Thomas Middleton
YOUR FIVE GALLANTS
(THE FIVE WITTY GALLANTS)
1604–1607
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
Note: the Q text has areas of confusion in attribution of lines and other spots of obvious corruption. This entry follows the editorial suggestions in the on-line text edited by Cleary, largely following Bullen, which in particular identifies named characters for otherwise anonymous additional 'Gents' and 'Courtesans' appearing in the final scene. This has the advantage of rounding-off characterisations neatly which otherwise are left hanging in doubt, especially those of Bungler and Mrs. Newcut. The scholar is advised to consider these attributions with due care.
ARTHUR
Servant to Frippery, busy in negotiations with customers to the pawnshop in the opening scene. He later accompanies his master to the Mitre, and is sent back to the shop with items pawned by various characters to supplement their immediate gambling needs. Tailby's servant Jack later describes him as old.
BOY
Servant to Pursenet, he is an experienced pickpocket, who first steals from Katherine the chain of pearl given her by Fitsgrave. At Primero's brothel, he sings to entertain the customers; he also steals Fitsgrave's jewel, his gift from Katherine, again passing on the profits to his master. He stands lookout for Pursenet's highway robberies. The Boy is later caught trying to pick Bungler's pocket and threatened with prison; when his master feigns vehement horror, Bungler himself is fooled into excusing the Boy. He alerts Pursenet to the rich pickings to be had from Pyamont in St Paul's. Although they fail to accomplish the theft at their first attempt onstage, Pyamont later identifies the Boy as the likely culprit In the Gallants' masque Fitsgrave casts him as his narrator, the thief of the gods, Mercury. He rehearses his lines with the Gallants and joins in the performance of the masque at Katherine's house. When the chain of pearl he originally stole is produced, he attempts to flee, but is prevented. His and his master's crimes are exposed are he is taken away to prison, to be whipped, and according to Tailby, on account of his record, possibly hanged.
BUNGLER
Cousin to Mistress Newcut, newly arrived in London from the country. He is also previously acquainted with Pyamont. Taken up by the Gallants as a naïve mark, he is brought to Primero's brothel, where he narrowly misses encountering Newcut in her immoral leisure time as an amateur prostitute. Looses money in a crooked game of dice run by Goldstone. He catches Pursenet's Boy caught trying to pick his pocket, threatens his with prison, but is fooled into accepting an apology. Invited to dinner by Newcut, he extends the invitation to Goldstone. Goldstone uses the opportunity to accost him in disguise, feign mutual kinship with him and Newcut, and steal from her. With Pyamont, Bungler joins forces with Fitsgrave to expose the Gallants and bring them to justice. Attends the rehearsal of the masque: his presence at its performance and his assistance at the Gallants' apprehension can thus be inferred.
CONSTABLES
Two Constables, charged by Tailby to arrest Goldstone for the theft of the much-stolen chain of pearl, currently (and innocently) in Goldstone's hands. When the Gallants' common interest in the chain reveals to them eachothers' culpability, and they agree to join forces, the Constables are dismissed without an arrest.
COURTESANS
Experienced Courtesans at Primero's brothel, in the guise of refined young students at a ladies' music school. As such, they sing for the entertainment of their clients. At least three have lines (though in a late scene, Mistress Newcut herself is simply listed as a 'Courtesan', too). The First Courtesan affects a sincere love for Pursenet, and persuades him to make her a gift of the chain of pearl (stolen from Katherine). She secretly loves the gigolo, Tailby, giving him money and the chain, which is subsequently re-stolen by Pursenet. He discovers her duplicity from her letter to Tailby, also stolen. The Second Courtesan is intimate with Goldstone, who takes from her a valuable ring: she is secretly besotted with Tailby, too, and equally fooled by his protestations. The Third adds little, but is similarly deceived by Goldstone, and is needed, together with the Novice and Mistress Newcut, to partner the five Gallants in the masque, where all the Courtesans are disguised as pageboys. This is arranged with their agreement by Fitsgrave, on his revealing to them that their Gallants are false and intend to desert them for a lucrative marriage. All the Courtesans are subsequently given in marriage to the Gallants, who thus avoid public justice for their deeds. The First Courtesan briefly objects, but is instructed by Newcut that legitimate husbands are the best cover for promiscuity, which seems to outweigh Goldstone's assumption that the women will continue to provide immoral earnings for the five.
