The Island Princess: "Then, everlasting Love, restrain thy will; 'Tis god -like to have power, but not to kill"

By John Fletcher

John Fletcher was born in December, 1579 in Rye, Sussex. He was baptised on December 20th. As can be imagined details of much of his life and career have not survived and, accordingly, only a very brief indication of his life and works can be given. Young Fletcher appears at the very young age of eleven to have entered Corpus Christi College at Cambridge University in 1591. There are no records that he ever took a degree but there is some small evidence that he was being prepared for a career in the church. However what is clear is that this was soon abandoned as he joined the stream of people who would leave University and decamp to the more bohemian life of commercial theatre in London. The upbringing of the now teenage Fletcher and his seven siblings now passed to his paternal uncle, the poet and minor official Giles Fletcher. Giles, who had the patronage of the Earl of Essex may have been a liability rather than an advantage to the young Fletcher. With Essex involved in the failed rebellion against Elizabeth Giles was also tainted. By 1606 John Fletcher appears to have equipped himself with the talents to become a playwright. Initially this appears to have been for the Children of the Queen's Revels, then performing at the Blackfriars Theatre. Fletcher's early career was marked by one significant failure; The Faithful Shepherdess, his adaptation of Giovanni Battista Guarini's Il Pastor Fido, which was performed by the Blackfriars Children in 1608. By 1609, however, he had found his stride. With his collaborator John Beaumont, he wrote Philaster, which became a hit for the King's Men and began a profitable association between Fletcher and that company. Philaster appears also to have begun a trend for tragicomedy. By the middle of the 1610s, Fletcher's plays had achieved a popularity that rivalled Shakespeare's and cemented the pre-eminence of the King's Men in Jacobean London. After his frequent early collaborator John Beaumont's early death in 1616, Fletcher continued working, both singly and in collaboration, until his own death in 1625. By that time, he had produced, or had been credited with, close to fifty plays.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stage Door
• Release date: Dec 10, 2017
• ISBN: 9781787376175

Book preview

The Island Princess by John Fletcher

John Fletcher was born in December, 1579 in Rye, Sussex.  He was baptised on December 20th.

As can be imagined details of much of his life and career have not survived and, accordingly, only a very brief indication of his life and works can be given.

Young Fletcher appears at the very young age of eleven to have entered Corpus Christi College at Cambridge University in 1591.  There are no records that he ever took a degree but there is some small evidence that he was being prepared for a career in the church.

However what is clear is that this was soon abandoned as he joined the stream of people who would leave University and decamp to the more bohemian life of commercial theatre in London.

The upbringing of the now teenage Fletcher and his seven siblings now passed to his paternal uncle, the poet and minor official Giles Fletcher. Giles, who had the patronage of the Earl of Essex may have been a liability rather than an advantage to the young Fletcher.  With Essex involved in the failed rebellion against Elizabeth Giles was also tainted.

By 1606 John Fletcher appears to have equipped himself with the talents to become a playwright. Initially this appears to have been for the Children of the Queen's Revels, then performing at the Blackfriars Theatre.

Fletcher's early career was marked by one significant failure; The Faithful Shepherdess, his adaptation of Giovanni Battista Guarini's Il Pastor Fido, which was performed by the Blackfriars Children in 1608.

By 1609, however, he had found his stride. With his collaborator John Beaumont, he wrote Philaster, which became a hit for the King's Men and began a profitable association between Fletcher and that company. Philaster appears also to have begun a trend for tragicomedy.

By the middle of the 1610s, Fletcher's plays had achieved a popularity that rivalled Shakespeare's and cemented the pre-eminence of the King's Men in Jacobean London. After his frequent early collaborator John Beaumont's early death in 1616, Fletcher continued working, both singly and in collaboration, until his own death in 1625.  By that time, he had produced, or had been credited with, close to fifty plays.

Index of Contents

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

THE SCENE: India.

ACTUS PRIMA

SCÆNA PRIMA

ACTUS SECUNDUS

SCÆNA PRIMA

ACTUS TERTIUS

SCÆNA PRIMA

ACTUS QUARTUS

SCÆNA PRIMA

ACTUS QUINTUS

SCÆNA PRIMA

JOHN FLETCHER – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

JOHN FLETCHER – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

MEN

King of Sidore, an Island.

King of Bakam } Suitors to the Princess Quisara.

King of Siana }

Governor of Terna, an Island. An ill man.

Ruy Dias, a Captain of Portugal, also suitor to the Prin.

Piniero, Nephew to Ruy Dias, a merry Captain.

Christophero } Soldiers and Friends to Piniero.

Pedro  }

Armusia, a noble daring Portugueze, in love with the Princess.

Soza  } companions to Armusia, and his valiant followers.

Emanuel }

Keeper.

Moors.

Guard.

Captain.

