Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

CHUB

in 1 Edward the Fourth — Heywood, Thomas (?)

Metadata

Play1 Edward the Fourth
AuthorHeywood, Thomas (?)
Year (catalogued)1600
First performance1599
Decade1600s
GenreHistory
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyDerby's (Strange's) Men
Speech prefix(es)Chub. | Ch.
Words481
Characters2404
Typicality0.57 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA03224.1
BritDrama no.1195
ClusterCluster 11 — Tosspots & tavern railers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Nay then you all lie, it is to the coblication, I, the law is in our own hands, Peace you slaves, or I will chub your chaps, but indeed thou mayest well smoke them, because thy name is Smoke. Why then belike I am no body: room and avoy dance, for now speaks Captain Chub: No sooner in London will we be, But the Bakers for you, the Brewers for me, Bir hin lane shall suit us, the Costermongers fruit us: The Poulters send us in soul, And Butchers meat without control: And ever when we sup or dine, The Vintners freely bring us in wine: If any body ask who shall pay, Cut off his head and send him away. This is Captain Chubs law whosoever say nay. What not me Cavalero Chub? Nay, rather so many men in the Moon, And every one a forzen bush in his mouth. I, and so terrified you, that not one of you rst come to fetch a pint of sack at the mouth at Bishopsgate, no not for your lines. And I the same by both of you. Here comes a miller, help to partly the fray, These are the rebels Falconbridge and Spicing, The worst of them is worth a thousand crowns. O miller, that was Falconbridge, And this is Spicing his companion. Thou canst bear nigh witness I had fane That most notorious rebel but for him. Miller he lies, be sure to hold him fast. A tells you true my Lord, I am Chub the Chandler, and I curse the time that ever I saw their faces, for if they had not been, I had lived and honest man in mine own country, and never come to this, Will I do it? what a question is that? I would hang him if he were my father to save mine own life. I by my troth sir, for fault of a better. Take no thought sir for your pande hose, they are lousy, and not worth the redeeming. I sir, but heres a thing shall take and order for that. O Captain Spicing, thy vain enticing, brought me from my trade, From good candles making, to this pains taking, a rebel to be made, Therefore Ned Spicicing, to quit thy enticing, this must be that hope, By one of thy fellows, to be led to the Gallows, to end in a rope. Tell them they come in steed of pudding pies, And Stratford cakes to makes a banquet here. Hold if you be men, if not, hold as you are: rebels & thieves: I bring you news of a proclamation, the King hath promised that whosoever can bring the head of Falconbridge, or Spicing, shall have for his labour a thousand crowns, what mean you then to swagger? save your selves. O that I knew how to betray them both.

Plot summary

Plot — 1 Edward the Fourth
Although he has made diplomatic arrangements to marry a French princess, King Edward impulsively takes an English bride instead, much to his mother's disapproval. The bastard Falconbridge leads a rebellion to reinstate the deposed King Henry VI. The London authorities prepare the city's defences: Falconbridge is unable to penetrate the gates, the city apprentices make a significant contribution to the battle, and the rebels are beaten back to Mile End. When they regroup, the Londoners rout them again, and Matthew Shore defeats a rearguard attempt to take the city while the militia are at Mile End. The King rewards the civic officials with knighthoods, but Shore modestly declines. Falconbridge flees with a price on his head, and he and his associate Spicing plan to betray one another and claim the reward. A miller captures Spicing, but Falconbridge escapes. Spicing is hanged by his former comrade in arms, Chub. While out hunting, members of the court encounter Hobs the tanner. King Edward, pretending to be his own butler, tries to induce Hobs to say something uncomplimentary or treasonous about him, but fails. He accepts the tanner's invitation to supper, where he takes a fancy to Hobs's daughter Nell. Meanwhile, things are going King Edward's way: his brother Gloucester sends word that King Henry VI is dead, and Falconbridge is captured and executed. Back in London, he dines with the Lord Mayor, where he meets Jane Shore. He is attracted to her and grapples with his conscience, but later visits her incognito in her husband's shop. Initially she rejects his advances, but Mistress Blague, who hopes to acquire status and influence through her, advises her to submit to adultery. While her husband confides his suspicio ns to the Lord Mayor, she absconds to court. Shore gives away all his property and goes into exile. En route he encounters Jane, now a sought-after power-broker trying to deal justly with the people who seek her influence with the King; one of them, Jockie, she entertains as a servant. On recognizing her husband she regrets her betrayal, but he refuses to take her back: she now belongs to the King. Meanwhile, Edward pursues his claim to the French throne. Planning an invasion but financially depleted after the civil war and rebellion, he seeks support from his subjects, not by taxation or forced loan but voluntary contributions. Hobs's generosity shames his fellows into giving more. He comes to London to try and procure a pardon for his son, who…