in Like Will to Like (Quoth the Devil to the Collier) — Fulwell, Ulpian
Metadata
Play
Like Will to Like (Quoth the Devil to the Collier)
Author
Fulwell, Ulpian
Year (catalogued)
1587
First performance
1568
Decade
1580s
Genre
Moral
Play type
Interlude
Speech prefix(es)
Seueritye. | Severitye.
Words
302
Characters
1531
Typicality
0.51 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A01353
BritDrama no.
472
Cluster
Cluster 14 — Law & judgment
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
¶ That upright judgement without partiality, Be ministered duly to ill doers and offenders: I am one whose name is Severity, Appointed a Judge to suppress evil doers. Not for hatred nor yet for malice: But to advance virtue and suppress vice. Wherefore Isidorus these words doth say: Non est Judex si in eo non est Justicia. He is not a Judge that Justice doth want: But he that truth and equity doth plant. Tully all these words doth express: which words are very true doubtless. Semper iniquus est, qui autinuidet aut auet, They rightful Judges all: that are ei her, vious or else partial. ¶ Fellow it is more needs for thee to be in thy bed. Then to lie here in such so as thou dost: ¶ I see if severity should not be executed, One man should not live by another: If such injuries should not be con uted. The Child would not regard Father nor mother. Give me thy hand and I will help thee, ¶ Now friend it appeareth unto me: That you have been a traveler of the Country. And such as do travail do hear of things done: Aswell in the country as in the City of London. How say you my friend can you tell any news? ¶ My friend hold them fast in that plighted: ‡ Now they are bound I will send one to you anon. Exit ¶ Who is it that hath done thee this injury? ‡ Strive not my masters for it shall not avail: But a while give care unto my counsel. Your own words have condemned you for to die: therefore to God make you your selves ready. And by and by I will send one which for your abusion, Shall led you to the place of execution.
Plot summary
Plot — Like Will to Like (Quoth the Devil to the Collier)
The devil commissions the vice Nichol Newfangle to tempt men into a preoccupation with new fashions, which will lead them to hell. The ensuing action turns on the recurrent introduction of similar characters to one another. The vice introduces a dishonest collier to the devil, then Tom Tosspot to Rafe Roister; ina ~ mock trial he judges which is the bigger wastrel ===== PAGE 35 ===== 1568 (the prize, unknown to them, is to be hanged), but considers them equal. A comic drinking scene follows with Tosspot’s followers. He also sets in motion a plot to cozen two cutpurses over an inheritance of land. The vicious characters are driven off stage by the arrival of Virtuous Life, who is enthroned and crowned. Tosspot and Roister lose all their possessions: Roister gambles his away, and Tosspot has to leave his as security for his alehouse bill. Newfangle gives them the equipment to start a mew career as beggars, and they assault him. He is found injured by a judge, Severity, and betrays the two cutpurses; they are led away to execution, and Nichol and the hangman share their clothes. Tosspot’s followers end up in hospital suffering from gout. Lucifer carries the vice away on his back. The virtuous characters pray for the Queen, the Lords, and commons.