Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

CLITON

in Love Crowns the End — Tatham, John

Metadata

PlayLove Crowns the End
AuthorTatham, John
Year (catalogued)1640
First performance1632
Decade1640s
GenrePastoral
Play typeBoys Nonprofessional/School
Speech prefix(es)CLITON. | CLITON
Words345
Characters1796
Typicality0.36 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA13393.1
BritDrama no.2374
ClusterCluster 20 — Conjurers, witches & physicians

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Kind Alexis, thanks, How found you me? So you might. But when y'ave herd the cause on't, it'll affright Your easy breast. Do you observe this Hand, This fatal Hand, at my unjust command Did: — O, I could destroy't! This hand has spilled the blood of Innocence, My Florida's. And when I'ld done (As I might well) did hide me from the Sun, Fearing his eye would be the only cause To find me out; and here from men and laws I have obscured my self, and could not say 'Twas justly night, when night : Nor day when day ; My fact had sulled both. Only suspicion of her loyalty, Dreaming Lysander had enjoyed her love, My jealousy to cruelty did move: I slew her three days since, and since have been Each night at that place I stained with my sin, To seek the body, but some sacred Power, For none else durst approach her purity, Has certainly made her immortal, and Conveyed the body to some holier land. Or else my eyes do fail me as and abject not worth their help. To death, or otherwise, since Florida is dead. Exeunt. You are mistaken, I'm a Hermit that can cure All wounds, but what sin makes impure; And those are cured by one above: I can help those ills that move Man to distraction, jealous fears, In man or woman. I have years Has gained experience to apply For all sorts a safe remedy. Stay pure Maid. f you will be ruled by me, You shall your Lysander see. ome with me and you shall know More, if you will but patient grow. Exeunt. The story you related Florida. How this divine Matron did take your body, Finding it warm, and did apply such Balsams As hath preserved your life, makes me most happy. And I in Florida. And we to see you possess such bliss. Save you fair Maid, I wish you joy, Free from ought that may annoy Your quiet, or disturb your sense; Send you health and penitence.

Plot summary

Plot — Love Crowns the End
Three days before the start of the action, Cliton became suspicious that his girlfriend Florida was interested in Lysander, and attacked her, leaving her for dead. Since then he has repeatedly returned to the place he left her body, but it has vanished. Looking for a lost lamb, Alexis finds Cliton asleep, hears his story, and decides that he must spend the rest of his life expiating the murder in contrition and penitence. A lustful shepherd, who is so ugly that he cannot get a date, threatens to rape Chloe, but she is rescued by Lysander. She falls in love with him, but he is only interested in Gloriana: having been loved by many, Chloe is now rejected by the man she loves. She goes mad, but the wood-nymphs find her and take her to Claudia, who cures her. Francisco, Lysander’s rival for Gloriana’s love, ambushes the couple with the assistance of two villains; they stab Lysander and carry off Gloriana. Lysander is found groaning by Claudia and Florida, who was not killed as Cliton supposed; Claudia cures him. Meanwhile Gloriana, thinking him dead, goes mad. She meets Cliton, now a hermit, who promises to restore her to Lysander. The characters gravitate towards Cliton’s cell, where Gloriana and Lysander are reunited, as are Cliton and Florida. Gloriana’s father Leon turns out to be a banished courtier; Lysander and Francisco both followed him into exile for the love of Gloriana. The servant Scrub brings news that the Duke who banished Leon has died, and that his lands are to be restored. Francisco concedes Lysander’s victory.