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
remain in man And therefore come what will come fall backe fall edge I will not desist to accomplish her desire for whose sake all this hath hapned For it is better for mee to pursue the benefit of that glory which I expect then the losse of those that are dead They were proud and stout and would haue beene slaine at some other time if not now The old woman was wicked and false as it seemes in her dealings not complying with that contract which shee had made with them so that they fell out about the true mans cloake taking it from the true owner to share it amongst themselues But this was a iust iudgement of God vpon her that she should receiue this payment for the many adulteries which by her intercession and meanes haue beene committed Sosia and Tristianico shall prouide themselues they shall accompany me in this my desired walke they shall carry the Scaling-ladders for the walls are very high To morrow I will abroad and see if I can reuenge their deaths if not I will purge my innocency with a fained absence or else faine my selfe mad that I may the better inioy this so tastefull a delight of my sweet Loue as did that great Captaine Vlysses to shunne the Troiane warre that hee might lie dulcing at home with his wife Penelope ACTVS XIIIJ THE ARGVMENT MELIBEA is much afflicted she talkes with Lucrecia concerning Calisto's slacknesse in comming who had vowd that night to come and visit her The which hee performed And with him came Sosia and Tristan and after that he had accomplished his desire they all of them betooke them to their rest Calisto gets him home to his Palace and there begins to complaine and lament that he had staied so little a while with Melibea and begs of Phoebus that hee would shut his beames that he might the sooner goe to renew his desire INTERLOCVTORS Melibea Lucrecia Sosia Tristan Calisto MElibea Me thinks the Gentleman whome we looke for stayes very long Tel me Lucrecia what think'st thou will he come or no Lucrecia I conceiue Madame he hath some iust cause of stay and it is not in his power to come so soone as you expect Melibea Good spirits be his guard and preserue his person from perill For his long stay doth not so much grieue mee but I am afraid lest some misfortune or other may befall him as he is on his way vnto vs For who knowes whether he cōming so willingly to the place appointed and in that kind of fashion as such Gentlemen as hee on the like occasion and the like houre vse to goe whether or no I say he may chance to light vpon the night-watch or be met by the Alguazils and they not knowing him haue set vpon him and he to defend himselfe hath either hurt them or they him Or whether some roguish Curre or other with his cruel teeth for such dogs as they make no difference of persons haue perhaps vnfortunately bit him Or whether he hath fallen vpon the Causey or into some dangerous pit whereby he may receiue some harme But Ay me these are but inconueniences which my conceiued loue brings forth and my troubled thoughts present vnto me Goodnes forbid that any of these misfortunes should befall him Rather let him stay as long as it shall please himselfe from comming to visit mee But harke harke what steps are those that I heare in the street And to my thinking likewise I heare somebody talking on this side of the garden Sosia Tristan set the ladder here for though it be the higher yet I take it to be the better place Tristan Get vp Sir And I will along with you For we know not who is there within they are talking I am sure who-ere they be Calist. Stay here you foole I will in alone for I heare my Lady and Mistris Melibea Your seruant your slaue Calisto who prizes more yours then her owne life O my deare Lord take heed how you leape leape not downe so high you kill me if you doe I shall swound in seeing it Come downe come downe gently I pray Take more leasure in comming downe the ladder as you loue mee come not so fast Calisto O diuine Image O precious pearle before whom the whole world appeareth foule O my Lady and my glory I imbrace and hug thee in mine armes and yet I not beleeue it such a turbation of pleasure seazeth on my person that it makes me not feele the fulnes of that ioy I possesse Melibea My Lord sithence I haue intrusted my selfe in your hands since I haue beene willing to cumply with your will let me not be worse thought of for being pittifull then if I had bene coy and mercilesse Nor doe not worke my vndoing for a delight so momentary and performed in so short a space For Actions that are ill after they are committed may easier be reprehended then amended Reioyce thou in that wherein I reioyce which is to see and draw neere vnto thy person to view and touch thee But do not offer either to aske or take that which being taken away is not in thy power to restore Take heed Sir that you goe not about to ouerthrow that which with all the wealth in the world you are not able to repaire Calisto Deare Lady since for to obtaine this fauour I haue spent my whole life what folly were it in me to refuse that which you haue so kindly conferr'd vpon me Nor Madame do I hope that you will lay so hard a command vpon me or if you should yet haue I not power to containe my selfe within the limits of your command Doe not impose such a point of cowardize vpon me For I tell you it is not in any man that is a man to forbeare in such a case and to condition so hard with himselfe much lesse in mee louing as I do and hauing swumme as I haue done all my life long thorow this sea of thy desire and mine owne loue Will you then after my so many trauels deny me entrance into that sweet hauen where I may find some ease of all my former sorrowes Melibea As you loue me Calisto though my tongue take liberty to talke what it will yet I prythee let not thy hands doe all what they can Be quiet good Sir since I am yours suffice it you content your selfe in the inioying of this outwardnes which is the proper fruit of Louers and not to robbe me of the greatest ewell which Nature hath inrich't mee with Consider besides That it is the property of a good shepheard to fleece but not to flay his sheep to sheare them but not to vncase them Calisto Madame What meane you by this That my passions should not be at peace That I shall runne ouer my torments anew That I shall returne to my old yoke againe Pardon Sweet Lady these my impudent hands if too presumptuously they presse vpon you which once did neuer thinke so all together were
