in The Bondman (The Noble Bondman) — Massinger, Philip
Metadata
Play
The Bondman (The Noble Bondman)
Author
Massinger, Philip
Year (catalogued)
1624
First performance
1623
Decade
1620s
Genre
Tragicomedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Lady Elizabeth's Men
Theater
Phoenix/Cockpit;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)
Zanthia. | Zant.
Words
384
Characters
1943
Typicality
0.54 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A07234
BritDrama no.
2074
Cluster
Cluster 1 — Wives, widows & intimate counsel
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
Some times I lie with my Lady, as the lastnight I did, She could not say her prayers, for thinking of you, Nay, she talked of you in her sleep, and sighed out, Oh sweet Asotus, sure thou art so backward, That I must ravish thee, and in that fervor She took me in her arms, threw me upon her, Kissed me, and huged me, and then waked, and wept; Because 'twas but a dream. Madame, my Lord. Was ever Lady the first day of her honour So waited on by a wrinkled crone? she looks now Without her painting, curling, and perfumes Like the last day of January; and stinks worse Then a hight brach in the dog days. Further of, So stand there Like and image; if you stir, Till with a quarter of a look I call you, You know what follows. Very well, and bear it With as much state as your Lordship. Fine by Jove, Are your hands clean minion? Fallen off then. So now come on: and having made your three duties, Down I say, (are you stiff in the hams?) now kneel, And tie our shoe. Now kiss it and be happy. It is such as she taught me, A tickling itch of greatness, your proud Ladies Expect from their poor Waiters, we have changed parts; She does what she forced me to do in her reign, And I must practice it in mine. Here, Marullo. It's for exercise, And to help digestion, what is she good for else? To me it was her language. I am perfect. Venus forbid, Sir, I should presume to taste your honours lips Before my Lady. Happy in your Lordship, As oft as she thinks on you. Oh Sir, and speaks the best of you, admires Your wit, your clothes, discourse; and swears, but that You are not forward enough for a Lord, you were The most complete, and absolute man: I'll show Your Lordship a Secret. Oh no, Sir, It's of my Lady, but upon your honour, You must conceal it. Be not put off, Sir, With away, I dare not; fie you are immodest, My Brother's up, my Father will hear, shoot home, Sir, You cannot miss the mark. No, no, Sir, she but seems so. To her again.
Plot summary
Plot — The Bondman (The Noble Bondman)
Carthage has territorial designs on Sicily, so Corinth sends its general, Timoleon, to take charge of the defence of Syracuse. On arrival, he criticizes the Sicilians for appointing unworthy and inexperienced senators and for general corruption. He decrees that all private wealth should be sequestered to pay for the war. It is an unpopular measure until Cleora public- spiritedly gives up her jewels, forcing the others to follow her example. Cleora has several suitors, including Pisander of Thebes; but her brother Timagoras, keen for her to marry his friend Leosthenes, slandered Pisander to induce their father to send him away. Now that the young men are going to war, Leosthenes is jealous about what she may get up to in his absence, so she promises literally not to see or say anything until his return. The slaves of Syracuse take advantage of the absence of the army and rebel, enslaving their former masters. The ringleader is Cleora’s slave Marullo, who claims to be motivated by unrequited passion for his mistress, but, when he gains access to her, disclaims any intention of raping her and receives in return a wordless acknowledgement of her regard for him. He encourages the former slaves to treat their former masters well, since their positions may again be reversed. News arrives of a victory over the Carthaginians, with particular military distinction achieved by Leosthenes. The rebellious slaves man the city’s walls and gates to keep out the returning army; from the walls, Marullo declares their grievances and demands their freedom. Timoleon realizes they will have to fight their way into the city, but the slaves put up a valiant resistance until cowed by the sight of their masters’ whips. Marullo flees to Cleora’s house, where he is captured. Cleora tells Leosthenes what happened, and asks him to use his influence to have Marullo spared, but this only makes Leosthenes jealous again. Cleora’s father gives her freedom to choose her own husband; he respects Marullo for his restraint in not ransacking the house during the revolt. Cleora realizes she must marry either Leosthenes or Marullo: both are worthy of her, but she is bound to disappoint one. On hearing that Marullo has been ill-treated by his captors, she rushes off to visit him in prison. Leosthenes and Timagoras follow, alerted by her maid, and find them alone together. Timagoras tries to kill Marullo, but is prevented, Timoleon is appointed to try Marullo’s case. Leosthenes and Marullo both…