THE ROYALL MASTER As it was Acted in the new Theater in Dublin AND Before the Right Honorable the Lord Deputie of Ireland in the Castle Written by IAMES SHIRLEY Fas extera quaerere rigna LONDON 〈…〉 To the Right Honorable GEORGE Earle of Kildare Baron of Ophalie and Primier Earle of the Kingdome of Ireland My Lord IT was my happinesse being a stranger in this kingdome to kisse your Lordships hands to which your noblenesse and my owne ambition encourag'd me nor was it without justice to your name to tender the first fruits of my observance to your Lordship whom this Island acknowledgeth her first native Ornament and top branch of Honour Be pleased now my most honorable Lord since my Affaires in England hasten my departure and prevent my personall attendance that something of me may be honourd to waite upon you in my absence this Poeme t is new and never yet personated but expected with the first when the English Stage shall bee recovered from her long silence and her now languishing scene changed into a welcome returne of wits and men And when by the favour of the winds and Sea I salute my Country againe I shall report a story of the Jrish honour and hold my selfe not meanely fortunate to have beene written and receiv'd The humblest of your Lordships servants IAMES SHIRLEY To my Ingenious Friend James Shirley upon his Royall Master AS a rich gemme enchac'd in gold affords More radiant lustre to the gazers eye Inprison'd so within it selfe it hoords Vp all the beamy treasures of the skie Beames loose reflex on bodies diaphane But cast on solids they rebound againe So would thy lines my Friend in paper pent Contract the whole applauses of the age But should they a neglected ornament Be soly made the study of the Stage They might like water in the Sunshine set Retaine his image not impart his heate Then Print thy Poem Shirley 't were a fault To dungion this instructive peece of thine Had the Sunnes Spheare beene made a thicke rib'd vault We had receiv'd no influence from his shine Thou shouldst die traitour to succeeding times And thy best vertues prove but splendid crimes IAMES MERVYN On Mr. James Shirley's Royall Master SVch curious eyes as in a Poeme looke For the most part doe finde the printed booke With verses frontispic'd to shew their wit In praise of the authors which occasions it And I have seene some peeces that have stood In neede of witnesses to prove them good This Poets skill is here so clearely showne In offering light to his they dimme their owne For all that with unsquinted eyes shall see This well limb'd pecce of polish'd poesie In justice to themselves must needes confesse Friends cannot adde nor envie make it lesse FRA. BVTLER Vpon Mr. James Shirley his Comedy cal'd The Royall Master VVHen Spencer reign'd sole Prince of Poets here As by his Fairy Queene doth well appeare There was not one so blind so bold a Bard So ignorantly proud or foolish-hard To encounter his sweete Muse for Phoebus vow'd A sharp revenge on him should be so proud And when my Shirley from the Albion shore Comes laden with the Muses all their store Transferres to Dublin full Parnassus brings And all the riches of Castalian Springs Shall we not welcome him with our just votes And shall we doo 't with harsh and envious notes No no Thalia Envy shall not sit So high above our judgement and our wit As not to give just merit his due praise And crowne thy Poet with deserved Bayes Shirley stand forth and put thy Lawrell on Phoebus next heire now Ben is dead and gone Truly legitimate Ireland is so just To say you rise the Phenix of his dust And since thy Royall Master won so much On each Iudicious and hath stood the touch T is fit he should more then private when He weares two Crownes their votes and thy smooth penne DRV. COOPER On the Royall Master to his Friend the Author SMooth and unsullied lines keepe on your way From envies Ioss'le free a cleare ey'd day Smiles on your triumph onely thus to blame Too lavish is your sacrifice to fame Lesse of such perfume to succeeding age The dead would sweeten and enbalme the Stage Here is a pile of incense every line Heapes on fresh Narde your Muse cannot decline To intermissions some leave hills by turnes Flame and expire his Etna ever burnes RIC. BELLING To my deserving Friend Mr. James Shirley on his Royall Master I Like some petty Brooke scarse worth a name Must yet pay tribute to thy full-stream'd fame But I le not strive as men sometimes to raise An uncouth structure to thy merits praise From others ruines thy just minde will scorne To owne Encomiums so basely borne Therefore I write what may become my free Acknowledgment and fit thy modestie Thy Muse I honor'd e're I knew by sight Thy person oft I 've seene with much delight Thy sweete composures but this last and new Smooth peece which here hath grac'd the publicke view Claimes more regard I give to all the rest Their faire desert but ranke this with thy best T. I. To his much esteemed Friend Mr. James Shirley on his Royall Master YOu who the readers are of the choice wit And have the leading voice in censuring it Whose votes Grand jurors are and onely have The well knowne power either to kill or save Give this a noble greeting and its due May Phoebus else withdraw his beames from you My worthy Friend this Play 'o th publicke Stage Hath gain'd such faire applause as 't did engage A nation to thy Muse where thou shalt raigne Vicegerent to Apollo who doth daigne His darling Ben deceased thou should'st be Declar'd the heire apparant to his tree W. MARKHAM To the Honour'd Author of the Royall Master DEare Friend I joy my love hath found the meanes To waite upon and vindicate thy scenes From some few scruples of the weaker sex Whose nicer thoughts their female minds perplex For man he sinkes if he but censure none Dare deprave Kings Inauguration Say they what makes the King in his dispose So Icy-temperd as he frankly throwes Freedome on all except himselfe contrives The way for other men to purchase wives Takes joy to forward propagation By Nuptiall knot yet to himselfe ties none Prettie poore fooles and Virgins how you 'r kind Vulgar like are in apprehension blind Come reade you 'le see when you this peece peruse The Royall Masters Spouse is Shirlies Muse Why then to him and her an altar raise Tapers are set flaming with equall praise See see his Genius gracefully doth bend To the just vote of every loving friend The elevated Circle is upheld Betwixt the binall Cherubs palmes beheld By all judicious eyes the heart the voice Of all ingenious doe applaud the choice Of your great Royall Master say they 'ue found Two Monarkes with one glorious Laurell crownd W. SMITH To his worthy Friend the Author ALL
