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

Disdaine not Gentle Shades, the lowly praise
Which here I tender your immortall Bayes.
Call it not folly, but my zeale, that I
Strive to eternize you that cannot dye.
And though no Language rightly can commend
What you have writ, save what your selves have penn'd
Yet let me wonder at those curious straines
(The rich Conceptions of your twin-like Braines)
Which drew the Gods attention; who admir'd
To see our English Stage by you inspir'd.
Whose chiming Muses never fail'd to sing
A Soule-affecting Musicke; ravishing
Both Eare and Intellect, while you do each
Contend with other who shall highest reach
In rare Invention; Conflicts that beget
New strange delight, to see two Fancies met,
That could receive no foile: two wits in growth
So just, as had one Soule informed both.
Thence (Learned Fletcher) sung the muse alone,
As both had done before, thy Beaumont gone.
In whom, as thou, had he outliv'd, so he
(Snatch'd first away) survived still in thee.

What though distempers of the present Age
Have banish'd your smooth numbers from the Stage?
You shall be gainers by't; it shall confer
To th'making the vast world your Theater.
The Presse shall give to ev'ry man his part,
And we will all be Actors; learne by heart
Those Tragick Scenes and Comicke Straines you writ,
Vn-imitable both for Art and Wit;
And at each Exit, as your Fancies rise,
Our hands shall clap deserved Plaudities.

John Web.