in Technogamia, or The Marriages of the Arts — Holyday, Barten
Metadata
Play
Technogamia, or The Marriages of the Arts
Author
Holyday, Barten
Year (catalogued)
1618
First performance
1618
Decade
1610s
Genre
Academic Comedy
Play type
University
Theater
at University;
Speech prefix(es)
Cauſid. | Cauſ. | Cauſidicus. | Cau.
Words
506
Characters
2621
Typicality
0.42 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A03496
BritDrama no.
1860
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
Sir, I count my Profession Crowned, when I plead most causes: and since I have at this present Sir, some impor tunate avocation of businesses; I will promise you a medita ted defence, and when you please but to intimate the instant of your necessity, I shall fly to you as swiftly, as with the wings of Angels. Sir, I partly know you, is not your name Master Logicus? In-faith Medicus, and I think no men case can be likely worse then mine own: for it had be better for me if I had pleaded never a cause, rather then two. Well, I fear by this double fee, I shall purchase the fee-simple of a knave, as long as I live. Nay, for my tongue, that will do well enough: but it's my ears that I fear: I would I had but a Lease of mine own life for them. Well, yet let's keep possession of our states as long as we can; and that must be by this means. If we be called to our accounts, not presently to confess, for the veriest thief will at the first plead, Not Guilty: and yet we will not too-stiffely stand in our innocency, that so there may be a way left for our pardon. This Polites is a subtle fellow, and he'l take us when we little think on't; but wee'll go voluntarily, and so he shall not needs to send out a Capias and respondendum, for us. A Like mercy still attend Polites. Long may Polites live most honoured; long may Polites live most honoured. Exeunt Med. & Causi. Yes, what would you have Sir? If you have any business, you may impart it to me. I may not deny my profession, Sir. Sir, I must confess, I am not a Civil Lawyer, yet I trust not and Uncivil. Well then, Sir, if you would have it so, I am and Un civil Lawyer. Faith, I am no extraordinary Lawyer, and there before (if you will) a Common Lawyer. I warrant you Sir. Yes. — Yes. Pardon, honoured Polites. Honoured Polites — Pardon, good Polites, honoured Polites, good Poli tes, pardon. Exit Causidicus. My Book, honoured Polites. H nour'd Polites — Then vouchsafe, I beseech you, to hear me speak. I likewise must accuse Poverty of my first gilded; 'twas needs also that first made me bade: I was at the first a Sumner, then God to be a Scrivener, then a Lawyers Clarke; and these were the first steps of my fortune: and since I have been a Lawyer, (alas!) such have been my wants, that having no Clients to save my credit, I have pretended business, and gone up and down with a Pen and Inkhorn by my side, as earnestly as if I had a dozen Causes to plead: when (alas!) I had scarce bred to live on, that, I protest unto your honour, Fortune had quite outlawed my estate. From within. Who's there? Then fare you well, good Master Logicus. Exit Caused.
Plot summary
Plot — Technogamia, or The Marriages of the Arts
Astronomia has several suitors: Geographus (whom her mother dislikes), Geometres (whom her friends favour), and Poeta (who has recently jilted Historia to pursue her). Against her kinsman Polites’ advice, Historia still wants to marry Poeta, consummating the long-standing association between history and the poetic imagination. Poeta quarrels with Grammaticus, and Logicus becomes involved in the ensuing affray. Unsure whether to fight a duel with Poeta or sue him for assault, Logicus sets both courses in train. Hearing that Poeta has been hurt in the fight, Historia sends to Medicus for help, but Magus, who is helping Geometres, sees an opportunity to dispose of one of his client’s rivals, and persuades Medicus to send poison instead. Medicus’ man, Sanguis, delivers the poison, but spots that it isn’t medicine. Poeta infers Historia's treachery, but persuades himself out of absolute misogyny by thinking of Astronomia. To reconcile Poeta with Logicus and Grammaticus, Ethicus arranges a banquet. Several of the wooers use magical help in their suits. Poeta meets two gipsies, who pick his- pocket and foretell that he will marry Astronomia. Using sieve- divination, Magus predicts that Geometres will marry Astronomia, and will achieve this mainly through hypnotism, with a little pharmaceutical help. (Geometres finds the third option, conjuration, too frightening to try.) However, when Astronomia drinks the supposed love philtre at Ethicus’ feast, it poisons her. Meanwhile, Poeta seems reconciled to his former adversaries, but gets drunk and tries to pick fights with Geographus and Grammaticus; Magus charms him to sleep. Causidicus accepts fees from both Logicus and Poeta, so when the case comes to trial, Polites dismisses him and forces the parties to speak for themselves. The trial is adjourned when news arrives that Astronomia, burning up with the poison, has fallen into a coma. Medicus attends her, and cures her by administering an enema. Meanwhile the gipsies and servants indulge themselves in country pastimes: morris dancing, barley-break, and riddles. Polites takes up Geographus’ and Historia’s love- suits: he persuades Astronomia’s mother that Geographus will be a worthy son-in-law, so long as he gets rid of his servant Phantastes, and the couple are married. Polites tries the miscreants, and purges the body politic of dangerous corruption: the gipsies are branded, Magus sentenced to be broken on the wheel, and his wife Astrologia to imprisonment — but,…