Anonymous
LUST'S DOMINION, or THE LASCIVIOUS QUEEN
[Possibly this is the same play as THE SPANISH MOOR'S TRAGEDY by Day, Dekker, Haughton, [and Marston?]]
13 February 1600
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
ABDELA
A "ghost character." King of Fesse (Fez) and Barbary (Northern Africa), Eleazar's father. He was slain by the old King Philip, and his son Eleazar was then brought to Spain.
ALVERO
A Spanish courtier, father of Hortenzo and Maria. His daughter Maria is married to the Moor Eleazar, but he knows that his son-in-law cheats on her with the Queen Mother. Alvero is an important man in the state. He is present in most scenes of the play, but he has little importance in the plot of the play. Eleazar plans to kill him but never succeeds.
BALTAZAR OR BALTHASAR
The Moors Baltazar and Zarack are Eleazar's loyal servants. Baltazar is both a character and a disguise assumed by Philip.
Baltazar and Zarack ought to kill Cardinal Mendoza and Prince Philip when the Court is in Eleazar's castle, but they do not succeed. Their victims flee with the help of two Friars, Cole and Crab. Eleazar then tells Baltazar and Zarack to kill Cole and Crab, which they do in Sevilla: Baltazar kills Crab and Zarack kills Cole. In V they have to put the Queen Mother, Prince Philip and the Cardinal in iron chains under a yoke. When Hortenzo comes and shows them Eleazar's ring to free the Queen Mother and Philip, they arrest him, too. Bribed by Isabella, Zarack sets Philip and Hortenzo free and kills his colleague Baltazar. Philip then kills Zarack, Philip and Hortenzo paint their faces black and assume the roles of Baltazar and Zarack.
In V Prince Philip, acting upon Isabella's plan, paints his face black and assumes Baltazar's role. Thus disguised, he is able to trick and trap Eleazor and kill him.
CAPTAIN
An officer in Prince Philip's army who recommends a retreat during the battle.
CHRISTOPHERO OR CRISTOFERO
A Spanish courtier. He is not pleased when Eleazar becomes King of Spain, but Eleazar makes him king of Granada and so ensures his loyalty.
COLE
A Friar. The Queen Mother knows two friars, Cole and Crab, who would do anything for money. They are promised a cardinal's hat if they spread the news that Prince Philip is a bastard. In Eleazar's castle they help Philip and the Cardinal to escape an assassination planned by Eleazor to be carried out by Baltazar and Zarack. The friars give Philip and the Mendoza their robes and have themselves gagged. When they are discovered, they say that Philip and Mendoza had done this and fled. Baltazar kills Cole, and Zarack kills Crab, just as the two are spreading the news of Philip's bastardy, propagating Eleazar as the new king.
CRAB
A Friar. The Queen Mother knows two friars, Cole and Crab, who would do anything for money. They are promised a cardinal's hat if they spread the news that Prince Philip is a bastard. In Eleazar's castle they help Philip and the Cardinal to escape an assassination planned by Eleazor to be carried out by Baltazar and Zarack. The friars give Philip and the Mendoza their robes and have themselves gagged. When they are discovered, they say that Philip and Mendoza had done this and fled. Baltazar kills Cole, and Zarack kills Crab, just as the two are spreading the news of Philip's bastardy, propagating Eleazar as the new king.
