Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

PURSENET

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)Purſn. | Purſu. | Pur. | Purſ. | Purs. | Puſn. | Purſ ▪ | Purſ
Words3012
Characters15659
Typicality0.24 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA68468
BritDrama no.1528
ClusterCluster 21 — Old fathers & plain counsel

Important excerpts

Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 21 (gar, shillings, alii, yongrave, ogenes, nat…). Matches are highlighted.

every man were in his courses known; Legs that now honour him, might spurn him down. To conclude, nothing seems as it is but honesty, & that makes it so little regarded amongst us. Deliver your purse sir. Yowl fare never a whit the better for your flattery I warrant you sir. And that shows a good nature sir. You must pardon
that in partly of payment; for Come-park: Art sure thou sawest him receiu't boy? Thy father gave the Ramshead boy? whats thy mother's, is thy father's; How unfortunately is my purpose seated, what the de vill should come in his mind to keep in his hands so long, the biting but of a paltry louse would do me great kindness now,
sir, troth I took you at the first for one master Dumplin a Norfolk gentleman. I hope he is there by this time, how now boy, hast it? This forty pound came fortunately to redeem my chain of pearl from mortgage, I would not care how often I sowned to have such a good cawdle to comfort me, gold and pearl is very restorative.—
alate, that you are so transformed into a roage, that shape I know n to, believe me sir I much wonder at the all teration of this boy, where he should get this nature: as good a child to see to, and as virtuous, he has his Creed by heart, reads me his chapter duly every night; he will not miss you one tittle in the nine commandments.
still expect one ongue in five, and think us happy too. Could not a boy supply it? I have a boy shall put down all the Mercuries ith town, A will play a Mercury naturally, at his fingers end i'faith. And so it does i'faith? that's all my fault, bountiful? You have it sir. Remember boy, you point Latroni to me. It sounds very

