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)
GAS. | GASP.
Words
275
Characters
1612
Typicality
0.35 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A14875
BritDrama no.
1689
Cluster
Cluster 18 — Chronicle statesmen & prelates
Important excerpts
Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 18 (salic, caius, flewellen, coronel, mamon, crimes…). Matches are highlighted.
Bloody and full of horror. Oh my Lord The law does sometime mediate, thinks it good Not ever to steep violent sins in blood, This gentle penance may both end your crimes, And in the example better these bade times. How this shows! They're wondrous brave to day: why do they wear These several habits? Olim hasta valuisti in bello;
Full speech
You term those enemies Are men of Princely rank. Your followers Have swallowed you Like Mummia, and being sick With such unnatural and horrid Physic Vomit you up ith kennel Those noblemen Which were invited to your prodigal feasts, Wherein the Phoenix scarce could escape your throats, Laugh at your misery, as foredeeming you: And idle Meteor which drawn forth the earth Would be soon lost ith air. Worse then these, You have acted, certain Murders here in Room, Bloody and full of horror. Oh my Lord The law does sometime mediate, thinks it good Not ever to steep violent sins in blood, This gentle penance may both end your crimes, And in the example better these bade times. How this shows! They're wondrous brave to day: why do they wear These several habits? Olim hasta valuisti in bello; nùnc hanc sancram hastam vi brabis contra hostem animarum. Esto securus Domine Brachiane: cogita quantum habeas meritorum denique memineris meam animam pro tua oppignoratem si quid esset periculi. Brachiano. Perpetually. True: for thou Art given up to the devil. And whose conscience murder. That had your villainous Now there's Mercarie. And quicksilver. This is Count Lodovico. And stink Like a dead flyblown dog. Strangle him in private. What? will you call him To live in Triple torments? for charity, For Christian charity, avoid the chamber. What is it done? The young Duke: Did you ever see a sweeter Prince? Bind him to the pillar. Your hope deceives you. Fool! Princes give rewards with their own hands, But death or punishment by the hands of others. Recommend your self to heaven. Are you so brave. Oh Sir.
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…