in 1 Sir John Oldcastle — Munday, Anthony; Drayton, Michael; Wilson, Robert; Hathaway, Richard
Metadata
Play
1 Sir John Oldcastle
Author
Munday, Anthony; Drayton, Michael; Wilson, Robert; Hathaway, Richard
Year (catalogued)
1600
First performance
1599
Decade
1600s
Genre
History
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Admiral's (Nottingham's) Men
Speech prefix(es)
Suffolke | Suf. | Suf | Suff.
Words
416
Characters
2187
Typicality
0.22 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A08469
BritDrama no.
1211
Cluster
Cluster 14 — Law & judgment
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
Now my lord Bishop, take free liberty To speak your mind: what is your suit to us? What proof is there against them to be had, That what you say the law may justify? With pardon of your Highness (my dread lord) Such little sparks neglected, may in time Grow to a mighty flame: but thats not all, He does beside maintain a strange religion, And will not be compelled to come to mass. Not where Religion is the plea, my lord. Oh but you must not swear, it ill becomes One of your coat, to rap out bloody oaths. A fire that must be quenched; well, say no more, The King anon goes to the counsel chamber, There to debate of matters touching France: As he does pass by, I'll inform his grace Concerning your petition: Master Butler, If I forget, do you remember me, I thank them, my Lord Bishop, for their love, But will not take their money, if you please To give it to this gentleman, you may. It was my Lord, but very wrongfully. And still they vow my gracious Lord to be so, Hoping your majesty will think of them, As of your loving subjects, and suppress All such malicious errors as begin To spot their calling, and disturb the church. No new my Lord, the old is great enough, And so increasing as if not cut down, Will breed a scandal to your royal state, And set your Kingdom quickly in and uproar, The Kentish knight Lord Cobham, in despite Of any law, or spiritual discipline, Maintains this upstarted new religion still, And diverse great assemblies by his means And private quarrels, are commenced abroad, As by this letter more at large my liege, Is made apparent. Send post my Lord to fetch him back again. I go my Sovereign with all happy speed. exit The King is coming, fear you not my Lord, The very first thing I will break with him, Shall be about your matter. Enter K. Harry and Hunting tun in talk. May it please your Highness. He's in the Camp, and if he knew of this, I undertake he would not be long hence. Passage if you please. A sign king Harry shall sweep all in France. ent. sir John Harry you are out, now parson shake the dice. Sayest thou so priest? set fair, at all for once. Well thrown Harry i'faith. A maltman my Lord, And dwelling in Dunstable as he says.
Plot summary
Plot — 1 Sir John Oldcastle
Despite a royal prohibition on disorder during the preparations for the invasion of France, Lords Herbert and Po·wys fall out over their religious differences, and brawl with their followers in the streets of Hereford;Herbert is wounded, and Powys flees, with orders given for his arrest. The Bishop of Rochester does his best to associate dissent and conspiracy with Sir John Oldcastle, but the King is not convinced. Powys takes refuge in Oldcastle's house, just before two orders arrive: one to attend at court, the other to answer charges before Rochester's ecclesiastical court; Oldcastle's servant Harpoole forces Rochester's summoner to eat his own summons, wax and all. The King advises Oldcastle to keep his religious views private: he can believe what he likes so long as he does not antagonize the bishops or encourage Protestant rebellion. In turn. Oldcastle intercedes for Powys, and the King signs his pardon. Rebellion is brewing in England. On the basis of a superior dynastic claim, the Earl of Cambridge intends to seize the throne with French support. Oldcastle is invited to join the plot, but he procures an incriminating document and takes it to court. Meanwhile, Protestant rebels muster their forces in London. The King plans to spy on them in disguise, but is robbed by the renegade priest Sir John; the priest gets him to promise to secure the King's pardon for robbery, and gives him half a coin as a token by which they can know one another again. On the night before the battle, the King. in his own person, plays dice with Sir John and wins back his stolen money, including the broken coin; as promised, he agrees to spare Sir John's life ifhe gives up his life of crime. The rebels are routed, but the prisoners falsely implicate Oldcastle. The charges collapse when it becomes clear that the rebels don't recognize him, and Oldcastle further demonstrates his loyalty with his evidence of the Cambridge conspiracy. The rebel leaders are executed, Cambridge exposed and arrested, and the King's faith in Oldcastle is restored. In the King's absence, Rochester has Oldcastle's property seized, and Oldcastle himself arrested for treason when he arrives home; his books are burnt when they are found to be in English. Rochester visits Oldcastle in prison in the hope that he may recant, but Oldcastle overpowers him and escapes in his clothes. On the run, he arrives with his wife in St Albans, but is forced to escape arrest by another illicit exchange of clothes.…