This play was performed by the short-lived boy company, the Children of the King's Revels, who acted at the Whitefriars Theatre c1606-08. It was printed by Richard Bradock for John Helmes in 1608. There is no adequate modern edition. It was edited for the Percy Library by J. O. Halliwell (1860); edited in old-spelling by A. H. Bullen in The Works of John Day (1881, reprinted 1963); and edited in modern spelling by Arthur Symons for the anthology Nero and other Plays in the Mermaid series (1888, reprinted several times). Quotations in the character list are from Bullen's edition (and references are to his page numbers), unless Mermaid is specified. The Mermaid editor divides Bullen's 5.2 into two scenes, beginning 5.3 when the characters on stage go in to immediately re-enter above. Several early 20th century writers suggested that the play is a collaboration with George Wilkins (see Robin Jeffs' introduction to the 1963 reprint of Bullen's edition) but this suggestion has not been generally accepted. The linguistic data gathered by MacD. P. Jackson and David J. Lake for comparison with the Middleton canon tends to confirm that Humour Out of Breath is by Day alone.
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
ANTONIO
Antonio (Anthonio in Q1 and Bullen), banished Duke of Mantua, father to Aspero, Hermia and Lucida, now lives as a fisherman, with his daughters as country maids. He is content, unlike his son Aspero who swears revenge against his father's enemy Octavio Duke of Venice. While fishing and meditating he encounters Octavio's sons Francisco and Hippolito who, disguised as shepherds, have been wooing his daughters Hermia and Lucida, thinking they are country maids. Octavio, himself disguised as a servingman, enters and, not recognizing Antonio in his fisherman's guise, tries to persuade him of the unfitness of their children for each other. But when Antonio accepts Francisco and Hippolito as his sons in law, Octavio reveals himself, forbids the matches and banishes the fisherman, who is of course the already banished Antonio. But Antonio soon finds that in his absence some loyal Mantuan Lords have rallied and retaken the city in his name, and that his some Aspero has brought home as his betrothed none other than Octavio's daughter Florimel. He is blessing their union when word is brought that Octavio's army is approaching Mantua. However, battle is averted, the three young couples are joined, and Octavio is reconciled to the matches. Although Antonio enters "on the walls" at the beginning of 5.3 (the final scene) and is presumably present or even prominent amongst the reconciliations, he is given no lines in this scene.
ASPERO
Aspero is the son of Antonio, the banished Duke of Mantua who now lives the simple life of a fisherman and Hermia and Lucida are his sisters. Aspero is accompanied by a witty page (known only as "the Boy") with whom he often trades banter. Aspero is melancholy and satirical, and vows revenge on his father's enemy, Octavio Duke of Venice. He encounters instead an Octavio who is disguised as a servingman in order to spy on his sons. Unaware, Aspero confides to Octavio his plans to kill him. Instead of being angry, Octavio is impressed by Aspero's sense of honor. Then Aspero meets and flirts with Octavio's daughter, Florimel, who "imprisons" Aspero in her chamber. After another scene of flirting, Aspero plays dead in order to steal into Florimel's presence, but Octavio's deputy Hortensio discovers them and commits Aspero to real prison. Florimel visits Aspero in prison and they trick Hortensio into playing blindman's buff, disguise Aspero in Hortensio's gown, and escape together. Aspero brings Florimel to his father who with the aid of some loyal Lords has just been restored as Duke of Mantua, and she is welcomed as Aspero's betrothed; but just then word arrives that Octavio is again besieging Mantua. Aspero, Florimel and the others go out onto the walls to face Octavio's army, but when the rival Dukes discover that all six of their children have paired off, they decide to reconcile. Aspero speaks the final speech, inviting the audience to applaud.
ASSISTANCE
Assistance is a foolish manservant to Hortensio, the foolish deputy to Octavio Duke of Venice. In 3.1 he enters with Hortensio but does not speak, and helps to bind Aspero, committing him to Florimel's custody. In 3.4 Assistance and Hortensio discover that Aspero is really son to the banished Duke and bear him off to prison. Later when Aspero has blindfolded Hortensio and switched clothes with him, Assistance is tricked into abusing Hortensio as if he were the "madman" Aspero. When Duke Antonio calls for the prisoner Aspero, Assistance produces the disheveled Hortensio instead, as a result of which they themselves are hauled off to prison.
