Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

GOVERNOR

in The Widow's Tears — Chapman, George

Metadata

PlayThe Widow's Tears
AuthorChapman, George
Year (catalogued)1612
First performance1604
Decade1610s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of the Queen's Revels
TheaterBlackfriars;Whitefriars;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Gouer. | Gouer,
Words797
Characters4246
Typicality0.56 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA18426
BritDrama no.1456
ClusterCluster 14 — Law & judgment

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

I am come in person to discharge Justice. The cause you shall know hereafter; and it is this. A villain, whose very sighed I abhor; where is he? Let me see him. Go to sirrah you're too malipert; I have herd of your Sentinels escape; look too't. How now Sir? what time a day is't? What? shall we have replications? Rejoinders? Sirrah, stand you forth. It is supposed thou hast come mitted a most inconvenient murder upon the body of Lie sander. Peace varlet; dost chop with me? I say it is imagined thou hast murdered Lysander. How it will be proved I know not. Thou shalt therefore presently be had to execution, as justice in such cases requires. Soldiers take him away: bring forth the Sentinel. Sirrah; I'll no fending nor proving. For my partly I am satisfied, it is so: thats enough for thee. I had ever a Sympathy in my mind against him. Let him be had away. Madam, content your self. I will do justice; I will not hear him. Your late Lord, was my Honourable Prede cessour: But your Ladyship must pardon me. In matters of ju stice I am blind. I know no persons. If a Court favourite write to me in a case of justice: I will pocket his letter, and proceed. If a Suitor in a case of justice thrusts a bribe into my hand, I will pocket his bribe, and proceed. Therefore Madam, set your heart at rest: I am seated in the Throne of justice; and I will do justice; I will not hear him. No my Lady: and moreover put you in mind, in whose presence you stand; if you Parrat to me long; go to. Your husband was a Noble Gentleman, but Alas he came short, he was no Statesman. He has left a foul City behind him. It's full of vices, and great ones too. But I'll turn all topsy turuie; and set up a new disci pline amongst you. I'll cut of all perished members. Cast out these rotten stinking carcases for infecting the whole City. Peace Sirrah, peace; and yet 'tis well said too. A good pregnant fellow i'faith. But to proceed. I will spew drun kennesse out ath' City. Shifters shall cheat and starve; And no man shall do good but where there is no need. Braggarts shall live at the head; and the tumult that hant Taverns. Asses shall bear good qualities, and wise men shall use them. I will whip le chefie out ath' City, there shall be no more Cuckolds. They that heretofore were errand Cornutos, shall now be honest shopkeepers, and justice shall take place. I will hunt jealousy out of my Dominion. It shall be the only note of love to the husband, to love the wife: And none shall be more kindly welcome to him then he that cuckolds him. I'll have no more Beggars. Fools shall have wealth, and the learned shall live by their wits. I'll have no more Banckrouts. They that owe money shall pay it at their best leisure: And the rest shall make a virtue of imprisonment; and their wives shall help to pay their debts. I'll have all young widows spaded for marrying again. For the old and with ther'd, they shall be confiscate to unthrifty Gallants, and de cai'd Knights. If they be poor they shall be burned to make soap ashes, or given to Surgeons Hall, to be stamped to salve for the French mesells. To conclude, I will Cart pride out ath' Town. Well said a mine Honour. A good significant fellow i'faith: What is he? he talks much; does he follow your La diship? Born ith' City? Tressellegg'd? The better, it bears a breadth; makes room a both sides. Might I not see his pace? Argus stalks. 'Tis well, 'tis very well. Give me thy hand: Madame I will accept this property at your hand, and will wear it thread bore for your sake. Fallen in there, sirrah. And for the matter of Lycus Madam, I must tell you, you are shallow: there's a State point in't? hark you: The Viceroy has given him, and we must uphold correspondence. He must walk; say one man goes wrongfully out ath' world, there are hundreds to one come wrongfully into the world. Is that Lysander say you? And is all his story true? Byr'lady Madam this jealousy will cost him deer: he under took the person of a Soldier; and as a Soldier must have justice. Madam, his Altitude in this case can not dispense. Lie cus, this Soldier hath acquitted you. I'll go with you. For my partly, I am at a non plus. A good undertaking presence; A well-promising before head, your Gentleman Usher Madam?

Plot summary

Plot — The Widow's Tears
Renouncing Fortune and devoting himself instead to the goddess Confidence, Tharsalio intends to woo the widowed Countess Eudora. His wooing technique is grossly sexual, and he also quarrels with a rival, Rebus. Rebuffed and mocked by his family, he seeks out Arsace and bribes her to advise Eudora not to marry him, but when he returns to her and throws out Rebus, he is rejected a second time. Finally, however, she accepts him, and their wedding is marked by a masque. ===== PAGE 180 ===== Lysander is concerned about his wife Cynthia’s constancy, and plans to test it by faking his own death: with the help of Lycus he undertakes a journey and sends back a report that he has been murdered by mountain bandits. His body is interred in the family monument; Cynthia and her waiting-woman go to live in the tomb in order to be near him. Lysander returns incognito, disguised as a soldier assigned as the sentinel of the cemetery. He successfully seduces Cynthia, but she insists that their liaison be conducted privately to avoid compromising her reputation. Tharsalio sees them kissing inside the tomb and takes revenge on the ‘sentinel’ by stealing one of the crucified bodies he is supposed to be watching. When this is discovered, Cynthia suggests disinterring Lysander’s body and substituting it for the stolen one. Lysander goes to fetch a crowbar, removes his disguise, and meets Tharsalio, who deduces what is happening and informs Cynthia. She is thus able to pretend that she knew who the ‘sentinel’ was all along. Lycus is arrested for Lysander’s murder, and the tomb is opened to test whether his presence will make the corpse’s wounds bleed; but the coffin proves to be empty, and the ‘sentinel’ is found hiding in the tomb. Both men are sent for trial by the Governor, recently appointed with a hard-line law-and-order policy. Eudora intervenes to explain the truth, and Lycus is released; after Tharsalio replaces the stolen body, so is Lysander. Tharsalio allows him to believe that Cynthia was never tempted to infidelity.