Full speech

So close, and private with her? Excellent. Boy? how now? Her Chain of Pearl. Active boy, thy masters best revenue, his life & soul Thou keepest they both together? whip, away, Fallen back, fallen belly, I must be maintained, Hope is no purchase, nor care I if I miss her, why I rank In this desiegne with gallants, there's fu'l cause Policy invites me to it, it's not for love, or for her sake alone: It keeps my state suspect e le and unknown. Gentleman his parts deserve it, Whence come he sir? O! Come and other? So enough? Nay an't be but slight— How have I power to deny this to you, That commandall my Fortune's are thy servants, And thou the Mistress both of them and me. At Ma -maid. Bless me from't. I beseech you sir let it be so. There are those places where respect seems slighter, More censure is belonging to the Miter, you know that sir? O come, come. There all mine. Heart, I am sick already. Play on, isle take my turn si ?—boy? Pist?—a supply, cary't closely my little fooker,—how much— Good boy,—take out another lesson? how now gen tlemen? I set you these three angels. Dues Ace. Master Goldstone. Prey be persuaded sir: Faith, use your own pleasure hereafter, has wone our money now! come to'th table sir your master's friends with you. Out i'faith—two Ances. Why are you the fairest sir? Two quaters and yet lose it heart, boy? i'faith? what is't? By my troth this boy goes forward well, ye shall ee him come to his preferment ith' end! Hell gnaw these dice. Why was not I as often haunted with two treas, and a quater: And what has master Bowser lost? Sfoot I have lost as many with spurs at their heals. What manner a one Sir Gallant, well encountered. Quick, quick sir, quick. I must dispatch three robberies yet ere night. There boy, again, what news there? How now boy. Another lad? Master Bowser: Without company. Back to thy place boy, I have the luck to day, to rob in safety: Two precious cowards, whist: I hear him—stand Deliver your purse. How now, at disputations, signior fool. Hold, hold, sir, and you be a gentleman hold, let me rise. As you're a Gentleman: Keep on upon your way sir: I have been once down for that: Deliver me from you sir—o pax on't, has wounded me Eela, would, ho my horse, my horse boy: A gull call you him, let me always set upon wisemen, theyle be afread of their lives, they have a feeling of their in niquities, and knows what 'tis to die with fighting sfoot this gull lays on without fear, or wit, how deepe's it sayest thou boy? La, this was long of you, you rogue: Forgive me deer boy, my wound akte, and I grew angry, there's hope of life boy, is there not? See that dissembling devil, that periurde strumpet. Heart and isle fetch you again in the same tune, Oh my unmatched love, if any spark of life remain, Look up, my comfort, my delight, my— The organ of her voice is tunde again, Theres hope in women, when their speech returns See Like the Moon after a black eclipse, She by degrees recovers her pure light: How cheers my love? It terrible for the time, Idem much ado to fetch you. Faith in a fray last night. Loath to tell you that. Yet it my cause of coming. Since you urge it, you shall, You're a strumpet. Say you so. Nay not to me, only but to the world. Faith you know none, you sail without. At my first step into a Tauerne-roome, to spy that chain of pearl wound on a strangers arm you begged of me. By heaven the very self same chain Notable cunning. The boy is well descended, though he be a rogue and has no feeling ont, yet for my sake, & for my reputations seek not the blood of the boy, his near allied to many men of wor ship now yet living, a fine old man to his father, it would kill his heart i'faith, heed away Like a Crysom. Ah shameless villain, complainst thou? dost thou want? But thou shalt straight to Bridewell. Live upon bred and water, and chap choke. You shall excuse me indeed sir? Say you so sir? Deliver the boy. The boy comes not there for a million. True, but a must not know it comes from me, down a your knees you rogue, and thank this gentleman has God your pardon. A pox on you for a rogue, you put me to my set speech onee a quarter: Take that in partly of payment; for Come-park: Art sure thou sawest him receiu't boy? Thy father gave the Ramshead boy? whats thy mother's, is thy father's; How unfortunately is my purpose seated, what the de vill should come in his mind to keep in his hands so long, the biting but of a paltry louse would do me great kindness now, I knew not how to requite to, will no rascal creature assist me, stay, what I I did impudently salute they out, good, boy be ready boy. You're most devoutly met in Powles sir? O I cry you mercy sir, I pray pardon ̄ me I fear I have tendered and offence sir, troth I took you at the first for one master Dumplin a Norfolk gentleman. I hope he is there by this time, how now boy, hast it? This forty pound came fortunately to redeem my chain of pearl from mortgage, I would not care how often I sowned to have such a good cawdle to comfort me, gold and pearl is very restorative.