Sea that swels and rages breaking it 's billowes one against another the Ayre that darteth arrowes of lightning and is moued this way and that way the flames they cracke and sparkle forth their furie the windes are at perpetuall enmitie with themselues times with times doe contend one thing against another and all against vs We see that the Summer makes vs complaine of too much heate and the Winter of cold and sharpenesse of weather So that this which seemeth vnto vs a temporall reuolution this by which we are bred vp and nourished and liue if it once beginne to passe aboue it's proportion and to grow to a greater highth then vsuall it is no better then open warre And how much it ought to bee feared is manifested by those great earth-quakes and whirlewinds by those ship-wrackes and fires as well in the ayre as the earth by the sourse of water-courses and violence of inundations by those courses and recourses those rackings to and fro of the Clouds of whose open motions to know the secret cause from whence they proceed no lesse is the dissention of the Philosophers in the schooles then of the waues of the Sea Besides among your bruit beasts there is not any one of them that wants his warre be they Fishes Birds Beasts or Serpents whereof euery kinde persecuteth and pursueth one another The Lyon hee pursues the Wolfe the Wolfe the Kidde the Dog the Hare And if it might not be thought a fable or old wifes tale sitting by the fire side I should more fully inlarge this Theame The Elephant that is so powerfull and strong a beast is afraide and flies from the sight of a poore silly Mouse and no sooner heares him comming but hee quakes and trembles for feare Amongst Serpents Nature created the Basiliske so venomous and poysonfull and gaue him such a predominant power ouer all the rest that onely with his hissing he doth affright them with his comming put them to flight and disperseth some one way some another and with his sight kills and murders them The Viper a crawling creature and venomous Serpent at the time of ingendring the Male puts his head into the mouth of the Female and shee through the great delight and sweetnesse of her pleasure straines him so hard that she kills him And conceiuing her young the eldest or first of her brood breakes the barres of his mothers belly eates out his way thorow her bowels at which place all the rest issue forth whereof she dies hee doing this as a reuenger of his fathers death What greater conflict what greater contention or warre can there be then to conceiue that in her body which shall eate out her Intralls Againe no lesse naturall dissention can we suppose to be amongst fishes for most certaine it is that the Sea doth containe as many seuerall sorts of fishes as the earth and ayre do nourish bords and beasts and much more Aristotle and Pliny doe recount wonders of a little fish called Aecheneis how apt his nature is and how prone his propertie for diuers kindes of contentions especially this one that if hee cling to a shiper Carrack he will detaine and stop her in her course though she haue the winde in the poope of her and cut the Seas with neuer so stiffe a gale Whereof Lucan maketh mention saying Non puppim retinens Euro tendente rudentes In medijs Aecheneis aquis Nor Aecheneis whose strength though Eurus rise Can stay the course of shippes O naturall contention worthy of admiration that a little fish should be able to doe more then a great ship with all the force and strength of the winds Moreouer if we will discourse of birds and of their frequent enmities we may truly affirm that all things are created in a kind of contention Your greater liue of rapine as Eagles and Hawks and your crauen Kites presse vpon our Pullen insulting ouer them euen in our own houses and offring to take them euen from vnder the Hens wings Of a bird called Roque which is bred in the East Indian Sea it is said to be of an incredible greatnesse that the like hath neuer bin heard of and that with her beake she will hoyse vp into the ayre not only one man or ten but a whole ship laden with men and merchandise and how that these miserable passengers hanging thus in suspence in the ayre till her wings waxe weary she lets them fall and so they receiue their deaths But what shall we say of men to whom all the foresaid creatures are subiect Who can expresse their wars their iars their enmities their enuies their heats their broyles their brawles and their discontentments That change and alteration of fashions in their apparell That pulling downe and building vp of houses and many other sundry effects and varieties all of them proceeding from the feeble and weake condition of mans variable nature And because it is an old and ancient complaint and vsed heretofore time out of minde I will not much maruell if this present worke shall proue an instrument of war to its Readers putting strifes and differences amongst them euery one giuing his verdict and opinion thereupon according to the humour of his owne will Some perhaps may say that it is too long some too short others to be sweet and pleasant and other some to be darke and obscure So that to cut it out to the measure of so many and such different dispositions is onely appropriate to God Especially since that it together with all other things whatsoeuer are in this world march vnder the standard of this noble Sentence For euen the very life of men if we consider them from their first and tendeer age till they grow gray-headed is nothing else but a battell Children with their sports boyes with their bookes young men with their pleasures old men with a thousand sorts of infirmities skirmish and warre continually and these Papers with all ages The first blots and teares them the second knowes not well how to read them the third which is the cheerefull liuelihood of youth and set all vpon iollity doth vtterly dislike of them Some gnaw onely the bones but do not picke out the marrow saying there is no goodnesse in it that it is a History huddled I know not how together a kind of hodgepode or gallimaufrey not profiting themselues out of the particularities accounting it a fable or old wifes tale fitting for nothing saue only for to passe away the time vpon the way Others call out the witty conceits and common prouerbs highly commending them but slighting and neglecting that which makes more to the purpose and their profit But they for whose true pleasure it is wholy framed reiect the story it selfe as a vayne and idle subiect and gather out the pith and marrow of the matter for their owne good and benefit and laugh at those things that sauour onely of wit and pleasant conceite storing vp in their memorie
yee haue any pitty in you inspire that Pleberian heart therewith lest that my soule helplesse of hope should fall into the like misfortune with Pyrramus Thisbe Sempr. What a thing is this What 's the matter with you Calisto Away get thee gone doe not speake to me vnlesse thou wilt that these my hands before thy time be come cut off thy daies by speedy death Sempronio Since you will lament all alone and haue none to share with you in your sorrowes I will be gone Sir Calisto Now the diuell goe with thee Sempr. With me Sir there is no reason that he should goe with me who stayes with you O vnfortunate O sudden and vnexpected ill what contrarious accident what squint-ey'd starre is it that hath robbed this Gentleman of his wonted mirth and not of that alone but of it which is worse his wits Shall I leaue him all alone or shall I goe in to him If I leaue him alone he will kill himselfe If I goe in he will kill me Let him bide alone and bite vpon the bit come what will come I care not Better it is that hee dye whose life is hatefull vnto him then that I dye when life is pleasing vnto mee and say that I should not desire to liue saue onely to see my Elicia that alone is motiue inough to make mee looke to my selfe and guard my person from dangers but admit he should kill himselfe without any other witnesse then must I be bound to giue account of his life Well I will in for that but put case when I come in he will take neither comfort nor counsell mary his case is desperate for it is