DRAWERS
Two Drawers at the Mitre, where the Gallants and their victims drink and dice.
FELLOWS
Two Fellows, customers at Frippery's pawnshop. The first, from the parish of St Clement's, has his goods rejected, as a possible plague-bearer; he is angry to be disappointed. The second, from the plague-free parish of St-Martin-in-the-Fields, pawns a full lady's suit of clothes on behalf of an unnamed gentlewoman, first asking for twelve pounds, but settling for twenty nobles in exchange, and he departs satisfied.
FITSGRAVE
A gentleman, hero of the play and honest suitor to the recently bereaved heiress, Katherine. He plights his true love to her with a chain of pearl (subsequently stolen from her by Pursenet's Boy and passing between many parties during the course of the action). To investigate his rival suitors' true motives for wooing Katherine, he disguises himself as a 'credulous scholar' (Master Ralph Bouser), intending to expose any who prove deceitful or mercenary. He finds, one by one, that they are all corrupt. Goldstone introduces him at Primero's brothel, where Pursenet's Boy also steals the jewel recently given to him by Katherine. He also attends a crooked game of dice in their company at the Mitre. Pursenet, as a highwayman, intends to rob him: instead, Fitsgrave defies and beats him, secretly recognizing him during their fight. Fitsgrave, also finding the letter dropped by Pursenet (from the First Courtesan to Tailby), identifies the vices of the third Gallant to have exposed himself as unworthy of Katherine. Goldstone next betrays himself by stealing Fitsgrave's cloak. It is later pawned to and worn by Frippery, who thus receives the revenge beating intended for 'Bouser' by Pursnet. Frippery thus reveals himself as a trader in stolen goods, and the tally is complete. Fitsgrave continues to pretend to believe Goldstone innocent, then gives a long moral soliloquy on the impudence of City rogues. 'Bouser' is given the opportunity to use his learning to expose the Gallants on their request to write a masque for Katherine's entertainment. He chivalrously rescues Newcut from a beating by the jealous Courtesans and reveals the Gallants' plans to reject their several favors for Katherine. All are disillusioned in their affections and agree to participate in his masque, disguised as pageboys in order to learn more of the Gallants' culpability, and to assist in shaming them. He exploits the Gallants' ignorance, giving each lines in Latin which reveal their true criminal nature. He solemnly rehearses the masque with them. Together with other victims of the Gallants' trade, Pyamont and Bunglar, and two Gentlemen in his confidence, Fitsgrave attends the performance in his own person, and orchestrates the Gallants' downfall. He gives the ultimatum that the Gallants each marry one of the Courtesans to avoid public prosecution for their crimes: the Boy and Primero are in addition sent away to be whipped. Fitsgrave modestly shares the credit for his success with his helpers and Katherine formally chooses him for her husband.
FRIPPERY
The broker-Gallant (pawnbroker). One of Katherine's mercenary suitors. In addition to usurious dealings he is a dealer in stolen goods through out the play. He describes his early life as a poor serving-man, building a fortune by trickery and ruthless investments. He has dealings with Primero and knows him to be a fellow-rogue, but freely preys on the other Gallants in their guise as rich citizens. He visits Katherine's house with her other suitors; attends Primero's brothel and says little on either occasion. At the Mitre, he comes into his own, doing good business as the loaded dice game impoverishes the more gullible players and their goods and even clothes go into pawn. Later, wearing Fitsgrave's stolen cloak, pawned to him by Goldstone, he is beaten in the street by Pursenet in a case of mistaken identity. General recriminations between all the Gallants soon lead them to hug and join forces in their pursuit of Katherine- the winner to provide a safe house in perpetuity for all. By this stage, Katherine's stolen pearls have reached Frippery's possession: he unwittingly presents them to her as his own gift at the conclusion of the Gallants' masque, provoking a sensation. After their exposure in his masque, Fitsgrave gives all the Gallants the ultimatum of marrying the Courtesans to avoid further public justice for their crimes. They all concede.
