Can I liue by this Those bones which I haue already gnawne does this foole thy Master thinke to feede mee therewith Sure the man dreames when he comes to frye his egges he will then finde what is wanting Bid him shut his mouth and open his purse I missedoubt his words much more his works Holla I say are you so ticklish I will curry you for this geare you lame Asse you must rise a little more early if you meane to goe beyond me Parme. Woe to these eares of mine that euer they should heare such words as these I now see that hee is a lost man who goes after one that is lost O vnhappy Calisto deiect wretch blind in thy folly and kneeling on the ground to adore the oldest and the rottennest piece of whorish earth that euer rub'd her shoulders in the Stewes He is vndone he is ouerthrowne horse and foote hee is fallen ino a trap whence he will neuer get out hee is not capable of any redemption counsell or courage Calisto Wat said my mother It seemeth vnto mee that shee thinkes I offer words for to excuse my reward Sempr. You haue hit the nayle on the head Sir Calisto Come then with mee bring the keyes with you and thou shalt see I will quickely put her out of that doubt Sempr. In so doing you shall doe well Sir Let vs goe presently for it is not good to suffer weeds to grow amongst corne not suspition in the hearts of our friends but to root it out streight with the weed-hooke of good workes Calisto Wittily spoken come let vs goe let vs slacke no time Celest. Beleeue me Parmeno I am very glad that we haue lighted on so fit an opportunity wherein I may manifest and make knowne vnto thee the singular loue wherewithall I affect thee and what great interest though vndeseruedly thou hast in me I say vndeseruedly in regard of that which I haue heard thee speake against me whereof I make no more reckoning but am content to let it passe For vertue teacheth vs to suffer temptations and not to render euill for euill and especially when wee are tempted by young men such as want experience and are not acquainted with the courses of the world who out of an ignorant and foolish kinde of loyalty vndoe both themselues and their Masters as thou thy selfe dost Calisto I heard you well inough not a word you said that escaped mine care Nor do you think that with these my other outward senses
whole world So great was his loue-torment and so little both place and opportunity to speake with me that he was driuen to discouer his passion to a crafty and subtill woman named Celestina which Celestina comming as a suiter vnto mee in his behalfe drew my secret loue from forth my bosome and made mee to manifest that vnto her which I concealed from mine own mother she found the meanes to win me to her will shee made the match betweene vs shee plotted how his desire and mine should take effect And if hee dearely loued me I was not therein deceiued shee made vp that sad conclusion of that sweete and vnfortunate execution of his will and thus being ouer-come with the loue of Calisto I gaue him entrance into your house hee scaled your walls with ladders and brake into your garden brake my chaste purpose by taking from mee the flowre of my Virginity And thus almost this moneth haue wee liu'd in this delightfull errour of loue And as he came this lastnight vnto mee as hee was wont to doe e'en iust about the time that he should haue returned home as ill fortune would haue it who in the mutability of her nature ordereth and disposeth all things according to her disordered custome the walls being high the night darke the ladder light and weake his seruants that brought it vnacquainted with that kinde of seruice hee going downe somewhat hastily to see a fray which he heard in the streete betweene his seruants and some others that then passed by being in choller making more haste then good speed thinking he should neuer come soone enough not eying well his steps he sets his foot quite besides the rounds and so fell downe and with that wofull and vnfortunate fall hee pitcht vpon his head and had his braines beaten out and dasht in pieces against the stones and pauement of the streete Thus did the destinies cut off his thred thus cut off his life without confession cut off my hope cut off my glory cut off my company Things therefore being thus tell me father What cruelty were it in me he dying disbrained that I should liue pained all the daies of my life His death inuiteth mine inuiteth nay inforceth mee that it be speedily effected and without delay it teacheth mee that I should also fall headlong down that I may imitate him in all things It shall not be said of mee that those that are dead and gone are soone forgotten And therefore I will seeke to content him in my death since I had not time to giue him content in my life O my Loue and deare Lord Calisto expect mee for now I come But stay a little though thou dost expect mee and be not angry I prythee that I delay thee being that I am now paying my last debt and giuing it my finall account to my aged father to whom I owe much more O my best beloued father I beseech you if euer you did loue mee in this painefull forepassed life that we may both be interred in one Tombe and both our Obsequies be solemnized together I would faine speake some words of comfort vnto you before this my gladsome and well-pleasing end gathered and collected out of those ancient bookes which for the bettering of my wit and vnderstanding you willed me to reade were it not that my memory failes me being troubled and disquieted with the losse and death of my Loue