ELEAZAR
A Moor, Prince of Fesse and Barbary, son of the late Abdela, King of Barbary. He has sworn revenge against the whole Spanish nobility because King Philip killed his father and also because he himself was taken as a prisoner to Spain. He has become an important figure in Spain, fighting successfully in the wars against the Turks, and is now married to Alvero's daughter Maria. King Philip's wife, the Queen Mother, visits him regularly. He is her lover or male concubine, but recently their liaison has become too well known. In I.i he insults her because he wants to break off this relationship. She has to leave because her dying husband wants to see her, and Alvero, who thought to find her with Eleazar, accompanies his son-in-law to the dying King. The King appoints Fernando as his successor and Cardinal Mendoza as his protector before he dies. Prince Philip arrives, calls his mother a Moor's concubine. As a consequence, Eleazar is banished by Mendoza. His wife Maria goes to Fernando, and he allows Eleazar to stay. Because Mendoza insists on his verdict, Fernando takes the protector's staff from him and hands it over to Eleazar. Mendoza swears revenge, but the Queen Mother succeeds to make peace between her two lovers and her son. The King invites everybody to Eleazar's palace. Eleazar tells the Queen Mother to spread the news that her son Philip is a bastard. He then tells Zarack and Baltazar to kill Mendoza and Philip, but they escape with the help of two friars, Cole and Crab. King Fernando then sends Eleazar in pursuit of the traitors. During Eleazar's absence Fernando hopes to get his wife, Maria, into his bed, whereas Eugenia, the Queen Mother, wants to kill Maria because she stands between her and Eleazar. Maria fears Fernando's approaches. Eleazar does not care about her life, but does not want to be cuckolded. He gives Maria a poison that she should give to Fernando. She takes the drug herself, and Fernando falls asleep after kissing her. When Eleazar comes back, he holds Fernando responsible for his wife's death and stabs the King. Supported by the Queen Mother, Eleazar becomes King of Spain. The courtiers are not pleased, but Christophero receives Granada's crown, and Roderigo the crown of Aragon. The thrones of Naples, Navarra and Jerusalem are given to others, which gives Eleazar enough support for a war against Philip and Mendoza. Mendoza and the King of Portugal have their troops retreat when the battle seems lost. Philip then fights Eleazar in a desperate single combat and would have won had not the Moors interfered to help their master. In the meantime, the Queen Mother uses her charms and convinces Mendoza to leave Philip. Once more, Mendoza makes peace with Eleazar. Eleazar promises to resign so Mendoza may marry the Queen and become King. Mendoza arrests Philip, Eleazar resigns and Mendoza asks for a new election: The Queen Mother should tell the name of Philip's father, so that he might marry her and legalize the offspring. But the lords decide that he should die. The Queen Mother says Cardinal Mendoza, who had raped her while her husband had been in Barbary, is Philip's father. Believing this to be part of the plot, Mendoza confesses to be guilty and offers to marry her, but the Queen insists on justice and revenge, and claims the throne for herself. Eleazar votes for Isabella. With this development, the Queen Mother, Philip and Cardinal Mendoza are to be executed. Eleazar still wants to revenge himself on Alvaro, Hortenzo, and Isabella. He shows Zarack and Baltazar his ring, whoever shows it should be arrested. Isabella and Hortenzo plead for the prisoners, and Eleazar sends Hortenzo with his ring to set them free. He tries to seduce Isabella, but she refuses him. Instead, Isabella bribes Zarack to free Hortenzo, the Queen Mother, Philip and Cardinal Mendoza. Zarack is also bribed to kill Eleazar and Baltazar. Zarack sets Philip and Hortenzo free and kills Baltazar, Philip kills Zarack. Philip and Hortenzo then paint their faces black. Eleazar, who mistakes them for his servants, has them rehearse the executions. They put Eleazor in Mendoza's position and, while he plays the Cardinal, the disguised Hortenzo binds him and Philip kills him.
EMMANUEL, KING OF PORTUGAL
Until the death of Philip's father, Emmanuel harbors Prince Philip in Portugal. Philip escapes again to Portugal when Friar Crab and Friar Cole warn him that his life is endangered. King Emmanuel supports Philip's cause against Eleazar, but when he thinks the battle lost, he warns him and tells him to recall his army.
