Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

PAGE

in Humor Out of Breath — Day, John

Metadata

PlayHumor Out of Breath
AuthorDay, John
Year (catalogued)1608
First performance1608
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of the King's Revels
Speech prefix(es)Page. | Pag. | Pa. | Pa | Pa,
Words1115
Characters5478
Typicality0.45 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA19975
BritDrama no.1559
ClusterCluster 0 — Clowns, beggars & street sellers

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 0 (shillings, tom, guts, mutton, wares, dan…). Matches are highlighted.

and as good answer twould make you. As if you had served for't, any man may set up under his copy without a protection. Yes faith my Lord, my Lady has had my attendance to a hair. If not mine, some bodies else: there's one has done— Nay nothing, but what my Lady was very well content with. Sand! Oh excellent word in a woman!

Full speech

About my living fit. Will you fell your findings my Lord? Orels 'tis shallow indeed, for they are foundered already, but I must play Don, and draw them all out o'th mire, Whats a clock my Lord? Show perryall and tak't, but come my Lord you have stood fooling long enough, will you about your business in good earnest? Why, are women called Angels but because they de light in good deeds, and love heaven, but that it will not be wone without them. Here's a new kind of courting, never seen before J think. Why did you command him close prisoner to your chamber. Madam the Gundelo is ready. Yes, madam, J have God his hair, if I could come as eam sily by his wit. What two are they Madam? No Lady but in arms, and you had need of them too, for see the enemy comes down, shall I found a parlee The better, for women would have their lovers unready choose. I have not seen a fool so handsomely shifted in We nice. And out of mind to, or else you have not the mind of a true woman. No sir, looking into the underofficers about the Court. I sir, my betters get good livings out of officers, and why not I? but to be plain, I have been seeking your good Lordship. And I were a man as I am no woman, id'e pepper your box for that jest. In earnest law I would Madam. And may you madam Like a soldier sleep. Gentle madam no, but he is a man. Man is a proper name to a man, and so he may be a proper man. SWeet honey candy madam, if it be no forfeit to tell tales out of Cupid's free school, tell what proficient your lo ver Aspero proves. I faith Lady then I know what J know Marry that if you never forget him, you shall ever remem ber him, was he never in your chamber You may do well to kiss him, and make him bold Madam. Oh dry jest, all the wit in your head will scarce make sippits in't, what a ground? and such a fair landing place? get a shore, or be rank amongst fools for ever. Slight and thou hast any wit, now show her thy sting. The buzzards wit's not so bald yet I tro. Yes faith Madam. Or else it holds not the true temper of woman hood, but faith tell me Madam, do you love him? Oh that he knew Lady. You called him fool, but me thinks he proves a physician, has found the disease of your liver, by the complexion of your looks, but see he returns. Oh monstrous, a wishes you choked my Lord. I choked? for a wishes the traitor in your throat, and he's a very small traitor that is not able to choke a wiser man then your Lordship. I, down with him, if he stick in your throat, and spare not. Nay you take a course, to anger him first J think. Why did you set him so light then? If I had any knave ̄ ry in me, as J am all honesty, I could make a notable scene of mirth betwixt these two Amorists. I marry Lady; why now you credit your sex: a woman's ho nor or humour should be Like a ship under sail, split her keel ere she veil. Enter Boy. It shall be done madam. Exit. Is a dead in earnest? Oh madam, many a good thing has been buried quick and sur uiu'd again, I would be buried quick my self, and I might choose my graven. Good gentleman, and I be not sorry for him: who is his keeper? Uds foot lets enlarge him, Not possible weel coufen his keeper. Cannot! we can: your father made a Lord of him, but be ruled by me, his daughter shall make a fool of him: you are not the first woman has made a fool of a wiser Lord then he is. As palpably as at the Lottery, my brains are in labour of the stratagem already. If I should, he could not hang me for 'tis not worth thirteen pence half penny but what shall I do with it? That shall J madam, Oh forward age, I am a man already: how do you Like me Lady? Then leaue't of, if you be grounded in the plot, You will but mar the Comedy. Udsfoot to her, can a woman offer fairer for't? To span-counter, best ask her and sheele go to Coits. Blind men buff? would, would, would, Who but the Author? What shall we have to blind him? There's a simple favour for you. Lord what scambling shift has he made for a kiss and can not get in neither; a little higher, so, so, so, are you blind my Lord? Take heed of his dart madam, he comes upon you, Has she not a sweet breath my Lord? And a soft lip? Here. She's escaped indeed my Lord, you may cast your cap after her, for I see you can do no other good upon his. Kiss her and let her go. And you had need so, for I think you are almost out of breath, if you be not, you shall be, and thats as good, but breathe and spare not. Are you in breath my Lord? A fair miss i'faith. In the corner of the left hand; udsfoot beware shins my Lord, Indeed loves sons Like spaniels are all born blind, Faith let go my Lord, for she grows sullen, and you had as good talk to a post, and as good answer twould make you. As if you had served for't, any man may set up under his copy without a protection. Yes faith my Lord, my Lady has had my attendance to a hair. If not mine, some bodies else: there's one has done— Nay nothing, but what my Lady was very well content with. Sand! Oh excellent word in a woman! Hold! up with that word, and 'tis as good as the other. Madam, I wonder they enter not. Oh cowards and have two such fair breaches already, Peace, Oh coward, offer peace and but two to two of them. Farewell sweet heart. Boy, go know what strange gentleman that is Tut, J can tell you a trick, worth two of that: madam, your ear, take some care in the managing, and let me alone to pre pare it. She loves him for his properties, and indeed many women love men only to make properties of them.