— Not I sir, pray keep on your way I have nothing to say to you. You may, say your pleasure sir,—but I hope I go not Like a rascal. You have took me at such and hour, faith you may call me even what you please, nothing will move me. How? Felony? whats that' I si ? pray gentlemen draw near, lets talk among our selves, stand a partly Scoundrel;—must every gentleman be up braided in public that flies out now and then upon necessi ty, to be Theames for pedlars and weavers? this shou worser not be, it never seen among the Romans; nor read we of it in the time of Brutus are we more Brutish now? did I list to blab, do not I know your course of lise master Taylbee to be as base as the basest, maintained by me, by him by all of us, and a second hand from Mistress's, Iu'e their letters here to show? Why should you be so violent to strip naked Another's Reputation, to the world knowing your own so le prous, Beside this nai j of pearl and those spur-royals came to you fa see y for she broke her faith, and made her soul a strumpet with her body, when she sent those; they were ever justly mine? Pray what moves you sir, why should the shake your head, you're clear, sure I should know you sir, pray are not you some times a pandar, & oftener a bawd sir, have I never Sinned in your ban-quetting boxes, your bowers and towers? you slave, that keeps fornication upon the tops of trees, the very Birds can not in gender in quiet for you, why rogue, that goes in good clothes made out of wenches cast gowns. In a mask, your thoughts and mine w to wins. Welsaid i'faith, off with your cloaks gallants, let's fallen roundly to our business: which is mine? This Frip is grown so violent; Whats that prithee? Bows to her. Name the place master Goldstone. When come these dice. Yet anon, anon sir. Would, yonder goes Bowser, the place is fit:—boy stand with my horse at Corner, I owe you for a Pink 3. inches deep sir? Some pageant plot, or some device for the Tiltyard: Disturb him not. How the poor fellow shakes: throw lustily man. Faith it was well thought on. Nay keep your way Gen tleme ̄ : I have sworn master Bowcer, I will be last i'faith Rascal the goblet. By my trothit's mine; welsaid master Bowcer, first the Device, a fair purse wide open, the mouth downward, the word Alli nis ecce crumenis? Who the Boy, he has performed deeper matters then this. Look you sir, I must be feign to pawn a fair Stone here, for ordinary expenses: a pox of my tenants, I give they twenty days after the quarter, and they cut out forty. O heres master Bowser now. Come. It's a usual grace i'faith sir, You've many gentlemen will play with their men. Good sir give him leave. Pay all with 2. treas and a quater. Your worship must pay me all these sir? Slife you have not stole the Goblet, boy, have you? I was afraid,—'tis a good cause i'faith, let each man search his fellow, weel begin with you. I thought the Goblet had hung here i'faith—none here, nor here. There's my Angel too. Why whither so fast sir What some journey towards? I am sorry that my business so commands me, I cannot ride with you; but I make no question, You have company enough. Oh cry you mercy sir, True a little of Come-parke. Farewell sweere master Taylebee, This fell out happily; I'll call this purchase mine, before I greet him, Een where his fear lies most, there will I meet him: Boy. Walk my horse behind yond thicket, give a word, if you descry. So, he cannot now belong: What with my boys dex terity at Ordinaries, and my Geldings celerity over hedge and ditch, but we make pretty shift to rub out, a Gallant, for I have learned these principles. Stoop thou toth' world, it'll on thy bosom tread, It stoops to thee, if thou advance thy head: The mind being far more excellent then fate, 'Tis fit our mind then be above our state; Why should I write my catremitics in my brow, To make them loath me, that respect me now, If every man were in his courses known; Legs that now honour him, might spurn him down. To conclude, nothing seems as it is but honesty, & that makes it so little regarded amongst us. Deliver your purse sir. Yowl fare never a whit the better for your flattery I warrant you sir. And that shows a good nature sir. You must pardon me sir, I must a little play the Usurer, and bind you, for mine own security. Tut, I must not be betrayed. Mass that's the devil, I thank you heartily, for he's called prince ath' world. Swear on this sword then, to set spurs to your horse, not to look back, to give no marks to any passenger. I mean no marks of any. Swear then. Away. Why this was well adventured, trim a Gallant: Now with a courteous and long thusting eye, Let me behold my purchase, & try the soundues of my bones with laughter, how? is n to this the chain oh pearl I gave to that periurde would lat, 'tis, Sfoot 'tis, the very chain, o damned mistress, would; and this the purse, which not five days before I seen her filled with fair spur-royals—heart; the very gold?