Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

FEATHERSTONE

in Northward Ho — Dekker, Thomas; Webster, John

Metadata

PlayNorthward Ho
AuthorDekker, Thomas; Webster, John
Year (catalogued)1607
First performance1605
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of Paul's (second)
Speech prefix(es)Feth. | Feth | Fet. | Fe. | Within Fether.
Words1014
Characters5295
Typicality0.34 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA20098
BritDrama no.1483
ClusterCluster 4 — Constant hearts & virtuous ladies

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 4 (loyalty, handmaid, spotless, blessings, hamilcar, moves…). Matches are highlighted.

are no body to partly them. You Like such kind of manhood best Kate. I know not, I ink my boy did. ot yet sir, she's here sir. Oh yowl make her sicker then. Well dissembled Kate. What mischiuous fortune is this: weel have a journey to Beware Kate, to redeem this misfortune. Be my troth I pity thy husb and. Be sick again, your husband

Full speech

ARt sure old Maybery Inns here to night, Excellent occasion: how we shall carry our selves in this business is only to be thought upon. Suppose it she should be chased, And a fat Trout. Whither Travail you I beseech you. Upon your promise of secrecy. How do you Sir. No more then by name. Faith you are a merry old Gentleman; I'll give you my partly in't. I am glad we have fitted you. Shalls walk into the Garden Lycia. Gentlemen weel down and hasten supper. Yes Sir. They are very rich ones. Alas good Gentleman; did you ever read of the Like patience in any of your ancient Roman ? I believe it in troth, Sir you did observe how the Gen tlewoman could not contain her self, when she saw us enter. For thus much I must speak in allowance of her mode tie, when I had her most private she would blush extremely. In she would. You are a merry old gentleman infaith Sir: much Like to this was her langwage. Dost hear Lycia Greeshield will thy wife by here prese ̄ tly. But have you instructed her to call you brother. Oh God Sir. Oh as tame as a fray in Fleet estreete, when their are no body to partly them. You Like such kind of manhood best Kate. I know not, I ink my boy did. ot yet sir, she's here sir. Oh yowl make her sicker then. Well dissembled Kate. What mischiuous fortune is this: weel have a journey to Beware Kate, to redeem this misfortune. Be my troth I pity thy husb and. Be sick again, your husband comes. Very ill sir; she's troubled with the mother extremely, I held down her belly even now, and I might feel it rise None ith' world Kate, may I do you any farther service. You have a shrewd blow, you were best have it searched. Lycia Greeneshield Master Maybery, old Poet: Mol and Kate, most happily incounterd, vdslife how came you heather, by my life the man looks pale. Go to the ordinary then. Oh by no means. Best first make your confession sirrah. A Gentleman: thou a gentleman: thou art a Taylor. No sirrah if you will confess ought, tell how thou hast wronged that virtuous Gentlewoman: how thou laiest at her two year together to make her dishonest: how thou wouldst send me thither with letters, how duly thou wouldst watch the citizens wives vacation, which is twice a day; namely the exchainge time, twelve at noon and six at night, and where she refused thy importunity, and vowed to tell her husband: thou wouldst fallen down upon thy knees, and entreat her for the love of Heaven, if not to ease thy violent affection, at least to conceal it, to which her pity and simple virtue consented, how thou tookest her wedding ring from her, Met these two Gentlemen at Beware : feigned a quarrel, and the rest is apparent, this only remains what wrong the poor Gentlewoman hath since received by our intolerable lie; I am most heartily sorry for, and to thy bosom will maintain all I have said to be honest. Now you have run your self out of breath, here me: I protest the gentlewoman is honest, and since I have wronged her reputation in meeting her thus privately, I'll maintain her: wilt thou hang at my purse Kate, Like a pair of barbary but tons, to open when 'tis full, and close when 'tis empty? Come, lets go sweet: the Nag I ride upon bears dou ble, weel to London. What Kate ! Oh lusty Rate. Exeunt. How for Gods sake? how? Very good sir. Is she young? and a pretty wench? Sfoot, where is she? if I Like her personage, aswell as I Like that which you say belongs to her personage, I'll stand thrumming of Caps no longer, but board your Pynnis while it's hot. Will you gallants go along: we may be married in a Chamber for fear of hew and cry after her, and some of the company shall keep the door. All the warrants in Europe shall not fetch her now, she's mine sure enough: what have you to say to her? she's my wife. Is this your three thousand pound ward, ye told me sir she was your Kinswoman. He may sir. Well, it's but my fate: Gentlemen, this is my opinion, it's better to shoot in a Bow that has been shot in before, and will never start, than to draw a fair new one, that for every Ar row will be warping: Come wench we are joined, and all the Dogs in France shall not partly us: I have some lands, those I'll turn into money, to pay you, and you, and any: I'll pay all that I can for thee, for Ime sure thou hast paid me. Faith Sir we purposed a dangerous voyage, but upon ̄ better consideration we altered our course. Let me see what excuse should I frame, to get this wench forth a town with me: I'll persuade her husband to take Phi sick, and presently have a letter framed, from his father in law, to be delivered that morning for his wife, to come and receive some small parcel of money in Enfield chase, at a Keepers that is her Uncle, then sir he not being in case to travel, will entreat me to accompany his wife, weel lie at Beware all night, and the next morning to London, I'll go strike a Tinder, and frame a Letter presently. Exit. Your knowledge Sir, is perfect without any information. Welcome to London ̄ bonny mistress Kate, thy husband little dreams of the familiarity that hath passed between thee & I Kate. I think not, but if your husba ̄ worser knew of this he'd be deuorst. The discou see of that will set thy blood on fire to be reue ̄ gd on thy husbands forehead piece. Ent. Bellam. & Mayest. Maybe. Would, how now who calls?