Plot summary

Plot — Humor Out of Breath
Octavio has just won a war against Mantua, which has resulted in the banishment of Antonio, the Mantuan ===== PAGE 427 ===== 1607 Duke, and his family. Now Octavio sends his sons out into Italy to look for wives, but accompanies them incognito to keep an eye on them. His daughter Florimell protests that she wants love too, but Octavio leaves her in the custody of Hortensio, giving him a brief to restrain her wanton tendencies. Antonio and his family are living a rustic life, eating fish they have caught themselves. Aspero, the son, goes to Venice, eager to assassinate Octavio in revenge. With Octavio gone, he meets Florimell, who is attracted to him. When he does not reciprocate, she concurs in Hortensio’s decision to arrest him, but asks that he should be imprisoned in her own chamber. On hearing that she is planning to have him executed, but only because she is playing hard-to-get, he pretends to be dead. The sight of his body shocks her into declaring her love openly, and this brings him back to life. Hortensio has just received information as to his identity, and has him committed to close prison. Florimell and Hortensio visit him, and Hortensio is persuaded to play blind man’s buff in the cell. While Hortensio is hoodwinked, she disguises Aspero in his clothes and removes him from the prison; Hortensio is left behind in the cell. The jailer is given orders to allow nobody to see the prisoner, even if he should pretend to be Hortensio or imitate his voice. Aspero and Florimell go to Mantua. Octavio’s two sons éncounter Antonio’s two daughters, and fall in love despite the disguised Octavio’s insistence that they should seek women of higher rank. Octavio reveals his true identity at the wedding, forbids the marriage, banishes Antonio and his daughters, and takes his sons back to Venice. There he finds that Florimell has apparently eloped with Hortensio, but the truth emerges when the cell is opened and Hortensio found in Aspero’s place. News arrives that the Mantuans have rebelled against Venetian overlordship and reinstated Antonio. Octavio and his sons besiege Mantua, but Antonio’s daughters pass cryptic shields to Octavio’s sons, whose impresas refer to their rustic wooing. Realizing that the Mantuan princesses are their rustic loves, the Venetian princes call off the siege, and the war ends happily with a triple marriage.