Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

JUAN

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)Iuan. | Iuan | Iuan, | Iu.
Words1073
Characters5545
Typicality0.32 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA00967
BritDrama no.2141
ClusterCluster 8 — Martial kings & Roman gravity

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

No not yet sir: Nor will not be this month yet, as I rec kon. How rises your command? And unexperienced, The wars are dainty dreams to young hight spirits, Time and experience will allay those visions, We have strange things to fill our numbers, There's one Done Leon, a strange goodly fellow, Recommended to me from some noble Friends, For my Alfores, had you but seen his person, And what a Giants promise it protesteth. But no harm done, nor never meant, Done Michael That came to my ears yet, ask him a question, He blushes Like a girl, and answers little, To the point less, he wears a sword a good one, And good clothes too, he is whole skin'd, has no hurt yet, Good promising Hope's, I never yet herd certainly Of any Gentleman that saw him angry. 'Tis true, such we must look for, but Michael Perez, When herd you of Donna Margaretta, the great heiress. But she is proud sir, that I know for certain, And that coms seldom without wantonness, He that shall marry her, must have a rare hand. Wait on them in. Wait on them in I say. Exit serve. How you itch Michael, how you burnish! Will not this soldiers heat out of your bones yet, Do your eyes glow now? Say honest, what shame have you then. Pre thee be modest. You are welcome Ladies. With me or with this gentleman, would you speak Lady? I am the man, and shall be bound to fortune, I may do any service to your beauty's. I am sweet Lady. I shall do it, I know the Gentleman a most worthy Captain. Step aside: I'll serve thee. Ex. Ivan. & Claram. You will command me no more services? I thank you, And kiss your hands, wait on the Ladies down there. And it a fair one, what was yours, done Michael ? You know none of um? Then I do Captain, But isle say nothing till I see the proof on't, Fit close Done Perez, or your worship's caught, I fear a fly. A packet to a kinsman now in Flanders; Yours was very modest me thought. 'Tis worth experience, Let's walk abroad and view our companies. Exit. Have you seen any service? Where? What office boar ye? What Captains know you? Were you never hurt? This is and Ass, did you never draw your sword yet? Nor never taken prisoner? Can you endure a Drum? Are you not valiant when you are drunk? What a lump is this man, Was your Father wise? That was no foolish partly isle bear you witness. Canst thou lie with a woman? In the night? Why art thou sent to me to be my officer, I, and commended too, when thou darest not fight? How wilt thou escape a bullet? This fellow has some doubts in's talk that striks me, He cannot be all fool: welcome Alonzo. Take heed o'th Hollanders, your ships may leak else. Do not heat your self, you will surfeit. You must get a ladder when you would Beatrice This fellow. What shall I do with this fellow? About some week hence sir, If I can hit upon no abler officer, You shall hear from me. Why thou art not married indeed. Was it the wench i'th veil. And is she rich withal too. You are merry sir, You intend a safer war at home belike now. I thank ye Exit. Perez Serve. For your old boots, never be blank Alonzo, Because this fellow has out stripped thy fortune, Tell me ten days hence what he is, and how The gracious state of matrimony stands with him, Come, lets to dinner, when Margarita comes We'll visit both, it may be then your fortune. Exeunt. What dost thou do with it? Are those hospitals? A provident charity, are you for the wars sir? You have said wisely. Wilt thou go to dinner with us. If we should play now, you must supply me. If I light on him isle make his purse sweat too. Most admirable fair as ere I looked on, I had rather command her then my regiment. Is not this my Alferese he looks another thing, Are miracles a foot again? Brave, a strange convertion, thou shalt led In chief now. Hold fair sir I beseech you, The Gentleman but pleads his own right nobly. Is thy wife with child Done Michael? thy excellent wife. Art thou a man yet. Yowl stay and dine. Thou art the stock of men, and I admire thee. Exeum ̄ to. I am commanded. Exit. I rejoice at it, And am a glad man we shall gain your company, I am sure the King knows you are newly married, And out of that respect gives you more time sir. They are aboard. Has taken a brave way to save his honour, And cross the Duke, now I shall love him dearly, By the life of credit thou art a noble gentleman. This is another tenderness to try him, Fetch his up now. Michael van owl, how dost thou? In what dark bairn or tod of aged vy Hast thou lyen hid? As mad as a French Tailor, That has nothing in's head but ends of fustians. Away, no quarrels. These are fine toys. Thou shalt have my command, and isle march under thee, Nay be thy boy before thou shalt be baffled, Thou art so brave a fellow. Doctors and surgeons. True, it is so sir, And take you heed, this last blow do not spoil you, He is not hurt, only we made a scuffle, As though we purposed anger, that same scratch On's hand he took, to colour all and draw compassion, That he might get into your house more cunningly, I must not stay, stand now, and you're a brave fellow. No more feigned fights my Lord, they never prosper. Sir, I shall wait upon you through all Fortune's Your colours you must wear, & wear em proud lie, Wear em before the bullet, and in blood too, And all the world shall know We are virtues servants. The Duke dines there to day too, the Duke of Me dinam. Is possessed isle assure you. And richly furnished too Sir. I have seen a miracle, hold thine own soldier, Sure they dare fight in fire that conquer women. Done Michael Leon, another darer come?

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,…