THE LAUNCHING OF THE MARY, or
THE SEAMAN'S HONEST WIFE
licensed 27 June 1633
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
BATT BENDBOWE
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
BOATSWAIN
The boatswain leads the launching of the Mary.
BOY
Drawer in the tavern where the workmen meet.
CAPTAIN
An unnamed Captain is a suitor of Dorothea Constance. He tries to woo her by describing all the battles he's won, but she is unimpressed; she lectures him on morality, and he apologizes.
CAPTAIN FITZJOHN
Captain Fitzjohn is the commander of the Mary. He shows the Lord Admiral around the shipyard, and they watch the workmen. Then he meets Dorothea Constance, who is sad because her husband is at sea. Captain Fitzjohn argues in favor of men going to sea, pointing out the benefits. But when he implies that Dorothea is being lustful for wanting her husband nearby, she defends marital sexuality, and the Captain apologizes, and eulogizes her as an emblem of constancy. When, later, he finds the workmen tormenting Dorothea as a typical unconstant sailor's wife, Captain Fitzjohn upbraids them and gives Dorothea his purse. He then sets off for his voyage on the Mary, but not before he utters a long speech in which he blesses the ship.
CAPTAIN GOODMAN
Captain Goodman is a sea commander. He is depressed because his wife is never happy, even with the money he brings back from sea. Dorothea lectures him on constancy and upbraids him when he hints that she might love him.
CHRISTOPHER CLOTE
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
CLERK of the CHECK
The Clerk calls out the names of the workers as they begin their shift. Then he discusses the launching with Naupegus, and hopes that the Queen will come to watch.
COMMITTEES
Two "Committees" - board members of the East India Company - accompany the Governor and his deputy to the shipyard. There, the Lord Admiral quizzes them on the claim that their business practices undermine the state. The Company members refute this claim at great length, and the Lord Admiral is convinced. There are two more of these debates at intervals throughout the play. At the end of the play, they all celebrate the launching of the Mary with a banquet, and watch the workmen dance.
DAVID AP OWEN AP EVAN AP MEREDETH AP JUNKIN
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
DEPUTY
The Deputy of the Governor of the East India Company accompanies his master to the shipyard. There, the Lord Admiral quizzes them on the claim that their business practices undermine the state. The Company members refute this claim at great length, and the Lord Admiral is convinced. There are two more of these debates at intervals throughout the play. At the end of the play, they all celebrate the launching of the Mary with a banquet, and watch the workmen dance.
DIRECTOR of the EAST INDIA COMPANY
See "Governor."
DOROTHEA CONSTANCE
Dorothea Constance is the wife of a seaman, and she is loyal to her husband, despite the bad reputation that sailors' wives have. She meets Captain Fitzjohn and tells him she is sad about her husband is going to sea, and Captain Fitzjohn argues in favor of going to sea, pointing out the benefits. But when he implies that she is being lustful for wanting her husband nearby, she defends marital sexuality, and the Captain apologizes, and eulogizes her as an emblem of constancy. Dorothea is then shocked by the loose behavior of two other sailors' wives, Mary Spark and Isabel Nutt. Dorothea is then assailed by a series of suitors. First, a rich man, Locuples, sends her seductive letters, but she refuses to be tempted. Their letters are read by Hobab, who admires Dorothea's chastity. We then see Locuples accosting Dorothea, and she still refuses him. At this point, Locuples realizes that sailors' wives are not as bawdy as he'd thought, and begs "a gracious pardon for my bad opinion." Then the Lord Admiral, who has been observing, eulogizes Dorothea again. But Dorothea is besieged by more suitors. A Captain tries to seduce her by describing all the battles he's won; Dorothea lectures him on morality and he apologizes. A priest writes a letter with religious proofs that she should be adulterous, and she rejects this too. Captain Goodman is depressed because his wife is never content, even with the money he brings back from sea. Dorothea Constance lectures him on constancy and resists when he hints that she might love him. Then the workmen taunt her because they believe her to be a typical sailor's wife, but Captain Fitzjohn chases them away, and gives her his purse; she thanks heaven for showing that there are some good people in the world. She ends the play with a speech in which she insists that she is not the only honest seaman's wife.