BOY
This unnamed Boy is page to Aspero. (The Boy is a page, and Florimel's Page is a boy, but they are here, as usually in the text, called Boy and Page respectively to differentiate them.) Probably he is present whenever Aspero appears, though sometimes he is mute. He has no lines in 1.2, 3.1, 5.2 and 5.3, but in the last two scenes he is included in the stage directions; and though he is not mentioned in the stage directions to 1.2, Aspero addresses him as they go out; so he is probably a silent presence in 3.1 as well. In 2.1, the Boy attends Aspero, trading witticisms with him and advising him, on his first encounters with his enemy Octavio and with Octavios's daughter Florimel. He also briefly trades barbs with Florimel's Page who plays a similar role. He is again attendant on Aspero when the latter is playfully "imprisoned" in Florimel's chamber, joking with him, advising him and bringing him news of Florimel's intentions. He then helps Aspero feign death in order to sneak into Florimel's presence, and presumably accompanies Aspero when Hortensio arrests him and takes him off to real prison. There the Boy helps Florimel and her Page to blindfold Hortensio in a game of Blind-man's Buff that allows Aspero to escape and switch clothes with Hortensio. Though he has no further lines to speak, according to the stage directions he accompanies his master during the confrontation and reconciliation scenes that end the play.
COUNTRY MAIDS
Hermia and Lucida live as "country maids" with their father Anthonio the exiled Duke of Mantua, himself now a humble fisherman. As they seem not to have taken new names or identities per se, these are not strictly disguises, but their wooers Francisco and Hippolito have no idea that they are the daughters of a Duke, but assume they are courting peasant girls. In fact Duke Octavio forbids his sons to marry the girls because he too assumes they are mere country maids and their father a simple fisherman.
CUPID
Only mentioned. Cupid is mentioned three times: once as employing "agents" to further love; again as running a "free school" for lovers; and finally, Hortensio, when he is blindfolded, is said to look like Cupid who, because "love is blind," was often represented as blindfolded.
CYNTHIA
Only mentioned. Lucida and Hermia are several times compared to Cynthia for their beauty.
FISHERMAN
In his exile Antonio Duke of Mantua lives as a simple fisherman. This is an occupation change rather than disguise per se, since he seems not to have taken another name. But it functions as a disguise, since his enemy Octavio Duke of Venice does not recognize the Fisherman when he meets him.
FLAMINEO
Flamineo is an attendant on Octavio, Duke of Venice. He speaks three lines in 2.1 but is otherwise mute, though he is included in stage directions in 1.3, 5.1 and 5.2. In Q1 and Bullen he is given four lines at the end of 5.1, but the context makes it clear that it is Octavio who should speak these lines, and the Mermaid editor makes this correction. Possibly a brief speech by Flamineo has dropped out; or a book-keeper's note indicating that it is Flamineo who takes away Hortensio has slipped into the printed text; or the name was originally part of Octavio's line ("...away with both, Flamineo!") and was mistaken for a speech prefix. Finally, although he is not named it is likely that Flamineo is one of the mute "attendants others" of 1.1.
FLORIMEL
Also called Florimella. Florimel is the daughter to Octavio, Duke of Venice. Her father, having completed the conquest of Mantua, invites his children to celebrate and asks what they should do next. Her brothers are for hunting or tournaments, but Florimel suggests that they set off in search of beauty and love. She wagers with them as to which will find the most beautiful lover, but vows that she herself will remain single. Her father doubts this and decides to disguise himself in order to observe his sons' wooing and assigns his deputy Hortensio to keep an eye on Florimel. Once in the countryside, Florimel leaves her brothers to their search and accompanied by her Page, rests under a tree. There she encounters Aspero, the son of her father's enemy the exiled Duke Antonio: they flirt but eventually part. Back in Venice she admits to her Page that she has fallen in love with Aspero. Aspero appears and they flirt some more while pretending to hate each other. Florimel falls aweeping, and when her guardian Hortensio threatens to imprison Aspero, she says she will bind him with her scarf and "imprison" him in her own chamber. Aspero, denied access to his lady, feigns death in order to sneak into Florimel's presence, surprising her when he starts up alive. Hortensio now recognizes Aspero as the son of the exiled Duke and hauls him off to real prison. Florimel and her Page convince Hortensio to let them view the prisoner, and while there they entice Hortensio into playing a game of Blind-man's Buff, blindfolding him and stealing his gown. Florimel helps Aspero to escape disguised as Hortensio, and they flee to Mantua. There the restored Duke Antonio blesses their betrothal, but word is brought that Duke Octavio is once again assaulting the city. However when Octavio sees his daughter Florimel in love with Aspero and his sons in love with the daughters of Antonio, the dukes are reconciled and all go in arrange for the weddings.
