Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

PHILARCHUS

in Histriomastix, or The Player Whipped — Marston, John

Metadata

PlayHistriomastix, or The Player Whipped
AuthorMarston, John
Year (catalogued)1610
First performance1599
Decade1610s
GenreMoral
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyUnknown
Speech prefix(es)Phil. | Fill. | Phi. | Fili. | Filli. | Phili. | Phil
Words709
Characters3932
Typicality0.27 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA03405
BritDrama no.1314
ClusterCluster 23 — Gulls, fops & laughing-stocks

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 23 (rogues, crochet, shakbag, kicked, doister, tidle…). Matches are highlighted.

with a sweeping wing, Me thinks your honours hose fit very well, And yet this fashion is grown so stale; Is on a better block, your Lordship means; Your Lordships doublet-skirt is short and neat, A Play, a Mask, a Banquet, weel have all. How soon they can remember to forget, Their undeserved Fortune's and esteem; Blush not the peasants

Full speech

I Geometry. All this we needs must know assuredly. Although I am not satisfied in this, It does me good to hear him thus discourse. In nothing am I better pleased, let's go. Give me a season that will stir the blood I Like not Nigardice to hungar-starue, 'Tis good when pooremen frolic in the hall, The whilst our father's in the Chambers feast, And none repines at any stranger-guest. Your books are Adamants and you the Iron That cleaves to them till you confound your self Let them do so that list, so will not!. What Master Pedant, pray forbear, forbear. It's still safe erring with the multitude: By Lady sir, I Like not of this pride, Give me the ancient hospitality, They say it's merry in hall, when beards wag all. The Italian Lord is and Ass, the song is a good song, It's true my Lord, they carelessly devour. In faith good fellows get some other trade, Ye live but idle in the commonwealth. Cease Ruffians, with your swords and bucklers, hence. Plays, well remembered, we will have a play, Steward lets have Sir Olliuer Owlets men, Faith I'll fly intoo't with a sweeping wing, Me thinks your honours hose fit very well, And yet this fashion is grown so stale; Is on a better block, your Lordship means; Your Lordships doublet-skirt is short and neat, A Play, a Mask, a Banquet, weel have all. How soon they can remember to forget, Their undeserved Fortune's and esteem; Blush not the peasants at their pedigree? Sucked pale with lust; what, bladders swollen with pride, To strut in shreds of nitty brogerie? Well let them blaze, ther's none so blind but sees, Prides fallen is still frost-bit with Misery's. What, come they in so blunt without devise? The grape begins to fume. The thirst of Honour called me to the wars, Where I have drunk a health (too deep a draught) My full-mouthed bags may now be filled with air, The Devil and Ambition taught it me. See how Mavortius turns away his face, To seek to friends it's held for disgrace. Are wounds rewards for Soldiers in the field? What? fell our lands, are these the fruits of War? Then die Philarchus, let not shame survive, Thy fainting honour, dead and yet alive. Behold my wife Like Winter's parramour, Robbed and bereaved of nuptial Ornaments. "Hide thee Philarchus lower then the graven, "The Earth will cover though it cannot save. Why, thou art far more wretcheder then we, How canst thou teach us then tranquillity? Nay I'll be matchless for a carckanet, Whose Pearls and Diamonds placed with ruly rocks Shall circle this fair neck to set it forth, I'll have a rich embossed imbrothery, On which invaluable precious Robe, I'll hang the glorious brightness of my Globe. Mistress Pinckanie is my new ruff done? Pleasure as bondslave, to our wills is tied, We Ladies cannot be defamed with Pride, Come, let's have a play, let poor slaves prate Rank pride in meanest sort, in us is state, Remember promise mistress Pinkanie. The night is dead before the sport be born. We that have scorned to dress our meat our selves, Now would be glad if we had meat to dress. Ceres and Bacchus tickled Venus stirs. Mavortius, darest thou maintain thy words? Swallow those words, or thou shalt eat my sword. And when 'ts done, I will restore my wrongs Out of thy Forts, thy Castles and thy lands. I, factious Lord, till then adieu, Weel shine Like Comets in next interview. This miserable world would make one mad; I stepped unto a Vintner at the Bar, And offered him my Rapier for a pawn; The saucy slave took it in such a scorn, And flung it in the streets, replying thus, Mere want brings weapons out of use with us. The scourge of Pride, and Heavens detested curse. Sunk down to Hell whilst hunger feels the lack. Pity is passed when Peace is out of door. Tush, be not partial, but peruse mine well, See you not proud Ulysses carrying spoils; Thou Son of knowledge (richer then a man) We censure thy advise as oracles. The first is pledge worser, and here begins a fresh.

Plot summary

Plot — Histriomastix, or The Player Whipped
Under the benevolent rule of Peace, various orders of society turn to learning in their different ways: Mavortius and his fellow noblemen and gentlemen become students of the liberal arts, professional people appoint the scholar Chrisoganus as their lecturer, and some artisans organize themselves as a company of players, Sir Oliver Owlet’s Men. However, the new reign of Plenty tempts many of them away from their studies, leaving only Chrisoganus loyal. While the lawyers and merchants take advantage of the leisure of the vacation to go hunting, Mavortius entertains his guests with a play given by Owlet’s Men. Plenty is succeeded by Pride, who encourages a dedication to fashion and a neglect of proper decorum: the lawyers and merchants enrich themselves unjustly, Mavortius dismisses many of his servants to release more money to spend on pleasure, and both Chrisoganus (who has turned playwright) and Owlet's Men price themselves out of the market. Next, Envy comes to power, causing class resentment in the realm: the citizenry’s adoption of the latest fashions causes resentment among the nobility, envious behaviour disrupts the players’ rehearsal, and Mavortius becomes belligerent. The next ruler is War, under whom the players are conscripted as soldiers, Mavortius fights with his friends, the common people rise in rebellion against their social superiors, and the Spanish invade the realm. Out of this chaos comes Poverty, leading aristocrats, merchants. and peasants alike to debt, bankruptcy, and famine. Owlet’s men, unable to pay their taxes, are banished from the realm. Finally Poverty and her associates are expelled by the return of Peace and Plenty. Queen Elizabeth also appears, in the guise of Astraea, and the play ends with the five lesser rulers resigning their sceptres to Peace.