The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher in Ten Volumes: Volume 01. — John Shaqi
The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher in Ten Volumes: Volume 01.Fletcher, John
General
The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher in Ten Volumes: Volume 01.
Fletcher, John
English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
The _formall Youth_, that knew _no_ other _Grace_,
Or _Value_, but his _Title_, and his _Lace_,
_Glasses himselfe_: and in _this faithfull Mirrour_,
_Views, disaproves, reformes, repents_ his _Errour_.
The _Credulous, bright Girle_, that _beleeves all_
_Language_, (in _Othes_) if _Good, Canonicall_,
Is _fortifi'd_, and _taught, here_, to _beware_
Of _ev'ry_ specious _bayte_, of _ev'ry snare_
Save _one_: and _that_ same _Caution_ takes her _more_,
Then _all_ the _flattery_ she _felt before_.
She finds her _Boxes_, and her _Thoughts betray'd_
By the _Corruption_ of the _Chambermaide_:
_Then throwes_ her _Washes_ and _dissemblings_ By;
And _Vowes_ nothing but _Ingenuity_.
The _severe States-man quits_ his _sullen forme_
Of _Gravity_ and _bus'nesse_; The _Luke-warme_
_Religious_ his _Neutrality_; The _hot_
_Braine-sicke Illuminate_ his _zeale; The Sot_
_Stupidity_; The _Souldier_ his _Arreares_;
The _Court_ its _Confidence_; The _Plebs_ their _feares_;
_Gallants_ their _Apishnesse_ and _Perjurie_,
_Women_ their _Pleasure_ and _Inconstancie_;
_Poets_ their _Wine_; the _Usurer_ his _Pelfe_;
The _World_ its _Vanity_; and _I_ my _Selfe_.
Roger L'Estrange.
COMMENDATORY
On the Dramatick Poems of Mr JOHN FLETCHER.
_Wonder! who's here?_ Fletcher, _long buried
Reviv'd? Tis he! hee's risen from the Dead.
His winding sheet put off, walks above ground,
Shakes off his Fetters, and is better bound.
And may he not, if rightly understood,
Prove Playes are lawfull? he hath_ made them Good.
_Is any_ Lover Mad? _see here_ Loves Cure;
_Unmarried? to a_ Wife _he may be sure
A rare one_, For a Moneth; _if she displease,
The_ Spanish Curate _gives a Writ of ease.
Enquire_ The Custome of the Country, _then
Shall_ the French Lawyer _set you free againe.
If the two_ Faire Maids _take it wondrous ill,
(One of_ the Inne, _the other of_ the Mill,)
_That th'_ Lovers Progresse _stopt, and they defam'd;
Here's that makes_ Women Pleas'd, _and_ Tamer tamd.
_But who then playes the_ Coxcombe, _or will trie
His_ Wit at severall Weapons, _or else die?_
Nice Valour _and he doubts not to engage
The_ Noble Gentl'man, _in_ Loves Pilgrimage,
_To take revenge on the_ False One, _and run
The_ Honest mans Fortune, _to be undone
Like_ Knight of Malta, _or else_ Captaine _be
Or th'_ Humerous Lieutenant: _goe to Sea_
(A Voyage _for to starve) hee's very loath,
Till we are all at peace, to sweare an Oath,
That then the_ Loyall Subject _may have leave
To lye from_ Beggers Bush, _and undeceive
The Creditor, discharge his debts; Why so,
Since we can't pay to_ Fletcher _what we owe.
Oh could his_ Prophetesse _but tell one_ Chance,
_When that the_ Pilgrimes _shall returne from France.
And once more make this Kingdome, as of late,
The_ Island Princesse, _and we celebrate
A_ Double Marriage; _every one to bring
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