in The White Devil (Vittoria Corombona) — Webster, John
Metadata
Play
The White Devil (Vittoria Corombona)
Author
Webster, John
Year (catalogued)
1612
First performance
1612
Decade
1610s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Queen Anne's Men
Speech prefix(es)
CAM. | CAM: | CAMIL.
Words
440
Characters
2237
Typicality
0.37 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A14875
BritDrama no.
1689
Cluster
Cluster 7 — Pedants, satyrs & Latin wit
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
I assure you brother no, My voyage lies More northerly, in a far colder climb, I do not well remember I protest when I last lay with her. We never lay together but ear morning Their grew a flaw between us. True, but she loathes I should be seen in't. The Duke your master visits me I thank him, And I perceive how Like and earnest bowler He very passionately leans that way, He should have his boul run That noble men boul booty, Faith his cheek Hath a most excellent Bias, it would feign jump with my mistress. Brother. T'weare very good. Excellent. Tweare for her honour Come you know not where my-night cap wrings me. This does not physic me, The fault there Sir is not in the eyesight Now he begins to tickle her. He will make her know what is in me. Now he comes to't. A virtuous brother a my credit. Indeed I am studying Alcumye. A pox on't, as I am a Christian tell me to morrow how scuruelie she takes my unkind parting Didst thou not make the jest of the silkworm? good night in faith I will use this trick often, At my window, Here is a Stag my Lord hath shed his horns, And for the lose of them the poor beast weeps The word Inopem me copiam fecit. What should this mean. Is it given out so. I had rather such report as that my Lord. Should keep within doors. None my Lord. Pray my Lord. But sir Ere I return the Stags horns may be sprouted, Greater then these are shed. You must watch i'ch nights, Then's the most danger. Were I not best now I am turned Soldier, Ever that I leave my wife, fell all she hath, And then take leave of her. Merry my Lord, a'th Captains humour right I am resolved to be drunk this night. Pew wew, Sir tell not me Of planets nor of Ephemeridas A man may be made Cocould in the day time When the Stars eyes are out. Shall I, shall I? True, and a mind differing from the tumultuary opinion, for quae negata Great. A philosophical reason. Vittoria, I cannot be induced, or as a man would say incited. To lie with you to night; your silkeworme uses to fast every third day, and the next following spins the better. Tomorrow at night I am for you. Do you think so, why look you brother, because you shall not think isle gull you, take the key, lock me into the chamber, and say you shall be sure of me.
Plot summary
Plot — The White Devil (Vittoria Corombona)
Count Lodovico is banished from Rome after a career of drunkenness, riot, and murder; but, he comments, not all malefactors fall foul of the law, for the Duke of ===== PAGE 257 ===== 1612 Bracciano seems to be getting away with his designs against the honour of Vittoria Corombona. In this, Bracciano is abetted by Vittoria’s brother Flaminio, who persuades her husband Camillo that their sleeping apart will make her more amorous. Vittoria tells Bracciano of a dream which seems to suggest the murder of Camillo and the Duchess Isabella; but the liaison is forestalled by the intervention of Vittoria’s mother, Cornelia. Flaminio inveighs against Cornelia for compromising his chances of preferment. Isabella comes to Rome to effect a reconciliation with her husband. Cardinal Monticelso and the Great Duke of Florence also put pressure on him to fulfil his responsibilities, both marital and political. In a private interview with Isabella, Bracciano vows never again to sleep with her, but she tries to limit the political damage by making the same vow herself in public. Florence and Monticelso plan to tempt Bracciano into adultery by getting Camillo out of Rome on public business, but Bracciano plots murder: Isabella is killed when she kisses a poisoned picture of Bracciano, and Flaminio breaks Camillo’s neck. Vittoria is arrested and arraigned before an ecclesiastical court; unable to prove her complicity in Camillo’s murder, it convicts her of adultery and commits her to a house of convertites. Flaminio feigns madness to evade interrogation. Lodovico witnesses Isabella’s murder. He returns to Rome illegally to bring Florence the news, but his pardon is signed after the event. He and Flaminio meet and quarrel. Florence borrows from Monticelso a list of villains, in order to select an agent of vengeance. By writing a letter feigning love for Vittoria, he induces Bracciano to contrive her escape from the house of convertites, disguised as a page. Monticelso is elected Pope; his first act is to excommunicate Bracciano and Vittoria. Florence sends Lodovico to Padua to assassinate Bracciano, and by trickery makes it appear that Monticelso supports the conspiracy. Bracciano marries Vittoria and accepts into his court Mulinassar, a Moorish soldier, who is actually Florence in disguise. Marcello challenges Flaminio toa duel over the latter’s liaison with Zanche the Moor, but Flaminio kills him without ceremony. Instead of a pardon, Bracciano grants him only a daily lease of…