a shrewd signe of death not to be willing to be cured Well I will let him alone a while and giue his humour leaue to worke out it selfe I will forbeare till his angry fit be ouer-past and that his hat be come againe to his colour For I haue heard say that it is dangerous to lance or crush an Impostume before it bee ripe for then it will 〈◊〉 the more Let him alone a while let vs suffer him to weepe who suffers to sorrow for teares and sighes doe ease the heart that is surcharded with griefe but then againe if he see mee in sight I shall see him more incensed against mee For there the sunne scorcheth most where he reflecteth most the sight which hath no obiect set before it waxeth weary-and dull and hauing its obiect is as quicke And therefore I thinke it my best play to play least in sight and to stay a little longer but if in the meane while he should kill himselfe then farewell he Perhaps I may get more by it then euery man is aware of and cast my skinne changing rags for robes and penury for plenty But it is an old saying He that lookes after dead-mens shooes may chance to goe barefoote Perhaps also the diuell hath deceiued me And so his death may be my death and then all the fat is in the fire The rope will go after the Bucket and one losse follow another on the otherside your wise men say That it is a great ease to a grieued soule or one that is afflicted to haue a companion to whom he may communicate his sorrow Besides it is generally receiued that the wound which bleedes inward is euer the more dangerous Why then in these two extremes hang I in suspence what I were best to doe Sure the safest is to enter and better it is that I should indure his anger then for feare of his displeasure to forbeare to comfort him For if it be possible to cure without Arte and without things ready at hand farre easier is it to cure by Arte and wanting nothing that is necessary Calisto Sempronio Sempr. Sir Calisto Reach me that Lute Sempr. Sir heere it is Calisto Tell me what griefe so great can be As to equall my misery Sempr. This Lute Sir is out of tune Calisto How shall he tune it who himselfe is out of tune Or how canst thou heare harmony from him who is at such discord with himselfe Or how can he do any thing well whose will is not obedient to reason Who harbors in his brest needles peace warre truce loue hate injuries and suspicions And all these at once and from one and the same cause Doe thou therefore take this Lute vnto thee and sing me the most dolefull ditty thou canst deuise Sempronio Nero from Tarpey doth behold How Rome doth burne all on a flame He heares the cries of young and old Yet is not grieued at the same Calisto My fire is farre greater and lesse her pity whom now I speake of Sempr. I was not deceiued when I sayd my Master had lost his wits Calisto What 's that Sempronio thou muttrest to thy selfe Sempr. Nothing Sir not I Calisto Tell me what thou saidst Be not afraid Sempr. Marry I said How can that fire be greater which but tormenteth one liuing man then that which burnt such a Citty as that was and such a multitude of men Calisto How I shall tell thee Greater is that flame which lasteth fourescore yeeres then that which endureth but one day And greater that fire which burneth one soule then that which burneth an hundred thousand bodies See what difference there is betwixt apparencies and existencies betwixt painted shaddowes and liuely substances betwixt that which is counterfet and that which is reall So great a difference is there betwixt that fire which thou speakest of and that which burneth mee Sempr. I see I did not mistake my byas which for ought I perceiue runnes worse and worse Is it not inough to shew thy selfe a foole but thou must also speake prophanely Calisto Did not I will tell thee when thou speakest that thou shouldest speake aloud Tell me what 's that thou mumblest to thy selfe Sempr. Onely I doubted of what religion your Louers are Calisto I am a Melibean I adore Melibea I beleeue in Melibea and I loue Melibea Sempr. My Master is all Melibea who now but Melibea whose heart not able to containe her like a boyling vessell venting it's heate goes bubbling her name in his mouth Well I haue now as much as I desire I know on which foote you halt I shall not heale you Calisto Thou speakest of matters beyond the Moone It is impossible Sempr. O Sir exceeding easie for the first recouery of sicknesse is the discouery of the disease Calisto What counsell can order that which in it selfe hath neither counsell nor order Sempr. Ha ha ha Calisto's fire these his intolerable paines As if loue had beene his bow shot all his arrowes onely against him Oh Cupid how high and vnsearchable are thy mysteries What reward hast thou ordained for loue since that so necessary a tribulation attends on louers Thou hast set his bounds as markes for men to wonder at Louers euer deeming that they only are cast behinde and that others fill out 〈◊〉 them That all men
reasons put mee in remembrance that I haue seene thee heeretofore Tell me mother art not thou Celestina that dwelt in Tanners Row neere the Riuer Celest. Euen the very same Melibea By my fay you are an old woman Well I see it is a true saying That daies goe not away in vaine Now neuer trust mee I did not know you neither should I had it not been for that slash ouer your face then were you fayre now wonderfully altered Lucrecia She changed Hi hi hi the diuell she is shee was faire when she met with him sauing your reuerence that scotcht her ouer the nose Melibea What saist thou foole Speake what is 't thou-saist What laugh'st thou at Lucrecia As though I did not know Mother Celestina Celest. Madame Take you hold on time that it slip not from you As for my complexion that will neuer change haue you not read what they say The day will come when thou shalt not know thy selfe in a glasse Though I am now growne gray before my time and seeme double the yeeres I am of of foure daughters which my mother had my selfe was the youngest And therefore I am sure I am not so old as you take me to be Melibea Friend Celestina I am very glad both to see and know thee and I haue taken great pleasure in thy discourse Heere take your money and fare-well for thou lookest poore soule as if thou hadst eaten nothing all this day Celest. O more then mortall image O precious pearle How truely haue you guest O! with what a grace doe thy words come from thee I am rauisht hearing thee speake But yet it is not only eating that maintaineth a man or woman especially me who vse to be fasting a whole nay two dayes together in soliciting other folkes businesses For I intend no other thing my whole life is nothing else but to doe good offices for the good and if occasion serue to dye for them And it was euermore my fashion rather to seeke trouble to my selfe by seruing of others then to please and content my selfe Wherefore if you will giue me leaue I will tell you the necessitated cause of my comming which is another manner of matter then any you haue yet heard and such as we were all vndone if I should returne in vaine and you not know it Melibea Acquaint mee mother with all your necessities and wants and if I can helpe you in them or doe you any good I shall willingly doe it as well out of our old acqaintance as out of neighbour-hood which in good and honest mindes is a sufficient