FULK
Servant and accomplice to Goldstone, an old retainer to the family. Abets Goldstone in his lucrative scams at the Mitre, assisting in both a well-prepared exchange of precious goblets for fakes, and an elaborately-rigged dice-game.
GENTLEMEN, TWO
Two Gentlemen, who are allies to Fitsgrave. The First Gentleman is in Fitsgrave's confidence and discuses with him his progress in disguise to expose the unworthiness of Katherine's rival suitors, the Gallants. They compare notes when Fitsgrave has found out three of the five. The Second Gentleman joins them in their plot to produce for Katherine a masque to expose all five Gallants: the First Gentleman's lack of Latin allows the translation of the secretly incriminating emblems to be translated for his (and the less-educated audience's) benefit. They seem distinct from the two Ancient Gentlemen, friends to Katherine's late father and herself, who attend the masque of the five Gallants as her guests, but may be identified with them.
GOLDSTONE, JUSTINIAN
Justinian Goldstone, the cheating-Gallant (confidence-trickster). One of Katherine's mercenary suitors; a predator generally, but not exclusively, on women. Obviously in league with Primero, he takes the initiative of luring the gull Bungler into the general company of the Gallants at the brothel. Swears true love to at least two of Primero's prostitutes, extorting goods and money from them. With the assistance of his servant, Fulk, he cheats the Vintner of the Mitre with an exchange of false 'beakers' for tankards made of precious metals. Runs a crooked dice game there, apparently on a weekly basis. Incautiously steals Fitsgrave's new cloak, which he immediately pawns to Frippery (who wears it in the street and is beaten by mistake by Pursenet). Goldstone is invited to dine with Mistress Newcut by Bungler; he subsequently accosts Bungler in disguise, pretending kinship with them both. He quickly makes off with Newcut's valuable salt-cellar and returns in his own person. After dinner, Newcut and Goldstone seduce each other and he receives the post-coital gift of a ring from her. He finds the chain of pearl dropped by Pursenet in his escape from Pyamont, and is threatened with arrest by Tailby for theft. General recriminations between all the Gallants lead them to hug and join forces in their pursuit of Katherine- the winner to provide a safe house in perpetuity for all. It is Goldstone who has the bright idea of presenting a masque to impress their mistress and humiliate their rival, Fitsgrave, and to commission 'Bouser' (Fitsgrave himself) to write it. After their exposure in his masque, Fitsgrave gives all the Gallants the ultimatum of marrying the Courtesans to avoid further public justice for their crimes. They all concede: having already proposed to Newcut on the death of her absent husband it remains unclear, given her disillusionment with him, whether she, or either of the Courtesans also cheated by him (and cheating on him) will take him as a husband. His final thought, that disgraceful marriage to a whore will at least furnish him with continued immoral earning, is countered by Newcut's reminder to the women that a legitimate husband provides the best cover for future promiscuity.
JACK
Servant to Tailby, not to be confused with the Mitre Vintner of the same name. Busy on his master's behalf, the day after Tailby looses his clothes in Goldstone's crooked dice game, in receiving serendipitous gifts of rich attire from Tailby's various married mistresses. Jack mentions that he gets no standing wage in Tailby's employment, but currently lives well on tips as his master's go-between. He cautions that the gigolo's career will be short: if Tailby survive the current plague, he will be out of business at forty.
JACK the VINTNER
Vintner at the Mitre, named Jack (not to be confused with Tailby's servant of the same name); appears to host a weekly dice-game for the Gallants, but as an honest man is another of Goldstone's victims.