as also because I see your ill indured teares trickle so fast downe your wrinckled cheekes Recommend mee to my most deare and best-beloued mother and doe you informe her at large of the dolefull occasion of my death I am glad with all my heart that shee is not heere present with you for her sight would but increase my sorrow Take aged father the gifts of old age for in large daies large griefes are to be endured Receiue the pledge and earnest of thy reuerend age receiue it at the hands of thy beloued daughter I sorrow much for my selfe more for you but most for my aged mother and so I recommend me to you both and both of you vnto your more happinesse to whom I offer vp my soule leauing the care to you to couer this body that is now comming downe vnto you ACTVS XXI THE ARGVMENT PPLEBERIO returning weeping to his chamber his wife Alisa demands the cause of this so sudden an ill Hee relates vnto her the death of her daughter Melibea shewing vnto her her bruised body and so making lamentation for her hee giues a conclusion to this Tragick Comedy INTERLOCVTORS Alisa Pleberio ALisa Why Pleberio my Lord what 's the matter why doe you weepe and snobbe and take on in such extreme and violent manner I haue lyen euer since in a dead swound so was I ouercome with griefe when I heard that our daughter was so ill And now hearing your pittifull lamentations your loude cryings your vnaccustomed complaints your mournings and great anguish they haue so pierced my very bowels made so quicke a passage to my heart and haue so quickned and reuiued my troubled and benummed senses that I haue now put away the griefe which I entertained thus one griefe driues out another and sorrow expelleth sorrow Tell mee the cause of your complaint Why doe you curse your honorable old age Why do you desire death Why doe you teare your milke-white hayres vp by the roates Why doe you scratch and rend your reuerend face Is any ill befalne Melibea For I pray you tell mee for if shee be not well I cannot liue Pleberio Out alas Ay mee my most noble wife Our solace is in the suds our ioy is turn'd into annoy all our conceiued hopes are vtterly lost all our happinesse is quite ouerthrowne let vs now no longer desire to liue And because vnexpected sorrowes leaue a greater impression of griefe and because they may bring thee the sooner to thy graue as also that I may not alone by my selfe bewayle that heauy losse which belongs to vs both looke out and behold her whom thou broughtst forth and I begot dash't and broken all to pieces The cause I vnderstood from her selfe but layd open more at large by this her sadde and sorrowfull seruant Helpe to lament these our latter daies which are now growing to an end O yee good people who come to behold my sorrowes and you Gentlemen my louing friends doe you also assist to bewayle my misery O my daughter and my onely good it were cruelty in mee that I should out-liue thee My threescore yeeres were fitter for the graue then thy twenty but the order of my dying was altred by that extremity of griefe which did hasten thy end O yee my boary hayres growne foorth to no other end saue sorrow it would better haue suted with you to haue beene buryed in the earth then with these golden tresses which lye heere before mee Too too many are the dayes that I haue yet to liue I will complaine and cry out
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
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
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
and command then of her father Pleberio Calisto Speake softly good mother take heede what you say let not my men heare you lest they should call thee foole Melibea is my mistresse Melibea is my desire Melibea is my life I am her seruant I am her slaue Sempr. Good Sir with this distrustfulnesse of yours with this vndervalewing of your selfe you interseâ—t such doubts as cut off Celestina in the midst of her discourse you would tire out a whole world with your disordered and confused interruptions Why doe you crosse blesse your selfe Why do you keep such a wondring It were better you would giue her some thing for her paines For these words are worthy better payment and expect no lesse at your hands Calisto Well hast thou spoken deare mother I wot full well that my small reward can no waies reward your paines but instead of a gowne and a kirtle because Trades-men shall not share with you take this little chaine put it about your necke and goe on with your discourse and my ioy Parm. Call you that a little chaine Heard you him Sempronio This Spend-thrift makes no reckoning of it but I assure you I will not giue my part thereof for halfe a Marke of gold let her share it neuer so ill Sempr. Peace I say for should my Master haue ouer-heard you you should haue had worke enough to pacifie him and to cure your selfe So offended is he already with your continuall murmuring As you loue me brother heare and hold your peace for to this end thou hast two eares and but one tongue Parm. He hath hang'd himselfe so fast to that old womans mouth that hee is both deafe dumbe and blind like a body without a soule or a bell without a clapper insomuch that if wee should point at him scornefully with our fingers he would say We lifted vp our hands to heauen imploring his happy successe in his loue Sempr. Peace hearken listen well vnto Celestina On my soule shee deserues it all and more too had hee giuen it her She speakes wonders Celest. Noble Calisto to such a poore weake old woman as my selfe you haue shewed your selfe