Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

RECREATION

in The Marriage of Wit and Science — Anonymous

Metadata

PlayThe Marriage of Wit and Science
AuthorAnonymous
Year (catalogued)1570
First performance1568
Decade1570s
GenreMoral
Play typeInterlude(?); Boys Nonprofessional/School(?)
CompanyChildren of Paul's (first)(?)
Speech prefix(es)Recreation. | Recreation • | Recreacion | Singe.
Words396
Characters1955
Typicality0.14 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA07052
BritDrama no.461
ClusterCluster 7 — Pedants, satyrs & Latin wit

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

He is not cold, I warrant him, I. Oh noble Wit the miracle of God, and eke of Nature: Why cursest thou thy self, and every other creature. What causeth the thine innocent deer Lady to accuse? Who would lament it more then she, to here this woeful news. Why Wilt thou die, whereas thou mayest be sure of health? Whereas thou seeth a plain path way, to worship and to wealth. Not every foil does make a fall, nor every soil does slay, Comfort thy self be sure thy luck, will mend from day to day. That done, repair again to Study and Instruction, Take better hold by their advise, your foe to set upon. No man shall let them know thereof, unless your self do it. Enough at once, now leave, and let us partly. Farewell friend Wit, and since you are relieved, Think not upon your foil, whereat you were so grieved. But take your heart to you, and give attempt once more: I warrant you to speed, much better then before. To rise and dance a little space with us two? My life to yours it may be mended all. Gi e a leg, give and arm, arise, arise, Hold up thy head, lift us thy eyes, 1 A leg to stand up right 2 And arm to fight a main, 1 The head to hold thy brains in plighted, 2 The eyes to look again. A wake you drowned powers. You sprites for dull with toil: Resyne to me this care of yours, And from dead sleep recoil. Think not upon your loathsome lu ke, But arise and dance with us a pluck. 2 What though thou hast not hit, The top of thy desire, Time is not So far spent as yet To cause the oh retire, A rise and ease thy self of pain And make thee strong to fight again, Let not thy foes re oyse, Let not thy friends lament, Let not thy Ladies rueful voice, In sobs and sighs be spent, Thy ayth is plighted forget it not, Betwixt her and the to knit the knot. Gyve a leg &c. This is no deadly wound, It may be cured well. See here what Physic we have found, Thy sorrows to expel. The way is plain, the mark is fair, Lodge not thy self in deep despair.

Plot summary

Plot — The Marriage of Wit and Science
Hearing Science’s reputation, Wit falls in love with her. His mother sends him on a journey to Mount Parnassus, with Will as his companion. Preferring a bachelor master (because it means an easier life for a servant), Will argues against marriage, but delivers Wit’s suit to Science, including his picture. Science has decided not to admit any more suitors, because they have all come to harm, but tells Wit that he must take time to learn to fight, so that he can take on her enemy Tediousness. Reason gives him a mirror and Experience commends him to seek help from Instruction. However, he finds Instruction boring, and he is killed in the battle with Tediousness. Recreation revives Wit with a song, but he is tempted by another sung by Idleness, and sleeps with her. She exchanges his coat for that of Ignorance, and he is not recognized by Science and Reason. He only realizes what has happened when he sees his own face in Reason’s mirror. Reason rebukes him and Shame whips him, but then, at Science’s request, he is given another chance. By following Instruction’s advice, he defeats and beheads Tediousness, so that his marriage with Science can proceed.