in Master Arden of Faversham in Kent — Anonymous; Kyd, Thomas (?); Shakespeare, William (?); Watson, Thomas (?)
Metadata
Play
Master Arden of Faversham in Kent
Author
Anonymous; Kyd, Thomas (?); Shakespeare, William (?); Watson, Thomas (?)
Year (catalogued)
1592
First performance
1591
Decade
1590s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Pembroke's Men (?)
Speech prefix(es)
Clark. | Cla. | Clarke. | Clarke
Words
466
Characters
2340
Typicality
0.33 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A20951
BritDrama no.
846
Cluster
Cluster 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
Why sir isle do it for you at any time, Provided as you have given your word, I may have Susan Mosbie to my wife: For as sharp witted Poets, whose sweet verse Make heavenly gods break of their Nector draughts, And lay their ears down to the lowly earth: Use humble promise to their sacred Muse, So we that are the Poets favourite, Must have a love, I, Love is the Painters Muse. That makes him frame a speaking countenance. A weeping eye that witnesses hearts grief, Then tell me Master Mosbie shall I have his? What is it M. Mosbie? How now Michael how does my Mistress, And all at home? Then brother to requite this courtesy, You shall command my life my skill and all. You know not me, that ask such questions: Let it suffice, I know you love him well, And feign would have your husband made away: Wherein trust me you show a noble mind, That rather then yowl live with him you hate, Yowl venture life, and die with him you love, The Like will I do for my Susans sake. Though I am loath, because it touches life, Yet rather or I'll leave sweet Susans love, I'll do it, and with all the haste I may. But for whom is it? Very easily, I'll tell you straight, How I do work of these Empoisoned drugs, I fasten on my spectacles so close, As nothing can any way offend my sighed, Then as I put a lease within my nose, So put I rubarbe to avoid the smell, And softly as another work I paint, Within this ten days, I How does she, and all the rest? Sick, of what disease? A fear, of what? A fever God forbid. M. Michael the spleen prickles you. Go too, you carry and eye over mistress susan. Why more from a Painter, then from a serving creature Like your self. What mean you by that? Such another word wilcost you a cuff or a knock Would susans love lay upon this stroke, I hear it is, the very touch is death. I know your mind, and here I have it for you, Put but a dram of this into his drink, Or any kind of broth that he shall eat: And he shall die within and hour after. Yonder's your husband, Mosbie isle be gone. You did. A match, I faith sir I the day is mine, The Painter, lays his cullours to the life, His pensel draws no shadows in his love. Susan is mine. I thank you mistress Arden, I will in, And if fair Susan, and I can make a gree, You shall command me to the uttermost, As far as either goods or life may stretch. Exit Clark.
Plot summary
Plot — Master Arden of Faversham in Kent
lige Arden is having an affair with M@sbBy, which makes her husband jealous and melancholy. The lovers proliferate murder plots against him: both offer marriage to SHi8Zh Mosby as an inducement, but to different accomplices, Michaelland GlakKe the painter. Clarke supplies a poison, but when Arden feels ill upon eating the contaminated broth, Alice throws it on the ground. Alice meets GFSeHe, who has a grudge against Arden in connection with land ownership, and gives him money to hire murderers. He engages BIAEKIWil) and ShakeBap, and they follow A¥d@h to London, where he is visiting his friend BFaHKIB. Greene writes an incriminating letter to Alice, which is carried, innocently, by Bradshaw. An attempt on Arden’s life in St Paul’s churchyard fails when a shop front is let down and bonks Black Will on the head; Arden escapes, knowing nothing of the danger. The murderers conspire with Michael to gain access to Franklin’s house at night, but Arden finds the door unlocked: the murderers are shut out and Michael reproved for negligence. The killers next pursue Arden to Rainham Down, where he meets Lord Ghee and is invited to dinner the following day. Cheyne recognizes and distracts Black Will, so Arden escapes again. His luck still holds the next day: following him on his way to Lord Cheyne’s house, Black Will and Shakebag lose their way in the fog and Shakebag falls into the marsh. Meanwhile, Mosby and Alice have a falling-out, but are reconciled, and Clarke supplies a poisoned crucifix for use if all else fails. DickKURESAE is another landowner who has fallen victim to Arden’s business dealings. He appeals to Arden and is rebuffed with threats, so he curses the disputed plot of land and wishes Arden ill luck from it. ===== PAGE 10 ===== Arden catches Mosby kissing Alice; Mosby and Shakebag are wounded in the ensuing fight. Alice persuades her husband that it was only a practical joke, and he is induced to apologise. The reconciliation is sealed with a supper in Arden’s house, at which Mosby, Alice, and Shakebag stab him to death. The blood cannot be washed off the floor, and when the body is taken outside, a snowfall shows the line of footsteps back to the house; moreover, Michael fails to dispose of the murder weapon, and rushes from the house are found on the body. When the Mayor and his officers arrive at the house, the murderers are detected. Black Will and Shakebag escape and later meet violent deaths. Alice, Mosby, Michael, and Susan are executed; so…