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THE

BIRD IN A CAGE.

BY

JAMES SHIRLEY.

JAMES SHIRLEY was descended from the family of the Shirleys, of Sussex, or Warwickshire. He was born in the year 1594, in the parish of St Mary Wool-church, where Stocks-market formerly stood. His grammatical learning he acquired in Merchant-Taylors School, and from thence was removed to St John's College, Oxford; but in what condition he lived there, whether as servitor, batler, or commoner, Wood* says, he was not able to discover. At that time, Dr Laud, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, presided in that seminary; and, having observed early marks of genius in young Shir ley, conceived a great regard for him, but is said to have prevented him from entering into holy orders, on account of a large mole, which disfigured his left cheek, and which he deemed a sufficient reason for refusing to permit him to be ordained. He afterwards left Oxford, and removed to Catharine Hall, Cambridge, where Wood supposes he took his degrees in arts, and entering into holy orders, began his ministry in or near St Albans. It was not long before he began to entertain scruples about his religion, which ended in his embracing the tenets of the Roman Catholic church. On this change he quitted his living, and taught a grammar school at St Albans; but this also growing irksome to him, he came to reside in the metropolis, lived in Gray's Inn, and commenced writer for the stage. In this profession he met with considerable success, and obtained sufficient advantages to enable him to live with credit and decency, until the breaking out of the civil wars, which occasioning the theatres to be shut up, he was compelled to leave London, and accepted an invitation from William, then earl, afterwards duke of Newcastle, to take his fortune with him in the wars. On the decline of the king's fortune, he retired obscurely to London, where, in 1647, he published the folio edition of Beaumont and Fletcher's works, and was some time maintained at the expence of Thomas Stanley, Esq.|| He afterwards returned to his former profession of teaching school, chiefly in White-Friars, and gained a decent subsistence from it until the king's return; but whether on that event he had any office or employment conferred on him to recompense his sufferings, Wood says he could not discover. At length, after a life of full seventy-two years, in which he had experienced various fortunes, he, with his second wife, Frances, were driven from their house near Fleet-street, by the great fire which happened in 1666, into the parish of St Giles in the Fields, where, being overcome by the fright and the loss they had sustained, added to the infirmities of old age, they both died in one day, and were buried in one grave in St Giles's church-yard, on the 29th of October, 1666. Wood says, that Shirley assisted his patron, the duke of Newcastle, in composing of certain plays, which the duke afterwards published; he also was consulted by Fletcher, after the death of his coadjutor Beaumont, and was besides a drudge for John Ogilvy, in writing annotations for that author's translations of Homer and Virgil. Dryden,§ with great injustice, has classed him with Flecknoes a writer too contemptible to de

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serve the slightest mention. According to the fashion of the times, in which every poet of reputation took another as his poetical son, and as such patronised and supported his reputation; Shirley was adopted by Chapman, in the same manner as Brome was by Dekker, Field by Massinger, Randolph first, and afterwards Cartwright, by Ben Jonson.

Shirley wrote several books for the instruction of youth in grammatical learning, many poems, and the following dramatic pieces:

1. The Wedding, a comedy, acted at the Phanix, in Drury-Lane. 4to, 1629. 4to, 1633. 4to, 1660. 2. The Grateful Servant, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1683. 4to,

1637.

3. The School of Compliments, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1631. 4to, 1637, and in 4to, 1667, under the title of, Love Tricks, or the School of Compliments, as acted at the duke of York's theatre, Little Lincoln's-Inn-Fields.

4. Changes, or Love in a Maze, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Salisbury Court. 4to, 1632. 5. A Contention for Honour and Riches, a Masque. 410, 1633.

6. The Witty Fair One, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to. 1633.

7. The Triumph of Peace, a masque, presented by the Four Inns of Court, at the BanquetingHouse, Whitehall, Feb. 3, 1633. 4to. 1633. See Warton's History of Poetry, Vol. 11. p. 400. 8. The Bird in a Cage, a comedy, acted at the Phanix, Drury Lane. 4to, 1633.

9 The Traitor, a tragedy, acted by his majesty's servants. 4to. 1635.

This play was revived and reprinted in 4to, 1692 and P. Motteaur, in his Gentleman's Journal, says, "Shirley only ushered it on the stage, but that it was written by one Mr Rivers, a Jesuit, who wrote it, and died in Newgate." See also Gildon on it. Oldys MS. Notes on Langbaine. It was also revived in 1718, at Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, and printed in 8vo the same year. To that edition, as well as the former in 1692, the name of Rivers is put as the author.

4to, 1637.

10. The Lady of Pleasure, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1657. 11. The Young Admiral, a tragi-comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 12. Hide Parke, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1637. 13. The Gamester, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to. 1637. 14. The Example, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1637. 15. The Royal Master, a tragi-comedy, acted at the New Theatre in Dublin, and before the Lord Deputy of Ireland in the Castle. 4to, 1638.

By the Dedication to the Earl of Kildare, it appears that the author was that year in Ireland. 16. The Duke's Mistress, a tragi-comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lune. 4to, 1638. 17. The Maid's Revenge, a tragedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 410, 1639.

