Webster's tragedy of _The Duchess of Malfi_--"the perfect and exact Copy, with diverse things printed, that the length of the Play would not bear in the Presentment"--was printed in 1623, having been acted by the King's servants at Blackfriars and the Globe, Burbadge playing the part of Ferdinand. It was printed again in 1640 and in 1678. Theobald published an adaptation of it, called _The Fatal Secret_, in 1735. _The Duchess of Malfi_ was revived at the Haymarket in 1707, and again at Sadler's Wells in 1850. Concerning its performance at the latter theatre Professor Ward remarks, "I remember, not many years ago, seeing _The Duchess of Malfi_ well acted by Miss Glyn; the impression which the tragedy produces on the stage is indescribable." The story of this play is in the _Novelle_ of Bendello, Part I., N. 26. Through Belleforest's French version it found its way into Paynter's _Palace of Pleasure_. Lope de Vega in 1618 wrote _El Mayordomo de la Duquesa de Amalfi_. To the Rt. Hon. GEORGE HARDING, Baron Berkeley,[101] _Of Berkeley Castle, and Knight of the Order of the Bath to the illustrious Prince Charles._ My Noble Lord, That I may present my excuse why, being a stranger to your lordship, I offer this poem to your patronage, I plead this warrant:--men who never saw the sea yet desire to behold that regiment of waters, choose some eminent river to guide them thither, and make that, as it were, their conduct or postilion: by the like ingenious means has your fame arrived at my knowledge, receiving it from some of worth, who both in contemplation and practice owe to your honour their clearest service. I do not altogether look up at your title; the ancientest nobility being but a relic of time past, and the truest honour indeed being for a map to confer honour on himself, which your learning strives to propagate, and shall make you arrive at the dignity of a great example. I am confident this work is not unworthy your honour's perusal; for by such poems as this poets have kissed the hands of great princes, and drawn their gentle eyes to look down upon their sheets of paper when the poets themselves were bound up in their winding-sheets. The like courtesy from your lordship shall make you live in your grave, and laurel spring out of it, when the ignorant scorners of the Muses, that like worms in libraries seem to live only to destroy learning, shall wither neglected and forgotten. This work and myself I humbly present to your approved censure, it being the utmost of my wishes to have your honourable self my weighty and perspicuous comment; which grace so done me shall ever be acknowledged By your lordship's in all duty and observance, JOHN WEBSTER. _COMMENDATORY VERSES._ IN THE JUST WORTH OF THAT WELL-DESERVER, MR. JOHN WEBSTER, AND UPON THIS MASTER-PIECE OF TRAGEDY.