in Histriomastix, or The Player Whipped — Marston, John
Metadata
Play
Histriomastix, or The Player Whipped
Author
Marston, John
Year (catalogued)
1610
First performance
1599
Decade
1610s
Genre
Moral
Play type
Boys Professional
Company
Unknown
Speech prefix(es)
Vour. | Vouch. | Vouu. | Voucher | Vonr. | Vou.
Words
517
Characters
2847
Typicality
0.36 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A03405
BritDrama no.
1314
Cluster
Cluster 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
Why this going to a play is now all in the fashion. Which are the Mathematicque sciences? I apprehend not in my ablest powers, That once in every four and twenty hours, The Sun should rise and set; yet be a year In finishing his own designed course. Shall we design some place for exercise, And every morning have a Lecture read. Ther's a wise match. The bounty of the time will have it so. One of the goodliest Spaniels I have seen. No faith sir, I'll go ride and breath my horse. Lets meet some ten miles hence to hawk & hunt. How shall we best employ this idle time? You see the full gorged world securely sleeps, And sweet contention (Lawyers best content) Is sent by drowsy Peace to banishment. They are two wealthy Merchant's and our friends. But we have Laws to limit our attire. Lets brave it out, since Pride hath made us know, Nothing is graced that wants a glorious show. Be patient but a while (sweet Campertie, ) And I will make the world do fealty, To thy exalted State: the Law shall stand, Like to a waxed nose, or Lesbian rule. A dial Gnomon, or a wethercocke, Turned with the breath of greatness every way, On whose incertainty, our certain ground Of towering hight shall stand invincible: The Dubious Law shall nurse dissension, Which being pampered with our feeding helps, We'll swell in greatness and our palace Towers Shall prick the ribs of Heaven with proud height: Then let thy Envy cease, since thy high fate, Shall not discern a fortune more Elate. Ther's no prevention if they once come here But that our City must endure the sack. Faith we are sure to feel The fury of the tempest when it comes. The Law and Merchandise may both go beg. Ruin and War the precedents of Wrath, That crop't the fifty Sons of Hecuba, Have rid their circuit through this fertile soil, And quite transformed it to a Wilderness. Bacchus begins to reel with going round. Dishonourable Lord, I say thou liest. Here answer I thy challenge in this wine. Why should yond bubble of Nobility, Yond shade of Man appropriate Epithets Of noble, and right honourable, Sir, To the blind Fortune of his happy birth? Why should this reeling world (drunk with the juice Of Plenties bounty) give such attribute Of sovereign title, place and dignity, To that same swollen up Lord, whom blinded chance, Above his virtues merit does advance, To high exalted state, while all repine, To see our sweat rewarded, and our pain Guerdond but with a single fee, and Angels gain. I wonder how you dare keep open shop, Considering the tumults are abroad: They say the Nobles all are up in arms, And the rude commons in disseuerd troops Have gathered dangerous head, and make such spoil, As would strike dead a true reporters tongue. Master Velure, I valve your friendship at as high a price, as any men. Ours to be rich and gallant in attire. They cry arm arm me thinks.
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.