18. Chabot, Admiral of France, a tragedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4lo, 1639. Chapman joined in writing this play.

19. The Ball, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1639.

Chapman also joined in writing this play.

20. Arcadia, à pastoral, acted at the Fhanix, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1640.

21. The Opportunity, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1640.

22. Love's Cruelty, a tragedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1640. 23. St Patrick for Ireland, the first part. 4to, 1640.

24. The Constant Maid, a comedy. 4to, 1640.

This was afterwards published under the title of Love will find out the Way.

1662.

By T. B. 4to,

25. The Coronation, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1640. This play was printed with the name of John Fletcher, as the author, and as such it is included in the works of him and Beaumont; Shirley, however, claims it, in the catalogue printed at the end of The Cardinal, and says it was falsely ascribed to Fletcher.

26. The Humorous Courtier, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Drury-Lane. 4to, 1640.

27. The Triumph of Beauty, a masque. 8vo. 1646.

28. The Brothers, a comedy, acted at the Private House in Blackfriars. 8ro, 1652.

29. The Sisters, a comedy, acted at the Private House, Blackfriars. 8vo, 1652.

30. The Doubtful Heir, a tigi-comedy, acted at the Private House, Blackfriars. 800, 1652.

31. The Imposture, a tragi-comedy, acted at the Private House, Blackfriars. 8vo, 1652. 32. The Cardinal, a tragedy, acted at the Private House in Blackfriars. 8vo, 1652.

3. The Court Secret, a tragi-comedy, never acted, but prepared for the scene at Bluckfriars. Evo,

1633.

These last six were printed in one volume.

54. Cupid and Death, a masque, presented before the ambassador of Portugal, on the 26th of March, 1653. 4to, 1653. 4to, 1659.

35. The Politician, a tragedy, presented at Salisbury-Court. 4to, 1655.

36. The Gentleman of Venice, a tragi-comedy, presented at a private house in Salisbury-Court.

4to, 1655.

37. The Contention of Ajax and Ulysses for Achilles's Armour, a masque. 8vo, 1659.

S8. Honoria and Mammon, a comedy. 8vo, 1659.

39. Andromana, or the Merchant's Wife, a tragedy. 4to, 1660.

Langbaine mentions only thirty-seven dramatic pieces by Shirley, but says there were others in MS. One of them was intitled, Rosanio, or Love's Victory, a comedy. Shirley appears to have left some children; one of them, in Wood's time, was the butler of Furnival's inn in Holborn.

ΤΟ

MASTER WILLIAM PRINNE,†

UTTER-BARRister of linCOLN'S-INN.

SIR,

THE fame of your candour and innocent love to learning, especially to that musical part of human knowledge, poetry, and, in particular, to that which concerus the stage and scene, (yourself, as I hear, having lately written a tragedy,) doth justly challenge from me this dedication. I had an early desire to congratulate your happy retirement; but no poem could tempt me with so fair a circumstance as this in the title, wherein I take some delight to think (not without imitation of yourself, who have ingeniously fancied such elegant and apposite names for your own compositions, as " Health's Sickess," "The Unloveliness of Love-Locks," &c.) how aptly I may present you at his time with "The Bird in a Cage" a comedy which wanteth, I must confess, much of that ornament which the stage and action lent it, for, it comprehending also another play or interlude, personated by ladies, I must refer to your imagination, the music, the songs, the dancing, and other varieties, which I know would have pleased you infinitely in the presentment. I was the rather inclined to make this oblation, that posterity might read you a patron to the Muses, and one that durst, in such a critical age, bind up the wounds which ignorance had printed upon wit and the professors. Proceed, inimitable Mecanas, and having such convenient leisure, and an indefatigable Pegasus, I mean your prose, (which scorneth the road of common sense, and despiseth any stile in his way,) travel still in the pursuit of new discoveries; which you may publish, if you please, in your next book of Digressions. If you do not happen presently to convert the organs, you may in time confute the steeple, and bring every parish to one bell.

This is all I have to say at this time; and my own occasions not permitting my personal attendance, I have entreated a gentleman to deliver this testimony of my service. Many faults have escaped the press, which your judgment will no sooner find than your mercy correct; by which you shall teach others a charity to your own volumes, though they be all errata. If you continue where you are, you will every day enlarge your fame; and, beside the engagement of other poets to celeLrate your Roman constancy, in particular oblige the tongue and pen of your devout honourer, JAMES SHIRLEY.

Mr Malone's attempt to ascertain the order of Shakespeare's plays, p. 331.

+ This is he who wrote Histrio-mastrix, the Players Scourge, or Actors Tragedy, printed in 1653. It is a large railing rhapsody, consisting chiefly of stupid quotations from the Fathers; from whence he endeavours to prove, that all who write, act, or frequent plays, are certainly damned. He particularly reflected upon the king and queen for the countenance and encouragement they gave to plays, for which he was prosecuted in the Star-Chamber, and sentenced to stand twice in the pillory, lose an ear each time, pay B0001., suffer perpetual imprisonment, and have his book burnt by the common hangman.

