Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

ALTEA

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)Alt. | Altea. | 4.
Words607
Characters3109
Typicality0.24 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA00967
BritDrama no.2141
ClusterCluster 17 — Intriguers & schemers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Good morrow Ladies. All's well, She's very well, she sent for you thus suddenly To give his counsel in a business That much concerns her. She would feign marry. Thats left to argue on, I pray come in And break your fast, drink a good cup or two, To strengthen your understandings, then sheele tell you. I shall sir most willingly. 'Tis he sir, and as lovingly drunk, as though he had stum died it. And I must needs attend my Mistress. Yes indeed good brother, I have too ties, mine own blood, And my Mistress. I would not deal so truly for a stranger. Are you at ease now, is your heart at rest, Now you have God a shadow, and umbrella To keep the scorching world's opinion From your fair credit. I come to tell my Lady, There is a fulsome fellow would fain speak with her. Yes and i'th cellar fast, And there he stays his good hour till I call him, He will make dainty music among the sack-butts, I have put him just sir, under the Dukes chamber. Has given me royally, And to my Lady a whole load of portigues. Because a husband stops all doubts in this point, And clears all passages. A husband of and eam y faith a fool, Made by her wealth, and moulded to her pleasure, One though he see himself become a monster, Shall hold the door, and entertain the maker. 'Tis fit you should Lady; And to that end, with search and wit and labour, I have found one out, a right one and a perfect, He is made as strong as brass, is of brave years too, And doubty of complexion. Yes and a So ldier, as gentle as you would wish him, A good fellow, wears good clothes. Very little. No, he will not quarrel with a dog that bites him, Let him be drunk or sober, is one silence. Honor's a thing too subtle for his wisdom If honour lie in eating, he is right honourable. As you shall see Lady, But to all this is but a trunk. He shall attend your Ladyship. Exeunt. Yes Madame, has been here this half hour, I have questioned him of all that you can ask him, And find him as fit as you had made the man, He will make the goodliest shadow for iniquity. Pray you question him, and if you find him not Fit for your purpose, shake him off, there's no harm Done. Leave twirling of your hat, & hold your head up, And speak to'th Lady. Hark to the Lady. I told you Madam, Do not break out too soon. You are a made woman. My life, and Innocent. 'Tis up and ready. In all Lady, Your house is nothing now but various pleasures The Gallants begin to gaze too. He knows his distance Madam, I warrant you, he is busy in the cellar Amongst his fellow servants, or asleep, Till your command awake him. Sure he sees you not. A willing, madame one that needs no spurring. He breaks out modestly. I think him and ass still, This boldness some of your people have blown Into him, this wisdom too with strong wine, It's a Tyrant, and a Philosopher also, and finds Out reasons. He will fallen again, my life he cries y this time, Keep him from drink, he has a hie constitution. Good madame be not so rough, with repentam e, You see now he's come roun'd again. He's humbled, Forgive good Lady. I hope to see you so too, I have wrought ill else. Exit.

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,…