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    The Cardinal: "Heaven's the perfection of all that can be said or thought"
    The Cardinal: "Heaven's the perfection of all that can be said or thought"
    The Cardinal: "Heaven's the perfection of all that can be said or thought"
    Ebook140 pages1 hour

    The Cardinal: "Heaven's the perfection of all that can be said or thought"

    By James Shirley

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    About this ebook

    James Shirley was born in London in September 1596. His education was through a collection of England’s finest establishments: Merchant Taylors' School, London, St John's College, Oxford, and St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in approximately 1618. He first published in 1618, a poem entitled Echo, or the Unfortunate Lovers. As with many artists of this period full details of his life and career are not recorded. Sources say that after graduating he became "a minister of God's word in or near St Albans." A conversion to the Catholic faith enabled him to become master of St Albans School from 1623–25. He wrote his first play, Love Tricks, or the School of Complement, which was licensed on February 10th, 1625. From the given date it would seem he wrote this whilst at St Albans but, after its production, he moved to London and to live in Gray’s Inn. For the next two decades, he would write prolifically and with great quality, across a spectrum of thirty plays; through tragedies and comedies to tragicomedies as well as several books of poetry. Unfortunately, his talents were left to wither when Parliament passed the Puritan edict in 1642, forbidding all stage plays and closing the theatres. Most of his early plays were performed by Queen Henrietta's Men, the acting company for which Shirley was engaged as house dramatist. Shirley's sympathies lay with the King in battles with Parliament and he received marks of special favor from the Queen. He made a bitter attack on William Prynne, who had attacked the stage in Histriomastix, and, when in 1634 a special masque was presented at Whitehall by the gentlemen of the Inns of Court as a practical reply to Prynne, Shirley wrote the text—The Triumph of Peace. Shirley spent the years 1636 to 1640 in Ireland, under the patronage of the Earl of Kildare. Several of his plays were produced by his friend John Ogilby in Dublin in the first ever constructed Irish theatre; The Werburgh Street Theatre. During his years in Dublin he wrote The Doubtful Heir, The Royal Master, The Constant Maid, and St. Patrick for Ireland. In his absence from London, Queen Henrietta's Men sold off a dozen of his plays to the stationers, who naturally, enough published them. When Shirley returned to London in 1640, he finished with the Queen Henrietta's company and his final plays in London were acted by the King's Men. On the outbreak of the English Civil War Shirley served with the Earl of Newcastle. However when the King's fortunes began to decline he returned to London. There his friend Thomas Stanley gave him help and thereafter Shirley supported himself in the main by teaching and publishing some educational works under the Commonwealth. In addition to these he published during the period of dramatic eclipse four small volumes of poems and plays, in 1646, 1653, 1655, and 1659. It is said that he was “a drudge” for John Ogilby in his translations of Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey, and survived into the reign of Charles II, but, though some of his comedies were revived, his days as a playwright were over. His death, at age seventy, along with that of his wife, in 1666, is described as one of fright and exposure due to the Great Fire of London which had raged through parts of London from September 2nd to the 5th. He was buried at St Giles in the Fields, in London, on October 29th, 1666.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStage Door
    Release dateJun 1, 2017
    ISBN9781787373501
    The Cardinal: "Heaven's the perfection of all that can be said or thought"

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      Book preview

      The Cardinal - James Shirley

      The Cardinal by James Shirley

      A TRAGEDIE.    As it was acted at the private House in Black Fryers.

      James Shirley was born in London in September 1596.

      His education was through a collection of England’s finest establishments: Merchant Taylors' School, London, St John's College, Oxford, and St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in approximately 1618.

      He first published in 1618, a poem entitled Echo, or the Unfortunate Lovers.

      As with many artists of this period full details of his life and career are not recorded. Sources say that after graduating he became a minister of God's word in or near St Albans. A conversion to the Catholic faith enabled him to become master of St Albans School from 1623–25.

      He wrote his first play, Love Tricks, or the School of Complement, which was licensed on February 10th, 1625.  From the given date it would seem he wrote this whilst at St Albans but, after its production, he moved to London and to live in Gray’s Inn.

