Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

SFORZA

in The Maid's Revenge — Shirley, James

Metadata

PlayThe Maid's Revenge
AuthorShirley, James
Year (catalogued)1639
First performance1626
Decade1630s
GenreTragedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyQueen Henrietta Maria's Men
TheaterPhoenix/Cockpit;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)S • or. | Sfor. | Sf.
Words429
Characters2167
Typicality0.52 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA12145
BritDrama no.2173
ClusterCluster 6 — Battlefield messengers & soldiers

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 6 (armies, fleece, pestle, wonted, pikes, thundering…). Matches are highlighted.

Safe armies, and guard; Berinthia ya e a Lady, But I mean not to court you: guard notha, here's A Toledo, a worser and old arm, tough bones and sinews, Able to cut off as stout

Full speech

Safe armies, and guard; Berinthia ya e a Lady, But I mean not to court you: guard notha, here's A Toledo, a worser and old arm, tough bones and sinews, Able to cut off as stout a head as wags upon a shoulder, Thart Antonios guest, welcome by the old bones Of his Father, th'ast a wall of bram e about thee My young Worser ffodill. True by this buss jerkin, that hath looked ith face oh and Army, and he lies Like a termagant, denies it, Antonio is Lord of the Castle, but isle command fire to the guns, upon any Renegado that confronts us, set thy heart at rest my gillo flower, we are all friends I warrant thee, and he's a Turk that does not honour thee from the hair of thy head, to thy pettitoes. Sh ote not at Buts, Cupid's and atcher, here a fair mark, a f oles bolts soon shot, my names Sforza still, my double Daisy. Dare, what giant of valour dates hinder us, from Dam ring to slit the weasands of them that dare say, we dare not do any thing, that is to be dared under the poles, I am old Sforza, that in my days have scoured rogues faces with hight bals, made em cut cross capers, and sent them away with a powder, I have a company of roaring bulls upon the walls, shall spit fire in the faces of any ragamus jan that dares say, we dare not fight pell mell, and still my name is Sforza. I'll break the walls down, if the gates be too little. Bones a your Father, does he come to swagger, My name is Sforza then. And my names Sforza sir, you were not best to continued e here to brave us, unless you have more legs and arms to home, I have a saza shall pick holes in your doublet, a worser firk your shanks, my gallimau ry. Enough, not a Masty upon the Castle wall But shall bark too, I congratulate thee, if thou Beelest friend to the Castle of Elva's, and still my name Is Sforza. To your stations now my brave brats of Military Discipline, enough, Sforza honours you, look to your Charge Bullies, and be ready upon all occasions, My invincible dub a dub knights of the Castle, Qui vala. Must? Th'art a Mushrumpe, mustin the Castle of El , Monte nigro gives a letter. You may w lke sir. The gate is open, I am sworn to render. It seems you are his second.

Plot summary

Plot — The Maid's Revenge
PLOT Sebastiano hopes that his friend Antonio will marry one of his sisters, and introduces him to the family, even though the girls both have suitors already. Antonio falls for Berinthia, but her father, Vilarezo, will not allow her to marry until the elder daughter, Catalina, is wed. Catalina herself becomes enamoured of Antonio, which makes her jealous of her sister and annoys her suitor, Montenegro. After Antonio is called away, Catalina plots to frustrate his wooing: she persuades Valasco, Berinthia’s other suitor, to damn her reputation by claiming that Berinthia has promised to marry him; Vilarezo responds by ordering Berinthia’s confinement in Catalina’s custody. Antonio writes to Berinthia, but the letter falls into Catalina’s hands. Catalina proposes that Valasco should force the issue by kidnapping Berinthia; but her real plan is for him to take the blame for Berinthia’s death by poison. Antonio’s servant overhears the plot and warns his master. Antonio comes to rescue Berinthia, and is admitted by Catalina’s chambermaid, who takes him for Valasco; together they escape to Antonio’s castle. Upon realizing that Antonio is his daughter’s abductor, Vilarezo sends Sebastiano to take reprisals. Though told the truth and treated honourably, he feels obliged to fight a duel with Antonio, and wins: Antonio is killed and Berinthia brought home. Antonio’s sister Castabella, who has fallen in love with Sebastiano despite her brother’s death, follows him disguised as a page. Montenegro asks Catalina’s chambermaid to give her a love philtre, but Berinthia overhears the conversation and substitutes a poison; Catalina dies in agony. To avenge Antonio, Berinthia stabs Sebastiano in his sleep, then kills herself. Castabella enters a religious house.