Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

BRETT

in The Famous History of Sir Thomas Wyatt — Dekker, Thomas; Webster, John; Heywood, Thomas (?); Chettle, Henry (?)

Metadata

PlayThe Famous History of Sir Thomas Wyatt
AuthorDekker, Thomas; Webster, John; Heywood, Thomas (?); Chettle, Henry (?)
Year (catalogued)1607
First performance1602
Decade1600s
GenreHistory
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyWorcester's Men
Speech prefix(es)Bre: | Bre. | Bret. | Br •… : | B •… e. | Br. | Br: | B •… . | B •… : | Br •…
Words523
Characters2681
Typicality0.30 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA20096
BritDrama no.1369a
ClusterCluster 6 — Battlefield messengers & soldiers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Here my Lord. They are my Lord. Why the Soldiers? I say again , is worthy Norfolk gone? I say again, that to Wyat thus, In with the thus at his tail, is worthy to be hanged Like a in the King domes , say I well my Lads? And wherefore is Wyat up? Philip is a Spaniard, and what is a Spani ard? Right, a Spaniard is a Camocho, a Calliman continued, nay which worse, a Dondego, and what is a Dondego? 'Tis the Lord Pembroke. What should we do following Wyat any longer. Would I could steal away from Wyat, it should be the first thing that I would do, Come my Lords, shall us march. Sir I mean quarter them, that the offended multi tude, may pass in safety. Not in any sort the Dukes pleasure will pasle free. Sir , this is a famous University, and those schol le, those lofty buildings and goodly houses, Founded by noble Patrons. But no more. Set a strong watch. That be your care. 'Tis good, 'tis good, my Lord. No, a Dondego is a desperate Viliago, a very Castilian, God bless us. There came but one Dundego into England, & he made all Pauls stink again, what shall a whole a my of Dondegoes doemy sweet Countrymen? Wear your oh Neates-leather S ooes? Scorn Spanish Leather, cry a fig for the Spaniard: (faide I) well bollies? Lance persado, quarter, quarter, Fear not, good speech, those rude arms I bear, Is't n to to fight, Sweet, gentle Peace away, But to succour your lives, pass peaceibly away. Thus old and young still descant on her name, Nor lend no ear, when we horstile proclaim. I fear, I fear. Fear Bret, what shouldst thou fear? Thou hast a breast composed of adamant. Fa l what ill betide, my anchor is cast, and I in Harbour ride. Here my Lord. I am to led you, & whither? to fight: and with whom? with Wyat: and what is Wyat? a most fa mous and Archtraitor, to nobody by this hand that I know. Countrymen and friends, And you the most valiant sword and Buckler Men of London, the Duke of Norfolk in honour has promoted you to the Vanguard, and why to the Van guard? but because he knows you to men, mar tall men, men of good stomachs, hight , very actious for valour, such as scorns to shrink for a wetting, who will off any thing with head and shoulders. A Spaniard is Can worser so, because he's a Spaniard his ya worser is but a span. Right, for he caries not the English men yard bout him, if you deal with him look for sure: if you give and inch he'll take and ell: he give and ell, heel take and inch. Therefore my fine, spr , dapp , finical, , if you now, you have always been, counted politic Londiners, to y to the stronger side, leave Aru ll, leave Norfolk, and love Bret. Why then fiat, fiat, and every man die at his foot, that cries not Wyat, a Wya .

Plot summary

Plot — The Famous History of Sir Thomas Wyatt
The King of England is dying. Northumberland and Suffolk conspire to disinherit his sister, Mary, in favour of Suffolk’s daughter, the reluctant Lady Jane Grey. When news arrives of the King’s death, they have her proclaimed Queen. Sir Thomas Wyatt, refusing to be a party to this, leaves court, and brings the news to Mary, who is living in frugal retirement. Northumberland and Suffolk raise an army against Mary, but Wyatt and the Lord Treasurer speak in the Council for a legal succession in accordance with the will of King Henry VIII. Mary is proclaimed Queen in London, and Lady Jane and her husband Guildford Dudley are arrested. Northumberland is ordered to discharge his troops and come to court, and is arrested. Suffolk is on the run. His servant, Holmes, brings him food, but also brings the Sheriff to arrest him. Holmes is paid well, but later strangles himself in remorse. Queen Mary begins to make fiscal arrangements, and reneges on her promise not to make any alteration in state religion: she plans to restore the Roman Catholic church. She also plans to marry Philip of Spain, contrary to the laws established by her father. Northumberland is executed. Disgusted at the prospect of Spanish infiltration, Wyatt raises rebellion in Kent. Part of Norfolk’s army defects to Wyatt on nationalist grounds, but when Pembroke bars the gates of London against him, his supporters slink away and he is arrested. Jane and Guildford are tried, and declare their innocence; Guildford notes that the commissioners were originally supporters of Northumberland in his attempt to influence the succession, and accuses them of hypocrisy. Though several commissioners want to seek clemency, the Bishop of Winchester sentences them to traitors’ deaths. Wyatt is taken to execution. Jane and Guildford are to die together; Jane is beheaded first. Guildford faints as he is taken away, but recovers to see her severed head, and is taken to the block.