FRANCISCO
Francisco is one of the sons of Octavio, Duke of Venice and brother to Hippolito and Florimel. Octavio, having just conquered Mantua and exiled his enemy Duke Antonio, invites his children to celebrate and asks them what they would like to do next. Francisco is in favor of hunting the lion and the stag, but his sister and father convince the brothers to set out in search of love and beauty. Francisco and Hippolito disguise themselves as shepherds for this purpose, but unbeknownst to them their father also dons a disguise in order to spy on their wooing efforts. Francisco and Hippolito encounter two beautiful country maids, who are really Hermia and Lucida, the disguised daughters of the exiled Duke, and the couples flirt extensively, Hermia with Hippolito and Lucida with Francisco. After further wooing the couples decide to wed and they obtain Antonio's blessing; but Octavio, who has been disguised as a servingman, thinks they are in love with real peasant girls and reveals himself, forbidding the matches, banishing the disguised Antonio and his daughters, and taking Francisco and Hippolito away. In the meantime loyal Mantuan Lords have retaken Mantua in Antonio's name. He and his daughters have re-entered their city when word is brought that Octavio and his army are on the way to attack Mantua. Francisco and Hippolito are in the advance guard but when they scale Mantua's walls they are met by Hermia and Lucida who they recognize as the shepherdesses they had loved. When Octavio arrives with the rest of his army he discovers his sons and daughter paired off with Antonio's daughters and son. Chastened by their loving example, the two Dukes reconcile and weddings are announced as the play ends. In this play Hippolito and Francisco are not very well differentiated-in fact they are virtually interchangeable (as are their lovers Lucida and Hermia]. This is demonstrated by what appears to be a confusion in speech prefixes that is perpetuated even in the heavily edited Mermaid edition. All through the early acts, it is Hermia with Hippolito and Lucida with Francisco, and this is the way they are paired off at the very end. But when the brothers scale Mantua walls (Bullen p.479; Mermaid 5.3), it is Francisco who speaks of a "goddesse in my Hermiae's shape."
HERMIA
Hermia is one of the daughters of Antonio, banished Duke of Mantua, and her brother is the revengeful Aspero. In exile she and her sister Lucida live as country maids with their father who is now a fisherman. While fishing, Hermia and Lucida encounter Francisco and Hippolito, sons to their father's enemy Duke Octavio, now disguised as shepherds, and the couples flirt extensively, Hermia with Hippolito and Lucida with Francisco. After further wooing the couples decide to wed and they obtain Antonio's blessing; but Octavio who, disguised as a servingman, has been spying on his sons, thinks they are in love with real peasant girls and reveals himself, forbidding the matches and banishing the disguised Antonio and his daughters. In the mean time loyal Mantuan Lords have retaken Mantua in Antonio's name. He and his daughters have re-entered their city when word is brought that Octavio and his army are on the way to attack Mantua. Francisco and Hippolito are in the advance guard but when they scale Mantua's walls they are met by Hermia and Lucida who they recognize as the shepherdesses they had loved. When Octavio arrives with the rest of his army he discovers his sons and daughter paired off with Antonio's daughters and son. Chastened by their loving example, the two Dukes reconcile and weddings are announced as the play ends. In this play Hermia and Lucida are not very well differentiated-in fact they are virtually interchangeable (as are their lovers Hippolito and Francisco]. This is demonstrated by what appears to be a confusion in speech prefixes that is perpetuated even in the heavily edited Mermaid edition. All through the early acts, it is Hermia with Hippolito and Lucida with Francisco, and this is the way they are paired off at the very end. But when the brothers scale Mantua walls (Bullen p.479; Mermaid 5.3) it is Francisco who speaks of a "goddesse in my Hermiae's shape."
