in The Dumb Knight — Markham, Gervase; Machin, Lewis
Metadata
Play
The Dumb Knight
Author
Markham, Gervase; Machin, Lewis
Year (catalogued)
1608
First performance
1608
Decade
1600s
Genre
Tragicomedy
Play type
Boys Professional
Company
Children of the King's Revels
Speech prefix(es)
Flo. | Florio.
Words
642
Characters
3497
Typicality
0.32 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A06975
BritDrama no.
1563
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
How near will your majesty's hand the lists extend Unto the Cities walls? What square or circuit? Your majesty shall have your will performed. High marshal for the King, your Character. Here underneath these walls, and there and there ground for the battles. Place here the lists, fix every joint as strong As 'twere a wall, for on this foot of earth This day shall stand two famous monuments, The one a throne of glory bright as gold, Burnished with angels luster, and with stars, Plucked from the crown of conquest, in which shall fit Men made half Gods through famous victory: The other a rich tomb of memorable fame, Built by the curious thoughts of noble minds, In which shall sleep these valiant souls in peace, Whom Fortune's hand shall only overthrow. Heaven in thy Palm, this day the balance hings. Which makes Kings Gods, or men more great then Kings. What are you that appear, and what devoir Draws you within these lists? And what are you or your intendiments? Enter and prosper as your cause deserves. Princes, lay your hands on these swords points Here you shall swear by hope, by heaven, by love; And by the right you challenge in true fame, That here you stand not armed with any guile, Malignant hate, or usurpation Of philters charms, of nightspels characters, Or other black infernal vantages, But even with thoughts as pure As your pure vallures, or the suns pure beams, Approve the right of pure affection; And howsoever your Fortune's rise or fallen, To break no faith in your conditions, So help you Jove. Found cornets, Princes respect your guards. Master Orator, it is the King and Queens majesty's plea sure, that you presently repair unto the Court, touching the draw king out of certain Articles for the benefit of both the king domes. Do, for they expect you seriously. Prince Philocles, the king would speak with you: Prince Philocles, the king would speak with you, Prince Philocles, the king would speak with you. The pox rot off your fingers for this blow, It is coronation day, thorough all my scull, Theres such a fatal ringing in my brain, Has won the selt, has laid five fingers on; But it a knavish partly of him to play so. Hear me you Gods for this my open wrong, Make short his fingers as you have his tongue. You may not. His majesty is now down pressed with seriousness: As for your suit it is with Prat the Orator. I herd his highness give him a special charge For your dispatch with favour. Nay if you will correct the kings coin you are not for my con ference, Fare you well. Make room there, his Majesty is coming to the execution. The fear of death hath brought her to a swoon. Did your grace call? He is in his privy chamber playing at chess. I go my Lord. 'Tis true indeed, and nature in her self, Does give us still distaste in contraries. And in my thoughts it is as base to see a woman man As see a man a long robed feminine. Your graces pleasure. I go. Did your majesty call? Madam and Prince Philocles, in the Kings name I arrest you both of high treason. Madam I am most sorry 'tis my fortune, But what I do is by the Kings commission. I am his instrument but not his counselor. To prison are the words of my commission. There is a continued ̄ batant on the defe ̄ Dam ̄ ts partly; your majesty's pleasure. Are the fair ends of this your warlike posture, To prove the innocence of these two condemned? So help you Jove. The Queen is all for reuelles, her light heart, Unladen from the heaviness of state, Bestows it self upon delightfulness.
Plot summary
Plot — The Dumb Knight
The King of Cyprus, in love with the Queen of Sicily; lays siege to her city, but accepts the Queen’s proposal that they settle the affair with a trial by combat: the King and his champion Philocles versus the Duke of Epire and Lord Alfonso. Epire defeats the King but is bested in a play-off with Philocles; the Queen accepts the outcome and submits to the King’s love, but Epire swears to avenge his dishonour. Philocles woos Epire’s sister, Mariana, but gets the brush-off. Asked to set him a task to prove his love, she demands that he remain silent for a year; when he swears to do so, she is pleased not to have to listen to any more love-talk from him. His dumbness is taken to be a malady, which medicine fails to remedy. The King offers a reward for a successful cure ~ but those who try unsuccessfully will be executed. Mariana offers to achieve the cure, but Philocles will not speak at her command and she is duly sentenced to death. Philocles waits until the headsman is about to strike before speaking out. She is spared, but Philocles refuses to marry her until she demonstrates that she cares as much for him as he for her. Epire’s vindictive vexation grows. Epire suggests to the King that the Queen is having an affair with Philocles: he takes his opportunities to put the Queen into Philocles’ company, and arranges for the King to see them dancing and playing cards together. They are arrested and imprisoned, and parliament condemns them to death. Epire’s plan is to proclaim the Queen’s innocence after she has been executed, and then see the King deposed by an outraged populace. Mariana bribes Philocles’ jailer to allow her a visit. They swap garments: Philocles escapes posing as her, and she joins the Queen on the scaffold on the day of execution. Epire agrees to defend his accusation as the King’s champion in a trial by combat. Philocles comes forward to fight for the Queen, and defeats Epire, who admits malicious slander. The Queen forgives him, but only for Mariana’s sake. In the sub-plot, Lollia is unhappily married to the choleric orator Prate. Alfonso attempts to seduce her, using her neighbour as a go-between; Lollia agrees to receive him when her husband is next away. Lord Méchant has had his lands confiscated for abetting the Cypriot invasion; the King has sent him and others to Prate, but Prate neglects these cases in favour of the King’s own business. Méchant plans to avenge himself by cuckolding Prate, but finds that Alfonso has got there first.…