Citizens.

Townsmen.

WOMEN

Quisara, the Island Princess, Sister to the King of Sidore.

Quisana, Aunt to the Princess.

Panura, Waiting-woman to the Princess Quisara.

Citizens wives.

THE SCENE: India.

ACTUS PRIMA

SCÆNA PRIMA

A Bell Rings.

Enter PINIERO, CHRISTOPHERO and PEDRO.

PINIERO

Open the Ports, and see the Watch reliev'd,

And let the guards be careful of their business,

Their vigilant eyes fixt on these Islanders,

They are false and desperate people, when they find

The least occasion open to encouragement,

Cruel, and crafty souls, believe me Gentlemen,

Their late attempt, which is too fresh amongst us,

In which, against all arms and honesty,

The Governor of Ternata made surprize

Of our Confederate, the King of Tidore,

As for his recreation he was rowing

Between both Lands, bids us be wise and circumspect.

CHRISTOPHERO

It was a mischief suddenly imagin'd,

And as soon done; that Governor's a fierce knave,

Unfaithful as he is fierce too, there's no trusting;

But I wonder much, how such poor and base pleasures,

As tugging at an Oar, or skill in Steerage,

Should become Princes.

PINIERO

Base breedings, love base pleasure;

They take as much delight in a Baratto,

A little scurvy boat to row her tithly,

And have the Art to turn and wind her nimbly,

Think it as noble too, though it be slavish,

And a dull labour that declines a Gentleman:

As we Portugals, or the Spaniards do in riding,

In managing a great horse, which is princely:

The French in Courtship, or the dancing English,

In carrying a fair presence.

PEDRO

He was strangely taken;

But where no faith is, there's no trust: he has paid for't

His Sister yet the fair and great Quisara,

Has shew'd a noble mind, and much love in't

To her afflicted brother, and the nobler still it appears,

And seasons of more tenderness, because his ruin stiles her absolute

And his imprisonment adds to her profit.

Feeling all this, which makes all men admire her,

The warm beams of this fortune that fall on her,

Yet has she made divers and noble Treaties,

And propositions for her brothers freedom,

If wealth or honor―

PINIERO

Peace, peace, you are fool'd, Sir;

Things of these natures have strange outsides Pedro,

And cunning shadows, set 'em far from us,

Draw 'em but near, they are gross, and they abuse us;

They that observe her close, shall find her nature,

Which I doubt mainly will not prove so excellent;

She is a Princess, and she must be fair,

That's the prerogative of being Royal:

Let her want eyes and nose, she must be beauteous,

And she must know it too, and the use of it,

And people must believe it, they are damn'd else:

Why, all our neighbor Princes are mad for her.

CHRISTOPHERO

Is she not fair then?

PINIERO

But her hopes are fairer,

And there's a haughty Master, the King of Bakan,

That lofty Sir, that speaks far more, and louder

In his own commendations, than a Cannon:

He is strucken dumb with her.

PEDRO

Beshrew me she is a sweet one.

PINIERO

And there's that hopeful man of Syana,

That sprightly fellow, he that's wise and temperate,

He is a Lover too.

CHRISTOPHERO

Wou'd I were worth her looking

For; by my life I hold her a compleat one,

The very Sun, I think affects her sweetness,

And dares not, as he does to all else, dye it

Into his tauny Livery.

PINIERO

She dares not see him,

But keeps her self at distance from his kisses,

And weares her complexion in a Case; let him but like it

A week, or two, or three, she would look like a Lion;

But the main sport on't is, or rather wonder

The Governor of Ternata, her mortal enemy,

He that has catcht her brother King, is struck too,

And is arriv'd under safe conduct also,

And hostages of worth delivered for him;

And he brought a Letter from his prisoner,

Whether compell'd, or willingly delivered

From the poor King, or what else dare be in't.

CHRISTOPHERO

So it be honourable, any thing, 'tis all one

For I dare think she'll do the best.

PINIERO

'Tis certain

He has admittance, and sollicites hourly,

Now if he have the trick―

PEDRO

What trick?

PINIERO

The true one,

To take her too, if he be but skill'd in Bat-fowling,

And lime his bush right.

CHRISTOPHERO

I'll be hang'd when that hits,

For 'tis not a compell'd, or forc'd affection

That must take her, I guess her stout and virtuous,

But where's your Uncle, Sir, our valiant Captain,

The brave Ruy Dias all this while?

PINIERO

I marry.

He is amongst 'em too.

PEDRO

A Lover.

PINIERO

Nay,

I know not that, but sure he stands in favour,

Or would stand stifly, he is no Portugal else.

CHRISTOPHERO

The voice says in good favour, in the list too

Of the privy wooers, how cunningly of late

I have observ'd him, and how privately

He has stolen at all hours from us, and how readily

He has feign'd a