HIPPOLITO
Hippolito is one of the sons of Octavio, Duke of Venice and brother to Francisco and Florimel. Octavio, having just conquered Mantua and exiled his enemy Duke Antonio, invites his children to celebrate and asks them what they would like to do next. Hippolito is in favor of having a tournament and challenging all comers, but his sister and father convince the brothers to set out in search of love and beauty. Francisco and Hippolito disguise themselves as shepherds for this purpose, but unbeknownst to them their father also dons a disguise in order to spy on their wooing efforts. Francisco and Hippolito encounter two beautiful country maids, who are really Hermia and Lucida, the disguised daughters of the exiled Duke, and the couples flirt extensively, Hermia with Hippolito and Lucida with Francisco. After further wooing the couples decide to wed and they obtain Antonio's blessing; but Octavio who has been disguised as a servingman, thinks they are in love with real peasant girls and reveals himself, forbidding the matches, banishing the disguised Antonio and his daughters, and taking Francisco and Hippolito away. In the mean time loyal Mantuan Lords have retaken Mantua in Antonio's name. He and his daughters have re-entered their city when word is brought that Octavio and his army are on the way to attack Mantua. Francisco and Hippolito are in the advance guard but when they scale Mantua's walls they are met by Hermia and Lucida who they recognize as the shepherdesses they had loved. When Octavio arrives with the rest of his army he discovers his sons and daughter paired off with Antonio's daughters and son. Chastened by their loving example, the two Dukes reconcile and weddings are announced as the play ends. In this play Francisco and Hippolito are not very well differentiated-in fact they are virtually interchangeable (as are their lovers Hermia and Lucida]. This is demonstrated by what appears to be a confusion in speech prefixes that is perpetuated even in the heavily edited Mermaid edition. All through the early acts, it is Hermia with Hippolito and Lucida with Francisco, and this is the way they are paired off at the very end. But when the brothers scale Mantua walls (Bullen p.479; Mermaid 5.3) it is Francisco who speaks of a "goddesse in my Hermiae's shape."
HORTENSIO
Two characters are called Hortensio in the play.
Hortensio is Deputy to Duke Octavio and guardian to his daughter Florimel. In Q1 "Hortensio and others, attendants" enter with Octavio and his children at the beginning of the first scene. The Mermaid edition omits him from this scene altogether, presumably because he is mute and is not addressed or referred to; but it is likely that he is indeed meant to swell the progress, as Q1 and Bullen have it. When Octavio goes off to spy on his love-questing sons, Hortensio provides his disguise and is entrusted with watching over the wayward Florimel. After Florimel meets Aspero and their love-sparring causes her to weep, Hortensio threatens to imprison Aspero, but Florimel convinces him to leave him in her custody. Later Hortensio discovers that Aspero is really the son to his master's enemy, and with his assistant Assistance hauls Aspero off to real prison. Florimel, still in love with Aspero, convinces Hortensio to let her view the prisoner and while there she and her Page entice Hortensio into playing a game of Blind-man's Buff, in which they blindfold him and steal his gown. Aspero, now disguised as Hortensio, escapes, convincing the foolish Assistance that the imprisoned Hortensio is really Aspero. In a scene somewhat reminiscent of the imprisonment of Malvolio, Assistance mocks the frantic Hortensio-as-Aspero. When Octavio calls for the prisoner Aspero to be brought before him, Assistance can only produce the disheveled and disoriented Hortensio. Octavio sends them both off to prison for bungling, and both are absent from the long final scene.
Aspero in disguise. In order to escape from prison, Aspero dons a false beard and Hortensio's stolen gown. In this disguise he is able to deceive Hortensio's servant, Assistance, and make his getaway.
JOVE
Only mentioned. Jove is mentioned four times. In 1.1 and 1.3 Jove is offered as an example of a lover; and in 4.1 he is cited in his role of king of the gods: Francisco claims that, powerful as he is, Jove cannot destroy his love, and by Octavio, who claims that Jove "smiles at lovers' perjuries."
JULIO
Julio is Regent of Mantua for the conquering Duke Octavio. He first enters in 5.1 where he informs Duke Octavio of the Mantuan's revolt. His next appearances are problematic. He is in the stage direction to enter with Francisco, Hippolito and Flamineo in 5.2 (Bullen p. 477; Mermaid 5.3) but does not speak. Then later in the same scene (Bullen p. 481) he enters again with Octavio and others, and speaks one line to Octavio. It is not clear whether his first entrance is an error or whether he exited at some point before his second entry with Octavio. It is perhaps the former save that his one line suggests he may have witnessed the events preceding Octavio's entry.
