Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

QUEEN MOTHER

in Jack Straw — Anonymous

Metadata

PlayJack Straw
AuthorAnonymous
Year (catalogued)1593
First performance1591
Decade1590s
GenreHistory
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyUnknown
Speech prefix(es)Queene Mother. | Queene.
Words232
Characters1222
Typicality0.26 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA13062
BritDrama no.855
ClusterCluster 16 — Errand servants & brief parts

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 16 (nat, ningle, chould, numps, terry, dery…). Matches are highlighted.

This strange unwelcome and unhappy news, Of these unnatural Rebels and unjust, That threaten wrack unto this wretched Land, Aye me affrights my woman's mazed mind, Burdens my heart, and interrupts my sleep, That now

Full speech

This strange unwelcome and unhappy news, Of these unnatural Rebels and unjust, That threaten wrack unto this wretched Land, Aye me affrights my woman's mazed mind, Burdens my heart, and interrupts my sleep, That now unless some better tidings come, Unto my son their true anointed King. My heavy heart I fear will break in twain, Surcharged with a heavy load of thoughts. I cannot think so good a Gentleman, As is that Knight Sir John Morton I mean, Would entertain so base and vild a thought: Nor can it sink into my woman's head, That were it not for fear or policy, So true a bird would file so fair a nest, But here he comes, Oh so my longing mind, Desires to know the tidings he does bring. Farewell good Knight and as thou darest remember them though they forget themselves. What does that fellow? Alas poor soul, simple enough God wot, And yet not so simple as a great many of his company. So he hath, & they Like honest men are gone homewards, or at least the most partly of them, but worse in mine opini on is their haps that tarry longest. What means the fellow by all this eloquence? Alas poor fellow, he seems to be a stark nidiot. Good fellow if thou wilt go beg thy pardon of the King, I will speak for thee.

Plot summary

Plot — Jack Straw
MHENKING is gathering taxes to finance war in France. After a EARN@OM@Gfr attempts an intimate physical examination of JaeRMStawSMdaughter to establish whether or HOMISHEMISNSIEMEnSughtoNbeMliazble forltaxatiomjastraw loses his temper and kills him. ParSOHMBAll speaks out against social abuses and inequality, inciting the men of Kent to rise in rebellion under Straw and MW&@HllTyi@F; they are joined by men of Essex, and send their demands to the King through Sir J@HBMIMG@EHGh, holding his family hostage. The King agrees to meet them at Greenwich, but breaks the appointment when he sees their disorderly conduct. The rebels advance on London, freeing prisoners, burning legal documents, despoiling their fellow countrymen, and murdering immigrants who cannot speak English properly. The King makes a second attempt to parley, meets the rebels at Smithfield, and hears their grievances. The issue of a general pardon induces the Essex men to go home, but the Kentish rebels remain in arms under Tyler and Straw. At the third encounter with the King, Straw demands a courtier’s sword, and the BOFaIMA¥ar of London stabs him. The rebellion is put down, but the King is reluctant to order mass executions; only the ringleaders, Tyler and Ball, are to die. The Lord Mayor is rewarded with a knighthood.