DRAWER
Drawer in the tavern where Trunnel drinks with Isabel and Mary. May be the same character as the "Boy" in a previous scene.
ECHO
When Lord Admiral Hobab soliloquizes on the virtue of Dorothea, an Echo tells him that his image of her is correct.
EDMOND ELEPHANT
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
FRANCIS FIRKIN
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
GABRIEL GOATHERD
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check. There is a cryptic marginal annotation next to his name: "where it must be the least man with a long beard."
GOVERNOR
The Governor of the East India Company. The first few occurrences of this character's name were altered to "Director" by the author, but this change was not carried through. The Governor and his colleagues meet the Lord Admiral at the shipyard, who quizzes them on the claim that their business practices undermine the state. The Company members refute this claim at great length, and the Lord Admiral is convinced. There are two more of these debates at intervals throughout the play. At the end of the play, the Lord Admiral and the company members celebrate the launching of the Mary with a banquet, and watch the workmen dance.
GREGORY GREENSUE
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
HARMAN CRAYVANGER
A "ghost character." One of the underlings of Harman van Speult, listed by Sheathing-Nail.
HARMAN VAN SPEULT
A "ghost character." Harman van Speult was the Dutch commander who massacred British sailors at Amboyna, in the East Indies; the workmen talk about these events (their discussion was deleted by the censor).
ISABEL NUTT
A seaman's wife. She and Mary Spark are unlike Dorothea: they are pleased when their husbands go to sea, and enjoy the opportunity to take lovers. Later, they meet and discuss bawdy gossip. Isabel claims to be carrying in her basket some silk to work on; but when Thomas Trunnel gets the women drunk he reveals that she is in fact carrying a brickbat.
JOHN AP EVAN OF LANGADOC
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
JOHN AP REES OF ABERHUNDIE
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
JOHN of ALL TRADES
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
KLEMENT KERSEBOOME
A "ghost character." One of the underlings of Harman van Speult, listed by Sheathing-Nail.
LAURENCE de MAERSCHALCKE
A "ghost character." One of the underlings of Harman van Speult, listed by Sheathing-Nail.
LEONARD LOURIE
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
LEONART CLOCQ
A "ghost character." One of the underlings of Harman van Speult, listed by Sheathing-Nail.
LLEWELLYN AP MORGAN AP DAVID
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
LOCUPLES
Locuples is a rich suitor of Dorothea. He tries to seduce her with seductive letters, but she refuses him. The letters are read by Hobab, who admires Dorothea's chastity. We then see Locuples accost Dorothea in person, but she still refuses him. At this point, he realizes that sailors' wives are not as bawdy as he'd assumed, and begs "a gracious pardon for my bad opinion."
LORD ADMIRAL HOBAB
Lord Admiral Hobab is visits the shipyard and admires the model of the Mary, which is being built. Captain Fitzjohn and Naupegus invite him to watch the workmen. When the Governor of the East India Company arrives with his colleagues, the Lord Admiral quizzes them on the claim that their business practices undermine the state. The Company members refute this claim at great length, and the Lord Admiral is convinced. Later, he comes across the seductive letters written by Locuples to Dorothea, and also her chaste replies. He admires Dorothea's chastity, and when he starts to soliloquize about her chastity, an Echo tells him that his image of her is correct. There then follows two more lengthy debates with the Governor and his colleagues, in both of which the company members convince Hobab of the justness of mercantilism. At the end of the play, Hobab and the company members celebrate the launching of the Mary
MARY SPARK
A seaman's wife. She and Isabel Nutt are unlike Dorothea: they are happy when their husbands go to sea, and enjoy the opportunity to take lovers. Later, they meet and discuss bawdy gossip. Mary claims to be carrying in her basket some children's clothes to work on; but when Thomas Trunnel gets the women drunk he reveals that she is in fact carrying painted cloths.
