Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

WARWICK

in 1 Henry the Sixth — Nashe, Thomas; Marlowe, Christopher; Shakespeare, William; Anonymous

Metadata

Play1 Henry the Sixth
AuthorNashe, Thomas; Marlowe, Christopher; Shakespeare, William; Anonymous
Year (catalogued)1623
First performance1590
Decade1620s
GenreHistory
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyDerby's (Strange's) Men
Speech prefix(es)War. | Warw.
Words541
Characters3051
Typicality0.37 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA11954.20
BritDrama no.919
ClusterCluster 13 — Attendant courtiers & citizens

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Between two Hawks, which flies the higher pitch, Between two Dogs, which hath the deeper mouth, Between two Blades, which bears the better temper, Between two Horses, which does bear him best, Between two Girls, which hath the merriest eye, I have perhaps some shallow spirit of Judgement: But in these nice sharp Quillets of the Law, Good faith I am no wiser then a Daw. I love no Colours: and without all colour Of base insinuating flattery, I pluck this white Rose with Plantagenet. My Lord of York, I promise you the King Prettily (me thought) did play the Orator.) Tush, that was but his fancy, blame him not, I dare presume (sweet Prince) he thought no harm. Graceless, wilt thou deny thy Parentage? And hark you sirs: because she is a Maid, Spare for no Faggots, let there be enough: Place barrels of pitch upon the fatal stake, That so her torture may be shortened. The greatest miracle that ere you wrought Is all your strict preciseness come to this? Well go too, we'll have no Bastards live, Especially since Charles must Father it. A married man, that's most intolerable. It's sign she hath been liberal and free. Be patient York, if we conclude a Peace It shall be with such strict and severe Covenants, As little shall the Frenchmen gain thereby. How sayest thou Charles ? Shall our Condition stand? Now by Gods will thou wrongest him, Somerset: His Grandfather was Lionel Duke of Clarence, Third Son to the third Edward King of England: Spring Crestlesse Yeomen from so deep a Root? This blot that they object against your House, Shall be whipped out in the next Parliament, Called for the Truce of Winchester and Gloucester: And if thou be not then created York, I will not live to be accounted Warwick. Mean time, in signal of my love to thee, Against proud Somerset, and William Pool, Will I upon thy party wear this Rose. And here I prophecy: this brawl to day, Grown to this faction in the Temple Garden, Shall send between the Red-Rose and the White, A thousand Souls to Death and deadly Night. Roam thither then. My Lord, it were your duty to forbear. Me thinks his Lordship should be humbler, It fits not a Prelate so to plead. State holy, or unhallowed, what of that? Is not his Grace Protector to the King? And Uproar, I dare warrant, Begun through malice of the Bishops men. Yield my Lord Protector, yield Winchester, Except you mean with obstinate repulse To slay your Sovereign, and destroy the Realm. You see what Mischief, and what Murder too, Hath been enacted through your enmity: Then be at peace, except you thirst for blood. Behold my Lord of Winchester, the Duke Hath banished moody discontented fury, As by his smoothed Brows it does appear: Why look you still so stern, and tragical? Sweet King: the Bishop hath a kindly gird: For shame my Lord of Winchester relent; What, shall a Child instruct you what to do? Accept this Scroll, most gracious Sovereign, Which in the Right of Richard Plantagenet, We do exhibit to your Majesty. Let Richard be restored to his Blood, So shall his Father's wrongs be recompensed.

Plot summary

Plot — 1 Henry the Sixth
King Henry Vis dead, and England's French lands are lost. After a military setback, the French accept the offered aid of Joan Pucelle , who claims supernatural powers from the Virgin Mary; but they also release Talbot in an exchange of prisoners. With Joan 's help the French recapture the occupied town of Orleans, but the English take it back in a night attack led by Talbot. The Countess of Auvergne invites Talbot to visit her. intending treachery, but he second-guesses her and brings soldiers with him. In England, feuds brew between Gloucester and Winchester, and between Richard Plantagenet and the Duke of Somerset, whose supporters show their allegiance by picking different coloured roses. Richard , who has been deprived of his titles through the attainder of his father, learns from the imprisoned and dying Mortimer that he has a claim to the throne . King Henry restores him to his inheritance, creating him Duke of York. Joan takes Rouen by a ruse , but Talbot recaptures it the same day; she then persuades England's ally Burgundy to join the French. After King Henry's coronation in Paris, York is left in command of Prance, but personal tension between him and Somerset means that troop reinforcements arrive late; in consequence, Talbot is defeated, surviving only long enough to learn that his son has perished in battle. Joan conjures devils, but they will not help her: she is captured by York and burned at the stake. The French and English agree a peace which will entail King Henry making a diplomatic marriage, but this is pre-empted when Suffolk captures Margaret and (having fallen in love with her but being alr eady married) plans to install her as Queen of England . Henry agrees to marry her, and Suffolk goes to France to mili the arrangements.