bond to tye them thereunto Celestina My wants Madame My necessities doe you meane Nay others as I told you not mine For mine owne I passe at home with my selfe in mine owne house without letting the whole Country to know them Eating when I may and drinking when I can get it For for all my pouerty I neuer wanted a penny to buy me bread nor a Quarte that is the eighth part of sixe pence to send for wine no not in all this time of my widdow-hood For before I neuer tooke thought for any but had alwaies a good Vessell still in my house And when one was empty another was full I neuer went to bed but I did first eat a toast well steept in wine and two dozen of draughts sipping still the wine after euery sop for feare of the Mother wherwith I was then wont to be troubled But now that I husband all things my self and am at mine own finding I am faine to fetch my wife in a little poore Iarre which will scarce hold a pottle And sometimes in punishment of my sinnes which Crosse I am willing to beare I am forced to goe sixe times a day with these my siluer hayres about my shoulders to fill and fetch my wine my selfe at the Tauerne Nor would I by my good will dye till I see my selfe haue a good Rundlet or Terse of mine owne within mine owne dootes For on my life there is no prouision in the world like vnto it For as the saying is It is bread and wine not the young man that is spruce and fine that makes vs rid the way and trauell with mettle yet let me tell you that where the good man is missing all other good is wanting For ill does the spindle mooue when the beard does not wagge aboue And this I thought good to tell you by the way vpon those speeches which I vsed concerning others and not mine owne necessities Melibea Aske what thou wilt be it either for thy selfe or any body else whom it pleaseth thee Celest. My most gracious and courteous Lady descended of high and noble parentage your sweet words and cheerefull gesture accompanyed with that kinde and free proffer which you are pleased to make to this poore old woman giues boldnesse to my tongue to speak what my heart euen longeth to vtter I come lately from one whom I left sicke to the death who onely with one word which should come from your noble mouth intrusted in this my bosome to carry it hence with me I verily assure my selfe it will saue his life so great is the deuotion which he beares to your gentle disposition and the comfort he would receiue by this so great a kindenesse Melibea Good woman I vnderstand thee not vnlesse thou deliuer thy mind vnto me in plaine termes On the one side thou dost anger me and prouoke mee to displeasure on the other thou doest moue and stirre me to compassion Neither know I how to returne thee a conuenient answer because I haue not fully comprehended thy meaning I should thinke my selfe happy if my words might carry that force as to saue the life of any man though neuer so meane For to doe good is to bee like vnto the Deity Besides he that doth a benefit receiues it when it is done to a person that desires it And he that can cure one that is sicke not doing it is guilty of his death and therefore giue not ouer thy petition but proceed and feare nothing Celest. All feare fled faire Lady in beholding your beauty For I cannot be perswaded that Nature did paint in vaine one face fairer then another more inrich't with grace and fauour more fashionable and more beautifull then another were it not to make them Magazines of vertue mansions of mercy houses of compassion and pitie Ministers of her blessings and dispensers of those good gifts and graces which in her bounty shee hath bestowed vpon them and vpon your selfe in a more plentifull manner Besides sithence wee are all mortall and borne to dye as also that it is most certaine that hee cannot bee said truely to be borne who is onely borne for himselfe for then should men be like vnto bruite beasts if not worse Amongst which there are some that are very pitifull as your Vnicorne of whom it is reported that hee will humble and prostrate himselfe at the feet of a Virgin
then this And I hope he will well reward me for my paines being so franke and Noble a Gentleman as hee is ACTVS VJ. THE ARGVMENT CELESTINA being entred Calisto's house Calisto with great affection and earnestnesse demandeth of her what had hapned betwixt her and Melibea While they continue talking together Parmeno hearing Celestina speake wholy for her selfe and her owne priuate profit turning himselfe toward Sempronio at euery word he giues her a nip for the which he is reprehended by Sempronio In the end old Celestina discouers to Calisto all the whole businesse and shewes him the Girdle she brought from Melibea And so taking her leaue of Calisto shee gets her home to her owne house taking Parmeno along with her INTERLOCVTORS Calisto Celestina Parmeno Sempronio CAlisto What good newes mother speak deare mother Celest. O my good Lord and Master Calisto How is it how is it with you O my new Louer and not without iust cause of fairest Melibea How canst thou make this old woman amends who hath hazarded her life in thy seruice What woman was euer driuen to such narrow shifts The very thought whereof makes my heart to faint emptying my vitall veynes of all their bloud I would haue giuen my life for lesse then the price of this old tottred Mantle which you see heere on my backe Parme. Thou art all I see for thy selfe That is it thou shoot'st at Thou art like a Lettice that growes betwixt two Cole-worts If thou be let alone thou wil ouer-top them The next word I look for is that she begge a Kirtle for her Mantle thou art all I perceiue for thy selfe and wilt not aske any thing whereof others may haue part The old woman will implume him not leauing him so much as one feather how cunningly does shee worke him how craftly pitch her news to catch me and my Master seeking to make me faithlesse and him foolish Doe but marke her Sempronis be still and giue her but the hearing and you shall see shee will not demand any money of my Master because it is diuisible Sempro. Peace thou despairefull fellow lest Calisto kill thee if he chance to heare thee Calisto Good mother either cut off thy discourse or take thou this sword and kill mee Parm. Now what a Diuell ailes he He shakes and quiuers like a fellow that hath had his senses ouer-toucht with quicke-siluer Looke hee cannot stand on his legges would I could helpe him to his tongue that I might heare him speake againe sure he cannot liue long if this fft continue Wee shall get well by this his loue shall wee not Euery man his mourning weed and there 's an end Celest. Your sword Sir Now I hope not What Take your sword and kill you There 's a word indeed to kill my heart No let your sword serue to kill your enemies and such as wish you harme As for mee I will giue thee life man by that good hope which I haue in her whom thou louest best Calisto Good hope mother Celestina I good hope and well may it be called so since that the gates are set open for my second returne And shall I tell you she will sooner receiue me in this poore tottred Gowne and Kirtle then others in their silks and cloth of gold Parme. Sempronio sow mee vp this mouth for I can no longer hold A pocks on her she hath hedg'd in the Kirtle to her Gowne Could not one alone haue contented her Sempr. You will hold your