MR DODSLEY.

This very extraordinary man, whose severe punishment, and Roman constancy in submitting to it, had

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no small effect upon the minds of the people, and contributed more than is generally imagined to the disasters of the times, was born at Swanswick, near Bath, in Somersetshire, in the year 1600. He was educated in the last-mentioned city; entered of Oriel College in 1616, and took the degree of B.A. January 20, 1620. From thence he was removed to Lincoln's Inn, where he studied the common law, and became successively barrister, bencher, and reader, in that society. After the execution of his sentence, on account of Histrio-mastrix he printed other pieces which gave equal offence, which occasioned his being again prosecuted. In consequence of which, he was fined, branded, and imprisoned, and in each with equal or more severity than before. The place of his confinement was Mount Orguiel, in the island of Jersey, where he continued three years; at the end of that time, being chesen member for Newport, in Cornwall, he was released, and entered London in triumph; and he soon had an opportunity to revenge the severe treatment he had experienced from his inveterate foe, archbishop Laud He sat in the Long Parliament, and was one of the secluded members who were imprisoned on account of their zeal for a peace with the king. From this time he was an avowed enemy of Oliver Cromwell, and was by him imprisoned in Dunster Castle, in Somersetshire. At the Restoration he became instrumental in recalling the king, and was rewarded with being appointed keeper of the records in the Tower, and a salary of 5001. per annum. He was soon after named one of the commissioners før appeals and regulating the excise, was elected member for Bath, and embroiled himself with the House of Commons, on which account be was obliged to make a submission. He died at his chambers in Lincoln's-Inn, October 24, 1669, and was buried under the chapel there,

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Orp. Farewell, signior,

Your amorous lock has a bair out of order. Morel. Um! what an oversight was this of my barber!

I must return now and have it corrected, dear signior. [Exit. Fulo. Here's a courtier, that will not miss a hair of his compliment when he is to appear before his mistress. Every morning does this fellow put himself upon the rack, with putting on's apparel; and manfully endures his tailor when he screws and wrests his body into the fashion of his doublet.-But that the court cannot subsist without a fool, I should marvel what this fellow does to follow it.

Orp. There are more have much about his parcel of brains: the benefit of youth and good clothes procured their places, and ignorauce and impudence have since maintained them.

Fulv. Two great helps, as the world goes.
Enter Gentleman-Ushers, DONDULO, and
GRUTTI.

Gentleman-Ush. Clear the presence, the duke is entering.

Enter DUKE, EUGENIA, PERENOTTO. Attendants.

Eug. I ever was obedient

Duke. 'Tis for thy honour, which I know Is to thyself a precious sound.That building, 1 late erected, then shall be thy palace.

Eug. Or my prison, sir, if I do rightly understand.

Duke. That name

Is too unworthy of it, my Eugenia.

Nor will it seem restraint to my loved daughter,

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My dear Eugenia?

Eug. A deer, it seems;

For, as you had suspicion of my wildness, You'll measure out my walk.

Duke. I am thy father,

Who, by example of the wisest kings,
But build a place to lay my treasure in,
Safe from the robber, where I'll place a guard-
Eug. Do you suspect I shall break prison ?
Duke. To keep off violence, and soliciting,
Which may disturb thy pleasures, until we
Shall find out one to match thy birth and virtues;
My dukedom is too poor that way. Maintain
Thy father's soul: thou hast no blood to mix
With any beneath prince. Forget, as I shall,
Thy love was ever falling from thy greatness,
Into the arms of one carries but stile of honour.
Eug. Sir, I am your daughter.

Duke. Thou'st deserved my blessing: and thy

obedience

In this new crowns thy father. I see I need not
Urge what I am to move thee, and lay force:
Thy understanding does appear convinced,
And loving duty teaches thee to more
Than the command.-Perenotto-

Eug. What narrow ground I tread! I know
he is

Too passionate to be denied his will,
And yet to yield will make me miserable:
'Tis my misfortune to be born so great.
Each common man and woman can enjoy
The air, when the condition of a princess
Makes me a prisoner: but I must obey,
In hope it will not last.—I have a soul
Is full of grateful duty, nor will suffer me
Farther dispute your precept: you have power
To steer me as you please.

Duke. All the Graces

Speak in my girl-each syllable doth carry A volume of thy goodness: all my cares, So well rewarded, do convert to sweetness: I thank thy filial piety. Know, my girl,

1 Your amorous lock.-i. e. One of the love-locks anciently worn. Prynne, to whom this play is satirically dedicated, wrote a book against them. See Dr Warburton's note on Much ado about Nothing, A. b.

S. 1.

The fashion appears to have been derived from France. In Green's Quip for an Upstart Courtier, 1592, it is said: "Will you be Frenchefied with a love-locke down your shoulders? wherein you may weare your mistres favour." Love-locks are often mentioned or alluded to. See Ben Jonson's Epicæne, A. 4. S. 6; The Return from Parnassus, A. 3. S. 2; and in other pieces.

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