Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A59968
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Henry the Third of France, stabb'd by a fryer, with the fall of the Guise a tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal / by Thomas Shipman.
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Shipman, Thomas, 1632-1680.
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1678
(1678)
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Wing S3441; ESTC R11164
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51,437
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94
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HENRY THE THIRD OF FRANCE Stabb'd by a FRYER WITH THE Fall of the GUISE A TRAGEDY Acted at the THEATRE-ROYAL By THOMAS SHIPMAN Esquire Licensed Octob. 16. 1678. ROGER L'ESTRANGE Rege incolumi Mens omnibus una Virg. Georg. LONDON Printed by B. G. for Sam. Heyrick at Grayes-Inn-Gate in Holborn 1678. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY Lord Marquess of Dorchester Earl of Kingstone Viscount Newark Lord Pierrepont and Manvers and one of the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Counsel c. My Lord WIsdome is attain'd by an exact disquisition after Truth which seem'd once so difficult an attempt that in Greece the then knowing part of the World seven only were accounted to deserve the name of Wise. Such commendable researches gain'd 'em that prae-eminence and this made them prescribe to the rest of Mankind They declar'd Truth like precious Oar bury'd in a Pit not to be got thence but by a long deduction of Reason nor this Reason perfected without Study and Learning Now Learning is only the cultivating of Parts and Wit 'till we arrive at a thorough improvement of thoughts upon things and Men. My Lord all this being consider'd who can lay a juster claim to this Iewel than your Lordship Whose mind being animated by generous spirits always addresses it self unto noble ends Your inward sight sharper than that of Eagles can gaze upon the splendeur where Truth'sits thron'd and discern all the finesses of Policy and Prudence Ablessing not to be attain'd without a sagacity able to pierce into the deepest resorts of Nature and to extricate hidden forms from the Wombs of their Causes But these Perfections like th' Elixir of the Phylosophers are impossible or very difficult to be obtain'd without such a prosperous success as your Lordships that has run through the round of all Sciences with a perspicacity even to admiration You my Lord like the Eye of the World have not only visited but inlighten'd each Orb in the Heaven of Learning And those who hence forward shall pretend to knowledge must owe it to your Influence Wherever you past you left such tracks of light as may direct the inquisitive World into the most private recesses of knowledge Besides 't is as wonderful how your Lordship could arrive to this height to these miraculous improvements How could you break through those intangling blandishments of Fortune Those cumbersome imployments of Honour and State Those tediousnesses of Address that wait on and add to the tumults of Grandeur For Greatmen as th' incomparable Verulam observes have little freedome either in their times their actions or themselves Insomuch as prae-eminence would afford no Aitraits nor any pretences authorize the thirstings after Greatness unless a power to do good By such revelations of your merits and vertue you have added lustre to your Coronet and ennobled even Nobility it self Vulgar Fame applauds Majesty in such choices and that commonstream runs here into the Fountain of Honour If our Age had been unfortunate in wanting you as that of the Romans had been happy in injoying you Cicero might have spar'd his expectation as he smartly worded it to Caesar Quae miremur habemus quae laudemus expectamus In our late Deluge of Ignorance and Rebellion you stood up like one of Seth's Pillars and preserv'd Letters and Loyalty to this happy Age. You were tost indeed but not discompos'd with the humrous successes of Fortune You steer'd your Resolutions and kept a steady soul amidst those storms that shipwrackt three Kingdomes In that fatal 41th when those false Representatives of our Liberties like Robbers pretended to direct us into the right way and then intrapt us into streights to cut our Purses and our Throats when by a horrid Conspiracy like that of Corah they rebell'd both against Moses and Aaron when like the ingrateful Hebrews they wanten'd after impure Loves and worshipt false Gods of their own making Then you my Lord indeavour'd with all your might to rescue us from inhumanity and rapine and divert Iudgments from the People like Cicero in the Conspiracy of Catiline and with equal Eloquence you labour'd to save both Capitol and Common-wealth from ruin In testimony whereof those two incomparable Speeches of your Lordships to the House of Peers in Defence of the Hierarchy will be recorded in the Temple of Fame till Time shall be no more Nor is this all for tho these great Truths must eternize your Name and advantage the next Age with glorious examples yet to come nearer home my Lord the present time is as much oblig'd Your Hospitality and way of living is such as may instruct those of your Lordships rank to restore and uphold their ancient int'rest and grandeur too much and too long neglected Here is Plenty without Luxury and Intemperance Greatness without Noise and Disorder Entertainments are here be stowed both upon Mind and Body and 't is doubtful to which our Repasts are most oblig'd But I 'm fall'n upon a Panegyrick where I intended a Dedication and in both alike presumptuous yet it may be the more excusable in that I have sacrific'd to Duty and Truth in acknowledging your Lordships favours and my great obligations and in yielding a Testimony to the merits of so eminent a Person And after my Reader is confirm'd of all these great qualities and hears how your Lordships pleas'd to countenance this Tragaedy I need not fear his acceptation You my Lord alone are a sufficient Theater and your single praise more to be valu'd than the loudest Plaudite I humbly beg that your Lordship will vouchsafe to pardon all its falours and accept of that devotion wherewith I offer it which will be an infinite honour to My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and most Devoted Servant August 30th 1678. Tho. Shipman TO ROGER L'ESTRANGE Esq SIR Since this Tragedy has gain'd your approbation I ought to shew the care I took in 't I alter'd not the Story nor made the Guises speak or act worse than really they did I branded not that damn'd League with such characters as I might have done and they deserv'd I fited the Parts to the Persons and kept 'em as like themselves as the Story would let me I made both the Kings Amorous Generous and Valiant and so indeed they were and endeavour'd they should not suffer upon a particular Stage when they had triumpht upon that of the World If Grillon seem'd overbold and rough sometimes in some places I do but keep my self to that character which Mounsieur Girard and D'Avila with others have bestow'd upon him Nay his frequent Oath of Death was not my fancy neither For there 's a Story in the Life of Espernon enough to justifie me and fright our Gallants from that profane humour As for the rest it was my aim they should not speak above themselves and I suited as well as I could their Parts to their Callings Yet after all this I am not ignorant that I lie open to the Critick's in transferring