Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

FULVIO

in The Bird in a Cage (The Beauties) — Shirley, James

Metadata

PlayThe Bird in a Cage (The Beauties)
AuthorShirley, James
Year (catalogued)1633
First performance1633
Decade1630s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyQueen Henrietta Maria's Men
TheaterPhoenix/Cockpit;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Fulv. | Fulv, | Ful. | Fu. | • ulv.
Words662
Characters3689
Typicality0.45 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA12128
BritDrama no.2396
ClusterCluster 9 — Boon companions & bluff banter

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 9 (ralph, blastfield, bully, abram, rees, signiour…). Matches are highlighted.

does this fellow put himself upon the Rack, with putting on's apparel, and manfully endures his Taylor, when he skrewes and wrists his body into the fashion of his doublet—but that the Court cannot subsist without a Fool, I should marvel what this fellow does to follow it. Two great helps as the world goes. The Duke shows much Indulgence.

Full speech

That were and ill Foundation, there are more Scholars then can live one by another already; it's pity we should have more plenty of learned Beggars. Signior Per otto, Captain oth' Guard Is of counsel only with the Duke in't. My Spark? Whither in such hast? Let us change Ay e a little With the Princess? What? Not I. Here's a Courtier that will not miss a hair of his Compliment, when he is to appear before his Mistress: every morning does this fellow put himself upon the Rack, with putting on's apparel, and manfully endures his Taylor, when he skrewes and wrists his body into the fashion of his doublet—but that the Court cannot subsist without a Fool, I should marvel what this fellow does to follow it. Two great helps as the world goes. The Duke shows much Indulgence. The Duke will be censured for this Act. Have you forgotten there was suspicion She affected Signior Philenzo the Cardinals Nephew? By this restraint he would make her sure, his jealo Is not yet over—Signior Morello, is your lock rectified, You have missed your Lady but a hairs breadth. Very true, Signior. And y and come a little sooner, you might would ta ken your leave, but 'twas your Barbers fault. Whence camest— Why, wilt thou do't? Let's hear some. Such and Humorist as I never before conversed with all: it seems he makes himself free of all places. Will your Grace have him punished for this inso lence? Will your Grace set him awork? What security can your Grace expect for his forthcoming, if he fail. Would he might pay for his curiosity. Name it Sir. My Lord. Here's and important Suitor calls himself And Artist, humbly craves admittance with A present which he'd tender to your Acceptance, And if my judgement err not, a most pleasing one. My Lord. Believe it not Sir. It will be mirth Sir. He had no sooner parted from Eugenia, But suddenly he fainted, at which fallen Of his own spirit, he seemed grieved with shame To show so little courage near his death, Which he called Martyrdom, and presently Whither supplied by other, or prepared By himself we know not, he had a Viol Of water sovereign as was pretended To inlifne his dull heart, he drank it up And soon showed cheerful in his eyes, we led Him smiling forward, but before we could Approach the place of death, he sunk again But irrecoverably, for in vain we applied Our help, by which we did concludo he had Drunk poison. Sir your Daughter It seems the accident has arrived at her. Madam, this sorrow for his lose is Real. We met the Florentine Ambassador Who told me the Expectation of that Prince Was now dissolved, and Messengers were sent To stay the Execution. What does the Duke mean? It's and Ambassador from Florence Sir. To treat of Marriage betwixt our Princess And the great Dukes son, desired much by our'Master Who has some hope,,will be effected too. Has brought rich presents to her. You have it freely. My kinsman lives in Florence, but 2. days since I received letters from him. Sir you may censure me, But my affection to the injured Lord, And not without respect unto the Honour, Of your Master too, hath been the cause of My free Language. Sir, when Princes resolve to punish. I can conjecture nothing but his jealousy Which will be ever active, by that Love We interchanged at Pisa, when we grew Together in our studies—I conjure Your Nobleness to silence me. My gentile sparks. You are all Courtship. How? Do you believe him, Gentlemen. Either he is very confident to achieve his design or late grown desperate, he talks so wildly. Then he is invisible indeed. Come my Lord, lets leave them now, to be their own derision. Rolliardo. My Noble cozen so near me, and concealed. My Lord Ambassador. A shrewd Calamity.

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…