The Knight of the Burning Pestle (Essay Sample)

The Knight of the Burning Pestle
by
Francis Beaumont
Due to the fact that Francis Beaumont's The Knight of the Burning Pestle was written in 1607 during the monarchy of King James I of England, modern readers will undoubtedly find certain passages and descriptions as puzzling and perhaps a bit illogical. After all, Beaumont's play is considered as a comedy with a good amount of what is known as farce or satire, a type of humor that was highly popular during the life of Beaumont and is probably most closely associated with English poets and playwrights like Geoffrey Chaucer, Christopher Marlowe, and of course William Shakespeare.
For example, the passage in question, found in Act II, contains some rather odd phrasing and word usage which modern readers may find confusing. The narrative voice is provided by Humphrey, a rascally decadent court favorite and the target of crude jokes and jests by other members of the court. In the second line, Humphrey exclaims "Help me, O Muses Nine," a reference to the nine muses of ancient Greek mythology often called upon by poets (and sometimes literary heroes) for inspiration and literary/artistic guidance.
There is also a reference to the "noble science" which in reality has nothing whatsoever to do with science, for this refers to the art of fencing as noted in the footnote. During Beaumont's time, fencing was considered as a "noble science," due to being practiced by the nobility of the court and the manual skill required to become a fencing expert with an "epee" or thin sword. Also, Beaumont's use of the words "sware" and "swore" in the same line of speech is somewhat perplexing, but this can be explained by the time frame in which the play was written via the use of Old English spellings.
In Line 10, we find the phrase "cordial broth" in relation to the daughter's "foolish oath" which the next line identifies as being an oath not to marry a commoner. Much like the use of unfamiliar Old English spellings, this refers to a restorative, a remedy or cure-all for an illness or disorder of some kind. In this context, the "broth" (i.e., the liquid derived from some kind of meat or other foodstuff) is sometimes good for the soul, much like a panacea or a potion.
Lastly, Humphrey in the final five lines of this passage provides a reference to himself as perhaps a gallant knight whose "mighty arms" are capable of carrying the daughter into the wilds of Waltham forest. Exactly why Humphrey would be willing to commit such an act has much in common with the Medieval storyteller's penchant for parodying bold knights who