Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

NEWCUT

in Your Five Gallants (The Five Witty Gallants) — Middleton, Thomas

Metadata

PlayYour Five Gallants (The Five Witty Gallants)
AuthorMiddleton, Thomas
Year (catalogued)1608
First performance1607
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of the Queen's Revels
TheaterBlackfriars;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)New. | Ne •• . | New, | New
Words683
Characters3517
Typicality0.32 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA68468
BritDrama no.1528
ClusterCluster 9 — Boon companions & bluff banter

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Is all clear, may I venture? am I not seen of the wicked? Forgive me sweet master Primero, I can be content to have my pleasure as much as another, but I must have a care of my credit, I would not be seen; any thing else; my hus bans at Sea, and a woman shall have and ill report in this world let her carry her self never so secretly: you know't master Primero : and what choice of Gallants be they? will they be proper Gentlemen think you? I must have choice you know, I come for no gain, but for shear pleasure and affection. That's all I can desire—till better come? look you. A trifle sir, to buy you silver Spurs: good sir accept it. Hist? The nimble gentleman, in the clestiall stockings. Ah sweet gentleman, he keeps it up stately. You're about it forsooth; you're still about many things, but you never do one well, I am and Ass to keep thee inth' house now my husbands at sea, thou hast no audacity with thee, a foolish dreaming lad, fitter to be in the garret, the ̄ in any place else, no grace, nor manly behaviour; when didst thou ever come to me, but with thy head hanging down, o decheerefull prentize, uncomfortable servant: pray heaven the Gull my coo zen has so much wit left, as to bring master Taylbee along with him; my comfort, my delight, for that was the chiefest cause I did invite him, I bade him bring what Gentlemen he pleazd to accompany him, as far as I durst go, why may he not then make choice of master Taylbee, had he my wit or feeling he would doo't. Ever such guess as you, you're welcome cozen. You're most welcome sir. Who is't master Taylbee? Mayest. Goldstone; I could think well of that Goldstone, Wertenberg not for one vild trick he has. In jest, he will pawn his punc es for suppers. I make you stray long for a bade dinner, here cozen, if Master Goldstone were come, the meats even ready. Why how now, cuds my life,— Was ever mistress so plaugd with a shetle-headed sir vant—why Marmaduke. Able to shame me from generation to generation. Come hither forsooth—did you lay this cloth? Do you use to lay a cloth without a salt, a salt, a salt, a salt, a salt, a salt. Did you see a salt upon the board when you came in. Come, come, I thought as much, beshrew your sin gers, where is't now? Why the men mad. What say you. My cozen: Oh my bell salt, Oh my great bell salt. Pardon me sir, I forgotten all this while to bid you well come. I shall loath this room for ever. Take hence the cloth you unlucky maple-fac'd rascal, come you shall dine in my chamber sir. How then? Have you done yet? So, and you think all this while you dance Like a These in a st you're safe, no body can find you; pray were not you a P lmo gers daughter at first, that run away with a new Courtier for the love of Gentlewomen's clothes, and bought the fashion at a deer rate, with the lose of your name & credit dit, why what are all of you, but rustical insides, and city flesh, the blood of yeom n, and the b m of gentlewomen— Murder, murder— Another? Without soul? You see how we are threatened, by my troth wenches be ruled by me, lets many em and it be but to plauge em; for when we have husbands we are under covert-baron, and may lie with whom we list; I have tried that in my tother husbands days. Slid 'tis the fool my cousin, I would not for the valve of three recreations he had seen me here? Why how now sirtah, upon twelve of the clock, & not the cloth laid yet—must we needs keep Exchange time still. Pray gentlemen fit a while, your dinner shall come pre sently. Sweet master Bowser,—I

Plot summary

Plot — Your Five Gallants (The Five Witty Gallants)
The bawd-gallant Primero needs to dress Novice, his new courtesan, attractively, so he hires a recently pawned gown from Frip, the broker-gallant, in return for a lesson in how to cheat at cards. The heiress Katherine is the object of many suitors, including five gallants and Fitzgrave. Fitzgrave gives 1607 her a chain of pearl, which is almost immediately stolen for the pocket-gallant Pursenet. Katherine wishes to be left alone for a month, so Fitzgrave decides to spend the time in disguise, spying on his rivals, the gallants, in the hope of discovering something to their discredit. He joins them in visiting Primero’s brothel, where his pocket is picked and a jewel he received from Katherine is stolen. Pursenet-gives the pearls and the jewel to a courtesan, but afterwards she gives them to the whore-gallant Tailby, whom she loves. The gallants repair to a tavern. The cheating gallant Goldstone steals two beakers, replacing them with replicas of lesser value; he also steals a goblet, using sealing-wax to stick it to the underside of the table so that it will not be noticed when sought. Tailby gambles, but keeps losing and pawns his clothes to Frip to get more stake-money. The next day, he receives new clothes and money sent by importunate mistresses; one of them wants an assignation with him in her husband’s absence. He goes off to see her, but first tells Pursenet, who ambushes him on the way and robs him of his money and the pearls. Pursenet recognizes the latter, and realizes that they must be sharing the courtesan. He also attempts to rob Fitzgrave, but retires wounded when Fitzgrave fights back. Pursenet confronts the courtesan with the chain of pearls; she makes an excuse, claiming they were borrowed by her brother, and takes them back. The gallants return to the tavern. Pursenet’s boy is caught picking Bungler’s pocket. Pursenet intervenes and threatens the boy with Bridewell, whereupon Bungler relents to save the boy from such a corrupting environment. Goldstone purloins Fitzgrave’s cloak and pawns it to Frip, who goes out wearing it. Pursenet mistakes him for Fitzgrave and wounds him in reprisal for the injury he sustained during the robbery. Fitzgrave recognizes the cloak and demands that Goldstone return it; but Goldstone says it was stolen from him. Bungler is invited to dine with Mistress Newcut, with an open invitation to bring friends; she was hoping to entertain Tailby, but Bungler brings Goldstone instead, and he steals a valuable…