exceeding franke and liberall but as euery gift is esteemed great or little in regard of him that giues it I will not therefore compare therewith my small desert which it surpasseth both in qualitie and quantitie but rather measure it with your magnificence before which it is nothing In requitall whereof I restore vnto thee thy health which was vpon losing thy heart which was vpon fainting and thy wits which were vpon turning Melibea is pained more for you then you for her Melibea loues you and desires to see you Melibea spends more houres in thinking vpon you then on her selfe Melibea calls her selfe thine and this shee holds as a Title of libertie and with this shee allayes that fire which burnes more in her then thy selfe Calisto You my seruants Am I heere Heare I this Looke whether I am awake or not Is it day or is it night O thou great God of heauen I beseech thee this may not prooue a dreame Sure I doe not sleepe mee thinkes I am fully awake Tell mee mother dost thou make sport with mee in paying me with words Feare nothing but tell mee the truth for thy going to and fro deserueth a great deale more then this Celest. The heart that is wounded with desire neuer entertaineth good newes for certaine nor bad for doubtfull But whether I iest or no your selfe shall see by going this night to her house her selfe hauing agreed with mee about the time appointing you to be iust there as the clocke strikes twelue that you may talke together thorow the chinks of the doore from whose owne mouth you shall fully know my sollicitude and her desire and the loue which shee beares vnto you and who hath caused it Calisto It is enough Is it possible I should hope for so great a happinesse Can so great a blessing light vpon Calisto I dye till that houre come I am not capable of so great a glory I doe not deserue so great a fauour nor am I worthy to speake with so faire a Lady who of her owne free-will should affoord mee so great a grace Celest. I haue often heard that it is harder to suffer prosperous then aduerse fortune because the one hath neuer any quietude and the other still taketh comfort It is strange Sir that you will not consider who you are nor the time that you haue spent in her seruice nor the person whome you haue made to be your meanes And likewise that hitherto thou hast euer beene in doubt of hauing her and yet didst still endure all with patience and now that I doe certifie vnto thee the end of thy torment wilt thou put an end to thy life Consider consider I pray with thy selfe that Celestina is on thy side and that although all should be wanting vnto thee which in a Louer were to be required I would sell thee for the most complete gallant of the world for I would make for thee mountaines of most craggy rocks to grow plaine and smooth Nay more I would make thee goe to thorow the deepest channell or the lightest swelling sea without wetting of thy foot you know not on whom you haue bestowed your Largesse Calisto Remember your selfe mother did you not tell me that shee would come to mee of her owne accord Celestina Yes and that vpon her very knees Sempr. Pray heauen it be not a false alarme one thing rumord another purposed It may be a false fire-worke to blow vs all vp I feare mee it is a false traine a made match and a trappe purposely set to catch vs all Bethinke your selfe mother that so men vse to giue crooked pinnes wrapt vp in bread poysonsome pilles roll'd vp in Suger that they may not be seene and perceiued Parmeno I neuer heard thee speake better in my life the sudden yeelding of this Lady and her so speedy consenting to all that Celestina would haue her ingenders a strong suspition within mee and makes me to feare that deceiuing our will with her sweet and ready words she will rob vs on the wrong side as your Gypsies vse to doe when they looke in our hands to tell vs our fortunes Besides mother it is an old saying that with faire words many wrongs are reuenged and the counterfet stalking horse which is made but of Canuasse with his dissembled gate and the alluring sound of the tinckling of a bell driues the Partridges into the net the songs of the Syrens deceiue the simple Mariner with the sweetenesse of their voices Euen so shee with her exceeding kindnesse and sudden concession of her loue will seaze hand-smooth on a whole droue of vs at once and purge her innocency with Calisto's honour and our deaths Being like heerein to the teatling Lambe which suckes both her damm's teat and that of another Ewe Shee by securing vs will be reuenged both
of Calisto and all of vs so that with the great number of people which they haue in the house they may catch both the old ones and the young one together in the nest whilest shee shrugging and rubbing her selfe by the fire side may safely say Hee is out of gun-shot that rings the bell to the battell Calisto Peace you Knaues you Villaines you suspitious Rascalls will you make mee beleeue that Angels can doe ought that is ill I tell you Melibea is but a dissembled Angell that liues heere amongst vs Sempro. What will you still play the Hereticke Harken to him Parmeno but take thou no care at all let it not trouble thee For if there be any double dealing or that the play proue foule he shall pay for all for our feete be good and wee will betake vs to our heeles Celestina Sir you are in the right and these in the wrong ouer-lading their thoughts with vaine suspitions and iealousies I haue done all that I was inioyned and so I leaue you to your ioyes Good Angels defend you and direct you as for