EUGENIA, THE QUEEN MOTHER
Eugenia, wife of King Philip and mother of Fernando, Isabella and Prince Philip. The Moor Eleazar is her lover or male concubine, but recently their liaison has become too well known. When she visits him in I.i he insults her and tries to break off their relationship. She must return to the Royal Palace through a secret passage when her dying husband asks for her. When her son, Prince Philip arrives, he calls his mother a Moor's concubine. When Mendoza banishes Eleazar and King Fernando reinstates the Moor, Mendoza swears revenge. He and Eleazar draw their swords, but Eugenia makes peace between her two lovers. Eleazar asks her whether she would be prepared to kill her own son for him—she says that she is, but asks which one. As part of her revenge, she has the two friars spread the news that her son Philip is a bastard. While her lover Eleazor is away chasing Philip and Mendoza, Eugenia plots to kill Maria who stands between her and Eleazar. Together with Alvero and other courtiers she plans to surprise her in the arms of her son Fernando. When they enter the room, however, they find both Maria and Fernando unconscious. They think that she has killed Fernando and determine to strangle her, but he is only asleep while Maria herself is dying from the poison she has consumed. Eleazar holds Fernando responsible for his wife's death and kills the King. A new King has to be chosen, but Eugenia has seen to it that Philip has been proclaimed a bastard and traitor and cannot therefore assume the crown. Eleazar offers himself, supported by Eugenia, the Queen Mother. When Eleazar seems to lose the battle against Philip, the Queen Mother seduces the Cardinal Mendoza and brings him back to her camp. She has Eleazar come, and the two men make peace again. Eleazar promises to lay down the crown and arrange for Mendoza to marry the Queen Mother and become King. Once Philip is arrested, Eleazar abdicates, and Mendoza asks for a new election. The Queen Mother is requested to tell the name of Philip's father, presumably that he might marry her and legalize the offspring. But the lords have other ideas and decide that he should die whoever he is, Spaniard or Moor. The Queen Mother swears that Mendoza had raped her while her husband had been in Barbary. Believing this to be part of the plot, Mendoza confesses his guilt and offers to marry her. Eugenia, however, insists on justice and revenge, claiming the throne for herself. Eleazar treacherously votes for Isabella and has the Queen Mother arrested together with Hortenzo, Philip and the Cardinal. She and the others are placed in chains as Eleazar's prisoners. He plans to have them all killed. Isabella manages to set them free by bribing the guard Zarack. Zarack kills Baltasar and sets Philip and Hortenzo free. Philip kills Zarack and with Hortenzo sets the other prisoners free and kills Eleazar. After Philip accedes to the crown, Eugenia protests that she wishes to go to some solitary residence and repent.
FAIRIES
After Maria has taken the drug that Eleazar gave her to give King Fernando, Oberon comes with his Fairies in a masque-like sequence to warn Maria that the Queen Mother intends to kill her and marry her husband.
FERNANDO, KING OF SPAIN
Fernando King of Spain, Son of the late King Philip, Brother of Prince Philip and Isabella. Fernando becomes King of Spain after his father's death. His brother, Prince Philip, denounces his mother as the Moor Eleazor's concubine. Cardinal Mendoza, the newly appointed Lord Protector, bans Eleazar from the court. Fernando loves Maria, Eleazar's wife, and when she asks him, he reinstates Eleazar to his former rights. Mendoza becomes angry, but Fernando takes his protector's staff and gives it to Eleazar. The Cardinal is ready to raise an army against Fernando and have him excommunicated by the Pope. The Queen Mother arranges peace between them, and Fernando invites his court to Eleazar's palace. Prince Philip and Mendoza are to be killed during the night, but they manage to escape. King Fernando sends Eleazar in pursuit of the supposed traitors. During Eleazar's absence he hopes to get Eleazor's wife, Maria, into his bed. Eleazar gives Maria a poison for Fernando. Fernando, with his rapier drawn, forces Maria into a room where he offers her a banquet and music. She takes the drug herself, and Fernando falls asleep after kissing her. When Eleazar returns, he finds his wife dead and kills Fernando.
HORTENZO
Hortenzo, a Spanish courtier, is Alvero's son and Isabella's lover. After the death of the old King Philip, Isabella's father, they decide to leave the court. They reappear towards the end of the play, when the Queen Mother wants to take the crown and Eleazar proposes that Isabella should become Queen instead. Isabella asks Hortenzo to save her brother and her mother from prison and death. He goes to Eleazar who, with no authority to do so, gives Hortenzo his ring to try what his name could effect, but when Hortenzo shows it to Zarack and Baltazar, they arrest him, and he is chained and yoked together with the Queen Mother, Prince Philip and the Cardinal. Bribed by Isabella, Zarack sets Hortenzo and Philip free and kills Baltazar. Philip then stabs Zarack. Isabella suggests that Philip and Hortenzo paint their faces black to look like Zarack and Baltazar. Eleazar, who mistakes them for his servants, has them rehearse the executions, and when he plays the Cardinal, Hortenzo yokes and manacles him (by way of demonstration) and thus prepares him for Philip, who kills him.