JERONIMO BEDLAM
A servant to Katherine, friendly to Fitsgrave. He is sent to search for the pearls stolen from her, when he meets Fitsgrave and mentions the theft, he alleviates Fitsgrave's guilt for having had his own gift from her also stolen. This is his only named scene. Fitsgrave subsequently alludes to the madness implied in his name, but it is hard to see in this one brief encounter what eccentricities are manifest. It would be appropriate for Bedlam to be present at other scenes in Katherine's house, especially the finale, when many hands are needed to apprehend the guilty Gallants.
JUSTICE CROPSHIN
A "ghost character." Briefly mentioned as one of Frippery's clients.
KATHERINE
A wealthy orphan, daughter of a recently-deceased knight, wooed by all five Gallants for her wealth and by the hero, Fitsgrave, for true love. Their mutual attachment is clear from the outset, although Katherine both expresses herself unworthy of the gentleman and in need of a month's retirement before choosing fairly between her suitors. The chain of pearl given her by Fitsgrave and stolen, passes through many hands during the play, and is instrumental in the ultimate public exposure of her five unworthy suitors. Her gift to Fitsgrave- a jewel later identified as a diamond and sapphire piece- is also stolen to circulate between the Gallants throughout the play to contribute to the confusion, comedy and their eventual downfall. When the month is up, the Gallants' continuing rivalry with Fitsgrave, together with their new pact to co-operate with eachother to ensure one of their number wins her hand to their mutual benefit, leads to their performance of a masque to impress her and outdo Fitsgrave. (Since, as Bouser, he wrote it himself to expose them fully in Katherine's presence, they are all to be ruined.) Katherine invites two ancient Gentlemen, old friends of her father to escort her to the performance and witness her choice. The scale of the entertainment implies the magnificent scale of her fortune. Katherine appears to understand the Latin confessions the Gallants cannot translate: she is reluctant to dance with them during the masque, but does so on Fitsgrave's tactful prompting. She recognizes the stolen pearls when Frippery attempts to give them to her as his own gift: this precipitates the gratifying exposure of the Gallants. Afterwards, Katherine formally offers her hand to Fitsgrave and has the last lines of the lay, as befitting the mistress of the house in which it is cited.
MARMADUKE
Servant to Mistress Newcut, who reviles him as a 'foolish, dreaming lad', and threatens him with dismissal in her husband's absence. Sent to invite her country-cousin Bungler to dinner. Back home Newcut criticizes him for slacking in his domestic duties: it becomes clear that he is failing to provide sexual compensations for his master's absence, which his mistress must seek outside her home. He is also innocently blamed for the loss of the stolen salt-cellar.
MASTER RALPH BOUSER
The name used by Fitsgrave in his disguise as a credulous university scholar in the company of the five Gallants. This scholarly disguise has the additional merit of suiting him for the role of author for their masque: a circumstance which the sufficiently literate Fitsgrave turns to his own advantage by using his script to expose them.
MASTER ANDREW LUCIFER
A "ghost character." Briefly mentioned as one of Frippery's clients.
MASTER PROCTOR
A "ghost character." Briefly mentioned as one of Frippery's clients.
MISTRESS CLEVELAND
A "ghost character." One of Tailby's conquests, who sends her Servant to him with a new suit of clothes.
MISTRESS NEWBLOCK
A "ghost character." One of Tailby's conquests, who sends her Servant to him with a new beaver hat.
MISTRESS NEWCUT
A merchant's wife, already once widowed, with her current husband at sea, she has an unmanageable craving for sex and no scruples where she obtains satisfaction. Her servant, Marmaduke, is plainly incapable of the role of gigolo, so she discreetly frequents Primero's brothel where she pays to participate as an amateur prostitute. She narrowly avoids meeting her country-cousin, Bungler, there, but instead has Primero arrange an immediate liaison with Tailby. She later invites Bungler to dinner with a friend hoping that Tailby will attend. Having invited Goldstone instead, Bungler is fooled by the latter's disguise and brings him to visit her instead, in the character of a distant mutual cousin. In this disguise, Goldstone steals her salt-cellar; returning as himself, they seduce eachother after dinner, and she gives him a ring as a post-coital gift. On a later visit to Primero's, his Courtesans jealously attack her (mentioning in passing the report of her husband's 'welcome' death). She is only saved from a severe mauling by the intervention of Fitsgrave. The women all agree to participate in disguise in the Gallants' masque, becoming firm allies in romantic adversity, having heard enough to desire and contribute to the Gallants' shameful exposure. In the Gallants' masque, Newcut, together and the Courtesans disguise as pageboys. When the Gallants are exposed, Newcut echoes the First Courtesan's acquiescence with Fitsgrave's ultimatum that they should each marry one of the disgraced Gallants in order to avoid further punishment. Having heard news of her husband's death at sea, Goldstone had promised her marriage. She cynically encourages the other women, offering her own example that seemingly respectable wedlock is the best cover for sexual promiscuity. Given her disillusionment with Goldstone, it is unclear whether she will take him or one of the other Gallants as her next husband.