me wonders Madam las poore Lady I shall then have enough to reconcile Shee was too hasty to interpret me Her lover Sim. If you Sir apply no cure The fond impression may I feare indanger Her sence and life I urg'd Montalto Sir By your command before his change of fortune But shee tooke no delight to heare him namde King No no nor I good heaven how I am troubled How to repaire this pretty peece of innocence Whom I have brought into a waking dreame Of passion something I must doe pray tell me But tell me truth I charge thee by thy duty To me to Naples and to heaven or if There be in womans faith or thy Religion Any thing else to make it up a full And perfect conjuration Sim. You fright me Without these not a thought within my heart But you have power to summon King Tell me then Is Domitilla vertuous Sim. How Sir King Is shee exceeding vertuous is shee most Divinely chast can shee doe more then blush At wanton sounds will shee be very angry At an immodest offer and be frighted To heare it nam'd tell me does shee pray And weepe and wod be torne upon the racke Ere shee consent to staine one virgin thought Or dares shee more then Lucrece kill her selfe To save her honour or doe something more Miraculously then all this to preserve Her white name to posterity Sim. I know not How to reply to these particulars But if your meaning be to have me speake Truth of her modest and pare thoughts shee is All that her mother can beseech of heaven To blesse a childe with of so chast a soule And vertuous simplicity King No more I doe beleeve and will finde out a way To make her satisfaction t is just Say I desire her presence Sim. Now you blesse us A widdowes prayers and teares for this great bounty Exit Enter Riviero Rivi. Your sister and the Duke Sit King There 's new trouble Rivi. Never so lovingly united The pleasant language of their eyes and gestures Doth speake their hearts at peace King That would rejoyce me Enter Duke Theodosia Theo. Take us to your love All jealousies are banish'd and we both Breath from one soule King My wonder and my joy Duke Your pardon King Take my bosome Theo. The misfortune Kept us at distance was your creatures act King The clouds are now remov'd Rivi. Lord Montalto Sir King Let Musicke speake His deare approach we sent for him Rivi. How 's this King Let me intreate you to obscure your persons A while Exit Duke Theodosia Loud Musicke Enter Guido Aloisio Alexio Andrugio Octavio Montalto King My Lord y' are welcome to us very welcome We have kept our word and finde you have not lost Your confidence what a brave armour is An innocent soule How like a cocke it bids Defiance to a storme against whose ribbes The insolent waves but dash themselves in peeces And fall and hide their heads in passionate foame How would a guilty person tremble now Looke pale and with his eyes chain'd to the ground Betray his feare of justice Mont. Where should honour Shine with his pure and native lustre but Where there is such a King so good so great The example and reward he must be A rebell twice to vertue that can live To be convinc'd of a dishonour neare Such an instructive goodnesse King Where be all his fierce accusers Call 'em to his presence Whom all their envies would destroy Rivi. So so The King is charm'd Octav. They are gone upon the first Newes of my Lords returne they vanish'd Sir Mont. So may all reason fly the brow of innocence King T is well said but they sha not fly their names Reade there just to our thoughts they apprehended Thee lost in our displeasure where 's our sister And now they came to be reveng'd Montalto Vpon our favours Guid. Right and please your grace King There 's something may concerne your want of grace Andrugio Philoberto Gives them papers Mont. We are undone Guido and I see more Engines are leveld at my fate Rivi. The King would have your Lordship peruse this Andr. And these Rivi. That you may know your friends and enemies Mont. Lost lost for ever Rivi. Sir you know You have obliged the Princesse Theodosia And the Duke to you and you may presume To use their favours they are here Enter Duke Theodosia Mont. T were better For me they had no beeing I did never Expect this to accuse me for the death Of Riviero but I must obey This fatall revolution King Why does Montalto kneele Mont. I dare not aske your pardon Onely I beg you would put on a brow Rough as the cause you have to make it frowne And that may strike me dead without more torment King Ingratefull man am I rewarded thus Not onely with my faith abus'd and subjects But wounding all our honours Theo. Let him finde your mercy Sir For his offence to me Enter Simphorosa Domitilla King I must not dare not pardon t were a sinne In me of violence to heaven and justice Mont. You have beene a Royall Master King Take him hence His life will draw a scorne upon the Kingdome Expect the censure of our lawes you gentlemen We onely banish from the court Gui. Aloi. Alex. You are mercifull King Pray and be honest