peace will you not By Ioue you were best be quiet or I shall set you hence in a diuels name What Is there no ho with you Say she begge her apparell of him what 's that to thee she does well in it and I commend her for it hauing such need thereof as she has And thou know'st Where the Flamin sings there hath he his offrings he must haue food and rayment Par. True he hath so but as his seruice is so is his allowance he sings all the yeere long for it and this old Iade would in one day for treading some three steps cast off all her rugged hayres and get her a new coate which is more then she could well doe these fifty yeeres Sem. Is this all the good she taught thee Is all your old acquaintance come to this Is this all the obligation you owe her for her paines in breeding you vp Sure she ha's brought her Hogges to a good market in bestowing so great kindenesse on so very a Pigge Par. I could be well content that she should pill and pole aske and haue shaue cut but not cut out all the cloth for her own coat Sempr. It is her fault I must confesse but other Vice hath shee none saue onely that shee is a little too couetous But let her alone and giue her leaue to prouide straw first for to thatch her owne walls and to lay the ioyses first of her owne house then afterwards shall she boord ours else had it beene better for her shee had neuer knowne vs Calisto Mother as you loue goodnesse if you be a good woman tell mee what was shee doing How got you into the house How was she apparelled On which side of the house did you find her What countenance did shee shew thee at thy first entrance How did shee looke on thee Celest. With such a looke and countenance as your braue fierce buls vse towards those that cast sharp darts against them when they come for to be baited or like your wilde bores when they make towards those Mastiues which set vpon them Calisto Be these thy good hopes These signes of health What then are those that are mortall Why death it selfe could not be halfe so deadly For that would ease and rid me of this my torment then which none is greater none more grieuous Semp. These are my Masters former fires he renewes afresh his wonted flames What a strange kind of man is he He hath not the patience to stay to haere that which so earnestly hee hath desired Parmeno Now Sir Who talkes now I must not speake a word but did my Master heare you he would cudgell your coat as well as mine Sempr. Some euill fire consume thee for thou speakest prediudicially of all but I offend no man Let some intolerable mortall disease or some pestilent plague seaze vpon thee and consume thee Thou quarrelsome contentious enuious and accursed Caytiffe Is this thy friendship this the amity thou hast contracted with Celestina and me Goe with the Diuels name if this be thy loue Calisto If thou wilt not thou that art sole Queene and soueraigne of my life that I dye desperate and that my soule goe condemned from hence to perpetuall paine so impatient am I of hearing these things delay mee no longer but certifie mee briefely whether thy glorious demand had a happy end or no As also whether that cruell and sterne looke of that impious face whose frownes murder as many as they are
bed-side but the Diuell a winke that hee sleepes and the Diuell a whit that hee wakes but lies like a man in a trance betweene them both resting and yet taking no rest If I goe in vnto him hee falls a rowting and a snorting If I goe from him hee either sings or raues nor can I for my life comprehend so strange is his carriage heerein whether the man bee in paine or ease whether hee take griefe or pleasure in it Parme. What a strange humour is this But tell me Sempronio Did hee neuer call for mee Did hee not remember mee when I was gone Sempr. Hee remembred not himselfe Why should hee then remember you Parme. Euen in this also fortune hath beene fauourable vnto me And since all things goe so well whilest I thinke on it I will send thither our meate that they may the sooner make ready our dinner Sempro. What hast thou thought vpon to send thither that those pretty fooles may hold thee a compleat Courtier well bred and bountifull Par. In a plentifull house a supper is soone prouided that which I haue heere at home in the Larder is sufficient to saue our credit Wee haue good white bread wine of Monuiedro a good gammon of Bacon and some halfe doozen couple of dainty Chickens which my Masters Tenants brought him in the other day when they came to pay their rent which if hee chance to aske for I will make him beleeue that he hath eaten them himselfe and those Turtledoues which hee will'd mee to keepe against to day I will tell him that they were a little to blame and none of the sweetest and that they did so stinke that I was faine to throw them away and you shall iustifie it and beare me witnesse We will take order that all that hee shall eate thereof shall doe him no harme and that our owne Table as good reason it is it should be wellfurnished and there with the old woman as oft as we meet wee will talke more largely concerning this his loue to his losse and our profit Semp. Calst thou it loue Thou mai'st call it sorrow with a vengeance And by my fay I sweare vnto thee that I verily thinke that he will hardly now escape eyther death or madnesse but since it is as it is dispatch your businesse that we may goe vp and see what hee does Calisto In perill great I liue And strait of force must dye Since what desire doth giue That hope doth mee deny Parme. Harke harke Sempronio Our Master is a riming Hee is turn'd Poet I perceiue Sempr. O whore-sonne Sot What Poet I pray The great Antipater Sidonius or the great Poet Ouid who neuer spake but in Verse I it is he the very same we shall haue the Diuell turne Poet too shortly he does but talke idlely in his sleepe and thou think'st the poore man is turn'd Poet Calisto This paine this martyrdome O heart well dost thou proue Since thou so soone wast wonne To Melibea's loue Parm. Loe did I not tell thee hee was turn'd true Rimer Calisto Who is that that talkes in the Hall Why ho Parmeno Anon Sir Calisto How farre night is it Is it time to goe to bed Parme. It is rather Sir too late to rise Calisto What sai'st thou foole Is the night past and gone then Parmeno I Sir and a good part of the day too Calisto Tell mee Sempronio does not this idle-headed Knaue lye in making mee beleeue it is day Sempr. Put Melibea Sir a little out of your minde and you will then see that it is broad day for through that great brightnesse and splendour which you contemplate in her cleare shining eyes like a Partridge dazeled with a buffit you cannot see being blinded with so sodaine a flash Calisto Now I beleeue it and 't is farre day too Giue mee my clothes I must goe to my wonted retirement to the Mirtle-groue and there begge of Cupid that hee will direct Celestina and put my remedy into Melibea's heart or else that hee will shorten my sorrowfull dayes Sempr. Sir doe not vexe your selfe so much you cannot doe all that you would in an houre nor is it discretion for a man to desire that earnestly that may vnfortunately fall vpon him If you will haue that concluded in a day which is well if it be effected in a yeere your life cannot be long Calisto I conceiue your meaning you would inferre that I am like Squire Gallego's boy who went a yeere without breeches