The Town Fop: or, Sir Timothy Tawdrey

By Aphra Behn

Aphra Behn was a prolific and well established writer but facts about her remain scant and difficult to confirm. What can safely be said though is that Aphra Behn is now regarded as a key English playwright and a major figure in Restoration theatre. Aphra was born into the rising tensions to the English Civil War. Obviously a time of much division and difficulty as the King and Parliament, and their respective forces, came ever closer to conflict. There are claims she was a spy, that she travelled abroad, possibly as far as Surinam. By 1664 her marriage was over (though by death or separation is not known but presumably the former as it occurred in the year of their marriage) and she now used Mrs Behn as her professional name. Aphra now moved towards pursuing a more sustainable and substantial career and began work for the King's Company and the Duke's Company players as a scribe. Previously her only writing had been poetry but now she would become a playwright. Her first, “The Forc’d Marriage”, was staged in 1670, followed by “The Amorous Prince” (1671). After her third play, “The Dutch Lover”, Aphra had a three year lull in her writing career. Again it is speculated that she went travelling again, possibly once again as a spy. After this sojourn her writing moves towards comic works, which prove commercially more successful. Her most popular works included “The Rover” and “Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister” (1684–87). With her growing reputation Aphra became friends with many of the most notable writers of the day. This is The Age of Dryden and his literary dominance. From the mid 1680’s Aphra’s health began to decline. This was exacerbated by her continual state of debt and descent into poverty. Aphra Behn died on April 16th 1689, and is buried in the East Cloister of Westminster Abbey. The inscription on her tombstone reads: "Here lies a Proof that Wit can never be Defence enough against Mortality." She was quoted as stating that she had led a "life dedicated to pleasure and poetry."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Copyright Group
• Release date: Jun 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781785438417

Aphra Behn

Aphra Behn (1640-1689) was one of the first Englishwomen to earn a living from writing. She was a playwright, poet, translator, and fiction writer during the Restoration era. Behn’s plays and writing were well-received by the public, but she often found herself in legal trouble or being judged harshly because critics did not like that she was a successful woman. Behn remained a strong advocate for herself, and argued that women should have the same education opportunities as men, paving the way for more women to become writers.

Book preview

The Town Fop by Aphra Behn

Or, SIR TIMOTHY TAWDREY.

Aphra Behn was a prolific and well established writer but facts about her remain scant and difficult to confirm. What can safely be said though is that Aphra Behn is now regarded as a key English playwright and a major figure in Restoration theatre

Aphra was born into the rising tensions to the English Civil War. Obviously a time of much division and difficulty as the King and Parliament, and their respective forces, came ever closer to conflict.

There are claims she was a spy, that she travelled abroad, possibly as far as Surinam. 

By 1664 her marriage was over (though by death or separation is not known but presumably the former as it occurred in the year of their marriage) and she now used Mrs Behn as her professional name.   

Aphra now moved towards pursuing a more sustainable and substantial career and began work for the King's Company and the Duke's Company players as a scribe.

Previously her only writing had been poetry but now she would become a playwright. Her first, The Forc’d Marriage, was staged in 1670, followed by The Amorous Prince (1671). After her third play, The Dutch Lover, Aphra had a three year lull in her writing career. Again it is speculated that she went travelling again, possibly once again as a spy.

After this sojourn her writing moves towards comic works, which prove commercially more successful. Her most popular works included The Rover and Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister (1684–87).

With her growing reputation Aphra became friends with many of the most notable writers of the day. This is The Age of Dryden and his literary dominance.

From the mid 1680’s Aphra’s health began to decline.  This was exacerbated by her continual state of debt and descent into poverty.

Aphra Behn died on April 16th 1689, and is buried in the East Cloister of Westminster Abbey. The inscription on her tombstone reads: Here lies a Proof that Wit can never be Defence enough against Mortality. She was quoted as stating that she had led a life dedicated to pleasure and poetry.

