in The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the Garland — Cumber, John (?)
Metadata
Play
The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the Garland
Author
Cumber, John (?)
Year (catalogued)
1620
First performance
1619
Decade
1620s
Genre
Comedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Red Bull (Revels) Company (first)
Theater
before the Court;
Speech prefix(es)
Caro. | Car. | Caro
Words
293
Characters
1451
Typicality
0.40 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A17460
BritDrama no.
1896
Cluster
Cluster 15 — Devils, vices & grotesques
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
Troth scuruely, as a Lord may do in his case. Wicked, wicked, extreme wicked, he cannot say his Prayers. Yes, And in his will he does will and command that you two shall be whipped, and that he has bequeathed you for your legacy. Why how should I know more then you, I am none of his Physician. 'Tis well you do so, for otherwise your legacies would be bestowed upon you, a yard or two of whipcord is no great cost, and the executors would go to the charge, Zbloud what Rascals are you to utter this, you are the inventers of it. we shall sir, we shall. Why make not you more hast then to the doctors? I, why I was not bidden. Why, nor I, more particular then you. Why you may go as well as I that answered. By this Earth nor I. This is very well, suppose my Lord for want of this same Doctor now shall die. And so may he. I care not, nay do as you please. The Duke is come. My Lord. Yes my Lord. Why she is gone my Lord. Alas my Lord. Oh Madam, you come Like to the Halcion, and bring fair weather with you. Why heers the misery of great men, they cannot escape the slanders of their slaves look you yonder goes one of the Doctors, you were best (to be better satisfied) quire of him. Why you may by fetching him. Ferdinand my Lord. No my Lord, nor gone yet I believe. A way Physicians, go; my Lord thinks you are fools, And so do I: Therefore begun, begun. No my good Lord; but here are the Divines. Yes, & has sent word he will be here immediately.
Plot summary
Plot — The Two Merry Milkmaids, or The Best Words Wear the Garland
Bernard sneaks into his tutor Landoff’s study, reads his magic books, and attempts to conjure up the devil. The spirit who appears is in fact Landoff himself in disguise: he has been trying to. find out why his pupil is melancholy, and left his study door unlocked so that the prospect of magic might cause him to reveal the answer. It does: Bernard wants to go home because he has fallen for a local girl, Julia, but has not yet plucked up the courage to tel her. Dorilus tries to court the proud, ambitious Dorigen, but she has her sights set on becoming a duchess. On - hearing that the Duke is coming to the area, she and Julia dress up as milkmaids and go to see him. The Duke is attracted by Dorigen’s flirtatious manner, and he grants her a boon. She asks that he make her father an earl, and, once that is done, she points out that there is no impediment of rank preventing him from 1619 marrying her. He does so, but Dorilus persists in his attentions after the wedding. She promises to reciprocate if he fulfils an impossible task: to bring her a garland containing every species of flower, which will remain fresh so long as he is constant in his love. Landoff, still posing as a spirit, agrees to fetch him the blooms, and Dorilus gladly signs away his estate to Bernard by way of payment. Presented with the garland, Dorigen is disconcerted to realize that she will have to keep her side of the bargain. She confesses to the Duke, who seems unconcerned at the prospect of her adultery, but sets Raymond to spy on her. Dorilus refuses to press his claim on Dorigen, but Raymond reports that adultery has occurred: he has become infatuated with Julia and thinks his chances will be enhanced by the fall of Dorigen. Dorigen is imprisoned for treasonable adultery and her family expelled from the court; she is to be allowed no advocate to speak for her at her trial. Dorilus procures an invisibility ring from Landoff, supplied by a genuine spirit, and intervenes in the trial after Dorigen refuses to defend herself. The Duke accepts that his disembodied voice was sent by providence to exonerate an innocent woman, and Dorigen is freed. However, Raymond persuades him to change his mind, and Dorigen is taken back to prison. Dorilus loses the invisibility ring, but it is found by Frederick, Dorigen’s foolish brother, who puts it on and is surprised to find that everyone ignores him. He witnesses Raymond attempting to seduce Julia with the promise of Dorigen’s freedom; although she…