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University of Virginia Library

Fletcher, John (1579-1625)

To the Stationer.

IN MEMORY OF Mr. Iohn Fletcher.

On Mr John Fletcher, and his Workes, never before published.

ON Mr Fletchers Works.

ON THE Deceased Authour, Mr John Fletcher, his Plays; and especially, The Mad Lover.

Upon the Works of Beaumont, and Fletcher.

On the Works of the most excellent Dramatick Poet, Mr. John Fletcher, never before Printed.

To the memory of my most honoured kinsman, Mr. Francis Beaumont.

On Mr. JOHN FLETCHER'S VVorkes.

Vpon Mr. John Fletcher's Playes.

To FLETCHER Reviv'd.

On Master JOHN FLETCHERS Dramaticall Poems.

Vpon Master FLETCHERS Dramaticall Workes.

On the Edition.

On the Edition of Mr Francis Beaumonts, and Mr John Fletchers Playes never printed before.

On the Dramatick Poems of Mr John Fletcher.

To the Manes of the celebrated Poets and Fellow-writers, Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, upon the Printing of their excellent Dramatick Poems.

To the desert of the Author in his most Ingenious Pieces.

On Mr BEAVMONT. (Written thirty yeares since, presently after his death.)

UPON Mr FLETCHERS Incomparable Playes.

On the Workes of Beaumont and Fletcher, now at length printed.

Upon the report of the printing of the Dramaticall Poems of Master John Fletcher, collected before, and now set forth in one Volume.

On Mr Francis Beaumont (then newly dead.)

To Mr Francis Beaumont (then living.)

Upon Master Fletchers Incomparable Playes.

On the happy Collection of Master FLETCHER'S Works, never before Printed.

To the memorie of Master FLETCHER.

Vpon the ever to be admired Mr. John Fletcher and His PLAYES.

IN HONOUR OF Mr John Fletcher.

Master John Fletcher his dramaticall Workes now at last printed.

Upon the unparalelld Playes written by those Renowned Twinnes of Poetry Beaumont & Fletcher.

On the Death and workes of Mr John Fletcher.

On Mr. John Fletcer's ever to be admired Dramaticall Works.

To the memory of the deceased but ever-living Authour in these his Poems, Mr. JOHN FLETCHER.

Upon the Printing of Mr. Iohn Fletchers workes.

1.

2.

Actus Secundus.

3.

4.

5.

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On the Works of the most excellent Dramatick Poet, Mr. John Fletcher, never before Printed.

Haile Fletcher, welcome to the worlds great Stage;
For our two houres, we have thee here an age
In thy whole Works, and may th'Impression call
The Pretor that presents thy Playes to all:
Both to the People, and the Lords that sway
That Herd, and Ladies whom those Lords obey.
And what's the Loadstone can such guests invite
But moves on two Poles, Profit, and Delight,
Which will be soon, as on the Rack, confest
When every one is tickled with a jest:
And that pure Fletcher, able to subdue
A Melancholy more then Burton knew.
And though upon the by, to his designes
The Native may learne English from his lines,
And th'Alien if he can but construe it,
May here be made free Denison of wit.
But his maine end does drooping Vertue raise,
And crownes her beauty with eternall Bayes;
In Scænes where she inflames the frozen soule,
While Vice (her paint washt off) appeares so foule;
She must this Blessed Isle and Europe leave,
And some new Quadrant of the Globe deceive:
Or hide her Blushes on the Affrike shore
Like Marius, but ne're rise to triumph more;
That honour is resign'd to Fletchers fame;
Adde to his Trophies, that a Poets name
(Late growne as odious to our Moderne states
As that of King to Rome) he vindicates
From black aspertions, cast upon't by those
Which only are inspir'd to lye in prose.

And, By the Court of Muses be't decreed,
What graces spring from Poesy's richer seed,
When we name Fletcher shall be so proclaim'd,
As all that's Royall is when Cæsar's nam'd.

ROBERT STAPYLTON Knight.