in A Trick to Catch the Old One — Middleton, Thomas
Metadata
Play
A Trick to Catch the Old One
Author
Middleton, Thomas
Year (catalogued)
1608
First performance
1605
Decade
1600s
Genre
Comedy
Play type
Boys Professional
Company
Children of Paul's (second)
Speech prefix(es)
Mony. | Monyt. | Mon. | Mo.
Words
276
Characters
1432
Typicality
0.21 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A07511
BritDrama no.
1467
Cluster
Cluster 17 — Intriguers & schemers
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
How now, what's the news? Yes, 'tis so. Give me your hand vpon't ther's my pledge I'll meet you? I shall rest grateful, 'tis not full 3. hours sir, since the happy rumour of a rich Country widow came to my hearing. Four hundred a year landed. Most firm sir, and I have learned her lodging, here my suit begins sir, if I might but entreat your worship to be a countenance for me, and speak a good word: for your words will pass, I nothing doubt, but I might set fair for the wid dow, nor shall your labour sir end altogether in thanks, two hundred Angels— There lies the comfort sir, the report of her is yet but a whisper, and only solicited by young Riotous Wit-good, Ne phew to your mortal adversary. Most certain sir, and his Uncle very industrious to beguile the widow, and make up the match! Now sir you know this young Wit-good is a spendthrift— dissolute fellow. A midnight surfetter. True sir? which being well told in your worships phrase, may both heave him out of her mind, and driven a fair way for me to the widows affections. With my best care sir. Faith Master Hoard, I have bestowed many months in the Suit of your Niece, such was the deer love I ever boar to her virtues, but since she hath so extremely denied me, I am to lay out for my Fortune's else where. I must confess you did sir, yet in regard of my great lose of time, and the zeal with which I sought your Niece, shall I desire one favour of your worship.
Plot summary
Plot — A Trick to Catch the Old One
The spendthrift Witgood has mortgaged all his lands to his uncle, Lucre, but he is still in debt, and fear of his creditors keeps him away from London. Nevertheless he must go there if he is to make his fortune by marrying Joyce, the wealthy niece to Lucre’s enemy Walkadine Hoard. He conspires with Jane, a courtesan, to give the impression that he now has good prospects: she poses as a rich country widow who plans to marry him. Lucre’s attitude to his nephew is immediately transformed: hoping to acquire the widow’s lands too after the wedding, he denies the existence of the mortgage and lends Witgood money for new clothes. News of the widow also attracts Witgood’s creditors, but he persuades them that if they are over-attentive they will break his engagement, and thereby wreck their chances of repayment: the widow must continue to believe him to be financially secure. To that end, they eagerly agree to lend him even more money. Meanwhile Jane herself is a magnet for suitors, including the young men who were earlier trying to woo the reluctant Joyce, who is only interested in Witgood. Hoard throws his hat in the ring, bringing gentlemen to give Witgood a bad testimonial and discredit Lucre’s claims that there is no mortgage. Jane denies that she has any lands, but Hoard takes it for winsomeness and insists that her love is all that matters. They arrange an elopement; she absconds from Witgood at a tavern and marries Hoard. Lucre intervenes, not knowing he is too late, and gets her to promise that she will not change her marital status until he has made matters good by returning his nephew’s mortgage, which he duly does before witnesses. On discovering that he has been tricked, he initiates a law-suit, alleging that the widow’s marriage to Hoard is invalidated by a pre-contract to Witgood. Hearing that he has lost the widow, Witgood’s creditors have him arrested. Jane persuades Hoard to pay his debts and secure his release in exchange for his signature on a legal document renouncing any marital claim on her. Hoard drives a hard bargain with the creditors, but Witgood is duly freed. He secretly marries Joyce and delights his uncle with the truth that Hoard has married a whore. Hoard himself learns this when his brother comes from the country to attend the nuptial celebrations, and recognizes Jane. Jane points out that Hoard has only his own avarice to blame: she never misrepresented herself as having ===== PAGE 206 ===== 206 | 1467.A Trick to Catch the Old…