Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

MISTRESS TOUCHSTONE

in Eastward Ho — Chapman, George; Jonson, Ben; Marston, John

Metadata

PlayEastward Ho
AuthorChapman, George; Jonson, Ben; Marston, John
Year (catalogued)1605
First performance1605
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of the Queen's Revels
TheaterBlackfriars;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Miſtris Touch. | Miſt. Touch. | Miſt. Tou. | Mi. Tou. | Mistris Touch. | Mistris. Touch. | Miſtris Touchstone. | Mistris Touchstone. | Miſtris. Touch.
Words573
Characters2978
Typicality0.31 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA18407
BritDrama no.1473
ClusterCluster 1 — Wives, widows & intimate counsel

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Yes, that he is a Knight; I know where he had money to pay the Gentlemen Ushers, and Heralds their Fees. I, that he is a Knight: and so might you have been too, if you had been ought else then and Ass, aswell as some of your neighbours. And I thought you would not would been Knighted, (as I am and honest woman) I would would dubbed you my self, I praise God I have wherewithal. But as for you daughter.— That you shall Lady-daughter, and have a Coach as well as I too. God-boye, son Knight. God bless you; I would I were in my Grave. And I not able to relieve her neither, being kept so short, by my husband. Well, God knows my heart. I did little think, that ever she should have had needs of her si ster Golding. I know that. But— Husband. I by 'rladie Madam, a little thing does that; I have seen a little prick no bigger then a pins head, swell big her and bigger, till it has come to and Ancome; & eene so 'tis in these cases. But must this young man, an't please you Ma dam, run by your coach all the way a foot? Ahlas! 'tis eene pity me thinks; for Gods sake Madam buy him but a Hobby horse, let the poor youth have something betwixt his legs to ease them; Ahlas! we must do as we would be done too; What should one do? is there no law for one that marries a woman's daughter against her will? how shall we punish him Madam. No nor she must not call thee Father by Heral dry, because thou makest thy Prentice thy Son as well as she; Ah thou misproude Prentice, darest thou presume to marry a Ladies Sister? Speak to your Father, Madam, & kneel down. Oh child! Stay Lady-daughter: good husband. Oh Madam, why do you provoke your Father, thus? Why it is M. Wolf himself, husband. Now God forgi'you, Child Madame. Simply? 'Tis better then thou deservest. Never whimper for the matter. Thou shouldst have looked, before thou hadst leapt. Thou Wertenberg a fire to be a Lady, and now your Ladi ship and you may both blow at the Coal, for ought I know. Self do, self have. The hasty person never wants woe, they say. Go to thy Sister's Child, Shee'le be proud, thy Ladyship will come under her roof. Shee'le win thy Father to release thy Knight, and redeem thy Gowns, and thy Coach, and thy Horses, and set thee up again. Gentle Husband, hear me. Nay, nay, let her cene alone. Let her Ladi ship grieve me still, with her bitter taunts and terms. I have not dole enough to see her in this miserable case, l? without her Velvet gowns, without Ribbons, without Jewels, without French-wires, or Cheat bred, or Quails, or a little Dog, or a Genttleman Usher, or any thing indeed, that's fit for a Lady.— That's a good Maiden, she tells you true. Come, I'll take order for your debts I the Alehouse. It's but ill food, when nothing's left but the Claw. That she will, or any thing else thou'it ask her. Nay, sweet Ladybird, sighs not. Child, Madame. Why do you weep thus? Be of good cheer. I shall die, if you cry, and mar your complexion, thus? Try her good Chuck, I warrant thee.

Plot summary

Plot — Eastward Ho
The goldsmith [owehstone has two apprentices, the rebellious prodigal QUIEKSIWVEF and the virtuous Golding, and two daughters, the proud Gertrude and the modest Mildréd. Mistress Touchstone insists that Gertrude should marry above her rank to Sim@PéetronelFlash, while Touchstone bestows Mildred on Golding. Quicksilver is sacked after appearing for work drunk; Golding is also released from his indentures to become his former master’s son-in-law. Quicksilver considers becoming a merchant, then conspires with Security to entrap Sir Petronel Flash into debt to finance the secret expedition to Virginia he is planning. While Gertrude travels to her new husband’s fictitious country castle, Sir Petronel plans a _ - sexual liaison with [Winifméd| Security’s wife. Quicksilver and Sir Petronel both set sail, each in a different vessel, with the jealous S€@uirity following in a third, but a storm wrecks all three boats at Cuckold’s Haven. Winifred convinces Security that his suspicions are groundless. Quicksilver and Sir Petronel are arrested and sent to prison by Golding, now a deputy alderman, on suspicion of stealing from Touchstone. They and Security become penitent in their incarceration, but Touchstone is determined to prosecute them. Golding wishes to be more forgiving, and feigns his own imprisonment to bring his father-in-law to the jail. There Touchstone sees and accepts the sincerity of the miscreants’ repentance; Quicksilver, Sir Petronel, and Security are released, and Quicksilver promises to marry Sindefy, his punk.