Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

JOCULO

in Law Tricks — Day, John

Metadata

PlayLaw Tricks
AuthorDay, John
Year (catalogued)1608
First performance1604
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of the Queen's Revels
Speech prefix(es)Joc. | Ioc. | Io. | Jo.
Words879
Characters4546
Typicality0.26 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA19977
BritDrama no.1436
ClusterCluster 9 — Boon companions & bluff banter

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Welcome to Genea Madam, and to make a short cut of our long travel, faith tell me, how do you feel your self since you came a shore? Do Madam, and isle stand by and do my good will to deliver you. Then pray be you better occupied in your answer: but Madam, do you remember what a multitude of fish we saw at Sea? and I do wonder how they can all live by one another. Why of your Maidenhead Madam & if you please, or rather of the huge birth of knavery you're in travel of. Above the girdlestead, and below the knee Madam without any danger, why Madam, you know at our first meeting in the Turks Galleys, where we were both prisoners, and in a manner stram ̄ gers, I rested faithful when we counterfeited our selves lunatic to escape their fury I proved not false when we were cast naked a shore: I stood firm to you, and never since left your company: now having had these trials of me abroad, neves mistrust my secrecy at home. Yet keep without eye-shot so long as you can Theile hardly see their way then, for we are shrewed moats, but al's one, isle give occasion of quar reil, answert you as you can, To make thee recoil, or with the Soldier to fallen off, i'st your country manner to corriue a leader, being upon or before present service as I am? Madam, your Brother. Take heed, for if you tire, Sheele keep her pace and leave you in the mire. My Lord my Lord, the Duke your father with a great train is coming. That's more then I know, but by the faith of a page, or the word of a Gent. which you will, he is a rived and in great state entered the City. Or else your Mother did you the more wrong, shift for your selves, for he is come. And I do not, let me die of the bastina do. Pray welcome him father, he's a Genoan mar chant, that with much suit ransomed me from the Turk. Yes minks, his Daughter. Both hand and heart In Genoa. Emilia. It open shame to lie before so many. That's not in my partly. Zounds this stings. Betwixt nine and ten Or rather to catch a quick Eel by the— Nay, and you break jests a my teeth once, I have done with you. Agreed, but what man i'th missed is this? my most honoured Lord? In private conference with and English post. And English post my Lord: the effect of his letters I know, not but I herd him begin a most strange dis course. Please your honour take a turn or two, I shall re late (quickly my Lord) heereports there fell such and Inundation of waters in the month of July, about the third of dogdays, that the Oars and Scullers that use to work in the Thames, rowd over houses & landed their fairs in the middle I'll of Pauls. Very easily possible (sfoot quickly) and more the fishermen that rid between Dover and Calais, took read spurlin, and she Mackerel in the amid of the Exchange, which made mutton so cheap and stale, that it is thought the better half of the towns men will run horn mad about it. Not be? why look you sir, But hear the conclusion, joust on Saint Lukes day coming shall be a twelvemonth, Westminster & Win chester, drinking a quart of wine together on Salis bury-playne fell into hard words and strange terms, there was thou knave and I knave, and such foul words, as if tow young Barristers had be breathing their wits for a wager, (sfoot make and end) now it was thought Westminster stood most upon his terms, yet in the end Winchester God one of his best terms from him spite on his teeth, which so vexed West minster, that it grew to a deadly feud, which was so hotly pursued that the taking up of the matter cost many broken heads. Are we in any sociable place? Or in the Cell of some Magician, Who by his skill in hellish exorcisms, Made us his thrall? Whence? do not beguile us, Oh Demetrio? We are betrayed, see the Magtiian, That by his cunning and strong working charms, Brought us unknown. Your City. And your reverend name. Father. Not passed all goodness, yet I hope S r: but i'faith Brother wast you that brought us from Turkey a cock horse? and your Genoan hackney be so quick paced you shall have more of our Custom. No. A Maid. By these and more, by all the escapes Of amorous Jove and Phœbus rapes, By Lovers sweet, and secret meetings, Hand embracings and lip-greetings, I promise you before these Lords, To answer truly to your words. I was taught to sing, Unto the Lute, and Court each amorous string With a soft finger. Ten fops. What? I am joust as old. my little finger. Eighteen fools, I am joust as old as—true Emilaes page. Ime in a wood. Then nail me to your lips with a kiss, and make me currant payment. Alas my Lord, it was a mere device to—

Plot summary

Plot — Law Tricks
Prince Polymetes arrives home with news that his sister Emilia has disappeared after an attack by the Turks on her temple; grieving at the news, Duke Ferneze goes to seek her, leaving Polymetes as his deputy. Meanwhile Emilia has escaped from the galleys by feigning lunacy, and now arrives in Genoa. She adopts an alias in order to test her brother, whom she has never met. His interest in her is not very brotherly: he loses his bookish tendencies and grows prodigal, spending public money on her. He arranges for her to lodge with his uncle, Count Lurdo, in order to facilitate access. Lurdo, who has just divorced his wife, the Countess, for alleged unchastity, tries to seduce Emilia with a view to getting his hands on the money Polymetes is spending on her. Meanwhile, Horatio fails in his efforts to seduce Lurdo’s ex-wife, the Countess, and takes her steadfastness in chastity badly. ===== PAGE 127 ===== 1604 He and Lurdo plot to get rid of her by poison, administered by Horatio. Ferneze returns in disguise with news of his own _death, and Polymetes makes plans to squander his inheritance. Then Ferneze returns in his own person, and Polymetes has to reassume his original studious persona. The Countess is buried, and the penitent Horatio visits her tomb; his page, who swapped the poison for a sleeping potion, is also there to take charge of her when she wakes, and scares Horatio by pretending to be her ghost. Polymetes pretends that his dissolute behaviour was just an act to test Lurdo, and tries to win his father’s favour by using magic to bring back Emilia; in fact it is a ruse with the cross-dressed Joculo, which. deceives Ferneze until the real Emilia exposes it by close questioning. Polymetes then conjures up the supposed ghost of the Countess, who accuses Horatio of her murder. The plot comes out and Horatio and Lurdo are sentenced to be buried alive, until it becomes clear that the Countess is alive and wants her husband back. Horatio is banished from the court and Joculo praised for turning tragedy into comedy.