ISABELLA
Isabella is the old King Philip's daughter, Fernando and Prince Philip's sister. She is in love with Hortenzo, Alvero's son. After the death of the old King Philip, Isabella's father, they decide to leave the court. They reappear towards the end of the play, when the Queen Mother wants to take the crown and Eleazar proposes that Isabella should become Queen instead. Isabella asks Hortenzo to help save her brother Philip and her mother from prison and death. When instead Hortenzo is himself arrested, chained and yoked together with the Queen Mother, Prince Philip and the Cardinal, Isabella bribes Zarack. Zarack sets Philip and Hortenzo free and kills Baltazar. Philip then stabs Zarack. Isabella suggests that Philip and Hortenzo paint their faces black to look like Zarack and Baltazar. In these disguises they are able to trap and kill Eleazar, who mistakes them for his servants.
MARIA
Alvero's daughter, Hortenzo's sister and Eleazar's wife. When her husband is banished by Cardinal Mendoza for his affair with the Queen Mother, Maria goes to the new King Fernando. Because Fernando loves Maria, he reinstates Eleazar's position at his court. When the Cardinal and Philip escape assassination at Eleazar's palace, King Fernando sends Eleazar in pursuit. During her husband's absence he hopes to seduce Maria. Eugenia, the Queen Mother, wants to kill Maria because she stands between her and Eleazar. Maria refuses Fernando. She wants to stay a true and loyal wife. Eleazar does not care about her life, but he does not want to be cuckolded. He therefore gives Maria a poison to administer to Fernando. Fernando, with his rapier drawn, forces Maria into a room, where he offers her a banquet and music. She takes her husband's drug herself, and Fernando falls asleep after kissing her. In her dream, Oberon and his fairies come to warn her of the Queen Mother's plan to kill her. The Queen Mother, Alvaro, Roderigo and Verdugo find her. They think she has murdered the King and determine to strangle her, but she dies in front of them. The King awakes and laments that they have killed virtue and chastity. Eleazar returns, holds the King responsible for his wife's death, and stabs him.
MENDOZA
A Cardinal. After At the death of King Philip, Mendoza becomes the Protector of Fernando. Prince Philip accuses his mother of having a relationship with Eleazar, and Mendoza then deprives Eleazar of all his privileges and banishes him from the court. When Fernando reinstates Eleazar, Mendoza becomes angry. When Fernando takes his protector's staff and gives it to Eleazar, the Cardinal is ready to raise an army against his King and have him excommunicated by the Pope. The Queen Mother arranges peace between her two lovers and her son. Fernando makes him Duke of Salamanca. Fernando invites everybody to Eleazar's palace where Eleazar plans to have Mendoza and Philip murdered. The assassination fails when the Friars Cole and Crab help them to escape. Mendoza joins Prince Philip with his troops, but when it comes to a battle against Eleazar's army, he favors a political solution and suggests retreat. The Queen Mother then uses her charms and convinces Mendoza to leave Philip. Once more, Mendoza makes peace with Eleazar. Eleazar promises to resign in order to allow Mendoza to marry the Queen and become King. When Mendoza meets Philip and his soldiers, he first wants to run away, but Philip's soldiers are no longer prepared to fight. Mendoza returns with Alvero, Christophero and Soldiers. Though he promises peace, he arrests Philip when he lays down his arms. Eleazar resigns and Mendoza asks for a new election: Philip, who is falsely proclaim a bastard, can not attain the crown. The Queen Mother is instructed to reveal the name of Philip's father. It is suggested that he might marry her and legalize the offspring, but the lords decide that he should die, whoever he is, Spaniard or Moor. The Queen Mother says that it was Mendoza who raped her while her husband was away in Barbary. Believing this to be part of the plot, Mendoza confesses his guilt and offers to marry her, but the Queen insists on justice and revenge, and Mendoza is arrested. He is placed in chains and under a yoke together with Hortenzo, the Queen Mother, and Philip. With the help of Isabella, who bribes the guards Balthazar and Zarack, they are all set free.
