Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

CLARE

in The Witty Fair One — Shirley, James

Metadata

PlayThe Witty Fair One
AuthorShirley, James
Year (catalogued)1633
First performance1628
Decade1630s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyQueen Henrietta Maria's Men
TheaterPhoenix/Cockpit;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Clare. | Cla. | Cl. | Clare | Cla.. | Cla: | Clar:
Words608
Characters3251
Typicality0.31 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA12157
BritDrama no.2251
ClusterCluster 4 — Constant hearts & virtuous ladies

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Very Like, and yet you leave our company for this nothing. Wrong? Do not believe him, he does but compliment, I have known him court a hundred, with as much Formality, wooed they ith nuptial cut, made verses OF their hair, set Lilies and Rosies, a whole Garden i'their cheeks, cherries i'their lips, stellify their eyes, and yet in a twinkling. — Thou mayest be honest with one, and that's a miracle and will ask a strong faith to believe it, I hope she has more wit then to trust your voluble courtship, I'll seek out my friend Aymwell. Vio. comes from the Arbour. You oblige my service to you, I am one Aymwell called friend, and shall be happy to Convey him any knowledge may concern him. You have expressed a nobleness in this Were all of your mind Lady, There would be less Willow worn. Why dost thou ask? How now my officious Trencher squire. I am married Sir. This fellow's mad. You are not. Caught, I am glad on't. Why dost thou court they then. You do not mean to die in this faith. You're a mad Lover. As Aymwell comes towards Violetta she turns and Exit. You may believe me Sir. With my best memory her words, she wished you not proceed for she was already disposed of in her Father's thoughts. It would be fruitless to move her Uncle or her Fa there in' . She would be sorry a Gentleman of your worth Should run a Course of so much hazard. So with compliment Of her thanks for your fair opinion of her, She wished me make you sensible in time To place your Love where you might expect Better return. Amantes sibi somnia fingunt, how apt are Lovers to construe all to their desires. Do not built Castles. He's a bed already. Master Aymwell. Didst ever see him? A couple of Cockaloches. And mine. So leave us. Nothing in the outside. You have not searched the Lining that you promise so. What's this? Your own Letter returned Can it be otherwise then in scorn. Would you not now cause of triumph, who is now the truer Prophet, you would nourish hope in spite of reason, now you feel a punishment in her derision. Credible? It's no wonder in a woman Though she had promised, vowed affection to you It had not been a miracle to find A Change in their affection, yet you cannot Accuse her much. Do but imagine You sent a servant with a message to her, She not within, he is returned again Without and answer. Come be free again. What do you mean, it having touched her hand Is full of incense and Arabian spicery You are too prodigal of your perfume. Well, I would done. If they send, All they receive from us, accuse them not We have our hearts again. Nobly resolved. Let's seek out Master Fouler and Manly. A match, lets to they. What's the disease? I? Well skilled i'th pulse. Has giuen't you. What thing's that walks about the door? What does he mutter? Why does this fellow stay? Will this fellow prevent my office, he goes tow ard him with a quarreling face, would, I'll not engage my self, then it's so: withdraws Yes, old trupeny and loops too, thou art jealous now. And mine. Again passionate. Think upon her scorn then. Lets choose another subject How closely they consult, the Doctor is in a fit of counsel I suspect some juggling — he comes of, I'll gage a limb this fellow's and impostor. I refuse no office To advance your Hope's.

Plot summary

Plot — The Witty Fair One
PLOT After a dinner party at his brother Worthy’s house, Sir George Richly goes off to visit his prospective son-in-law Sir Nicholas in the country, leaving his daughter Violetta in Worthy’s care and under the watchful eye of his servant Brains: he is concerned that, as his heir, she should not be the object of unwelcome attentions from gallants. The other dinner guests take a walk in the garden. Aimwell has fallen for Violetta and asks Worthy what his chances are; he gets a frank answer, and resolves to give up his suit, but changes his mind when Violetta’s own words seem to imply that her father’s matrimonial plans for her may not have her full consent. Meanwhile Fowler woos Worthy’s daughter Penelope, but admits in private that he is not in earnest, only practising his skill. Sir George returns home with Sir Nicholas. He proves to be an arrant fool dependent on his opportunistic tutor, who can see that the objective of the marriage is one knight’s desire to control the other’s estate. Aimwell sends a letter to Violetta enclosed in one from Fowler to Penelope. Through a mix-up, Violetta keeps her reply and sends him back his original letter, which he takes as a rebuff. Brains steals the remaining letter from her and sends it to her father, who is outraged and plans to advance the date of the wedding. Violetta’s chambermaid Sensible, sacked by Sir George, tells Aimwell about the mistake with the letters; reassured that she loves him after all, he starts to lay plans. Importuned by Sir Nicholas’s tutor, Violetta agrees to elope with him rather than marry Sir Nicholas, on condition that he kills Brains. She gets permission to go out shopping, escorted by Brains, and the tutor picks a quarrel. While Brains’s attention is distracted, Violetta substitutes Sensible for herself. Brains discovers the ruse, but is arrested at the tutor’s suit before he can do anything about it. Brains writes asking Sir George to arrange for his release, and mentions the attempted elopement but not the substitution; so when Sir Nicholas confronts the tutor, it is Sensible, not Violetta, whom he takes back and marries. Meanwhile, Violetta and Aimwell are also married. Sir Nicholas and Sir George accept the fait accompli and forgive their servants. In the sub-plot, Fowler feigns a fever as a wooing technique; Penelope promises to marry him when he is better. His recovery is suspiciously rapid, and, with her father’s connivance, she sets up an assignation with him in her chamber. In…