in The Bird in a Cage (The Beauties) — Shirley, James
Metadata
Play
The Bird in a Cage (The Beauties)
Author
Shirley, James
Year (catalogued)
1633
First performance
1633
Decade
1630s
Genre
Comedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Queen Henrietta Maria's Men
Theater
Phoenix/Cockpit;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)
Serv. | Ser.
Words
354
Characters
1894
Typicality
0.46 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A12128
BritDrama no.
2396
Cluster
Cluster 20 — Conjurers, witches & physicians
Important excerpts
Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 20 (ithimore, nat, invisible, notary, glycerie, humfrey…). Matches are highlighted.
inquiring Creditors? I have been careful. They are strucken dumb at reading, he that has The use of tongue, employs it to express His admiration of your Art, your deep, Invisible Art. To go invisible Who will not learn at any rate. I am resolved—I shall get no more money by him, Gentlemen be not head-hung, droop not, it's in this Sconce,
Beard immediately. This, It his is it. Whats that to you? Then by the sign this is the house, whither I am going to inquire for a Gentleman that teaches men to walk invisible. News, either you have slept long, or you are Gentlemen of very small intelligence, examine the next paper you see advanced, and inform your selves, farewell Gallants.
you are Gentlemen of very small intelligence, examine the next paper you see advanced, and inform your selves, farewell Gallants. Your pleasures Gentlemen. The invisible man Sir. Right Sir, and he's behind it, the men invisible. Would ye any thing with my Master. He is the only Professor of the miraculous invi sible Art. There are
He is the only Professor of the miraculous invi sible Art. There are some Gentlemen with him—but i'll tell him, I am prevented, he's coming forth himself. He is invisible—this Letter is directed to you. I Sir, it's his own hand I can assure you. Here I think, for I cannot see him, nor do I know when I shall, or where he will be visible
Full speech
D'Yee think this Hair And habit will sufficiently disguise you, From your inquiring Creditors? I have been careful. They are strucken dumb at reading, he that has The use of tongue, employs it to express His admiration of your Art, your deep, Invisible Art. To go invisible Who will not learn at any rate. I am resolved—I shall get no more money by him, Gentlemen be not head-hung, droop not, it's in this Sconce, to revenge your selves, and it may be, recover your Crowns too. My Master— What will you give me, if I discover him to your eyes again, nay give him to your possession. Give him m nigh. Then first know, my Master is not that man you took him for, no Altomaro he, but Bonamico the decayed Artist, he that made Properties, and grew poor for want of Pictures, who for fear of is Creditors left his dwell ling, and in this quaint disguise, set up the Trade of coze ning such wise Gentlemen as you are. The same. Follow me close, and I will bring you within and hairs breadth of his false Beard immediately. This, It his is it. Whats that to you? Then by the sign this is the house, whither I am going to inquire for a Gentleman that teaches men to walk invisible. News, either you have slept long, or you are Gentlemen of very small intelligence, examine the next paper you see advanced, and inform your selves, farewell Gallants. Your pleasures Gentlemen. The invisible man Sir. Right Sir, and he's behind it, the men invisible. Would ye any thing with my Master. He is the only Professor of the miraculous invi sible Art. There are some Gentlemen with him—but i'll tell him, I am prevented, he's coming forth himself. He is invisible—this Letter is directed to you. I Sir, it's his own hand I can assure you. Here I think, for I cannot see him, nor do I know when I shall, or where he will be visible again, upon diligent search I found this paper, but my Master is not to be found.
Plot summary
Plot — The Bird in a Cage (The Beauties)
After rumours of Philenzo’s interest in Eugenia, her father the Duke banishes him and shuts her up in a newly-built palace, attended only by ladies, until he can find her a husband of suitable rank. Orpiano is sent to Florence with her picture to negotiate a marriage treaty; her fiancé will be the Great Duke’s son. Rolliardo, an unemployed wit, comes to court looking for work. The Duke gives him the task of gaining access to Eugenia in her new quarters within a month, with the proviso that he will be executed if he fails; he agrees, subject to the condition that the Duke gives him enough money to do the job—meaning, in effect, unlimited access to the exchequer. Pursued by creditors, the artist Bonamico sets up business disguised as a mountebank, Altomaro, offering to teach people the secret of invisibility. Rolliardo sceptically rejects this as a method of penetrating Eugenia’s palace, preferring to trust in the corruptibility of the captain of the guard—who refuses to help, but keeps the bribe anyway. ‘Altomaro’ tries to encourage prospective clients by dressing up as a series of customers entering his shop; they are not seen leaving because, he says, they have become invisible. Dondolo and Grutti decide this would be a good way to get to see their girlfriends, two of Eugenia’s attendants, and pay ‘Altomaro’ for a demonstration: he will be invisible, save only for his hand. And so he is—the ‘hand’ being a handwritten letter from him. The courtiers realize they have been cheated; Bonamico’s assistant Carlo tells them his true identity and helps them find and imprison him pending the repayment of their demonstration fee. Morello attempts to get into the palace prison posing as a woman, but one of the guards wants a sexual fee and discovers his true gender. He is taken to the Duke and sentenced to wear his women’s clothes for a month. An ambassador arrives from Florence to finalize the marriage contract; Fulvio tells him about Philenzo’s love for Eugenia. Rolliardo uses his access to the exchequer to buy all debtors out of prison; one of the beneficiaries is Bonamico, who again offers his help. He brings the Duke a large cage of birds, which the Duke sends as a present to Eugenia. It arrives while the ladies are putting on a play, The New Prison, about Jupiter and Danaë, imprisoned by her tyrannous father. Eugenia feels sorry for the birds and opens the cage. Rolliardo is hidden inside. He woos her, but she refuses him: her heart belongs to Philenzo. He…