Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

PENATES

in The Royal Entertainment at Highgate (The Penates) — Jonson, Ben

Metadata

PlayThe Royal Entertainment at Highgate (The Penates)
AuthorJonson, Ben
Year (catalogued)1640
First performance1604
Decade1640s
GenreEntertainment
Play typeOccasional
Theaterbefore the Court;
Speech prefix(es)PENATES.
Words232
Characters1299
Typicality0.35 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA04632.12
BritDrama no.1426
ClusterCluster 2 — Allegory, Nature & pageant voices

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 2 (horestes, quha, weill, bohor, sysimethres, griselda…). Matches are highlighted.

admired queen: the glory Both of state, and comeliness. Every line of her divine Form, is a beauteous story. High in fortune, as in blood, So are both; and blood renowned By oft falls, that make a flood In your veins: yet, all these strains Are in your virtues drowned. House, be proud; For of earth's store These two, only, are

Full speech

Leap light hearts in every breast, Joy is now the fittest passion; Double majesty hath blessed All the place, with that high grace, Exceeds admiration! Welcome, monarch of this Isle, Europes envy, and her merror; Great in each partly of thy style: England's wish, and Scotland's bliss, Both France , and Ireland's terror. Welcome, are you; and no less, Your admired queen: the glory Both of state, and comeliness. Every line of her divine Form, is a beauteous story. High in fortune, as in blood, So are both; and blood renowned By oft falls, that make a flood In your veins: yet, all these strains Are in your virtues drowned. House, be proud; For of earth's store These two, only, are the wonder: In them she's rich, and in no more. Zeal is bound their praise to found As loud as fame, or thunder. Note, but how the air, the spring Concur in their devotions; Pairs of Turtles fit, and sing On each tree, overjoyed to see In them Like love, Like motions. Enter sir, this longing door, Whose glad lord nought could have blessed Equally; (I'am sure not more) Then this sighed: saue' of your right, When you were first possessed. That, indeed, transcended this. Since which hour, wherein you gained it. For this grace, both he and his, Every day, have learned to pray, And, now, they have obtained it.

Plot summary

Plot — The Royal Entertainment at Highgate (The Penates)
On arrival at their host’s home on May morning, the King and Queen are received by the Penates of the house. Mercury then greets the royal visitors and escorts them to Maia’s bower, explaining on the way that the power of poetry has transported them to his birthplace in Arcadia. At the bower, Maia apologises that the entertainment has not been more elaborate, and promises fauns and satyrs should the King come again. After dinner, Mercury accosts the royal couple in the garden and tells them about a fountain of wine. Its keeper, Pan, embarrasses Mercury by his crudity, and Mercury wishes the King and Queen a happy and prosperous reign.