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)
Ferd. | Fer.
Words
879
Characters
4498
Typicality
0.49 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A17460
BritDrama no.
1896
Cluster
Cluster 13 — Attendant courtiers & citizens
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
Seignior Ranoff, you are well arrived. Fortune is a good huswife, she plies her wheel well Alas poor Lady, I pity her; for a my conscience she is clear of the fact laid to her. In some things Fame will be free I see, in some things scant; for I'll assure you 'twas for a Garland. Again, and sent to prison, her father Banishd the Court again, and all his honours, Took again from him, and from's son, And alls again as it was, and if not worse, Nay then my admirations at and end. I remember no body would know me last time. But these are a couple of honest fellows, and yet they serve a Lord, if any body have use of their eyes these will. By your leave Gentle men, did you see the young Lord Frederick. Here my Lord. They shall my Lord, where's Pedro? A Halter you have. Nay, and we could entreat it, we were happy: for the Servingmen that were wont to be all Mouths, are now all Eyes, they have no other member useful about them. Did you not see Sir a swarm of Bees as you passed by? Me thought they looked Sir Like your people of Hybla. Here's another, a Bird of the same, but a more tame one, something more quiet. Now to hear this Jay chatter, and this Owlet hold his peace, but answer him with motion, may serve for a Morrisdance. Is not this a fine Dialogue? How now? Who come these to milk? my Lord and's Compear? Idem as live thou hadst told me a Tale: yet be shrew me they are a couple of handsome Calves with white Faces; but the degrees of this how comest about? It's not amiss, he does well to begin wholesome. Udfoot, what will the young Duke do trow? Shall we have it set down in our Chronicles, Inprimis, a brace of Milkemaids? very good. Where are our Ladies now? they are to seek, And must begin again to learn short Curtsies, And dance after the Country Hornpipe That's a plaguy Wench; she has not milked so many Kine for nothing, she knows the danger of the Horn. What's the Dukes purpose tro? how he does eye them. They be good merchandise for some of us, now we are far from our Mistress's. A good Wench i'faith, she flouts them to their faces. A Comedy sure, ther's so much Wit in't. 'Tis your daughter— Nay, An't be come to that pass, I am silent. No, Seignior; I thought you had had a Small-beer stomach. What, is the Duke marty? He had been and honest man. Oh there's a stop, I thought the brazen Image would have spoke. As every outrageous Lover does. If I were uvea rye of my life, I have and Adagy would hang me instantly. Why the old one, Hight love's soon cold. You say very right, Sir. Here's a Duke now will make all his Subjects kind Husbands. Reign, I and thunder and lighten too, I'll warrant thee. Dost thou think and Advocate can handle it better? Away Traitor. The Court is troubled. Sfoot I cannot see him, yet herd him plain, I believe so, We hard a voice indeed but felt no touch of a nigh thing. Why how i'st man? Why? is he speechless. But prithee sirrah, tell us the manner of his sickness which was wondrous strange and sudden. A Rat, a pox of a Rat, Zbloud I herd otherwise. Marry Sir that the Neopolitan Canker has searched into his bones: and he lies buried in vleers, stinks so that without perfumes, nobody is able to abide him. But mum mum, not a word of this I speak, it is amongst fell lowes and friends. Not I by this hand, I herd mine at my Barbers, Not I, I love not to be inquisitue. The Duke, why is the Duke sent for? Ber Lady Sir, then 'tis to be thought the dangers more then every Ague brings, & will go hard with him. I make more hast, why do's not he or you? Nor I. But you must go that answered. By this Air not I. And so may you. Why, nor I neither. Byr Lady Sir nor I. Yes, but no words, for it must be kept private. Such a thing was talked of, for the Duke now dotes far more on the Duchess then at first; and what soere is done, is to delight her. Yes. Very noble, and so does bear himself to every man, hark, yonders such a colle with the Musirians, the Masquers, and the Dancers, who now are practising. Yes, and which is a miracle a Masquer, The learned, Landoff, who now although he be A professed Acamedian, Has laid aside his graver weightier studies, To exercise his skill not yet forgotten, Being brought up a Page at Court, and practised Much in that quality—Hark I must leave you, I have a charge committed to me. I cannot tell, I will not promise you, For my Lord's very strict, I'll do my best. Look to those lights I pray, my Lord is very angry, fearing they might do trespass, and those hang ings must be removed.
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…