Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

FRISCO

in The Maid's Metamorphosis — Anonymous

Metadata

PlayThe Maid's Metamorphosis
AuthorAnonymous
Year (catalogued)1600
First performance1600
Decade1600s
GenrePastoral Romance
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of Paul's (second)
Speech prefix(es)Friſ. | Friſco.
Words511
Characters2626
Typicality0.55 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA06742
BritDrama no.1231
ClusterCluster 0 — Clowns, beggars & street sellers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Can you blow the little horn? Weell, weell, and very weell. And can you blow the little horn, Amongst the leaves green? Sirrah, what art thou? and thou? Thou art the Apple-squier to and Ewe, And thou sworn brother to a bale of false dice. I am a Boy to a Ranger. Sirrah, so you might have said of your Master's sheep. They come of crick-cracks, and shake their tails Like a squib. Oh but 'tis a tickling jest. And thou art as welcome to me, as a new poking stick to a Chamber maid. Oh they be the Fairies that haunt these woods. No, I pray you save your labour. I pray you sir, what might I call you? I would I were a Chimney for your sake. I have found. A couple of crack-roapes. I mean you two. Come, a treble conjunction: all three, all three. Not I by God, Priapus I mean. A plain God, with a good peg to hang a shephear dress bottle upon. My Master swears by Silvanus, I must swear by his poor neighbour. Alas good old great man, will nor your master swear? Peace Mopso, I will stand toot, he's neither brave Courtier, bouncing Cavalier, nor boon Companion, if he swear not sometime: for they will swear, forswear, and swear. They'le swear at dice, forswear their debts: And swear when they lose their labour in love. Nay my master is damned I'll be sworn, for his we ry soul burns in the firy eye of his fair mistress. Faith and I am foundered with flinging too and from, with Chestnuts, Hazelnuts, Bullaze, and wildings, for pre sents from my master to the fair shepherdess. That follows the colt, that followed the mare, the man road on to Midleton: shall I speak a wise word? Are not we fools? Give me leave: are not we fools to wear our young feet to old stumps, when there dwells a cunning man in a Cave hereby, who for a bunch of roots, a bag of nuts, or a bushel of crabs, will tell us, where thou shalt find thy mai ster, and which of our masters shall win the wenches favour? Here he comes, offend him not Ioculo, For fear he turn thee to a Jack and Apes. A Woodcock, and Owl, and and Ape? He speaks to thee Ioculo. And good father Fortune teller, let Frisco know, whither Silu oh my master that lusty Forester, shall gain that same gay shepherdess or no? I'll promise you nothing for your pains, but a bag full of nuts: if I bring a crab or two in my pocket, take them for advantage. In what you will, lets hear our masters luck. My master woodman, takes but wooden pains to no purpose I think, what say you, shall he speed? I am not sorry for it, farewell Ioculo. Cannot a man be merry in his own walk, But a must be thus encumbered? Oh Sir, though you Courtiers have all the honour, You have not all the wit.

Plot summary

Plot — The Maid's Metamorphosis
Considering Eurymine too low-born to be a suitable match for his son Ascanio, Duke Telemachus orders two of his gentlemen to escort her from the court and murder her. In the event, however, Phylander persuades his colleague that they have no obligation to follow unlawful orders. They plan to present the Duke with an animal’s heart, claiming it to be hers, and Eurymine agrees to live away from the court in country exile. She meets a forester and a shepherd, each of whom wants her to live with him; when they become competitive, she agrees to accept a cottage from the forester and a flock of sheep from the shepherd. Ascanio goes into the woods looking for Eurymine. Juno finds him asleep and, eager to prove her superiority to Venus, arranges for him to dream of where to find his love. Meanwhile, Eurymine meets Apollo, who is also attracted to her. To save herself from rape, she claims to disbelieve his claims of godhead, and asks him to prove himself by working a miracle: specifically, she asks him to change her sex. He does, but with an associated curse: as a man, she will fall hopelessly in love with another man, and long to be a woman again. Ascanio learns from an echo that Eurymine is nearby but inaccessible, and the hermit Aramanthus, who is also a dispossessed prince, explains her metamorphosis. This disappoints not only Ascanio but also her country admirers, and Aramanthus recommends that she should ask the Graces to intercede with Apollo on her behalf. Apollo eventually agrees and restores her original gender. Telemachus has a change of heart and sends Phylander to bring Eurymine back from the forest. Apollo reveals that she is in fact Aramanthus’ long-lost daughter, and so of royal blood: her status is after all no obstacle to her marriage with Ascanio.