Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

SERVULUS

in Every Woman in Her Humor — Anonymous

Metadata

PlayEvery Woman in Her Humor
AuthorAnonymous
Year (catalogued)1609
First performance1607
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of the King's Revels
Speech prefix(es)Sernu. | Sern. | Seru: | Seru. | Seru, | Serr. | Serr, | Serr: | Ser:
Words404
Characters2168
Typicality0.20 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA15676
BritDrama no.1532
ClusterCluster 6 — Battlefield messengers & soldiers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Fa, la, solemnizing, lasol: Boy a Glass; A graceful enquiry, and well observed: Sir my company shall make you copious of novelties, let your Ta bles befriend your memory: write, by this bright Horri son. Not for the Sultans crown sir. Horison As for example, by this illuminate welkin. Sir, I do not bestow it for that I think you have need of it, for if you had, by this bright Horizon I would not give it, for I know 'tis no credit to give to the poor, by this illuminate welkin, I have (since I took upon me this fleshy desire of a Gentleman) thrown out of a window for a huntsvp, when I had as lief have herd the grinding of a Mustard Mill, for those are things are here too day and gone to morrow: this will stick by a man, and do him credit where ere he goes. Were it common, it passed not these doors: Sir, I shift my oaths as I wash my hands, twice in the artifici all day, for in dialoguising, 'tis to be observed, your senten ces must ironically, metaphorically, and altogether figu ratiuely mixed with your morning oaths. Sir, be pacifical, the impotent must be lightly regarded. Not for to win the fair Angelica. Sir, the grievous youth is inwardly possessed with a supple spirit, he can brook impugnying, but 'tis adverse to my spirit if I were armed. In the concourse. I, for the tuition of my Capital, did mount my Semisphere three degrees, that as a strong & stony guard did defend my Capital. In fine being mortally assailed, he did preambu late or walk off. About the number of seven. Or eight. Rather more. I have a concupiscent form of trust in your skill, it will malladise. The generous will disburse coinage for satis faction of your metapyisical endeavour. The signification of the word only a mounts to this, the former partly of your head. I call to memory, let us unite with kind im brace. Say I breath defiance to his front. Only the extravagant Artire of my arm is bruised. I will demonstrate, in defence of the generous youth, I did appugne, my adverse let violently fly. Be capable, I mean, void of armoury. Had I be accompanied with my Toledo, or morglay— Continue I beseech, I mean my sword, sole lie my sword: We void of hostile arms.

Plot summary

Plot — Every Woman in Her Humor
Misogyny has made the normally jovial Acutus.- melancholy. After scaring some foolishly fashionable characters, he joins them at the Hobby tavern, where Gaetica has taken lodgings with her dog. Disguised as a © soldier, Acutus picks a fight with Scilicet and Servulus, © then exposes their hypocrisy by returning disguised as first a friend and then an enemy of the ‘soldier’, and eliciting inconsistent responses. Scilicet attempts to woo Gaetica; she is more concerned about the disappearance of her man Bos with her dog, but becomes betrothed to him. , Lentulus is in love, and asks Cicero to woo Terentia for him. They go to dine with Flaminius, Terentia’s father, and Cicero is left alone with the ladies of the house. The upshot is that Terentia falls in love — but -- with Cicero himself rather than Lentulus. Rumours circulate that she is to marry Cicero, but Flaminius has not given his consent and takes offence. Lentulus makes Cicero and Terentia admit wronging him, and. _ he sentences Cicero to death — but only if Terentia will kill him. He woos and wins Terentia’s sister Flavia, and plans a double wedding. Acutus gives Philautus a sleeping potion, and he appears to die. He is rumoured to have drunk himself to death, but the reported numbers of alcohol victims escalate as the news circulates. Acutus pays for the funeral and invites the tavern’s proprietors and customers, Philautus wakes up on the way to his interment: initially it is assumed that he is a ghost, but - ===== PAGE 375 ===== 1607 an exorcism is unsuccessful. The Hostess allows him to hide in her chamber, but Acutus, pretending to have been robbed, sends a constable to search the tavern; Philautus is found and arrested. The drunken Bos has his clothes stolen, and is brought back to the tavern in a barrel. Gracchus agrees to give him a new suit if he can demonstrate that drunkenness is a virtue, which he proceeds to do in a debate. Gracchus promises to arrange for the Hostess and Dama to attend the wedding. Trying to get better, more fashionable clothes for the event, the Hostess turns to Gaetica, who has already had to pawn her jewels to support her impecunious fiancé, and arranges to wear her outfit. At the wedding, Caesar declares a general amnesty; Acutus and Gracchus have Lentulus intercede to procure Philautus’ release. Forced to sing in the imperial presence, the bashful Philautus is sent to the suburbs and told not to get drunk again. Acutus presents a masque of bestial men, and shows…