in The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality — Anonymous
Metadata
Play
The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality
Author
Anonymous
Year (catalogued)
1602
First performance
1601
Decade
1600s
Genre
Moral
Play type
Boys Professional
Company
Children of the Chapel (second)
Theater
before the Court;
Speech prefix(es)
Host.
Words
230
Characters
1209
Typicality
0.25 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A19182
BritDrama no.
1276
Cluster
Cluster 11 — Tosspots & tavern railers
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
Whostere? How now? Now sir, what lack you? What are you? Whence come you? Nay, soft a while, I am not wont so late To take in guests; I Like you not: away. And would you have lodging then? Then stay a while, isle first go ask my wife. Then you would have lodging, belike sir? What's your name, and please you? And will you indeed spend lustily? And take that you find, patiently? And pay what I ask, willingly? Well, go to, for this once I am content to re ceyue you: come on, sir, I dare say, you are almost weary. What Roister have we there that rappeth so? Who is that thou pratest therewithal? Oh ho, it's Tenacity my old acquaintance, And to my wife of near alliance. Father Tenacity! Chamberlain, wait upon my kindred here. Sir, Now your reckoning is made even, isle trust no more. No, sure. Where dwell these Constables? Why, thieves man, I tell , come away. I faith, wife, my scull, my Jack, my brown bill. Dick, Tom, Will, you hoorsons, make you all ready, and haste apace after. But let me hear, how stands the case? Good God for his mercy! But what became of them? Then, neighbour, let us here no longer stay, But hence and lay the country round about. They shall be quickly found, I have no doubt.
Plot summary
Plot — The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality
Fortune rules the world even though her gifts are unreliable, whereas Virtue rewards genuine merit. The roisterer Prodigality and the miser Tenacity both sue to Fortune for the custody of her son Money, and this is granted to Prodigality. Meanwhile, various suitors approach Liberality, Virtue’s steward: the good are rewarded and the impatient told to wait and accrue desert. Prodigality falls into bad company and loses everything: Money has to pay all the bills, grows lean, and goes home to his mother. He is then granted to Tenacity, is kept indoors and grows fat for lack of exercise. Prodigality turns to burglary to steal back Money, but Fortune puts a halter around his neck as he is climbing into the house; he is saved from hanging when the rope snaps. He fatally assaults Tenacity, finds Money, and offers medical treatment for his obesity. Pursued by a hue and cry, he is arrested for robbery and murder. Money is given into the safe keeping of Liberality, and Prodigality is indicted and sentenced to death. He admits that his situation is the result of a bad life and over-reliance on Fortune. The court petitions Queen Elizabeth, in the audience, for a reprieve.