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    The Lady of Pleasure: "Beauty was darkness till she came"
    The Lady of Pleasure: "Beauty was darkness till she came"
    The Lady of Pleasure: "Beauty was darkness till she came"
    Ebook173 pages1 hour

    The Lady of Pleasure: "Beauty was darkness till she came"

    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
    ISBN9781787373532
    The Lady of Pleasure: "Beauty was darkness till she came"

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      Book preview

      The Lady of Pleasure - James Shirley

      The Lady of Pleasure by James Shirley

      A COMEDIE.   As it was Acted by her Majesties Servants, at the private house in Drury Lane.

      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 The Right Honorable Richard Lord Lovelace of Hurley.

      PERSONS OF THE COMEDY

      SCENE – The Strand

      THE LADY OF PLEASURE

      THE FIRST ACT

      SCENE I - A Room in Sir Thomas Bornewell’s House

      SCENE II - A Room in Celestina’s House

      THE SECOND ACT

      SCENE I - A Room in Sir Thomas Bornewell’s House

      SCENE II - A Room in Celestina’s House

      THE THIRD ACT

      SCENE I - Lord Unready’s House. A Dressing Room

      SCENE II – A Room in Bornewell’s House

      THE FOURTH ACT

      SCENE I - A Room in Decoy’s House

      SCENE II - A Room in Bornewell’s House

      SCENE III - A Room in Celestina’s House

      THE FIFTH ACT

      SCENE I - A Room in Bornewell’s House

      JAMES SHIRLEY – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

      To The Right Honorable Richard Lord Lovelace of Hurley

      My Lord,

      I cannot want encouragement to present a Poeme to your Lordship, while you possesse so noble a breast, in which so many seedes of honour, to the example and glory of your Name obtain'd, before your yeares a happy maturity. This Comedy fortunate in the Scene, and one that may challenge a place in the first forme of the Authors compositions, most humbly addresseth it selfe to your honour, if it meete your gracious acceptance, and that you repent not to be a Patron, your Lordshipps will onely crownes the imagination, and for ever by this favour oblige,

      My Lord

      The most humble Services

      of your Honourer,

      JAMES SHIRLEY.

      PERSONS OF THE COMEDY

      Lord Unready

      Sir Thomas Bornewell

      Sir William Scentlove  }

      Mr. Alexander Kickshaw  } Gallants

      Mr. John Littleworth  }

      Mr. Hairecut.

      Mr. Fredericke, Nephew to Lady Bornewell

      Steward to Sir Thomas Bornewell.

      Steward to the Lady Celestina.

      Secretary to Lord Unready.

      Servants, &c.

      Aretina, Sir Thomas Bornewells Lady.

      Celestina, a young Widow.

      Isabella  } friends of Celestina

      Mariana }

      Madam Decoy, a Procuress.

      SCENE

      The Strand.

      THE LADY OF PLEASURE

      THE FIRST ACT

      SCENE I

      A Room in Sir Thomas Bornewell’s House

      Enter ARETINA and her STEWARD.

      STEWARD

      Be patient Madam, you may have your pleasure.

      ARETINA

      Tis that I came to towne for, I wo'd not

      Endure againe the countrey conversation,

      To be the Lady of sixe shires I the men

      So neare the Primitive making, they retaine

      A sence of nothing but the earth, their braines

      And barren heads standing as much in want

      Of plowing as their ground, to heare a fellow

      Make himselfe merry and his horse with whisteling

      Sellingers round, to observe with what solemnitie

      They keepe their Wakes, and throw for pewter Candlestickes,

      How they become the Morris, whith whose bells

      They ring all into Whitson Ales, and sweate,

      Through twenty Scarffes and Napkins, till the Hobbyhorse

      Tire, and the maide Marrian dissolv'd to a gelly,

      Be kept for spoone meate.

      STEWARD

      These with your pardon are no Argument

      To make the country life appeare so hatefull,

      At least to your particular, who enjoy'd

      A blessing in that calme; would you be pleasd

      To thinke so, and the pleasure of a kingdome,

      While your owne will commanded what should move

      Delight, your husbands love and power joyned

      To give your life more harmony, you liv'd there,

      Secure and innocent, beloved of all,

      Praisd for your hospitality, and praid for,

      You might be envied, but malice knew

      Not where

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