my selfe I am very well satisfied And if you shall haue further occasion to vse mee eyther in this particular or any thing else you shall finde mee euer ready to doe you the best seruice I can Parmeno Ha ha he Sempronio I pray thee why dost thou laugh Parme. To see what haste the old Trot makes to be gone shee thinkes euery houre a yeere till shee be gone cleare away with the chaine she cannot perswade her selfe that it is as yet sure inough in her hands for shee knowes that shee is as little worthy of that chaine as Calisto is of his Melibea Sempr. What would you haue such an old whorish Bawd as she to doe who knowes and vnderstands that which wee silence and keepe secret and vseth to patch vp seuen Virginities at a clap for two pieces of Siluer And now that shee sees her selfe to be laden with gold what I say would you haue her to doe but to make it safe and sure by taking possession thereof for feare lest hee should take it from her againe after that hee hath had his desire But let vs beware of the Diuell and take heede that wee goe not together by the â—ares when wee come to deuide the spoyle Calisto Mother fare you well I will lay mee downe to sleepe and rest my selfe a while that I may redeeme the nights past and satisfie the better for that which is to come Celestina Tha ta ta Elicia Who knockes Celestina Daughter Elicia open the doore Elicia How chance you come so late It is not well done of you being an old woman as you are for you may hap to stumble where you may so fall that it may be your death Celest. I feare not that wench For I consult with my selfe in the day which way I shall goe in the night for I neuer goe neere any bridge bench pit or Causey for as it is in the Prouerbe He goes not safe nor neuer shall who goes too close vnto the wall And hee goes still most safe and sound whose steps are plaste on plainest ground and I had rather foule my shooes with durt then be-bloody my Kerchiefe at euery walls corner But does it not grieue thee to be heere Elicia Why should it grieue mee Celest. Because the company I left heere with you is gone and you are all alone Elicia It is some foure houres agoe since they went hence and would you haue mee to thinke on that now Celest. Indeed the sooner they left you the more reason you had to thinke thereon but let vs leaue to talke of their speedy going and of my long staying and let vs first prouide for our supper and then for our sleepe ACTVS XIJ THE ARGVMENT MIdnight being come Calisto Sempronio and Parmeno being well armed goe towards the house of Melibea Lucrecia and Melibea stand at the doore watching for Calisto Calisto comes Lucrecia first speakes vnto him she calls Melibea Lucrecia goes aside Melibea and Calisto talke together the doore being betwixt them Parmeno and Sempronio withdraw themselues a little waies off They heare some people comming along the street they prepare themselues for flight Calisto takes his leaue of Melibea leauing order for his returne the next night following Pleberio awakened with the noise which he heard in the street calls to his wife Alisa they aske of Melibea who that was that walk't vp and downe in her chamber Melibea answers her father by faining she was athirst Calisto with his seruants goe talking home to his house Being come home he laies him downe to sleepe Parmeno and Sempronio goe to Celestina's house they demand their share of her paines Celestina dissembles the matter they fall a wrangling they lay hands on Celestina they murther her Elicia cryes out the Iustice comes and apprehends them both INTERLOCVTORS Calisto Lucrecia Melibea Parmeno Sempronio Pleberio Alisa Celestina Elicia CAlisto Sirs what 's a clock Sempr. It strooke now tenne Calisto O how it discontents me to see seruants so wretchlesse Of my much mindfulnesse for this nights meeting and your much vnmindfulnesse and extreme carelesnesse there might haue been had some indifferent both remembrance and care how inconsiderately knowing how much it importeth mee to be either tenne or eleuen dost thou answer mee at hap-hazard with that which comes first to mouth O vnhappy I if by chance I had ouerslept my selfe and my demand had depended on the answer of Sempronio to make of eleuen ten and of twelue but eleuen Melibea might haue come forth I had not gone out and shee returned backe so that neither my misery should haue had an end nor my desire haue taken effect And therefore it is not said in vaine That another mans harme hangs but by one haire no man caring whether hee sinke or swimme Sempr. Me thinks it is as great an errour in a man to aske what hee knowes as to answer to what hee knowes not It were better Sir that we should spend this houre that remaineth in preparing weapons then in propounding questions Calisto The foole saies well I would not at such a time receiue a displeasure I will not thinke on t that which may be but on that which hath beene not on the harme which may arise by his negligence but on the good which may come by my carefulnesse I will giue leasure to my anger and will either quite dismisse it or force it to be more remisse Parmeno Take downe my Corslets and arme your selues so shall we goe the safer For it is in the Prouerbe Halfe the battell is then waged when a man is well prepared Parm. Lo Sir heere they bee Calisto Come helpe mee heere to put them on Doe you looke on Sempronio and see if any body be stirring in the street Sempr. Sir I see not any and though there were yet the darkenesse of the night is such and so great that it is impossible for any that