Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 52.djvu/142

 the prologue (spoken by a woman) implies that the title of the play had been changed. 21. ‘The Lady of Pleasure,’ comedy, licensed 15 Oct. 1635, and seen acted 8 Dec. of the same year by Sir Humphrey Mildmay (see the entry of his manuscript diary, ap., ii. 5), printed 1637. This remarkably lively, but under another aspect by no means praiseworthy, comedy suggested part of the plot, and part of the text, of Taverner's successful play, ‘The Artful Husband,’ 1717 (cf., ii. 609). 22. ‘The Duke's Mistress,’ tragedy, licensed 18 Jan. and acted 22 Feb. 1636; printed 1638.

All the above-mentioned plays were produced in London, for the most part at ‘the private house,’ i.e. the Cockpit in Drury Lane. The following four were produced at Dublin. 23. ‘St. Patrick for Ireland,’ tragedy, in which the miracle-play elements occupy a quite subordinate place, acted at Dublin some time between 1636 and 1640, and printed in 1640; reprinted in Chetwood's ‘Selection of Old Plays,’ Dublin, 1751. The title-page of the 1640 quarto describes its contents as the ‘First Part’ of the play, and the promise of a ‘Second Part’ (not known to have been fulfilled) is held out in both prologue and epilogue. 24. ‘The Constant Maid,’ comedy, doubtless acted in Dublin during the same period as the preceding play, with which it was printed in 1640. Reprinted in 1661 under the title of ‘Love will finde out the Way,’ by J. B.; but the same impression was again put forth in 1667 with the correct title of ‘The Constant Maid, or Love will finde out the Way,’ by J. S. 25. ‘The Royal Master,’ tragedy, licensed 23 April 1638, and printed in the same year, ‘as previously acted,’ both in Ogilby's new theatre and at the Castle before the lord-deputy. The dedication, announcing Shirley's intention of leaving for England, inclines Mr. Fleay to think that this play was written in the spring of 1637. He conjectures that the prologue ‘To the Irish Gent …’ (supposed by Dyce to have been a prologue to a lost play, ‘The Irish Gentleman’) was intended as a prologue to ‘The Royal Master,’ but the evidence is insufficient. The publication of this play was accompanied by ten sets of commendatory verses; the pathetic motif of the story of Domitilla is the same as that of Alfred de Musset's charming play, ‘Carmosine,’ and of George Eliot's tender little poem, ‘How Lisa loved the King.’ 26. ‘The Doubtful Heir,’ romantic comedy, produced at Dublin under the title of ‘Rosania, or Love's Victory’ (see the ‘Prologue’ spoken in the Dublin theatre, printed in Shirley's ‘Poems,’ 1646). Licensed 1 June 1640 as ‘Rosania,’ and acted at the Globe (see the curious ‘Prologue at the Globe to the Doubtful Heir, which should have been presented at the Black Friers,’ printed ib. 1646:   Our author did not calculate this play    For this meridian—— but for a more select audience). Shirley reprinted it as one of the ‘Six New Plays,’ 1654, ‘as it was acted in the private house at the Black Friers.’

The next two plays are thought by Mr. Fleay to have been likewise acted in Ireland. 27. ‘The Gentleman of Venice,’ romantic comedy, licensed 30 Oct. 1639, and acted at Salisbury Court (printed 1655). 28. ‘The Politician,’ tragedy (which suggests reminiscences of ‘Hamlet’), acted at Salisbury Court, and published with the preceding play in 1655. Dyce supposed, with much probability, that this play is identical with the ‘Politique Father,’ licensed 26 May 1641, which, however, Mr. Fleay supposes to have been the same play as the ‘Brothers.’

The following plays were produced in London, after Shirley's final return from Dublin. 29. ‘The Imposture,’ romantic comedy, licensed 10 Nov. 1640, printed as one of the ‘Six New Plays,’ 1653. 30. ‘The Humorous Courtier,’ comedy, acted at the Cockpit (date unknown) and printed in 1640. Mr. Fleay thinks this to be the same play as the ‘Duke,’ licensed 7 May 1631 as by Shirley, but not extant under that name, and as the ‘Conceited Duke,’ mentioned by Beeston in 1639. 31. ‘The Triumph of Beauty,’ printed 1646 as ‘performed at a private recreation,’ is a dramatic entertainment on the familiar theme of Peele's ‘Arraignment of Paris,’ introducing a very palpable imitation of the comic portion of ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream,’ a shepherd named ‘Bottle’ doing duty for Bottom the Weaver. Mr. Fleay (English Drama, ii. 244–5) advances an elaborate hypothesis, that this entertainment was written about 1640 as a satire on Thomas Heywood and his ‘Mayor's Pageants.’ The date of its performance remains conjectural. 32. ‘The Cardinal,’ tragedy, licensed 25 Nov. 1641, printed 1653 as one of the ‘Six New Plays.’ This powerful tragedy, which Shirley was probably justified in regarding as his masterpiece, and to the composition of which Webster's ‘Duchess of Malfy’ can hardly have been a stranger, was revived after the Restoration, and seen by Pepys in 1662. 33. ‘The Sisters,’ comedy, licensed 26 April 1642, and printed 1653 with the preceding