Rivi. That last will be the greatest pennancē to 'em King My passion would be strong but here is one Come to divert the streame how is it with My pretty Domitilla you and I May change some words in private Octav. The King is just and t is within your silence To make Montalto nothing Rivi. Hee will sinke Apace without that weight upon him malice Shall have no share in my revenge King And since Montalto Is become incapable I wo'not marry thee that 's a thing too common But thou shalt be my mistresse a preferment Above my first intention be wise And entertaine it oh the dayes and nights Wee le spend together Octav. The King 's very pleasant With Domitilla King Come kisse me Domitilla kisse me now Before all these what needs this modesty Come let us take in one anothers soule Dom. Are you the King of Naples King So they call me And if there be a power within that name It shall be thine to make thee glorious And great above our Queene there is no title like unto that our heate and blood creates A mistresse Domitilla Dom. Are you Sir in earnest King Doe but thou consent and I Will give thee such a proofe in my embraces Of the delight they will not follow us I le tell thee more i' th bed-chamber Dom. I dare Not understand this language can the King Be impious how was my opinion cozen'd Sinne hath deform'd his very shape his voyce Hath now no harmony King This is but to draw More courtship from me Dom. Pardon I beseech you I have found my errour King Will shee yeeld Dom. I did consent Too soone to
my captivity Though modesty would not allow me strength To tell you so but you have Sir by what My fond thoughts never did expect reliev'd me to make me know my selfe and now preserving That duty which I owe you as my King I call love backe agen and can looke on Your lusts with a becomming scorne King You can Dom. Yes and were Naples Rome and all the wealth Of Italy laid downe the great temptation Thus I would spurne their glories King Come this is but the tricke of all your sex We know you can dissemble appetite As if you were not flesh and blood Dom. Sir give Me leave to goe while I have power to pray for you Where was I lost is there no friend to goodnesse Have I contracted such a leprous forme That I have lost all mens defence and charity Octav. Madam your innocence doth raise in me Though young a willing champion and with My safe obedience to the King I dare Armde with the witnesse of her cause defie The greatest souldier in the world King How 's this Octav. Sir in a noble cause if you to whom In the first place truth flies as to an Altar Wave her religious defence I dare dye for her King You so brave to prison with him We will correct your saucinesse Octav. You will grace My first act Sir and get me same by suffering For so much sweetnesse Dom. Let not your displeasure Great Sir fall upon him revenge what you Call disobedience here King You owe much to His confidence nor is there any punishment Beyond your love and liking of his boldnesse You two should make a marriage with your follies Octav. Let Domitilla make Octavio So blest Dom. My Lord you now deserve I should Be yours whom with the hazard of the Kings Anger and your owne life you have defended There is a spring of honour here and too it i th presence of the King his Court and Heaven I dare now give my heart nor is 't without My duty to a promise Octav. Now you make Octavio happy King T is to my desires and I dare wish you joyes forgive this practise Nay preety Domitilla I did this But to divert more happily thy thoughts of me who have not paide yet the full tribute To my Cesarias dust agen let me Congratulate thy choise in young Octavio Whose birth and forward vertue will deserve thee Brother and sister love and wish them happinesse Theo May all joyes spring within their hearts Duke I must present this gentleman to be more knowne to you Octav I hope you are no enemy to this blessing Sim I adde what doth become a most glad mother blessing to your loves King Noble Riviero Rivi. I live agen by your acknowledgment Duke Sir you may trust my testimony Alvarez Letter is now an argument of his safety Who is yet living to increase the guilt Of false Montalto King Welcome t is thy life That hath revers'd Montaltoes doome whose sentence Now shall bee onely banishment our hearts Are full and sprightly nothing wants but to Perfect with holy ceremony what Your hearts have seal'd mirth in each bosome flowes Distraction never had so sweet a close FINIS THE EPILOGVE Ovr Poet doth forget his Play There is something he would pay Due to your greatnesse and the day Which by a revolution of the spheare Is proud to open the New yeare And having look'd on you hath hid his face And Chang'd his robe with Starres to grace And light you going to bed so waite With trembling Lustre on your state Shine brighter yet y' are not the same Cleare Lampes you were shine like the name Of him I bow too while aflame Active and burning here with pure desires Shall equall the best borrowed fires May health the bosomes friend streame through your blood And know no ebbe of the chast flood And though time shift and yeares renew May yet the Spring be still in you May She whom heaven hath sweetly grac'd And in your noble bosome plac'd Whose heart by onely yours embrac'd Hath made one true and holy Gordian prove Fruitfull in Children as in love And may this faire Top-branch whose early bloome Doth promise all the fruit can come To vertue and your name be blest And live a story to the rest All Honour with your fame in crease In your bosome dwell soft peace And Iustice the true roote of these Wealth be the worst and out side of your fate And may not heaven your life translate Till for your Royall Master and this I le Your deeds have fild a Chronicle In all that 's great and good be bold And every yeare be coppie of the old FINIS