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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 memorie of Master FLETCHER.

There 's nothing gain'd by being witty: Fame
Gathers but winde to blather up a name.
Orpheus must leave his lyre, or if it be
In heav'n, 'tis there a signe, no harmony;
And stones, that follow'd him, may now become
Now stones againe, and serve him for his Tomb.
The Theban Linus, that was ably skil'd
In Muse and Musicke, was by Phœbus kill'd,
Though Phœbus did beget him: sure his Art
Had merited his balsame, not his dart.

But here Apollo's jealousie is seene,
The god of Physicks troubled with the spleene;
Like timerous Kings he puts a period
To high grown parts lest he should be no God.

Hence those great Master-wits of Greece that gave
Life to the world, could not avoid a grave.
Hence the inspired Prophets of old Rome
Too great for earth fled to Elizium.

But the same Ostracisme benighted one,
To whom all these were but illusion;
It tooke our Fletcher hence, Fletcher, whose wit
Was not an accident to th'soule, but It;
Onely diffus'd. (Thus wee the same Sun call,
Moving it'h Sphære, and shining on a wall.)
Wit, so high plac'd at first, it could not climbe,
Wit, that ne're grew, but only show'd by time.
No fier-worke of sacke, no seldome show'n
Poeticke rage, but still in motion:
And with far more then Sphæricke excellence
It mov'd, for 'twas its owne Intelligence.
And yet so obvious to sense, so plaine,
You'd scarcely thinke't ally'd unto the braine:
So sweete, it gain'd more ground upon the Stage
Then Johnson with his selfe-admiring rage
Ere lost: and then so naturally it fell,
That fooles would think, that they could doe as well.

This is our losse: yet spight of Phœbus, we
Will keepe our Fletcher, for his wit is He.

Edw. Powell.