Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

ABOMINABLE LIVING

in Lusty Juventus — Wever, R.

Metadata

PlayLusty Juventus
AuthorWever, R.
Year (catalogued)1565
First performance1550
Decade1560s
GenreMoral
Play typeInterlude
Speech prefix(es)abhomi nable li uyng. | abhomi nable ly uing. | abhomy nable. | abbomi nable ly uing. | abbomi nable li uing.
Words344
Characters1593
Typicality0.31 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA14846
BritDrama no.221
ClusterCluster 23 — Gulls, fops & laughing-stocks

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Hem, come a way quickly The back door is opened I dare not tarry, Come fellowship come on a way. Who you, nay you are such a holy man, That to tuche one you dare not be bold, I thing you would not kiss a young woman, if own would give you .xx. pound in gold, My back is broad enough to bore a way that mock as mine For one hath told me many a time, That you have said jou would use no such vam ̄ to ̄ S continued ̄ pani your wit therein greatly I do allow, For and if I were a man as you are, I would not stick to give a blow, To teach other knaves to beware, I beshrew you twice and if you do spare, But lay load on the flesh whatsoever befall you have strength enough to do it with all, She did nothing else but prove, Whither a little thing would you move To be angry and fret What and if one had said so, Let such trifling matters go And be good to men's flesh for all that. iuue ̄ tus Kisses. abho. lie ving. To kiss her since she cam I had clean forgotten you are welcome to my company Sir I thank you most heartily, By your kinds it does a peer. To forsake any of your company I would be very loath Therefore I will follow you all three, what man you need not to fume, Sing he is come in to my company now He is as well welcome as the best of you And if it lie in me to do him pleasure. He shall have it, you may be sure. Do not you love fellowship and me you by the mass I love you all three, But yet in deed if I should say the troth Amongst all other welcome master youth I wosse friendship it mouth have be ̄ spoken at twice what Thy ̄ ke you for your saying y e people will surmise

Plot summary

Plot — Lusty Juventus
Juventus accepts Good Counsel’s advice not to waste time but lead a pious life; Knowledge explains that he can be saved by faith alone, but that good works are also a necessary sign of his penitence. The Devil worries that his plans are going awry: although Hypocrisy has set up the Catholic church to further his cause, piety and respect for God’s word are rife among young people. Commissioned by the Devil, Hypocrisy intercepts Juventus on the way to a sermon and persuades him to go instead to breakfast with Abominable Living, who seduces him into a dissolute lifestyle. Good Counsel confronts Juventus and persuades him into repentance and despair. He is restored to hope by God’s Merciful Promises, and the play ends with prayers for the King and nobility.