Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

MOLL

in Westward Ho — Dekker, Thomas; Webster, John

Metadata

PlayWestward Ho
AuthorDekker, Thomas; Webster, John
Year (catalogued)1607
First performance1604
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of Paul's (second)
Speech prefix(es)Ma. Wife. | M. Wife. | M. Wife | Ma. Wife | Ma. Wif. | Mist. Iust. | Mist, Iust. | Mist Iust. | Mistris. Iust.
Words744
Characters3805
Typicality0.43 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA20100
BritDrama no.1450
ClusterCluster 12 — Wooers, gallants & courtly love-talk

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Lady. You see what a hell I live in, I am resolved to leave him. This madness shows very well. The Gentleman you spoke of hath often solici ted my love, and hath received from me most chased denials. Have you indeed? I have no counsel in your voiag , neither shall you have any in mine. Sleep, Jas quietly as a Client having great business with Lawyers. Whats the forepart? That it was my hard fortune, being so well brought up, having so great a portion to my marriage, to match so vnlucki lie? Why my husband and his whole credit is not worth my ap parell, well, I shall undergo a strange repo to in leaving my hus band. At what hour? Motion, what motion? Sir, by my soul I will be plain with you. What would you have me do? all your plate and most partly of your Jewels are at pawn, beside I hear you have made over all your esta e to men in the Town her? What would you have me do? would you have me turn common sinner, or fell my apparel to my waistcoat and become a Laundress? Come, come, I will speak as my misfortune prompts me, Iealiousie hath undone many a Citizen, it hath undone you, and me. You married me from the eruice of and honourable Lady, and you knew what matches I might have had, what would you have me to do? I would I had never seen your eyes, your eyes. Your prodigality, your dicing, your riding abroad, your consorting your self with Noble men, your building a sum mere house hath undone us, hath undone us? What would you have me do? Oh my fate; well sir, you shall answer for this sin which you force me to; fare you well, let not the world con demne me, if I seek for mine own maintenance. Do not send me any letters; do not seek any re concilement. By this light I'll receive none, if you will send me my apparel so, if not choose, I hope we shall near-meet more. Thou dost persuade me to Ill, very well. Why your I aliousie? Even whither my misfortune leads me. I wonder lust can hang at such white hairs. Partly now so pleased, for now you more Enjoy me. Yes, If you can clear me of a debt thats endue but to one Man, I'll pay my heart to thee. My Husband. Till lust be tired. I must take leave my Lord. I will think vpont. I will think upon it. Po erty, thou bane of Chastity, Poison of beauty, Broker of Maidenheads, I see when Force, nor Wit can scale the hold, Wealth must. Sheel never be wone, that defies go de. But lives there such a creature: O 'tis rare. To find a woman chased, thats poor and fair. Witch: thus I break thy Spells: Were I kept brave, On a Kings cost, I am but a Kings slave. If you be pleased. Pray stay, be not so heady at my entreaty. I have already leapt beyond the bounds of modesty, In piecing out my wings with borrowed feathers: but you sent a Sorceress so perfect in her trade, that did so lively breath forth your passionate Accents, and could draw a Lover languishing so pier cingly, that her charms wrought upon me, and in pity of your sick heart which she did Counterfeit, (O she's a subtle Beldame!) See I clothed my limbs (thus Player-like in Rich Attires, not fit ting mine estate, and am come forth, but why I know not? The sums so great I know a kingdom cannot answer it, And therefore I beseech you good my Lord, To take this gild off, which is your own, And henceforth cease to throw out golden hooks To choke mine honour: though my husbands poor, I'll rather beg for him, then be your Whore. I'll think vpont. Idem speak with the old woman. Thou art a very bawd: thou art a Devil Cast in a reverend shape; thou stale damnation! Why hast thou me intist from mine own Paradise, To steal fruit in a barren wilderness. Had thy Circaean Magic me transformed Into that sensual shape for which thou Coniurst, And that I were turned common Veuturer, I could not love this old man. So will not I. N , none at all, not any. Who are so?

Plot summary

Plot — Westward Ho
Through the bawd Birdlime, an earl is trying to corrupt Mistress Justiniano, but despite her husband’s jealous suspicions she has so far resisted his advances and remained chaste. He pretends bankruptcy, and tells her he is going abroad; but in fact he remains in London disguised as a writing teacher, Parenthesis. Meanwhile his wife, feeling the force of her poverty, is tempted by the Earl The wives of three citizens, Tenterhook, Wafer, and Honeysuckle, have a tavern assignation (arranged by ‘Parenthesis’) with Sir Gosling Glow-worm and friends; there they plan a journey westward by boat for a sexual night out in Brentford, with the wives’ absence explained by a ruse. ‘Parenthesis’ agrees to report that they have gone to visit Wafer’s sick child, and does so disguised as a collier. Mistress Tenterhook arranges for her kinsman Monopoly to be arrested for an unpaid debt to her husband, then bribes the arresting officer to free him so that he can join the party going to Brentford. ‘While their wives are away, the three citizens all try fo visit the same prostitute; Birdlime tries to juggle 1604 them, but they discover each other’s identities. Justiniano reveals himself and tells them where their wives really are, then takes his wife’s place, cross- dressed, at her assignation with the Earl. Discovering the substitution, the Earl thinks he has been visited by a succubus. Justiniano pretends he has poisoned his wife and shows the dead body; this is only a ruse, but the Earl is duly struck with conscience. At Brentford, the wives resist the gallants’ plans to seduce them, and Sir Gosling Glow-worm induces the local fiddlers to disturb the neighbourhood with bawdy songs. When the husbands arrive expecting to catch their wives in the act of adultery, they find them chaste. Monopoly’s debt is discharged through Justiniano’s intervention, and Sir Gosling attacked by outraged locals. The party returns home to London.