and when his Master commanded a paire to be cut out for him he would haue them made in a quarter of an houre Sempronio Heauen forbid Sir I should say so for you are my Master and I know besides that as you will recompence me for my good counsell so you will punish mee if I speake amisse though it be a common saying that the commendation of a mans good seruice or good speech is not equall to the reprehension and punishment of that which is eyther ill done or spoken Calisto I wonder Sempronio where thou got'st so much philosophie Sempr. Sir all that is not white which differs from blacke nor is all that gold which glisters Your accelerated and hasty desires not being measured by reason make my counsels to seeme better then they be Would you that they should yesterday at the first word haue brought Melibea manacled and tyed to her girdle as you would haue sent into the market for any other marchandize Wherein there is no more to doe then to goe into the market and take the paines to buy it Sir bee of good cheere giue some ease and rest to your heart for no great happinesse can happen in an instant It is not one stroke that can fell an Oake prepare your selfe for sufferance for wisdome is a laudable blessing and he that is prepared may withstand a strong incounter Calisto Thou hast spoken well if the quality of my euill would consent to take it so Sempr. To what end serues vnderstanding if the will shaâ—◠〈◊〉 reason of her right Calisto O thou foole thou foole The sound man sayes to the sicke Heauen send thee thy health I will no more counsell no more kearken to thy reasons for they doe but reuiue and kindle those flames afresh which burne and consume mee I will goe and inuocate Cupid and will not come home till you call me and craue a reward of mee for the good newes you shall bring mee vpon the happy comming of Celestina nor will I eate any thing till Phoebus his horses shall feed and graze their fill in those greene meddowes where they vse to baite when they come to their iourneys end Semp. Good Sir leaue off these circumlocutions leaue off these poeticall fictions for that speech is not comely which is not common vnto all which all men partake not of as well as your selfe or which few doe but vnderstand Say till the Sunne set and euery one will know what you meane Come eate
the Sword and not against me and my poore weake Distaffe it is an infallible note of great cowardize to assaile the weake and such as haue but small or very little poore to resist your filthy Flyes bite none but leane and feeble Oxen and your barking Curres flye with greater eagernesse and more openâ— mouth vpon your poorest passengers If shee that lies aboue there in the bed would haue hearkned vnto me this house should not haue beene as now it is without a man in the night nor wee haue slept as wee doe by the naked shaddow of a candle But to pleasure you and to be faithfull vnto you wee suffer this solitude and because you see wee are women and haue no body heere to oppose you you prate and talke and aske I know not what without any reason in the world which you would as soone haue beene hang'd as once dar'd to haue proffer'd it if you had heard but a man stirring in the house for as it is in the Prouerbe A hard aduersary appeaseth anger Sempr. O thou old couetous Cribbe that art ready to dye with the thirst of gold cannot a third part of the gaine content thee Celest. What third part A pocks on you both out of my house in a diuels name you and your companion with you doe not you make such a stirre heere as you doe Cause not our neighbours to come about vs and make them thinke wee be madde Put mee not out of my wits make me not madde you would not I trow would you that Calisto's matters and yours should be proclaimed openly at the Crosse Heere 's a stirre indeed Sempr. Cry bawle and make a noyse all 's one we care not eyther looke to performe your promise or to end your daies Dye you must or else doe as wee will haue you Elicia Ah woe is mee put vp your Sword hold him hold him Parmeno for feare lest the foole should kill her in his madnesse Celestina Iustice Iustice helpe neighbours Iustice Iustice for heere be Ruffians that will murder mee in my house Murder murder murder Sempr. Ruffians you Whore Ruffians you old Bawd haue you no better tearmes Thou old Sorceresse thou witch thou looke for no other fauour at my hands but that I send thee poast vnto hell you shall haue letters thither you shall you old Inchantresse and that speedily too you shall haue a quicke dispatch Celest. Ay me I am slaine Ay ay Confession Confession Parmeno So so kill her kill her make an end of her since thou hast begunne be briefe be briefe with her lest the neighbours may chance to heare vs Let her dye let her dye let vs draw as few enemies vpon vs as wee can Celestina Oh oh oh Elicia O cruell-hearted as you are Enemies in the highest nature shame and confusion light vpon you the extremity of Iustice fall vpon you with it's greatest vigour and all those that haue had a hand in it My mother is dead and with her all my happinesse Semprâ—nio Flye flye Parmeno the people beginne to flocke hitherward See see yonder comes the Alguazil Parm. Ay me wretch that I am there is no meanes of escape for vs in the world for they haue made good the doore and are entring the house Sempronio Let vs leape out at these windowes And let vs dye rather so then fall into the hands of Iustice Parm. Leape then and I will follow thee ACTVS XIIJ THE ARGVMENT CALISTO awakened from sleepe talkes a while with himselfe anon after hee calls vnto Tristan and some other of his seruants By and by Calisto falls asleepe againe Tristan goes downe and stands at the doore Sosia comes weeping vnto him Tristan demanding the cause Sosia deliuers vnto him the death of Sempronio and Parmenâ— they goe and acquaint Calisto with it who knowing the truth thereof maketh great lamentation INTERLOCVTORS Calisto Tristan Sosia CAlisto O how daintily haue I slept Euer since that sweete short space of time since that harmonious discourse I inioyed I haue had exceeding ease taken very good rest this contentment and quietude hath proceeded from my ioy Either the trauaile of my body caused so sound a sleepe or else the glory and pleasure of my minde Nor doe I much wonder that both the one and the other should linke hands and ioyne together to cloze the lids of mine eyes since I trauail'd the last night with my body and person and tooke pleasure with my spirit and senses True it is that sorrow causeth much thought and ouermuch thought much hindreth sleepe as it was mine owne case within these few daies when I was much discomfited and quite out of heart of euer hoping to inioy that surpassing happinesse which I now possesse O my sweete Lady and dearest Loue Melibea what dost thou thinke on now Art thou asleepe or awake Thinkst thou on mee or some body else Art thou vp and ready or art thou not yet stirring O most happy and most fortunate Calisto if it be true and that it be no dreame which hath already passed Dream't I or dream't I not was it a meere phantasie or was it a reall truth But now I remember my selfe I was not alone my seruants waited on me there were two of them with me if they shall affirme it to be no dreame but that all that past was true I am bound to beleeue it I will command them to be called for