Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

JENKIN

in The Duchess of Suffolk — Drue, Thomas

Metadata

PlayThe Duchess of Suffolk
AuthorDrue, Thomas
Year (catalogued)1631
First performance1624
Decade1630s
GenreHistory
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyPrince Palatine's (Palsgrave's) Men
Speech prefix(es)Ien. | Ienk •• , | Ienkin. | Ienk. | Ienken.
Words464
Characters2239
Typicality0.66 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA20866
BritDrama no.2079
ClusterCluster 11 — Tosspots & tavern railers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

A good fire would do better with the fingers ends. Thou art a Coxcomb to say so, I will run up, and Come down my Ladder as nimble as a Squerrill. Why then that's a trick more then ever thou saw in thy life, o in my ale I can do any thing, tumble Like a Eliphant. Should there not be two hundred of slates, sayest thou? Who do you speak to sir, We have forgotten the hobbihorse. That I saw said you, all that I saw was a russet Gentleman with a toasted Cullizance, and he went down Gutter-lane I assure you. Who I, then I told you a lie, for I was then sipping my morning draught. I, who I? Jenken the Tiler. Bless my slating, is the devil amongst you, that you fallen so fast a lying, if I saw any of you before would every slate I have were in your bellies, why do you not know Jenken the Tiler. Nay nay, thats most certain, whats and Erewig sir, a good fellow I hope. No matter, I have ale enough in my belly to Quench um. I never drunk I pocrasse in my life sir, It strong Ale that I am guilty of. Indeed my Lord I am no Traitor, I am a Tilor, Cluny tells your Lordship a fable, we saw no such Man, not we. O good my Lord, I shall never endure it, I was wance but burned ith hand, and I have been The worse fort ever since, do but here me, Prove that I had any other apparel this seven years, Then that you see upon my back, and burn me not, But cut me into rashers, and broil me for Carbonadoes. Betwixt 12. and 1. never trust me, but at that time I and my fellow here, (canst thou speak nothing thy self) were at dinner at mother Puttock's, with a pi of a Tripe and a black-pudding, by the same token that was a candles end in't as long as my thumb. Nay if I put them in mind on't, let me be choked, For want of drink, since Ale thou art so lucky, I'll take the tother pot while it is nappy. Come away Hugh ti ti tiler, Now we have lined our backs, And warmed our bellies, Lets do our days work in and hour And drink our selves drunk all the day after. At hand quoth pickpurse, Not I, I desire you, I renounce and confound you. Marry sir and honest man and a Tiler, that was sent for hither to be examined about won M. Sands, and it seems for Joy they have to know where the Duchess is, they have forgotten me, what were I best to do.

Plot summary

Plot — The Duchess of Suffolk
King Edward VI orders the widowed Duchess of Suffolk to marry the Count Palatine, newly elected the . King of Poland. Other aristocratic suitors present themselves, but she contracts herself to her servant Bertie. Bishops Gardiner and Bonner are imprisoned, and Bonner swears revenge when the Duchess insults him. Queen Mary succeeds to the throne, releases the imprisoned bishops and appoints them commissioners to exterminate heresy. Bonner has Bertie arrested, but permits him to go abroad; he then has the Duchess arrested and her household broken up. Forced to choose which of its members will remain in her service, she selects Cranwell above Fox, who takes it badly. Bonner’s men have little success in detaining the Duchess and her associates: Dr Sandys escapes by impersonating a workman, and the Duchess also sneaks out of London with Cranwell, her baby daughter, and its nurse. The workmen are arrested and brought before Bonner, who orders them burned, but forgets about them when he hears news of the Duchess’s whereabouts. He goes with Fox to Leigh, where she and her remaining household have assembled in disguise at Gosling’s house, but Fox helps them to escape by ‘accidentally’ knocking Bonner into a well. The Duchess and Bertie meet at Emden. Still wanted by the English authorities, they decide to travel separately, but Bertie is concerned for his wife’s safety and is on hand to rescue her from being raped when her party is attacked by thieves. The nurse first flees with the baby and then abandons it, but the wounded Cranwell finds it by chance. As the Duchess’s pregnancy nears full term, they take refuge in a church porch from the foul weather. The sexton tries to evict them, but Erasmus takes them in. She gives birth to a son, and is smuggled past the English search parties in a hearse. In Oxford, Bonner and Gardner supervise the burning of the Protestants Latimer and Ridley; the knowledge of their martyrdom makes Cranmer, who had apostatized to save his life, return to Protestantism. Travelling to Poland, the Duchess and Bertie are accosted by the Palsgrave’s soldiers. In the affray, they are separated from their children, and Bertie kills the captain, for which they are arrested. The Count Palatine recognizes and releases them, and protects them against the pursuing English forces. The search is then called off after Queen Mary dies; the Duchess is recalled to England, and reunited with her children, whom Fox has saved. The imprisoned Protestants are…