TO HENRY BRETT, Jun. OF COWLEY, Esq; I was ever Fond and Proud of your good opinion, it has sometimes recommended me to Men of the first merit; where, without that umbrage, perhaps, not all the Advantages of Fortune, could haue made me tolerable. You taught me first to know a little of my self, then shew'd me other Men; and knowing them, taught me to ualue You. I know not whether the World will allow there can be any Gratitude in a Dedication; but I am assur'd you are well enough acquainted with my sincerity, to belieue this comes purely from an Hearty and Uninterested Inclination. I am loath to remind you of the many handsom Obligations you haue laid on me; for in being thanked I haue obseru'd you often in a pain great as your delight in giuing: Which generous softness in your Temper has made me many times

conclude, that were you once Passionately touch'd in Loue (as certainly no man was euer so kindly formed for it the happy Fair One will at least haue this security, that your Natural Pleasure in obliging will instruct her to preserve you long, and only Hers. I can't help talking thus, because I am fond of publishing that eu'n such Qualities are what I haue had seueral Happy hours of leisure to obserue in you. Nay, I freely confess, I haue all the Vanity of a young Louer, and can't really think the Fair One obsolutely mine, till I haue told all the World of her fauours. I wou'd haue my Lord, and all the Cheerful Table know, that the uery Gentleman they were so loath to part with, had out staid his Appointment with Cibber for the reading an Act or two of Richard III. I would haue my Lady know too, that ask'd the Ciuil Gentleman's name in the next Box, that 'twas not her Ladyships kind adunces that kept him there, but a certain Promise made him behind the Scenes, that a little Extraordinary Pains should be taken in the Performance of one of Richard's Soliloquies; And I wou'd haue the Players know, that my so often wishing the Vacation near, is, because Cowley and your Conversation in the Summer to me,

perhaps is as Entertaining an Amusement, as a Family, and Uncertain pay in the Winter. I once designed to haue delay'd this Dedication till I was capable of prefixing it to some piece more worthy your Acceptance: You haue often perswaded me to undertake another Comedy; but, I confess, your own happy Talent in that kind (you'll excuse my blabbing) and your common Conuersation, haue quite discourag'd me: A Poet ought to be uain enough to suppose himself the best in his kind, and unless I could belieue I were able to write, as you talk, with the same life, and happy turn of Thought, it will be prudence in me to let it alone till I am aduis'd to it by some body that knows you, as well as I do: So that I rather chuse to pay this little, while I haue it, than by an Idle Expectation of better success, run the hazard of being in your debt as long as I liue: but that I am afraid I shall euer be; my long Account will not be easily settled, while your forget as fast as you confer, and always grant a fauour, as if you were returning one, so 'tis partly your own Fault if I subscribe my self.
Your eternaly obliged
and humble Servant,
Colley Cibber. Lon. Feb. 1700.

THE PREFACE.

This Play came upon the Stage with a very Unusual disadvantage, the whole first Act being Intirely left out in the Presentation; and tho' it had been read by several persons of the first Rank and Integrity, some of which were pleas'd to honour me with an offer of giving it under their hands that the whole was an Inoffensive piece, and free from any bold Paralel, or ill manner'd reflection, yet this was no satisfaction to him, who had the Relentless power of licensing it for the Stage. I did not spare for intreaties; but all the reason I could get for its being refus'd, was, that Henry the Sixth being a Character Unfortunate and Pitied, wou'd put the Audience in mind of the late King James: Now, I confess, I never thought of him in the Writing it, which possibly might proceed from there not being any likeness between 'em. But however, there was no hazard of offending the Government, though the whole Play had been refus'd, and a man is not obliged to be Just, when he can get as much by doing an Injury. I am only sorry it hapned to be the best Act in the Whole, and leave it to the Impartial Reader how far it is offensive, and whether its being Acted would have been as injurious to good Manners, as the omission of it was to the rest of the Play.

Tho' there was no great danger of the Readers mistaking any of my lines for Shakespear's; yet, to satisfie the curious, and unwilling to assume more praise than is really my due, I have caus'd those that are intirely Shakespear's to be Printed in this Italick Character; and those lines with this mark (‘) before 'em, are generally his thoughts, in the best dress I could afford 'em: What is not so mark'd, or in a diffe-Character is intirely my own. I have done my best to imitate his Style, and manner of thinking: If I have fail'd, I have still this comfort, that our best living Author in his imitation of Shakespear's Style only writ Great and Masterly.

The Persons.
King Henry the Sixth [King Henry the Sixth], designed for Mr. Wilks. Edward Prince of Wales, the young Son of Edward the Fourth. Mrs. Allison. Richard Duke of York, the young Son of Edward the Fourth. Miss. Chock. Richard Duke of Gloucester, afterwards King of England. Mr. Cibber. Duke of Buckingham. Mr. Powel. Lord Stanley. Mr. Mills. Duke of Norfolk. Mr. Simpson. Ratcliff [Sir Richard Ratcliff]. Mr. Kent. Catesby [Sir William Caresby]. Mr. Thomas. Henry Earl of Richmond, afterwards King of England. Mr. Evans. Oxford [Earl of Oxford]. Mr. Fairbank. Blunt [Sir James Blount], &c. Elizabeth, Relict of Edward the Fourth. Mrs. Knight. Ann [Lady Anne], Relict of Edward Prince of Wales, Son to Henry the Sixth, afterwards married to Rich-the Third. Mrs. Rogers. Cicely [Duchess of York], Dutchess of York, Mother to Richard the Third. Mrs. Powel. [Lieutenant], [Servant], [Tressel], [Gentleman], [Guard], [Messenger], [Lord Mayor of London], [Sir James Tyrrel], [Forest], [Dighton], [Soldier], [Ghost of King Henry], [Ghosts of Two Young Princes], [Ghost of Queen Anne]

Main text

Next section