Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

GARBEZZA

in Parasitaster, or The Fawn — Marston, John

Metadata

PlayParasitaster, or The Fawn
AuthorMarston, John
Year (catalogued)1606
First performance1604
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of the Queen's Revels
TheaterBlackfriars;Paul's;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Gar. | Garb.
Words283
Characters1530
Typicality0.27 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA07077
BritDrama no.1455
ClusterCluster 10 — Mourners, mothers & doleful voices

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

But shall I give faith, may you not love another? Your speech flies too high, for your meaning to follow, yet my mistrust shall not preceede my experience, I wrought this favour for you. I hope so, but would that friend my brother discover me, would he wrong himself, to prejudice me? Fawn I will undo that rascal, he shall starve for any fur there maintenance. He was in fair hope of proving heir to his elder bro there, but he has got me with child. Oh heaven that I could curse him beneath damnation, impudent varlet: by my reputation Fawn, I only lou'de him, because I thought I only did not love him, he vowed infinite beauty's doted on him, alas I was a simple country Lady, wore gold buttons, trunk sleeves, and flagon bracelets, in this state of innocency was I brought up to the Court. Right, remember he God his elder brother's wife with child, and so depriude himself of th'inheritance. And so depriude himself of inheritance, deer Fawn be my champion. Ignoble villain, that I might but see thee wretched without pity, and recovery, well. Enter Herod and Nymphadoro What strange thing dos this Almanac speak of fool? But what strange things dos thy Almanac speak of good fool? But what more says it good Fawn ? He did. Sure the no wrong in, right, true, and joust. To me? Oh Fawn, let me sighs it with joy into thy bo some, my brother has been wooed by this & that and tother Lady to entertain the ̄ (for I would seen their letters) but his vow to me Oh Favu, is most immutable, unfeigning, peculiar, & indeed deserved.

Plot summary

Plot — Parasitaster, or The Fawn
After failing to persuade his son Tiberio to marry, Hercules, the widowed Duke of Ferrara, plans to marry Princess Dulcimel of Urbino, and sends Tiberio to negotiate the treaty. Hercules goes to Urbino himself, assumes the alias Faunus, meets Nymphadoro and Herod, and hears some unflattering remarks about himself in his other persona, Hercules. He gets them to introduce him at court, and becomes a favourite with the Duke of Urbino. Dulcimel would rather marry Tiberio than Hercules, and contrives to woo him using her father, Duke Gonzago, as an intermediary. She brings him a scarf which she has embroidered with a message, and tells him that it was sent by Tiberio; the outraged Gonzago gives it to the young man, thinking he is returning an unwanted would-be lover's gift. She then reports to ===== PAGE 176 ===== Gonzago that Tiberio intends to climb up the tree by her bedroom window and surreptitiously marry her. Gonzago repeats the plan back to Tiberio, revokes his diplomatic status, and orders him to leave Urbino. Instead, Tiberio. puts the plan into effect and marries Dulcimel in her bedroom. Faunus: observes the foolish behaviour of the courtiers at Urbino. Herod cuckolds his brother, the impotent Sir Amoroso, and gets his sister-in-law with child — in effect, dispossessing himself of the estate by producing an heir apparent. Donna Zoya, who bas not slept with her husband Zuccone for four years, feigns pregnancy, and the gossip spreads rapidly through the court, each person telling the next on condition that they keep it strictly to themselves. Zuccone repudiates her, then regrets it on learning she is not really an adulteress, but she will only take him back on new terms which give her the upper hand in the marriage. Faunus lays on a court entertainment: a parliament of Cupid to consider the many grievances lovers have sent to heaven. Cupid’s statutes are read, and several of the foolish courtiers are tried. Nymphadoro is convicted as a multiple philanderer and sent to the ship of fools, Herod for falsely boasting of love, and Granuffo for affecting silence to seem wiser than he is. Sir Amoroso (charged with wooing on false pretences) and Zuccone are spared. The last fool to be exposed is Gonzago, for procuring the seduction of his own daughter. Resuming his own identity, Hercules thanks Gonzago for securing Tiberio’s marriage.