in Locrine, the Eldest Son of King Brutus — S., W. (?)
Metadata
Play
Locrine, the Eldest Son of King Brutus
Author
S., W. (?)
Year (catalogued)
1595
First performance
1594
Decade
1590s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Unknown
Speech prefix(es)
Sab. | Sa.
Words
476
Characters
2698
Typicality
0.55 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A11262
BritDrama no.
885
Cluster
Cluster 10 — Mourners, mothers & doleful voices
Important excerpts
Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 10 (earine, jarbus, alack, vapours, mishap, hapless…). Matches are highlighted.
What doleful sighed, what ruthful spectacle Hath fortune offered to my hapless heart? My father slain with such a fatal sword, My mother murdered by a mortal wound? What Thracian dog, what barbarous Mirmidon, Would not relent at such a ruthful
Full speech
What doleful sighed, what ruthful spectacle Hath fortune offered to my hapless heart? My father slain with such a fatal sword, My mother murdered by a mortal wound? What Thracian dog, what barbarous Mirmidon, Would not relent at such a ruthful case? What fierce Achilles, what hard stony flint, Would not bemoan this mournful Tragedy? Locrine the map of magnanimiti , Lies slaughtered in this foul accursed cave, Estrild the perfect pattern of renown, Nature's sole wonder, in whose bewteous breasts All heavenly grace and virtue was inshrinde, Both massacred are dead within this cave, And with them die fair Pallas and sweet love. Here lies a sword, and Sabren hath a heart, This blessed sword shall cut my cursed heart, And bring my soul unto my parents ghosts, That they that live and view our Tragedy, May mourn our case with mournful plaudities. Ay me, my virgins hands are too too weak, To penetrate the bulwark of my breast, My fingers used to tune the amorous lute, Are not of force to hold this steely glaine, So I am lie to to wail my parents death, Not able for to work my proper death. Ah Locrine honoured for thy nobleness. Ah Estrild, famous for thy constancy. Ill may they fare that wrought your mortal ends. Hard hearted death, that when the wretched call, Art furthest off, and seldom her to at all. But in the amid of Fortune's good success, Uncalled comes, and sheeres our life in twain: When will that hour, that blessed hour draw nigh, When poor distressed Sabren may be gone. Sweet Atropos cut off my fatal thread, What art thou death, shall not poor Sabren die? And thin thou then thou cruel homicide, That these thy deeds shall be unpunished? No traitor no, the gods will venge these wrongs, The fiends of hell will mark these injuries. Never shall these bloodsucking masty curs, Bring wretched Sabren to her latest home. For I my self inspire of thee and thine, Mean to abridge my former destinies, And that which Locrines sword could not perform, This pleasant stream shall present bring to pass. You mountain nymphs which in these deserts reign, Cease off your would tie chase of savage beasts, Prepare to see a heart oppressed with care, Address your ears to hear a mournful style, No humane trength, no work can work my weal, Care in my heart so tyrant Like does deal. You Driades and lightfoo e Satiri, You gracious Fairies which at evening tide, Your closets leave with heavenly beauty stored, And on your shoulders spread your golden locks, You savage bears in caves and darkened dens, Come wail with me, the martial Locrines death. Come mourn with me, for bea teous Estrilds debt . Ah lo king parents little do you know, what sorrow Sabren suffers for your thrall.
Plot summary
Plot — Locrine, the Eldest Son of King Brutus
Brutus, the conqueror of Britain, is dying. He gives his eldest son Locrine the crown and betrothes him to Gwendoline, and assigns his other sons, Camber and Albanact, the south and north respectively. His funeral is swiftly followed by Locrine’s royal wedding. Strumbo is in love with Dorothy, and persuades her to marry him. However, he is impressed into Albanact’s army when the Scythians invade northern Britain, and Dorothy is killed when the Scythians burn his house with her inside. The Scythians win the battle, and Albanact takes his own life rather than submit. To avenge his death, Locrine, Camber, and the peers give battle and defeat the Scythians. Humber’s wife Estrild is captured by Locrine’s soldiers, and Locrine is attracted to her. Strumbo is caught having sex with Margery. Initially he refuses to marry her, but is forced to agree after she beats him up. He encounters the defeated and starving Humber, but the ghost of Albanact stops him from feeding the Scythian. Humber eventually drowns himself. Locrine is unable to put away Gwendoline and install Estrild as his queen because Gwendoline’s father, Corineus, proves inconveniently long-lived despite being wounded in the battle with the Scythians. Locrine hides her in an underground pleasure- chamber and visits her in secret; they have a child, Sabren. After Corineus finally dies, Gwendoline goes to Cornwall to arrange the funeral, and Locrine takes the opportunity to bring Estrild out of hiding. Gwendoline and her brother raise an army, and defeat Locrine in battle; he and Estrild kill themselves. Sabren finds their bodies but is physically too weak to use the sword on herself. Gwendoline finds her and promises her a lingering, unusual death, so Sabren drowns” herself; the river is named after her, Severn. Gwendoline arranges to bury Locrine as befits a king - and to leave Estrild ignominiously unburied.