MISTRESS TIFFANY
A "ghost character." One of Tailby's conquests, who sends her Servant to him with a ten pounds in gold. The servant is told that the money is a returned deposit for out-of-stock lawn: in fact, it is a well-disguised gift to preserve the appearance of the gentlewoman's honour. Tailby takes time to praise her resourcefulness above many of other conquests.
NOVICE
A prostitute newly-recruited to Primero's service from a Puritan background, supplied with fine clothes for her new life from Frippery's pawnshop. Frippery cross-examines her on her background and alleged virginity. She is certainly seduced by Tailby on her first night at work. Like the senior Courtesans, she falls for him and gives him rich gifts. She is included in the company's trip to the Mitre, but not further mentioned by that designation. By the end of the play, no longer a Novice at her trade, therefore, she is one of the five Courtesans (including Newcut) who perform in the masque and are to be married to the five disgraced Gallants to avoid further punishment. Lines attributed to the Third Courtesan would be appropriately allotted to her.
PAINTER
The Painter delivers to Fitsgrave the five shields commissioned for the masque of the Gallants.
PRESENTER, or PROLOGUE
An unnamed Presenter of the play's Induction, who briefly introduces the five Gallants in dumbshow. Unclear from the surviving text whether a set speech for the Prologue is lost, or whether the lines are purely intended as a stage-direction.
PRIMERO
The bawd-Gallant (brothel-keeper). One of Katherine's suitors. He has first grown rich cheating at cards (primero) and now prospers from immoral earnings, running an elegant bawdy-house in the guise of an exclusive music school for young ladies. His dual identity, as an affected music teacher and guardian of ladies' morals, and an immoral pimp comes easily to him. He visits Frippery's pawnshop to hire fashionable clothes for his latest Novice courtesan. These two Gallants at least know eachother to be rogues, but both prey on the rest, and on naïve newcomers, like Bungler. For a consideration, Primero also welcomes the sex-starved Mistress Newcut as an amateur participant at his establishment, and arranges a liaison between her and Tailby. He escorts his Courtesans to the Mitre with the Gallants and their other marks, but leaves with them before the interminable dice-scene, and remains absent for much of the middle of the play. In the meantime rivalries between the gallants over stolen property and the unwittingly shared affections of Primero's Courtesans come to a head, with Pursenet in particular denouncing Primero for his immoral lifestyle. General recriminations lead the Gallants to hug and join forces in their pursuit of Katherine- the winner to provide a safe house in perpetuity for all. After their exposure in his masque, Fitsgrave gives all the Gallants the ultimatum of marrying the Courtesans to avoid further public justice for their crimes. They all concede. In addition, together with Pursenet's Boy, Primero is singled out as culpable beyond the rest and taken away, protesting, to be whipped.
