in The School of Compliment (Love Tricks) — Shirley, James
Metadata
Play
The School of Compliment (Love Tricks)
Author
Shirley, James
Year (catalogued)
1631
First performance
1625
Decade
1630s
Genre
Comedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Lady Elizabeth's Men
Theater
Phoenix/Cockpit;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)
Hil. | Hi.
Words
348
Characters
1749
Typicality
0.30 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A12152
BritDrama no.
2158
Cluster
Cluster 21 — Old fathers & plain counsel
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
Pray heaven he have good manners. Look, do you see that man of clothes? upon my father's blessing he must be my husband. What will you do? No, as you love me, do not strike him. One that desires to be of your acquaintance, sir. Pray for my sake. It appears. It's very sure, he shall not be immortal. You forget your self, this is my friend. But what will you do? Antonio is lost now. And he is whetting it. By my virginity you make me afraid, whats the matter? Heaven defend it, good sir, tell me. But what? I charge you, if you love, tell me who's your ene my. Tell me the truth, why? I hope you do not mean to kill any man i'th field, you do make me tremble, I'll assure you. And me. The Oven Etna I'll be baked then: what a fury are you in? he looks Like the God of War. But you shall not go away thus, till you be calmer. He has something in his head, and it were out: but here comes our Father's. Not a syllable. As clear as day on your side. When he had prayed, what then? Then you were on both sides of him? Hark you, Sweetheart, do you not remember who this is, that you have discovered this business too? this is Selina, his own sister. Do not you know that she is my mother in Law? nay, nay, pluck up a good heart, what will you do? theres no running away. What, to hide your self? that I know you would not do for your credit: draw your sword, and stand upon your guard, we know your are valiant, that could kill And tonio so bravely. I must confess I did. Hast sent for Bubulcus? Here's Bubulcus. Sir, that you may with more alacrity let fallen your blessings: know, our bloods are pure, Antonio and your Daughter are as chaste from any sinful act, as when we were first mantled after birth. But for my sake, pray be acquainted with him.
Plot summary
Plot — The School of Compliment (Love Tricks)
Selina and Hilaria have each attracted the attention of several suitors. Selina’s brother Antonio is one of those interested in Hilaria; and Hilaria’s recently widowed father Rufaldo, who disapproves of Antonio and would rather she married the wealthy Bubulcus, would nevertheless like Selina for his second wife. Antonio has his friend and servant distract Rufaldo while he sneaks in to visit Hilaria; they do it by persuading Rufaldo that he has been miraculously rejuvenated. Selina’s father is happy to let her have her own way in ===== PAGE 140 ===== her love-life, because her sister Felice absconded after he interfered in hers. He proposes that she should be cautious about marrying Rufaldo, but she declares enthusiasm for the idea and asks for a hasty wedding; on the appointed day, however, she disappears and goes to live in the country disguised as a shepherd. Felice’s abandoned suitor Gasparo sets up a school of compliment to teach people refined behaviour. His clients include: Bubulcus, who wants to learn how to woo Hilaria and scorn Antonio; Delia, a chambermaid keen to brush up her etiquette: a judge who wants to learn how to address the jury; Medulla, a social-climbing widow; an old countryman who wants to turn his oafish son into a courtier; a quarrelsome gentleman; Ingeniolo, a justice’s clerk in love; and Jenkin, an amorous Welshman in search of poetry to turn a shepherdess’s head. The search for Selina sends several people off to the country, including her true love Infortunio. Antonio pretends to go too, and appears not to return; in fact he impersonates Selina and ‘marries’ Rufaldo. On the wedding night, the old man is horrified to learn that his new ‘wife’ will not sleep with him, and also has the physical strength to enforce ‘her’ will on him. Anxious not to lose ‘her’ altogether, he asks ‘her’ at least to live in his house and sleep with Hilaria; Antonio readily agrees. Bubulcus boasts to ‘Selina’ and Hilaria that he has killed the missing Antonio in a duel, stupidly forgetting that Selina is Antonio’s sister; ‘she’ fetches officers, and Bubulcus is arrested for murder. The real Selina has fallen in with a community of shepherds. Among them is her missing sister Felice, who uses herbal remedies to cure Infortunio of his love-melancholy for Selina. Gasparo too has travelled to the country, and recognizes his love Felice. Selina reveals herself to Infortunio, but he has been told of her marriage to Rufaldo and wants proof of her identity. She…