      For the next two decades, he would write prolifically and with great quality, across a spectrum of thirty plays; through tragedies and comedies to tragicomedies as well as several books of poetry.  Unfortunately, his talents were left to wither when Parliament passed the Puritan edict in 1642, forbidding all stage plays and closing the theatres. 

      Most of his early plays were performed by Queen Henrietta's Men, the acting company for which Shirley was engaged as house dramatist.

      Shirley's sympathies lay with the King in battles with Parliament and he received marks of special favor from the Queen.

      He made a bitter attack on William Prynne, who had attacked the stage in Histriomastix, and, when in 1634 a special masque was presented at Whitehall by the gentlemen of the Inns of Court as a practical reply to Prynne, Shirley wrote the text—The Triumph of Peace.

      Shirley spent the years 1636 to 1640 in Ireland, under the patronage of the Earl of Kildare. Several of his plays were produced by his friend John Ogilby in Dublin in the first ever constructed Irish theatre; The Werburgh Street Theatre. During his years in Dublin he wrote The Doubtful Heir, The Royal Master, The Constant Maid, and St. Patrick for Ireland.

      In his absence from London, Queen Henrietta's Men sold off a dozen of his plays to the stationers, who naturally, enough published them.  When Shirley returned to London in 1640, he finished with the Queen Henrietta's company and his final plays in London were acted by the King's Men.

      On the outbreak of the English Civil War Shirley served with the Earl of Newcastle.  However when the King's fortunes began to decline he returned to London. There his friend Thomas Stanley gave him help and thereafter Shirley supported himself in the main by teaching and publishing some educational works under the Commonwealth. In addition to these he published during the period of dramatic eclipse four small volumes of poems and plays, in 1646, 1653, 1655, and 1659.

      It is said that he was a drudge for John Ogilby in his translations of Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey, and survived into the reign of Charles II, but, though some of his comedies were revived, his days as a playwright were over.

      His death, at age seventy, along with that of his wife, in 1666, is described as one of fright and exposure due to the Great Fire of London which had raged through parts of London from September 2nd to the 5th.

      He was buried at St Giles in the Fields, in London, on October 29th, 1666.

      Index of Contents

      To my worthily honored Friend G. B. Esq

      To the Surviving Honour and Ornament of the English Scene, James Shirley.

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      PROLOGUE

      SCENE - The Capital of Navarre and once on the Frontiers.

      THE CARDINAL

      ACT I

      ACT II

      ACT III

      ACT IV

      ACT V

      EPILOGUE

      JAMES SHIRLEY – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      KIng of Navarre

      Cardinal

      Columbo, the Cardinals Nephew

      Alvarez

      Hernando, a Colonel

      Alphonso

      Lords

      Secretary to the Duchess

      Colonels

      Antonelli, the Cardinals Servant

      Surgeon

      Guard

      Attendants, &c.

      Duchess Rosaura

      Ladies

      Valeria

      Celinda

      Placentia, a Lady that waits upon the Duchess

      To My Worthily Honored Friend G. B. Esq

      Sir,

      I did suffer at the first some contention within me, and looking upon my self, was inclined to stifle my ambitious thoughts in this Dedication; but when some time, and a happy conversation, had preferred me to more acquaintance with you, (which was more argument to me, than the fame I had heard of your reputation, with the most temperate and ingenious men) I found you not only an excellent Judge, but a good Man: at this my modesty took full encouragement, to make this offering, which as I conceive to be the best of my flock, I knew not a better Altar whereon to make it a sacrifice, with this protestation, that it comes (and that is it only, which makes all devotions acceptable) from the heart, and your candid acceptance will bind me with all my services, and remembrance, to merit a reception with you, in the quality and honour of,

      Sir,

      Your most humble devoted Servant,

      JAMES SHIRLEY

      To the Surviving Honour and Ornament of the English Scene, James Shirley.

      As Fate, which doth all human matters sway,

      Makes proudest things grow up into decay;

      And when they are to envyed greatness grown,

      She wantonly falls off, and throws them down:

      So, when our English Dramma was at hight,

      And shin'd, and rul'd with Majesty and might,

      A sudden whirlwind threw it from it seat,

      Deflowr'd the Groves, and quench'd the Muses heat.

      Yet as in Saints, and Martyr'd bodies, when

      They cannot call their blessed Souls agen

      To earth; Reliques, and ashes men

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