LORDS, FIRST and SECOND
In 5.2 the opening stage direction reads "Enter Anthonio, Lucida, Hermia, and Lords", and in the scene that follows there are two speeches totaling nine lines headed "Lord" (Bullen pp. 474-5). On p. 477 these Lords presumably go in with the lovers and Duke Antonio, for they re-enter above with them; but they speak no further lines. The Mermaid editor divides the two speeches between "1st Lord" and "2nd Lord" (as well as starting a new scene, 5.3, at the re-entry above). This is not unreasonable but it is just as possible that one Lord delivered both speeches and the other one or more Lord[s] stood mute.
LUCIDA
Lucida is one of the daughters of Antonio, banished Duke of Mantua, and her brother is the revengeful Aspero. In exile she and her sister Hermia live as country maids with their father who is now a fisherman. While fishing, Hermia and Lucida encounter Francisco and Hippolito, sons to their father's enemy Duke Octavio, now disguised as shepherds, and the couples flirt extensively, Hermia with Hippolito and Lucida with Francisco. After further wooing the couples decide to wed and they obtain Antonio's blessing; but Octavio who, disguised as a servingman, has been spying on his sons, thinks they are in love with real peasant girls and reveals himself, forbidding the matches and banishing the disguised Antonio and his daughters. In the mean time loyal Mantuan Lords have retaken Mantua in Antonio's name. He and his daughters have re-entered their city when word is brought that Octavio and his army are on the way to attack Mantua. Francisco and Hippolito are in the advance guard but when they scale Mantua's walls they are met by Hermia and Lucida who they recognize as the shepherdesses they had loved. When Octavio arrives with the rest of his army he discovers his sons and daughter paired off with Antonio's daughters and son. Chastened by their loving example, the two Dukes reconcile and weddings are announced as the play ends. In this play Hermia and Lucida are not very well differentiated-in fact they are virtually interchangeable (as are their lovers Hippolito and Francisco]. This is demonstrated by what appears to be a confusion in speech prefixes that is perpetuated even in the heavily edited Mermaid edition. All through the early acts, it is Hermia with Hippolito and Lucida with Francisco, and this is the way they are paired off at the very end. But when the brothers scale Mantua walls to discover their lovers among the defenders (Bullen p.479; Mermaid 5.3), it is Francisco who speaks of a "goddesse in my Hermiae's shape."
MADAM CONSCIENCE
Only mentioned. Aspero tells his father Anthonio a fable of Madam Conscience who married a lawyer but could not live with him.
MASTER of FLORIMEL'S GONDOLA
A "ghost character." In 3.4 Florimel bids her page to have the "master of my Gundelo" stand ready. A little later the Page reports that he is ready, but the gondola is never used.
MESSENGER
In 5.2 (Bullen p. 477} a Messenger enters and delivers two speeches of two lines each, warning Duke Antonio and the lovers that Duke Octavio and his forces are approaching Mantua. The messenger apparently goes in with them for he re-enters with them above, but is given no more lines.
OCTAVIO
Octavio, Duke of Venice, father to Hippolito, Francisco and Florimel has defeated and exiled Antonio Duke of Mantua. Octavio asks his children, What next? His sons are for hunting or tournaments, but his daughter Florimel suggests that they set off in search of beauty and love. Octavio sends his sons off to find love, but decides to disguise himself as a rough fellow seeking service so that he may keep an eye on his daughter and observe his sons' first wooing efforts. (All of Octavio's appearances in Acts 2, 3, and 4 are in this disguise.) He watches his sons, disguised as shepherds, meet and flirt with the daughters of his rival Duke Antonio; but he is taken in by their disguises as country maids, and thinks his sons are wooing peasants. Still in disguise as a servingman, Octavio tries to get Antonio his rival (unrecognized, dressed as a fisherman) to help persuade their children from wedding. When that fails and the two couples are determined to wed, Octavio steps forward and doffs his disguise. He forbids the matches, exiles the fisherman, and marches his sons off home. There he is puzzled to find that his daughter Florimel seems to have fled the city with his deputy Hortensio (really Aspero disguised in Hortensio's gown), when news is brought that Duke Antonio and some Mantuan Lords have retaken their city. He calls for Antonio's son Aspero to be brought forth from prison, but is presented instead with the gownless, disoriented Hortensio. Octavio consigns Hortensio to prison and marches his sons off to attack rebellious Mantua. When Octavio and his army approach the walls of Mantua he finds that his daughter is there, betrothed to his enemy's son, and that his sons, who had gone on ahead have joined their lovers, who turn out to be not country maids but Duke Antonio's daughters! Octavio is chastened by his children's loving examples, and the families are reconciled.