the further confirmation of my ioy Tristanico Why â—ho Where are my men Tristanico Hye you and come vp arise I say get you vp quickly and come hither Tristan Sir I am vp and heere already Calisto Goe runne and call mee hither Sempronio and Parmeno Tristan I shall Sir Calisto Now sleepe and take thy rest Once grieu'd and pained Wight Since shee now loues thee best Who is thy hearts delight Let ioy be thy soules guest And care be banish't quite Since shee hath thee exprest To be her Fauourite Tristan There is not so much as a boy in the house Calisto Open the windowes and see whether it be day or no Tristan Sir it is broad day Calisto Goe againe and see if you can finde them and see you wake me not till it be almost dinner-time Tristan I will goe downe and stand at the doore that my Master may take out his full sleepe and to as many as shall aske for him I shall answer that hee is not within O what an out-cry doe I heare in the Market-place what 's the matter a Gods name There is some execution of Iustice to be done or else they are vp so earely to see some Bull-baiting I do not know what to make of this noyse it is some great matter the noyse is so great but â—o yonder comes Sosia my Masters foot-boy hee will tell mee what the businesse is Looke how the Rogue comes pulling and tearing of his hayre he hath tumbled into one Tauerne or other where he hath beene scuffling But if my Master chance to sent him hee
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
O thou short delight of the world how little do thy pleasure last and how much doe they cost Repentance should not be bought so deare O miserable that I am when shall I recouer so great a losse what shall I doe what counsell shall I take To whom shall I discouer my disgrace why do I conceale it from the rest of my seruants and kinsefolke They clip and note my good name in their Councell-house and publike Assemblie and make mee infamous throughout the whole Kingdome and they of mine owne house and kindred must not know of it I will out amongst them But if I goe out and tell them that I was present it is too late if absent it is too soone And to prouide mee of friends antient seruants and neere à llyes it will aske some time as likewise that we be furnish'd with Armes and other preparations of vengeance O thou cruell Iudge what ill payment hast thou made mee of that my fathers bread which so often thou hast eaten I thought that by thy fauour I might haue kill'd a thousand men without controlment O thou falsifier of faith thou persecutor of the truth thou man moulded of the baser sort of earth Truly is the prouerbe verified in thee that for want of good men thou wast made a Iudge Thou shouldst haue considered that thy selfe and those thou didst put to death were seruants to my Ancestors and me and thy fellowes and companions But when the base to riches doth ascend he regardeth neither kindred nor friend Who would haue thought that thou wouldst haue wrought my vndoing But there is nothing more hurtfull then an vnexpected enemy Why wouldst thou that it should be verified of thee That that which came out of Aetna should consume Aetna And that I hatcht the Crow which pick't out mine eyes Thou thy selfe art a publike delinquent and yet punishest those that were priuate offendors But I would haue thee to know that a priuate fault is lesse then a publike and lesse the inconuenience and danger At least according to the Lawes of Athens which were not written in blood but doe shew that it is a lesse error not to condemne a delinquent then to punish the innocent O how hard a matter is it to follow a iust cause before an vniust Iudge How much more this excesse of my seruants which was not free from offence But consider with all spite of all Stoicall Paradoxe their guilt was not equall though their sufferings alike What deseru'd the one for that which the other did That onely because he was his companion thou shouldst doome them both to death But why doe I talke thus With whom doe I discourse Am I in my right wits What 's the matter with thee Calisto Dream'st thou sleep'st thou or wak'st thou Stand'st thou on thy feete Or liest thou all along Consider with thy selfe that thou art in thy chamber Doest thou not see that the offendor is not present With whome doest thou contend Come againe to thy self weigh with thy selfe that the absent were neuer fōnd iust But if thou wilt be vpright in thy iudgement thou must keepe an eare for either party Doest thou not see that the Law is supposed to be equall vnto all Remember that Romulus the first founder of Rome kill'd his owne brother because he transgressed the Law Consider that Torquatus the Romane slew his owne sonne because he exceeded his Commission And many other like vnto these did this man doe Thinke likewise with thy selfe that if the Iudge were here present hee would make thee this Answer that the Principall and the Accessary the Actor and Consenter doe merit equall punishment Howbeit they were both notwithstanding executed for that which was cōmitted but by one And if that other had not his pardon but receiued a speedy iudgement it was because the fault was notorious and needed no further proofes as also that they were taken in the very Act of murther and that one of them was found dead of his fall from the window And it is likewise to be imagined That that weeping wench which Celestina kept in her house made them to hasten the more by her wofull and lamentable noyse And that the Iudge that he might not make a hurly burly of it that he might not defame mee and that he might not stay till the people should presse together and heare the proclaiming of that great infamy which could not choose but follow mee hee did sentence them so early as he did and the common Hangman which was the Cryer could doe no otherwise that he might cumply with their execution and his owne discharge All which if it were done as I conceiue it to bee I ought rather to rest his debtor and thinke my selfe bound vnto him the longest day of my life not as to my fathers sometimes seruant but as to my true and naturall brother But put case it were not so or suppose I should not conster it in the better sence yet call Calisto to mind the great ioy and solace thou hast had bethinke thy selfe of thy sweete Lady and Mistrisse and thy whole and sole happines and since for her sake thou esteemest thy life as nothing for to doe her seruice thou art not to make any reckoning of the death of others and the rather because no sorrow can equall thy receiued pleasure O my Lady and my life that I should euer thinke to offend thee in thy absence And yet in doing as I doe me thinks it argues against mee that I hold in small esteeme that great and singular fauour which I haue receiued at thy hands I will now no longer thinke on griefe I will no longer entertaine friendship with sorrow O incomparable good O insatiable contentment And what could I haue asked more of heauen in requitall of all my merits in this life if they be any then that which I haue already receiued Why should I not concent my selfe with so great a blessing which being so it stands not with reason that I should be vngratefull vnto him who hath conferr'd vpon mee so great a good I will therefore acknowledge it I will not with care craze my vnderstanding lest that being lost I should fall from so high and so glorious a possession I desire no other honour no other glory no other riches no other father nor mother no other friends nor kinsfolkes In the day I will abide in my chamber In the night in that sweete Paradise in that pleasant groue that greene plot of ground amidst those sweete trees and fresh and delightsome walks O night of sweet rest and quiet O that thou hadst made thy returne O bright shining Phoebus driue on thy Charriot apace make haste to thy iourneys end O comfortable and delightfull starres breake your wont and appeare before your time out of your wonted and continued course O dull and slow clocke I wish to see thee burned in the quickest and loueliest fire that Loue can make For didst thou but
