The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher in Ten Volumes - Volume I | Page 3

_which with the
accesse of some Beames of_ Sydney, _twisted with their_ Flame
_presents a_ Constellation, _from whose_ Influence _all good may be
still expected upon Witt and Learning_.
_At this_ Truth _we rejoyce, but yet aloofe, and in our owne valley, for
we dare not approach with any capacity in our selves to apply your
Smile, since wee have only preserved as_ Trustees _to the_ Ashes _of
the Authors, what wee exhibit to your_ Honour, _it being no more our
owne, then those_ Imperiall Crownes _and_ Garlands _were the
Souldiers, who were honourably designed for their Conveyance before
the_ Triumpher _to the_ Capitol.
_But directed by the example of some, who once steered in our qualitie,
and so fortunately aspired to choose your_ Honour, _joyned with your
(now glorified_) Brother, Patrons _to the flowing compositions of the
then expired sweet_ Swan _of_ Avon SHAKESPEARE; _and since,
more particularly bound to your_ Lordships _most constant and
diffusive_ Goodnesse, _from which, wee did for many calme yeares
derive a subsistence to our selves, and Protection to the Scene (now
withered, and condemned, as we feare, to a long Winter and sterilitie)
we have presumed to offer to your_ Selfe, _what before was never
printed of these_ Authours.
_Had they beene lesse then all the_ Treasure _we had contrasted in the
whole Age of_ Poesie _(some few Poems of their owne excepted,
which already published, command their entertainement, with all lovers
of_ Art _and_ Language) _or were they not, the most justly admir'd,
and beloved Pieces of_ Witt _and the_ World, _wee should have taught

our selves a lesse Ambition.
Be pleased to accept this humble tender of our duties, and till we faile
in our obedience to all your Commands, vouchsafe, we may be knowne
by the_ Cognizance _and_ Character _of_
MY LORD,
Your Honours most bounden
_John Lowin
Richard Robinson
Eyloerd Swanston
Hugh Clearke

Stephen Hammerton
Joseph Taylor
Robert Benfeild
Thomas
Pollard
William Allen
Theophilus Byrd_.
TO THE READER.
Poetry _is the_ Child _of_ Nature, _which regulated and made
beautifull by Art, presenteth the most Harmonious of all other
compositions; among which (if we rightly consider) the_ Dramaticall
_is the most absolute, in regard of those transcendent_ Abilities, which
should waite upon the_ Composer; _who must have more then the
instruction of Libraries which of it selfe is but a cold contemplative
knowledge there being required in him a_ Soule _miraculously
knowing, and conversing with all mankind, inabling him to expresse
not onely the Phlegme and folly of_ thick-skin'd men, _but the strength
and maturity of the wise, the Aire and insinuations of the_ Court, _the
discipline and Resolution of the Soldier, the Vertues and passions of
every noble condition, nay the councells and charailers of the greatest
Princes.
This you will say is a vast comprehension, and hath not hapned in
many Ages. Be it then remembred to the Glory of our owne, that all
these are Demonstrative and met in_ BEAUMONT & FLETCHER,
_whom but to mention is to throw a cloude upon all former names and
benight Posterity; This Book being, without flattery, the greatest_
Monument _of the Scene that Time and Humanity have produced, and
must Live, not only the_ Crowne _and sole_ Reputation _of our owne,
but the stayne of all other_ Nations _and_ Languages, _for it may be

boldly averred, not one indiscretion hath branded this Paper in all the
Lines, this being the Authentick witt that made Blackfriers an Academy,
where the three howers spectacle while_ Beaumont _and_ Fletcher
_were presented, were usually of more advantage to the hopefull young
Heire, then a costly, dangerous, forraigne Travell, with the assistance of
a governing Mounsieur, or Signior to boot; And it cannot be denied but
that the young spirits of the Time, whose Birth & Quality made them
impatient of the sowrer wayes of education, have from the attentive
hearing these pieces, got ground in point of wit and carriage of the most
severely employed Students, while these Recreations were digested
into Rules, and the very Pleasure did edifie. How many passable
discoursing dining witts stand yet in good credit upon the bare stock of
two or three of these single Scenes.
And now Reader in this_ Tragicall Age _where the_ Theater _hath
been so much out-ailed, congratulate thy owne happinesse, that in this
silence of the Stage, thou hast a liberty to reade these inimitable Playes,
to dwell and converse in these immortall Groves, which were only
shewd our Fathers in a conjuring glasse, as suddenly removed as
represented, the Landscrap is now brought home by this optick, and the
Presse thought too pregnant before, shall be now look'd upon as
greatest Benefactor to Englishmen, that must acknowledge all the
felicity of_ witt _and_ words _to this Derivation.
You may here find passions raised to that excellent pitch and by such
insinuating degrees that