Plot summary

Plot — Northward Ho
Luke Greenshield has failed to seduce Moll Mayberry in her husband’s absence; now he dines with Mayberry at Ware and describes how he slept with an unnamed wife, showing him her wedding ring. Mayberry grows jealous and hurries back to London to confront Moll, but is satisfied by her explanation that the ring was stolen. Seeking revenge, he has her play up to Greenshield’s advances on his next visit to the house. Greenshield arranges lodgings at one of Mayberry’s houses for himself and Kate, a young woman whom he introduces as his sister, but who is actually his wife. The servants are soon aware that they are sleeping together, and also that Kate has a habit of sleep- walking around the house and ending up in Featherstone’s bedroom; actually she is shamming with a view to visiting Featherstone, her lover. ===== PAGE 241 ===== 1605 Meanwhile, Philip is arrested for debt after spending lavishly on the prostitute Doll. His father Bellamont grudgingly pays up and he is released; the price of Philip’s freedom is to have to listen to some moralistic exhortation. In response, he conspires with Doll (who has a tendency to swindle her clients out of money and valuables by way of love-gifts). She poses as a wealthy lady who wants to hire Bellamont to write some verses; Philip then introduces her as the girlfriend whom Bellamont criticized. Doll is smitten with the old man and visits him at home; but when she arrives, he is engaged with Captain Jenkins, Doll’s client, who also wants to buy his poetical talents to write a love poem for her. Jenkins hides during Bellamont’s meeting with Doll, and hears her ease her conscience by confessing that she is a common whore; he proceeds to blacken her name among her other lovers. Doll blames Bellamont and swears vengeance. The characters now gravitate back northward to Ware. Featherstone plans an assignation there with Kate, using a ruse to get Greenshield out of London. Mayberry encourages Greenshield to think that Moll is also going there for sexual purposes, and they follow together, accompanied by Bellamont, Philip, and others. Bellamont proposes that they enliven the journey by playing practical jokes on one another, and he is the first victim when they stop off at Bedlam and the young men try to have him committed as a lunatic. On arrival at Ware, the old men trick Greenshield into offering Mayberry the disguised Kate for a night’s pleasure. Greenshield also learns that Featherstone has been sleeping with Kate;…