Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

UNCLE

in Tottenham Court

Metadata

PlayTottenham Court
Year (catalogued)1638
First performance1638
Decade1630s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional;Professional
CompanyPrince Charles's Men (second) (?); King's Revels Company (?)
TheaterSalisbury Court;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Vnc. | Vncle. | V • c.
Words475
Characters2661
Typicality0.37 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA07978
BritDrama no.2405
ClusterCluster 19 — Grieving nobles & tragicomic sufferers

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 19 (piety, thalander, crimes, blessings, loathed, pretend…). Matches are highlighted.

good, that I have not left Counsel or threats unurged to perfect it. They are questionless matryed. My Nephew's gone abroad too. Is't the custom Of Students that pretend a love to Learning And noble Sciences, to make the morning Their time of recreation? Or have they Had correspondence, and his friendly aid Is in the plot! Yond

Full speech

Come, wing your hasts: I'll sweeten all your labours With large rewards: do but recover them, I'll ease your rends; exact no costly customs; Quarrel no more about your commons title. Good neighbours forward: London's not far off. It's a fair circumstance, and may confirm My first suspicion. Where found you the Horses? What's That? P ay' interrupt him not: Forward Neighbour. On good Neighbour. O my cursed fate; they have prevented sure. My care, by zeal and nature oh instructed To tender her good, that I have not left Counsel or threats unurged to perfect it. They are questionless matryed. My Nephew's gone abroad too. Is't the custom Of Students that pretend a love to Learning And noble Sciences, to make the morning Their time of recreation? Or have they Had correspondence, and his friendly aid Is in the plot! Yond Porter may perhaps Inform us something. Good speed f iend. Didst see a Gentleman and a Gentlewoman abroad in the Fields? Didst see a Gentlewoman? I thank you Sir. Come let's hasten. Exeunt. See, see; my thoughts were prophesy: both here. But you're ill come Cousin. I had thought. Your judgement had been stronger than to aid A foolish Sister with your found indulgence In her undoing. She may hide her face My rage distracts me, and I know not how To frame induction. How's that knave? hay day wife how came you by these? where You my Niece? Yet more plots I sure the Parson of has been here. Pray where's your Sister? I'll not fright her With many threats, but mildly work her reason To understand her errors; and prevent Her ruin with dissuasions. Coss she's lost: My love and care made useless. Yea; that's my greatest fear, she's passed recovery, Woman, what ere you are, you have some hand in't: These were her clothes. Killing spectacle. Come from his arms: if any force restrain thee But thine own freeness (which I most do fear) I will reveng't with laws extremity. Come from his arms I say. Threaten your fill Sir, so my Niece forsake you. Shall mine age Be cursed to this misfortune. I'll built hospitals: Where wooden legs and lazy hypocrites Shall be mine heirs. They scorn my easiness. I should have raged, and from a furious and Sent threats, not calm entreaties. Sir, this concerns not me. Would, would! is't come about! nay then; are you mar ried niece? if not, about it presently while it's morning. Thou shalt be mine heir likewise: love him; lie with him; Getboyes, and any thing now; you have my consent. The day will soon discover it. Come, follow me this way. Girl he's a beggar. He had a prodigal father That spent all ere he died: his whole estate Depends but on the love of a rich Uncle; And that's incertain.

Plot summary

Plot — Tottenham Court
Worthgood and Bellamie intend to marry, and have absconded to London with her uncle in pursuit. Bellamie is separated from Worthgood in Marylebone Park. She meets the censorious Cicely, and faints when Cicely voices her suspicions of sexual impropriety. She dreams that she will have Worthgood that very day, and is revived by Cicely's father, the park-keeper, who takes her home and seems interested in the name Worthgood. Worthgood meets the keeper, who promises to reunite him with Bellamie; but she and Cicely have already left for London, exchanging clothes to deceive any pursuers. Worthgood and the keeper follow them. Bellamie and Cicely arrive at an alehouse in Tottenham Court. Bellamie unexpectedly meets her brother, Sam, but denies her identity when recognizes her; he infers that she has become a common prostitute. Also at the alehouse is Cicely's unwanted admirer, Frank, who intends to seduce the tailor's wife, Mistress Stitchwell, and has piqued her interest by posing as a misogynist. Mistress Stitchwell intends to cuckold her husband in his presence, but the first attempt backfires: alone in the alehouse bathroom with her, Frank's friend George hides in the tub when Stitchwell arrives, and has water poured over him. Sam's friend James visits Cicely, thinking her a prostitute too, but hides in a trunk when others arrive. Importuned by Frank, Cicely proposes having herself smuggled to his room in the trunk; she and Bellamie then send it there, with the sleeping James locked inside. Intending to enjoy Cicely himself, George diverts the trunk to his own room. He and Frank fight over it, only to find that it contains James, not Cicely. Changelove woos Mistress Stitchwell while her husband is in a drunken stupor, but Stitchwell dreams he is being cuckolded and assaults Changelove. The gallant leaves the tailor to pay an inflated alehouse bill when he wakes up. Mistress Stitchwell assures him she was only amusing herself with the gallants, not committing adultery. Sam tries to engage Bellamie's supposed professional services and, shocked, she admits her identity. Rebuked by her brother, she faints. Worthgood and the keeper locate her, and she wakes to the sound of his voice. Bellamie's uncle also traces her to the alehouse, but when he arrives he finds not only his niece but his nephew planning marriage: Bellamie has interested Sam in Cicely, and he has approved Worthgood as a brother-in-law. The keeper reveals that Cicely is Worthgood's sister, and so of…