Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

ALONZO

in Rule a Wife and Have a Wife — Fletcher, John

Metadata

PlayRule a Wife and Have a Wife
AuthorFletcher, John
Year (catalogued)1640
First performance1624
Decade1640s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyKing's Men
Speech prefix(es)Alon. | Alon, | Alon
Words577
Characters3013
Typicality0.24 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA00967
BritDrama no.2141
ClusterCluster 6 — Battlefield messengers & soldiers

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

It may be I, It may be no, e'ne as the humour takes me, If I find peace amongst the female creatures, And easy entertainment, isle stay at home, I am not so far obliged yet to long marches, And mouldy biscuits to run mad for honour, When you are all gone I have my choice before me. There is less danger in't then gunning Sanchio, Though we be shot sometime the shot's not mortal, Beside it breaks no limbs. Better to pull um thus then walk on wooden ones, Serve bravely for a billet to support me. Dost thou count it base to suffer? Suffer abundantly, 'tis the crown of honour; You think it nothing to lie twenty days Under a surgeons hands that has no mercy. I would I had his. Yes, I think she will. Would she were mine, I would cater for her well enough: but Sanchio, There be too many great men that adore her, Princes, and Princes fellows that claim privilege. She has bought a brave house here in town. Within these two days, she is in the country yet, And keeps the noblest house. No, no, I must leave you And repair to and old Gentlewoman That has credit with her, that can speak a good word. I am a soldier, And too found a body becomes me not, Farewell Sanchio. Exit. What have you God there temperance into your continued ̄ pany? The spirit of peace? we shall have wars Ent. Caca. By ounce then, Oh here's another Pompion, Let him loos for luck sake, the cramed son Of a starved Usurer, Cacafogo, both their brains buttered, Cannot make two spoonfuls. Put up your gold sir, isle borrow it else. You struck too low by a foot sir. You have scaped by miracle, there is not in all Spain, A spirit of more fury then this fire drake. Turn him off, He will infect the camp with cowardice, If he go with thee. Wouldst thou steal a fortune, And make none of all thy friends acquainted with it Nor bid us to thy wedding. How it anger's me, This fellow at first sighed should win a Lady, A rich young wench, and I that have consumed My time and art in searching out their subtleties, Like a fooled Alchimist blow up my Hope's still, When shall we come to thy house and be freely merry. If thy wife be fair, thou wilt have few less Come to thee. You needs none but her taber, May be isle march after a month or two, To get me a fresh stomach, I find Coronel A wantonness in wealth, methinks I agree not with, 'Tis such a trouble to be married too, And have a thousand things of great importance, Jewels and Plataeae, and fooleries molest me, To have a men brains whimsied with his wealth: Before I walked contentedly. Hung wantonly, I Like that preparation, It stirs the blood unto a hopeful banquet, And intimates the Mistress free and jovial, I love a house where pleasure prepares welcome. This is miraculous. When shall we come and visit thee? 'Tis every good men cause, and we must stir in it. It ought not Sir, Go hurry her, it is not humane Captain. He's certain mad. I have seen visions. Exeunt. And I. I would I had the sheathing on't. If she convert it now to pious uses, And bid poor Gentlemen welcome.

Plot summary

Plot — Rule a Wife and Have a Wife
Perez, gathering his troops in preparation for an expedition to Flanders, is visited by the veiled Estefania. She piques his interest by refusing to show her face; on their second meeting, he woos her, hastily marries her, abandons his military career, and moves into what she claims to be her house, bringing with him what he claims to be a trunk of jewels. In fact the house belongs to Margarita; Estefania is no lady but a former servant. Margarita intends to marry, but when her older confidantes remind her of the joys of promiscuity, she decides on a husband who will be content to be cuckolded. Her waiting-woman Altea recommends Leon, who has just evaded military recruitment by feigning folly, and who agrees to be his wife’s subordinate in the marriage, no better than her household servants. The newlyweds arrive unexpectedly at Margarita’s city house, surprising Estefania and her husband. Estefania claims that she has lent the house to Margarita (whom she claims as a kinswoman), to facilitate the cozening of a lover. Perez moves temporarily into lodgings, whereupon Estefania steals the contents of his trunk. She later discovers the jewels to be counterfeit, and gets her own back by encouraging Perez to take possession of ‘his’ house; when he attempts to do so, he is rebuffed by Leon. She presents the jewels to the rich tradesman Cacafuego, persuading him that they are a love-gift from Margarita. In return, he gives her money which she hands over to Perez: evidently she has something to bring to the marriage after all. Now married to Margarita, Leon proves less subservient than she bargained for. She entertains the Duke of Medina to dinner, but Leon refuses to serve any food until he is introduced to the guests and treated as her husband, the host. The Duke tries to get rid of him by sending him a commission to lead a troop of cavalry in Flanders; but he intends to take Margarita along with him, and has all her property packed up. When Margarita cannot dissuade him by entreaty, sickness, or feigned pregnancy, the Duke admits that the commission was a fake. Leon's response is to plan a trip to visit Margarita’s commercial interests in the Indies. To delay her departure and extend her opportunities for adultery, the Duke arranges to be ‘injured’ in a fight outside the house so that he can be lodged there during his convalescence. Threatened with humiliation, Margarita submits herself to her husband. Cacafuego visits the house to show Margarita some jewels,…