—slife is this no robbery, how many oaths flew towards heaven, Which never came half way thither; but Like fire drakes, Mounted a little, gave a crack, and fell; Feigned oaths bound up to sink more deep to hell. What folded papers this? death—'tis her hand. Master Taylbee, you know with what affection I love you, You do: I count the world but as my pray to maintain you, The more dissembling quean you I must tell you, I have sent you and embroidered purse here with fifty fair spur royals int —A pox on you for your labour wench: And I desire you of all loves to keep that chain of pearl from Master Pursnets sighed — He cannot strumpet, I behold it now, unto thy secret torture: So fare thee well, but be constant and want nothing. As long as I have't ifayth? me thinks it should have gone so,—well; what a horrible age do we live in, that a man cannot have a quean to himself let him but turn his back the best of her is chipt away Like a Court loaf, that when ̄ a man comes himself, has nothing but bombast; & these are 2. simple chippings here, do's my boy pick, & I steal, to enrich my self, to keep her, to maintain him: why this is right the sequence of the world,—A. L. maintains her, she maintains a Knight, he maintains a Whore, she maintains a captain. So in Like manner, the poc ket keeps my boy, he keeps me, I keep her, she keeps him, it runs Like quicksilver, from one to another; Sfoot I per ceiue I have been the chief upholder of this Gallant all this while; it appears true, we that pay dearest for our pasture are e ver likely worse-usde, Sfoot he has a Nag can run for nothing, has his choice, nay and gets by the running of him;—o fine world strange devils, and pretty damnable affections. A comfortable boy in men extremes! I was never so afread in my life but the fool would have seen my face, he had me at such advantage, he might have commanded my Scam f , Iscapt well there tad choked me; my reputation had been passed recovery, yet live I unsuspected, and still fit for Gall lants choice societies—but here I vow, if ere I see this Bow sir when he cannot see me, either in by-lane, privilege place, Court, Alley, or come bekinde him when he's standing, or take him when heereeles from a Tavern late, pissing a gain a Cundit, Wall, or Gate, when he's in such a plighted and clear from me, isle do that I am ashamed to speak till then. Not, I durst go further. Better and better. Away. More for this then the Devil. Against my will, are you there Signior Logic, A pox of you sir. A Freebooters pink sir, three or four inches deep. Faith by a paltry fray, in Colman-streete. No less then three at once sir, made a Triangle with their Swords and Daggers, and all opposing me. Ex for ex. What I pray? Bah. Sure Saturn is in the fifth house. How now boy? a monster? thy arm linde fast in and others pocket, where learned you that manners; what compa nigh have you kept alate, that you are so transformed into a roage, that shape I know n to, believe me sir I much wonder at the all teration of this boy, where he should get this nature: as good a child to see to, and as virtuous, he has his Creed by heart, reads me his chapter duly every night; he will not miss you one tittle in the nine commandments. I fear he skips over one; thou shalt not steal. Else grace and memory, would quite abash the boy. Thou graceless imp, ah thou prodigious child, begotten at some ec ipse, degenerate rogue. Shame to thy friends, and to thy mai ster eke: how far digressing from the noble mind of thy brave Ancestors that lie in Marble, with their coat a ors over em. Art not well clad, thy hunger well resisted. Vnpractizd Gallant, salute me but with one hand, Like a counterfeit soldier, Oh times and manners? are we grown beasts, do we salute by halves, are not our limbs at leisure, where comely nurture, the Italian kiss, or the French cringe, with the Polonian waste: are all forgotten, then misery follows—Surely fate forbade it, had he imploide but his right hand, Idem had it:—It must be and everlasting devise I think, that procures both his hands out at once: do you walk sir. What a pox ail you sir, would I had been aware of you. The gest that did me the kindness in Powles, Hold as you are a gentleman, yowl give me breath sir. I think what's God by theft does never prosper, Now lost my chain of pearl—come master Goldstone, lets go this mine i'faith, If we be true among our selves. Thats true i'faith. True, she cannot choose. What Sir? But have you so much interest And there's Master Frip too, sh us of ma king S I e owe. Pawn? I we, here take my aine pa w es among bro the? we shall thrive? but we must still expect one ongue in five, and think us happy too. Could not a boy supply it? I have a boy shall put down all the Mercuries ith town, A will play a Mercury naturally, at his fingers end i'faith. And so it does i'faith? that's all my fault, bountiful? You have it sir. Remember boy, you point Latroni to me. It sounds very well i'faith. I dare put trust in the Boy sir; forget not firrah at any hand to point that same Latroni to me. Hark one word master Boucer, what's the same La troni, I have a good mind to that word i'faith. I'faith? and I have sh ven some sheeres in my days. Peamo to and the rest. The often prove the ruin of great houses, Nor Virgin do I in this seek to entice: All glory to my self; these Gentlemen, To whom I am bound to love for kind assistance, Had great affinity in the plot with me. Who my Patron. Do you shake your slaves nodle? The Boy: he's hard at hand, I'll cross him sudden lie: and here he comes; stand. Mew, where should I wish the pox, but among bones. He says true.

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…