MILES MENDPRICK
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
NATHANIEL NIP
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
NAUPEGUS
Naupegus is a shipbuilder. He shows Hobab the model of the Mary, and prepares the ship for her maiden voyage. He discusses the launching with the Clerk of the Check, who hopes that the Queen will come to watch.
OSMUND OAKUM
A workman in the shipyard. The workmen quarrel genially as they work, and mutter about the massacre of Englishmen by the Dutch at Amboyna (although the reference to Amboyna was deleted by the censor). Later, they meet in a tavern, and Sheathing-Nail tells the story of the massacre (this too was censored). Trunnel encourages the workmen to taunt Dorothea Constance, whom they assume to be as unconstant as the other women in town, but they are chased off by Captain Fitzjohn. When the Mary is launched, the workmen entertain the East India Company board members with "some dainty dance, every one wearing the emblem of his name upon his head."
PENELOPE
Only mentioned. The patient wife of Odysseus; Captain Fitzjohn compares Dorothea Constance to Penelope.
PETER PESTLEHEAD
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
PETER VAN ZANTEN
A "ghost character." One of the underlings of Harman van Speult, listed by Sheathing-Nail.
QUINTILIAN QUICKSILVER
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
RODRIGO RAWBONE
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
SAMPSON SWABBER
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
SEMPRONIUS SACKFULL
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
SIMON SHEATHING–NAIL
A workman in the shipyard. The workmen quarrel genially as they work, and mutter about the massacre of Englishmen by the Dutch at Amboyna (although the reference to Amboyna was deleted by the censor). Later, they meet in a tavern, and Sheathing-Nail tells the story of the massacre (this too was censored). Trunnel encourages the workmen to taunt Dorothea Constance, whom they assume to be as unconstant as the other women in town, but they are chased off by Captain Fitzjohn. When the Mary is launched, the workmen entertain the East India Company board members with "some dainty dance, every one wearing the emblem of his name upon his head."
SWETNAM
Only mentioned. Joseph Swetnam was the author of The Arraignment of Lewd, Idle, Froward and Unconstant Women (1615). Trunnel says he hopes to prove "as malevolent a writer" against women as Swetnam ever was.
TAKALMOUTH TALLOW
A workman in the shipyard. The workmen quarrel genially as they work, and mutter about the massacre of Englishmen by the Dutch at Amboyna (although the reference to Amboyna was deleted by the censor). Later, they meet in a tavern, and Sheathing-Nail tells the story of the massacre (this too was censored). Trunnel encourages the workmen to taunt Dorothea Constance, whom they assume to be as unconstant as the other women in town, but they are chased off by Captain Fitzjohn. When the Mary is launched, the workmen entertain the East India Company board members with "some dainty dance, every one wearing the emblem of his name upon his head."
TARQUIN TAR
A workman in the shipyard. The workmen quarrel genially as they work, and mutter about the massacre of Englishmen by the Dutch at Amboyna (although the reference to Amboyna was deleted by the censor). Later, they meet in a tavern, and Sheathing-Nail tells the story of the massacre (this too was censored). Trunnel encourages the workmen to taunt Dorothea Constance, whom they assume to be as unconstant as the other women in town, but they are chased off by Captain Fitzjohn. When the Mary is launched, the workmen entertain the East India Company board members with "some dainty dance, every one wearing the emblem of his name upon his head."
THOMAS TRUNNEL
A workman in the shipyard. The workmen quarrel genially as they work, and mutter about the massacre of Englishmen by the Dutch at Amboyna (although the reference to Amboyna was deleted by the censor). Later, they meet in a tavern, and Sheathing-Nail tells the story of the massacre (this too was censored). Trunnel encourages the workmen to taunt Dorothea Constance, whom they assume to be as unconstant as the other women in town, but they are chased off by Captain Fitzjohn. When the Mary is launched, the workmen entertain the East India Company board members with "some dainty dance, every one wearing the emblem of his name upon his head."
TIMOTHY TREDVARGES
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
VALENTINE VARDEGREESE
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.
WILLIAM WOOLFANGE
A "ghost character." One of the workers in the shipyard. His name is called out by the Clerk of the Check.