OBERON
After Maria has taken the drug that Eleazar gave her for King Fernando, she falls asleep. Oberon comes in a masque—or dreamlike sequence—to warn Maria that she will die, that Eugenia, the Queen Mother, intends to kill her and to marry her husband.
PAGES TO THE QUEEN
Two boys who accompany the Queen Mother on her amorous visit to Eleazar.
PHILIP OR PHILLIP, KING OF SPAIN
His wife, the Queen Mother Eugenia, secretly visits Eleazar, a Moor who is her lover or male concubine. King Philip is dying and assembles his lords and his family, his daughter, the Princess Isabella, Cardinal Mendoza, his son Fernando, Alvero, Eleazar, Hortenzo, Roderigo around his bed, the Queen Mother Eugenia, his wife, arrives from her secret meeting with Eleazar. She complains that she has been interrupted in her prayers for her husband. King Philip appoints his son Fernando as his successor, tells him to keep an eye on Eleazar and makes Mendoza his protector. He dies before his other son, Prince Philip, arrives home from Portugal.
PHILIP, PRINCE OF SPAIN
Son to King Philip of Spain and Brother to Fernando and Isabella. He arrives back from Portugal just after his father's death and calls his mother, the Queen Mother, a strumpet because of her liaison with the Moor, Eleazar. The Queen Mother reacts by having the news spread that Philip is a bastard and together with Eleazar she arranges to have him killed. Philip escapes assassination with the help of the Friars Crab and Cole and returns to Portugal. Emmanuel, King of Portugal, and Mendoza join his army against Eleazar, but when they see that he is going to lose the battle they retreat. After a single combat against Eleazar Philip wins the upper hand, but his soldiers are no longer prepared to fight. Mendoza comes with Alvero, Christofero, and Soldiers, entreats peace but then arrests Philip when he lays down his arms. Towards the end of the play Philip is Eleazar's prisoner, chained and under a yoke together with his mother, Cardinal Mendoza and Hortenzo. Isabella manages to set them free by bribing their guard, Zarack. Zarack kills Baltasar and sets Philip and Hortenzo free. Philip then kills Zarack. Isabella suggests that Philip and Hortenzo paint their faces black and pass themselves off as Zarack and Baltazar. Eleazar, who believes that they are indeed his servants, has them rehearse the executions. When Eleazor is made to play the Cardinal, Hortenzo traps him in the yoke and manacles and Philip kills him. They release the other prisoners and Philip attains the crown at play's end.
RODERIGO
A Spanish courtier who is not pleased when Eleazar becomes King of Spain, but Eleazar makes him king of Aragon and so ensures his loyalty.
STINKARDS, THREE ("THE ROUT")
Citizens of Sevilla who listen to Friar Cole's and Friar Crab's speeches against Prince Philip. They are convinced that the Prince is in fact a bastard.
SOLDIER, FIRST AND SECOND
Two soldiers in Prince Philip's army. They are not prepared to fight any longer and so hasten Philip's failure and arrest.
VERDUGO
A Spanish Courtier.
ZARACK
The Moors Baltazar and Zarack are Eleazar's loyal servants. Zarack is both a character and a disguise assumed by Hortenzo.
Baltazar and Zarack ought to kill Cardinal Mendoza and Prince Philip when the Court is in Eleazar's castle, but they do not succeed. Their victims flee with the help of two Friars, Cole and Crab. Eleazar then tells Baltazar and Zarack to kill Cole and Crab, which they do in Sevilla: Baltazar kills Crab and Zarack kills Cole. In V they have to put the Queen Mother, Prince Philip and the Cardinal in iron chains under a yoke. When Hortenzo comes and shows them Eleazar's ring to free the Queen Mother and Philip, they arrest him, too. Bribed by Isabella, Zarack sets Philip and Hortenzo free and kills his colleague Baltazar. Philip then kills Zarack, Philip and Hortenzo paint their faces black and assume the roles of Baltazar and Zarack.
In V Hortenzo, acting upon Isabella's plan, paints his face black and assumes the role of Zarack. Thus disguised, he is able to trick and trap Eleazor and kill him.