OTHERS, PROBABLY SOLDIERS or GUARDS
Mutes. At the beginning of 5.1. Duke Octavio enters with his sons and Flamineo, "etc." Possibly the etc. includes soldiers or guards, for Octavio later orders someone present to bear Hortensio and Assistance off to prison, though a textual disruption suggests this may have been done by Flamineo [see under Flamineo]. Later in 5.2 (Bullen p. 481; Mermaid 5.3) Octavio and Julio enter with "others." Since Octavio is supposed to be making an assault on Mantua, and his sons and Flamineo are already on stage, presumably the others include soldiers. None of these hypothetical soldiers speak. There are also "others, attendants" (possibly including Flamineo) who accompany Octavio and Hortensio in 1.1 and "etc" accompanying Octavio, Hortensio and Flamineo in 1.3. None of the others in 1.1 and 1.3 speak, are addressed, or perform any specific function, but as Octavio is a warlike figure it is not improbable that two or more mute soldiers or guards accompany him in 1.1 and 1.3 as well as in 5.1 and 5.2.
OVID
Only mentioned. Ovid is mentioned twice, in 1.1 as an example of exiled scholarship, and in 2.2 as the author of Ars Amandi, a work of use to "Cupid's agents."
PAGE
Florimel's Page is a boy and Aspero's Boy is a page. They are here, as usually in the text, called Boy and Page respectively to differentiate them. When Florimel's Page enters in 1.3 he is first addressed by Hippolito and Francisco, leading the Mermaid editor to believe that here was a different page than that which attends on Florimel, and to distinguish between them in the dramatis personae. (See under Page to Hippolito and Francisco.) This Page seems to accompany Florimel at all times, except in 1.1. He could possibly be among the "others, attendants" in the general entrance at the beginning of that scene, but when he enters at 1.3, Francisco greets him "Now, sirra, what have you been about?" as if he had not seen him for a while. The Page then exits with Florimel, going with her to the countryside where she meets and flirts with Aspero, and back again to Venice where she continues their witty love-jousting. As the Page accompanies Florimel, he trades witticisms with her and satirically advises her on her love-life. When Hortensio imprisons Aspero, the Page helps Florimel to steal Hortensio's gown during a game of Blind-man's Buff, allowing Aspero to escape disguised as Hortensio. Finally, the Page accompanies Florimel to Mantua where he contributes humorous comments to the final scenes of confrontation and reconciliation. (The dramatis personae of the Mermaid edition of Humour Out of Breath distinguishes between a "Page to Hippolito and Francisco" and a "Page to Florimel." However these pages never appear together: in 1.3 a page enters as meeting the three siblings and speaks first with Francisco and Hippolito, but he exits with Florimel. This is clearly the same page, attached to Octavio's household, who for most of the play accompanies Florimel. For a "third" page who accompanies Aspero, see under Boy.)
PALLAS
Only mentioned. When Hermia challenges her lover to single combat, she is compared to the warrior goddess Pallas Athena.
PLAUTUS
Only mentioned. The last line of the play quotes "Plautus' phrase: si placet, plaudite."
SERVINGMAN
When Octavio Duke of Venice decides to spy on his sons, his deputy Hortensio brings him humble clothes, and he assumes the disguise of a man seeking service. He does not apparently take a new name, but his sons and others do not recognize him in this disguise.
SHEPHERDS
Francisco and Hippolito, sons to Octavio Duke of Venice disguise themselves as shepherds when they go into the countryside in search of love and beauty. They seem not to take new names, but Antonio and his daughters assume they are in fact shepherds when they encounter them.
SIGNIOR NOBODY
A fictional character. Signior Nobody is the fictional addressee of the author's dedication. There is no reason to believe that Signior Nobody exists within the world of the play or even serves as prologue.