Index of Contents

ARGUMENT

SOURCE

THEATRICAL HISTORY

THE TOWN-FOP; or, SIR TIMOTHY TAWDREY - PROLOGUE

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

MEN

WOMEN

SCENE – COVENT GARDEN

ACT I

SCENE I - The Street

SCENE II - A Chamber

ACT II

SCENE I - A Palace

SCENE II - A Chamber

SCENE III - Sir Timothy's House

SCENE IV - Lord Plotwell's House

SCENE V - The Street

ACT III

SCENE I - A Room in Lord Plotwell's House

SCENE II - A Bed Chamber

SCENE III - A Street

ACT IV

SCENE I - Celinda's Chamber

SCENE II - A Baudy House

SCENE III - Another Chamber in the Brothel, a Table with Box and Dice

ACT V

SCENE I - Covent Garden

SCENE II - Lord Plotwell's House

SCENE III - A Street

SCENE IV - Changes to the Inside of Friendlove's Lodgings

EPILOGUE

APHRA BEHN – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

APHRA BEHN – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

THE DORSET SQUARE THEATRE – A SHORT HISTORY

ARGUMENT

Sir Timothy Tawdrey is by the wishes of his mother and the lady's father designed for Celinda, who loves Bellmour, nephew to Lord Plotwell. A coxcomb of the first water, Sir Timothy receives a sharp rebuff when he opens his suit, and accordingly he challenges Bellmour, but fails to appear at the place of meeting. Celinda's old nurse, at night, admits Bellmour to her mistress' chamber, where they are surprized by Friendlove, her brother, who is, however, favourable to the union, the more so as he is a friend of Bellmour, and they have but newly returned from travelling together in Italy. Lord Plotwell warmly welcomes his nephew home, and proceeds to unfold his design of giving him his niece Diana in marriage. When he demurs, the old lord threatens to deprive him of his estate, and he is compelled eventually to acquiesce in the matrimonial schemes of his guardian. Bellmour sends word to Celinda, who replies in a heart-broken letter; and at the wedding feast Friendlove, who himself is deeply enamoured of Diana, appears in disguise to observe the traitor. He is followed by his sister disguised as a boy, and upon Friendlove's drawing on Bellmour a scuffle ensues which, however, ends without harm. In the nuptial chamber Bellmour informs Diana that he cannot love her and she quits him maddened with rage and disappointment. Sir Timothy serenades the newly-mated pair and is threatened by Bellmour, whilst Celinda, who has been watching the house, attacks the fop and his fiddlers. During the brawl Diana issuing forth meets Celinda, and taking her for a boy leads her into the house and shortly makes advances of love. They are interrupted by Friendlove, disguised, and he receives Diana's commands to seek out and challenge Bellmour. At the same time he reveals his love as though he told the tale of another, but he is met with scorn and only bidden to fight the husband who has repulsed her. Bellmour, meantime, in despair and rage at his misery plunges into reckless debauchery, and in company with Sir Timothy visits a bagnio, where they meet Betty Flauntit, the knight's kept mistress, and other cyprians. Hither they are tracked by Charles, Bellmour's younger brother, and Trusty, Lord Plotwell's old steward. Sharp words pass, the brothers fight and Charles is slighted wounded. Their Uncle hears of this with much indignation, and at the same time receiving a letter from Diana begging for a divorce, he announces his intention to further her purpose, and to abandon wholly Charles and Phillis, his sister, in consequence of their elder brother's conduct. Sir Timothy, induced by old Trusty, begins a warm courtship of Phillis, and arranges with a parasite named Sham to deceive her by a mock marriage. Sham, however, procures a real parson, and Sir Timothy is for the moment afraid he has got a wife without a dowry or portion. Lord Plotwell eventually promises to provide for her, and at Diana's request, now she recognizes her mistake in trying to hold a man who does not love her, Bellmour is forgiven and allowed to wed Celinda as soon as the divorce has been pronounced, whilst Diana herself rewards Friendlove with

her hand.

SOURCE

The Town-Fop; or, Sir Timothy Tawdrey is materially founded upon George Wilkins' popular play, The Miseries of Enforced Marriage (Quarto, 1607, 1611, 1629, 1637), reprinted in Dodsley. Sir Timothy himself is moulded to some extent upon Sir Francis Ilford, but, as Geneste aptly remarks, he may be considered a new character. In the older drama, Clare, the original of Celinda, dies tragically of a broken heart. It cannot be denied that Mrs. Behn has greatly improved Wilkins' scenes.

The well-drawn character of Betty Flauntit is her own, and the realistically vivacious bagnio episodes of Act iv replace a not very interesting or lively tavern with a considerable accession to wit and humour, although perhaps not to strict propriety.

THEATRICAL HISTORY

The Town-Fop; or, Sir Timothy Tawdrey was produced at the Duke's Theatre, Dorset Garden, in September, 1676. There is no record of its performance, and the actors' names are not given. It was a year of considerable changes in the company, and any attempt to supply these would be the merest surmise.

THE TOWN-FOP; or, Sir Timothy Tawdrey

PROLOGUE

As Country Squire, who yet had never known

The long-expected Joy of being in Town;

Whose careful Parents scarce permitted Heir

To ride from home, unless to neighbouring Fair;

At last by happy Chance is hither led,

To purchase Clap with loss of Maidenhead;

Turns wondrous gay, bedizen'd to Excess;

Till he is all Burlesque in Mode and Dress:

Learns to talk loud in Pit, grows wily too,

That is to say, makes mighty Noise and Show.

So a young Poet, who had never been

Dabling beyond the Height of Ballading;

Who, in his brisk Essays, durst ne'er excel

The lucky Flight of rhyming Doggerel,

Sets up with this sufficient Stock on Stage,

And has, perchance, the luck to please the Age.

He draws you in, like cozening Citizen;

Cares not how bad the Ware, so Shop be fine.

As tawdry Gown and Petticoat gain more

(Tho on a dull diseas'd ill-favour'd Whore)

Than prettier Frugal, tho on Holy-day,        

When every City-Spark has leave to play,   

Damn her, she must be sound, she is so gay;

So let the Scenes be fine, you'll ne'er enquire

For Sense, but lofty Flights in nimble Wire.

What we present to Day is none of these,

But we cou'd wish it were, for we wou'd please,

And that you'll swear we hardly meant to do:

Yet here's no Sense; Pox on't, but here's no Show;

But a plain Story, that will give a Taste

Of what your Grandsires lov'd i'th' Age that's past.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

MEN

Lord Plotwell.

Bellmour, Nephew to the Lord Plotwell, contracted to Celinda.

Charles, Brother to Bellmour.

Friendlove, Brother to Celinda, in love with Diana.

Sir Timothy Tawdrey, a Fop-Knight, design'd to marry Celinda.

Sham, Hanger on to Sir Timothy.

Sharp, Hanger on to Sir Timothy.

Trusty, An old Steward to Bellmour's Family.

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