such a false-hearted white-liuer'd slaue that I should beleeue him and his lies that I should once suffer him to come within my doores What a diuell is there good in him his hayre is curled and shagg'd like a water Spaniell his face scotcht and notcht he hath beene twice whipt vp and downe the Towne hee is lame on his sword-arme and hath some thirty whores in the common Stewes Get thee out of my house and that presently too looke mee no more in the face speake not to mee no not a word neyther say thou that thou did'st euer know mee lest by the bones of my father who begot me of my mother who brought me forth I cause 2000 Bastinadoes to be laid vpon that Millers backe of thine For I would thou shouldst know I haue a friend in a corner that will not sticke to doe a greater matter then that for mee and come off handsomely with it when he has done Centurio The foole is mad I thinke But doe you heare Dame if I be nettled I shall sting some body if my choller be moued I shall drawe teares from some I shall make some body put finger in the eye I shall yfaith But for once I will goe my wayes and say nothing I will suffer all this at your hands lest some body may come in or the neighbours chance to heare vs Elicia I will in for that is no true sound of sorrow which sends forth threatnings and reuilings Areusa O wretch that I am Is 't you my Elicia I can hardly beleeue it But what meanes this Who hath cloath'd thee thus in sorrow What mourning weede is this Beleeue mee Cousin you much afright mee Tell me quickly what 's the matter For I long to know it O what a qualme comes ouer my stomack Thou hast not left me one drop of bloud in my body Elicia Great sorrow great losse that which I shew is but little to that which I feele and conceale My heart is blacker then my mantle my bowels then my veyle Ah Cousin Cousin I am not able to speake through hoarsenesse I cannot for sobbing send my words from out my brest Areusa Ay miserable mee why dost thou hold me in suspence Tell mee tell mee I say doe not you teare your hayre doe not you scratch and martyre your face deale not so ill with your selfe Is this euill common to vs both Appertaines it also vnto mee Elicia Ay my Cousin my deare Loue Sempronio and Parmeno are now no more they liue not they are no longer of this world dead alasse they are dead Areusa What dost thou tell mee No more I intreat thee for pitty hold thy peace lest I fall downe dead at thy feet Elicia There is yet more ill newes to come vnto thine eares Listen well to this wofull wight and shee shall tell thee a longer Tale of woe thy sorrowes haue not yet their end Celestina shee whom thou knewst well shee whom I esteemed as my Mother shee who did cocker mee as her childe shee who did couer all my infirmities shee who made me to be honoured amongst my equals shee by whose meanes I was knowne thorow all the City and suburbs of the same stands now rendring vp an account of all her works I saw her with these eyes stabb'd in a thousand places They slew her in my lap I folding her in mine armes Areusa O strong tribulation O heauy newes worthy our bewayling O swift-footed misfortunes O incurable destruction O inrreparable losse O how quickly hath fortune turned about her wheele Who slew them How did they dye Thou hast made mee almost besides my selfe with this thy newes and to stand amazed as one who heares a thing that seemes to be impossible It is not eight dayes agoe since I saw them all aliue Tell me good friend How did this cruell and vnlucky chance happen Elicia You shall know I am sure Cousin you haue already heard tell of the loue betwixt Calisto and that foole Melibea And you likewise saw how Celestina at the intercession of Sempronio so as shee might be paid for her paines vndertooke the charge of that businesse and to be the meanes to effect it for him wherein shee vsed such diligence and was so carefull in the following of it that shee drew water at the second spitting Now when Calisto saw so good and so quicke a dispatch which he neuer hoped to haue effected amongst diuers other things hee gaue this my vnfortunate Aunt a chaine of gold And as it is the nature of that metall that the more we drinke thereof the more wee thirst shee when she saw her selfe so rich appropriated the whole gaine to her selfe and would not let Sempronio and Parmeno haue their parts it being before agreed vpon betweene them that whatsoeuer Calisto gaue her they should share it alike Now they being come home weary one morning from accompaning their Master with whom they had beene abroad all night being in great choller and heate vpon I know not what quarrells and brawles as they themselues said that had betyded them they demanded part of the chayne of Celestina for to relieue themselues therewith Shee stood vpon deniall of any such couenant or promise made betweene them affirming the whole gaine to be due to her and discouering withall other petty matters of some secrecie For as it in the Prouerbe when Gossips brawle then out goes all So that they being mightily inraged on the one side necessity did vrge them which rents and breaks all the loue in the world on the other side the great anger and wearinesse they brought thither with them which many times workes an alteration in vs And besides they saw that they were forsaken in their fayrest hopes shee breaking her faith and promise with them So that they knew not in the world what to do and so continued a great while vpon termes with her some hard words passing to and fro betweene them But in the end perceiuing her couetous disposition and finding that she still perseuered in her denyall they layd hands vpon their swords and hackt and hew'd her in a thousand pieces Areusa O vnfortunate woman Wast thou ordained to end thy dayes in so miserable a manner as this But for them I pray what became of them How came they to their end Elicia They as soone as euer they had committed this foule murder that they might auoyde the Iustice the Alcalde passing by by chance at that very instant made mee no more adoe but leapt presently out at the windowes and being in a manner dead with the fall they presently apprehended them and without any further delay chopt off their heads Areusa O my Parmeno my loue what sorrow doe I feele for thy sake How much doth thy death torment mee It grieues me for that my great loue which in so short a space I had settled vpon him sithence it was not my fortune to inioy him longer But being that this ill successe hath insued being that this
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
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