Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

MASTER-GUNNER

in Siderothriambos, or Steel and Iron Triumphing — Munday, Anthony

Metadata

PlaySiderothriambos, or Steel and Iron Triumphing
AuthorMunday, Anthony
Year (catalogued)1618
First performance1618
Decade1610s
GenreCivic Pageant
Play typeOccasional
Speech prefix(es)Maiſt. | Maiſter.
Words173
Characters947
Typicality0.34 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA07906
BritDrama no.1873
ClusterCluster 24 — Gods, cupids & celestial agents

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Where are you Mate? This goodly Canon, forged for this day In Lemnos, where great Mulciber bears sway, He and his Cyclops using all their skill, To frame it in best form, and for good will They bear unto that ancient Company, For whom their Hammers walk continually, Still to supply them from their plenteous Mine With Steel and Iron: which as they refine From the earth's Oar; So to all Lands they send, And all Arts else do bounteously befriend. Because, where Steel and Iron go to wrack: Those Lands do feel a lamentable lack. Now Mate, thou seest, this is a Jovial day, And every Trade triumphs as best it may, (By yearly custom) gladly to express, Their free affection, in full cheerfulness. Be not we idle then, Seeing to our charge, This Cannon is committed: But at large Declare our diligence. Our Gunners Art, In this Triumphal day must bear a partly. Fallen to thy pains. Then will I give Fire; And may all speed no worse then we desire.

Plot summary

Plot — Siderothriambos, or Steel and Iron Triumphing
The new Lord Mayor witnesses a series of spectacles on his first day in office. On the island of Lemnos , he sees metal being mined and smelted; next he sees an end-product of the work, a cannon , being loaded and fired. In the afternoon, an ancient bard, raised from hi s grave by the spirit of poesy , guides him to the next pageant, the mount of Fame, where Fame is attended by the virtues associ ated with good government. The bard foretells that in the year 1618, the Lord M ayor and Sheriffs will all have names beginning with the letter H, which will signify the city 's honour , heal~h , and happiness. In the evening , the bard wishes hun many happy years to come, and a period in office marked by justice , zeal, and piety .