PURSENET
The pocket-Gallant (thief). One of Katherine's mercenary wooers. The unnamed Boy is an accomplished pickpocket and lookout in his service; most of the goods he steals are fenced at Frippery's pawnshop and continue in circulation throughout the play. At Primero's brothel, though, the First Courtesan persuades him to give her the chain of pearl stolen from Katherine. Pursenet unsurprisingly has bad luck at the crooked dice, but makes a good show of helping to search for the stolen goblets when he is assured the Boy has not taken them himself. He waylays Tailby as a masked highwayman and robs him, regaining the pearls, and thus also learning of the First Courtesan's duplicity. His attempt, next, to rob the disguised Fitsgrave, results in a painful beating: unknown to him, he has also been recognized and exposed as a thief. Wounded, he resorts to the brothel, and quarrels with the Courtesan, and where Bungler catches the Boy attempting to pick his pocket. Pursenet feigns grief and outrage and the Boy is let off with an apology. He still owes 'Bouser' a violent revenge for the earlier beating: meeting Frippery in the street wearing Fitsgrave's stolen and pawned cloak, he beats the man in a case of mistaken identity. The Boy next alerts him to the chance of stealing forty pounds from Pyamont: their on-stage attempt fails, but he seems to succeed later, rejoicing in the same sum of money and being accosted by his suspicious victim shortly afterwards. He flees, dropping the chain of pearl, which is found by Goldstone, claimed by Tailby and leads to general recriminations between all the Gallants. Pursenet takes the initiative in making peace between all five as equal villains: they hug and join forces in their pursuit of Katherine- the winner to provide a safe house in perpetuity for all. Pursenet gives the chain to Frippery as security for the loan of masque-costumes. After their exposure in his masque, Fitsgrave gives all the Gallants the ultimatum of marrying the Courtesans to avoid further public justice for their crimes. They all concede.
PYAMONT
A rich gentleman, acquainted with Bungler, marked out as a prospective victim by Pursenet and his Boy. They are unable to pick his pocket as planned, in St Paul's itself (onstage) and he escapes with his forty pounds intact. Pursenet re-appears with forty pounds, presumably successfully stolen on a second attempt. Pyamont accosts him but fails to gain satisfaction from him. Pursenet's flight leads to the dropping of the chain of pearl, which is central to the Gallants' mutual recognition as rogues. Pyamont and Bungler give their support to Fitsgrave and are present to have the satisfaction of seeing the Gallants exposed by Fitsgrave's masque, helping in their detention.
SERVANT, MISTRESS CLEVELAND'S
Delivers a new suit of clothes from his mistress as a timely gift for the gigolo, Tailby.
SERVANT, MISTRESS NEWBLOCK'S
Delivers a new beaver hat from his mistress as a timely gift for the gigolo, Tailby.
SERVANT, MISTRESS TIFFANY'S
Delivers ten pounds in gold from his mistress to the gigolo, Tailby.
SIR OLIVER NEEDY
A "ghost character." Briefly mentioned as one of Frippery's clients.
TAILBY
The whore-Gallant (bawd, or gigolo). One of Katherine's mercenary suitors. A lecher who professes true love to Primero's Courtesans, winning their trust and conning money and free sexual favors from them, but also courting rich men's wives. At Primero's brothel, he seduces the Novice and later has a liaison with Mistress Newcut. Tailby looses badly at Goldstone's crooked dice game and pawns his weapons and clothes at the gaming table. Fortunately, three mistresses all send him gifts of rich apparel later, to make up the loss. Riding to a further encounter in Kingston, he is waylaid and robbed by Pursenet, as a highwayman. The heist includes the chain of pearl first stolen from Katherine, given by Pursenet to a Courtesan, and by her to Tailby, and the Courtesan's love letter to Tailby. Tailby is thus exposed to Pursenet, but himself ignorant of his assailant. He fees two Constables to search for his missing chain, eventually finding it in Goldstone's possession. This triggers a confrontation leading to general recriminations between all the Gallants. Acknowledging their mutual villainy, they hug and join forces in their pursuit of Katherine- the winner to provide a safe house in perpetuity for all. After their exposure in his masque, Fitsgrave gives all the Gallants the ultimatum of marrying the Courtesans to avoid further public justice for their crimes. They all concede, without making clear who will partner whom: still, only Tailby has previously slept with every one of them.
TAILOR
Summoned by Goldstone, to placate the Second Courtesan with the offer of a new gown. When the Tailor stresses the expense of the clothes decided on, he is chased off by Goldstone as a cheat.
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