Roberto's Tale (1592)

Among various characters in this tale, only two are named, Mother Gunby and Gunby’s daughter Marian, but they are not protagonists. The tale tries to emphasize something via names.

Roberto, the protagonist in Greene’s Groats-Worth of Wit, tells a tale of how a young gentleman cunningly steals a peasant’s bride on their wedding day. Among all characters in this tale, only two are named, Mother Gunby and Gunby’s daughter Marian. This is strange because Mother Gunby and Marian are not protagonists and they have no dialogue in the tale.

Character List

Name	Role in the Tale	Reflecting
an old squire	father of the bride	Henry Herbert, Earl of Pembroke
the bride	daughter to the old squire	Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke
the bridegroom	a peasant, farmer’s son	Robert Greene
a young gentleman	suitor of the bride	Mary Sidney’s male surrogate
Mother Gunby	friend to the young gentleman	Henry Herbert’s disguise
Marian	daughter to Mother Gunby	Mary Sidney’s disguise

Mother Gunby can spell Henry Herbert; Marian contains Mary (y and i were exchangeable in Shakespeare’s time). Gunby’s daughter Marian can spell Mary Sidney Herbert, wife of Henry Herbert. This tale follows right after Lamilia’s fable as a hint to solve the fable the same way. Its arrangement matches the Ewe and Ewe’s brother Bellwether in the fable, but changes the relationship to mother and daughter.

The bridegroom, a peasant, reflects Robert Greene. He was supposed to connect with Countess of Pembroke directly.

Synopsis

In the north parts there dwelt an old squire and his only daughter who had many suitors, but she adored just a peasant. A young gentleman, “that had been long a suitor” to her, vexed with her choice and planned to mar their merriment by conspiring with Mother Gunby and her daughter Marian.

On the wedding day the young gentleman told the bridegroom that his bride was in Mother Gunby’s chamber waiting for her lover. The bridegroom came but failed to identify the maid on the bed was Marian. The bride and her father, informed by the young gentleman, caught the bridegroom and Marian in the chamber. At the end the young gentleman won the old squire’s daughter, and the peasant was compelled to marry Marian.

Mother Gunby and Marian

The name Marian can match the ending of grammarian (a term existed since the 14th century). Marian needs letter g to spell grammarian. Marian who “mounted behind the Gentleman” is a hint to put Marian behind the letter g in “Gentleman” to spell grammarian.

Grammarian can spell anagram. Mary Sidney as Marian alludes to a grammarian who plays the ungrammared anagrams with English, the mother language of Mary Sidney. Marian’s mother Gunby provides the needed letter g- and un-.

The Old Squire

First paragraph of the tale connects the courtesan Lamilia with the Bride, the old squire’s daughter who has “many youthful Gentlemen” being her suitors.

In the North parts there dwelt an old Squire, that had a young daughter his heir; who had (as I know Madam Lamilia you have had) many youthful Gentlemen that long time sued to obtain her love.

“North parts” seems redundant unless the term seals additional information. The original spelling “North partes” or “the North parts” can spell the Protestant. “There dwelt an old Squire” can spell Wilton House Wiltshire, suggesting the place of “there” in this tale.

Squire has the usage of a personal attendant or follower. The Herberts of Wilton House supported the Protestant.

The Bride

Roberto’s comment at the beginning compares Lamilia with the old squire’s daughter, “who had (as I know Madame Lamilia you have had) many youthful Gentlemen that long time sued to obtain her love,” suggesting that Lamilia is the bride in the tale.

Lamilia reflects Mary Sidney in Greene’s view, which makes the old squire’s daughter, the Bride, also reflects Mary Sidney.

Marian and the Bride are Mary Sidney’s two roles, the Countess of Pembroke openly, and a dark author privately.

Quoth Lamilia, “and what of this:”

“Nay nothing” said Roberto, “but that I have told you the effects of sudden love: yet the best is, my brother is a maidenly Bachelor; and for yourself, you have not been troubled with many suitors.”

“The fewer the better,” said Lucanio.