in Your Five Gallants (The Five Witty Gallants) — Middleton, Thomas
Metadata
Play
Your Five Gallants (The Five Witty Gallants)
Author
Middleton, Thomas
Year (catalogued)
1608
First performance
1607
Decade
1600s
Genre
Comedy
Play type
Boys Professional
Company
Children of the Queen's Revels
Theater
Blackfriars;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)
Pia. | Piam. | Pya. | Pyam. | Pya
Words
339
Characters
1691
Typicality
0.42 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A68468
BritDrama no.
1528
Cluster
Cluster 15 — Devils, vices & grotesques
Important excerpts
Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 15 (ang, hunc, fleire, shillings, chil, sblood…). Matches are highlighted.
lift, the next shall sown, and sown again till the devil fetch him ere I set hand to him, heart, nothing vexes me so much but that I paid the Goldsmith for the change too not and hour before, had I let it alone in the chain of silver as it was at first, it might have given me some notice at his departure, sfoot I could fight
Full speech
So are you, but I scarce remember you sir. Ther's no harm done yet sir? Prithee lets see master Fitsgraue, Farewell then sir, I have forty pound in gold about me, which I must presently send down into the country. No less then forty pound in fair gold at one lift, the next shall sown, and sown again till the devil fetch him ere I set hand to him, heart, nothing vexes me so much but that I paid the Goldsmith for the change too not and hour before, had I let it alone in the chain of silver as it was at first, it might have given me some notice at his departure, sfoot I could fight with a win-mill now, sure it some unlucky vil lain, why should he come and salute me wrongfully too miss take me at noon day, now I think ont in cold blood? it could not be but and induction to some villainous purpose, well, I shall meet him— See yonders the rogue I suspect for fowl play, isle walk muffled by him, offer some offence or cause of a quarrel, only to try his temper, if he be a coward, he's the likelier to be a rogue, and infallible note. Sir, speak you to me? You're a rascal. Are you feign to fly to your clothes, because ya e Gallant, why theres no rascal, Like your Calla to rascal be leave that. No, isle make somewhat n ooue you? draw? I suspected you were a rogue, & you have purst it up well with a coward? Keep out you rascal. Are you there with me, a vengeance stop you, you have found breath enough to run away from me I will never meet this slave hereafter in a morning but I will breath my self upon him, since I can have no other satisfaction, he shail save me that forty pound in fence-school. I a pox on him, I think was in my pocket now, and truth were known. Thats right?
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…