Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

TICKLEMAN

in Greene's Tu Quoque, or The City Gallant — Cooke, John

Metadata

PlayGreene's Tu Quoque, or The City Gallant
AuthorCooke, John
Year (catalogued)1614
First performance1611
Decade1610s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyQueen Anne's Men
Speech prefix(es)Tickle. | Tickl • . | Tick. | Tick
Words344
Characters1703
Typicality0.39 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA19260
BritDrama no.1649
ClusterCluster 15 — Devils, vices & grotesques

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 15 (ang, hunc, fleire, shillings, chil, sblood…). Matches are highlighted.

slave) of Forty shillings; For by this light that shines, ask it again, I'll send my Knife of and earrand in your Guts: A shameless Roge to come to me for Money? Hang him Bankrupt rascal, let him talk in Prison, The while weel spend his Goods: for I did never Hear, that men took example by each other. But I say no, you shall
Faith I am somewhat sick, yet I should be well e nough if I had a new gown. Distempers! hang your distempers, be angry with me and thou worser rest, I pray, who feeds you, but I? who keeps the featherbeds from the Brokers, but I? 'tis not your saw siege

Full speech

Faith I am somewhat sick, yet I should be well e nough if I had a new gown. Distempers! hang your distempers, be angry with me and thou worser rest, I pray, who feeds you, but I? who keeps the featherbeds from the Brokers, but I? 'tis not your saw siege face, thick clouted cream rampallion at home, that snuffles in the nose Like a decayed Bagpipe. Out alas! their naked tools are out, Do your worst Sergeant, I'll pledge my young Sp ndall a whole sea, as they say, fa la la la la, would the Mu sick were here again, I do begin to be wanton, Ipocras sirrah, and a dry biscuit; here bawd, a carouse. Will my sweet Spendall be gone then? I marry will you, you'll to play again, & lose your Money and fallen to fighting; my very heart trembles to think on it: how if you had been killed in the quarrel, of my faith I had been but a dead woman. Dissemble do not you say so; for if you do, Gods my judge lle give my self a gash. Nay buss first: Well, There's no adversity in the world shall partly us. How now Purssuet, why comest in such haste? How, his wares ceazd on? thou dost but jest, I hope. Come hither, I would he would but offer it, Weel fire him out with a pox to him. Why you Impudent Rogue, do you come to me for Money? Or do I know you? what acquaintance pray, Hath ever passed betwixt your self and me? Talk not to me (you slave) of Forty shillings; For by this light that shines, ask it again, I'll send my Knife of and earrand in your Guts: A shameless Roge to come to me for Money? Hang him Bankrupt rascal, let him talk in Prison, The while weel spend his Goods: for I did never Hear, that men took example by each other. But I say no, you shall not stir a foot, For I will talk with him,

Plot summary

Plot — Greene's Tu Quoque, or The City Gallant
The gallant Geraldine woos the mercer’s daughter Gertrude. She is attracted to him, but feigns lack of interest. Her father, Sir Lionel, is newly knighted at court. He plans to give up life as a tradesman and leaves Spendall to run his shop. Spendall is prodigal with the shop’s money: he sups with a whore and her associates, borrows money, gambles, and_ lives extravagantly. Staines is in the clutches of a usurer, his servant Bubble’s uncle, and plans to cut and run: he dismisses Bubble and is about to flee London when news arrives that the usurer is dead. Bubble inherits the estate, hires his former master as a servant, and plans, with his advice, to make himself a gallant. Staines intends to bilk his money back from Bubble and then use it buy back his lands once Bubble is forced by prodigality to sell them. Bubble sends him to buy new clothes, but Staines wears them himself and uses the money to gamble; Bubble himself joins the game as one of his opponents. Staines cheats with false dice, but is discovered by Spendall. They fight a duel; after both sustain slight wounds, they become friends. Sir Lionel plans to marry Gertrude to Bubble, hoping to get control of his inheritance. Her sister Joyce tries to get her to accept Geraldine, but she is _ steadfast. Joyce tells Geraldine that Gertrude does love | him, and he induces her to reveal her true feelings by feigning suicide. Bubble comes to Sir Lionel’s house to woo Gertrude, but Staines advises him that the best way to win the ladies’ admiration is to dispraise himself — so he makes a fool of himself. Even so, Sir Lionel continues with his plans — though now Bubble’s wife is to be Joyce, while Gertrude is destined for Scattergood, another gallant. Joyce herself is attracted to Staines, but she too is reluctant to act on it. Her brother Will gets Staines a fashionable suit in place of his servant’s blue coat and brings him to see Joyce, but at first she will not speak; when she does, it is to insult him at great length, making him wish he could shut her up again. Spendall is arrested for debt. He tries to get money from his whore with which to bribe the sergeants, but she will not admit to knowing him. He is taken to prison, where he sells all his clothes; but this fails to clear the debt. A widow hears about his case from Sir Lionel and charitably pays his debts; released, he takes her generosity as evidence of sexual interest, and plans to woo her. The night before the double wedding, she stays at Sir…