PLAYERS' DEDICATION.
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FOLIO, 1647.) To the Right Honourable PHILIP, Earl of Pembroke and Mont-gomery; Baron Herbert of Cardiff and Sherland; Lord Parr and Rossof Kendall ; Lord Fitz-Hu^h^ Marmyony and Saint Quintin; Knight ofthe Most Noble Order of the Garter; and one of his Majesty's most Ho'nourable Privy-Council: and our singular good Lord. MY LORD, JL HERE is none among all the names of* honour, that hath more encou«raged the legitimate muses' of this latter age, than that which is owing toyour family; whose coronet shines bright with the native lustre of its ownjewels, which, with the access of some beams of Sidney, twisted with their£ame, presents a constellation, from whose influence all good may be stillexpected upon wit and learning. At this truth we rejoice, but yet aloof, and in our o^vn valley; for wedare' not approach with any capacity in ourselves to apply your smile,since we have only preserved, as trustees to the ashes of the authors, whatwe exhibit to your honour, it being no more our own, than those imperialcrowns and garlands were the soldiers', who were honourably designed fortheir conveyance before the triumpher to the capitol. But directed by the example ot some, who once steered in our quality,and so fortunately aspired to choose your honour, joined with your (nowglorified) brother, (patrons to the flowing compositions of the tiien expiredsweet swan of Avon Shakspeare'; and since, more particularly bound toyour lordship's most constant and diffusive goodness, from which we didfor many calm years derive a subsistence to ourselves, and protection tothe scene (now withered, and condemned, as we fear, to a long winter andsterility) we have presumed to offer to yourself, what before was neverprinted of these authors. Had they been less than all the treasure we had contracted in the wholeage of poesy (some few poems of their own excepted, which, already pub-lished, command their entertainment with all lovers of art and language)or were they not the most justlv admired and beloved pieces of wit andthe world, we should have taugnt ourselves a less ambition. Be pleased to accept this humble tender of our duties; and, till we failin our obedience to all your commands, vouchsafe we may be known bythe cognizance and character of, My Lord, Your Honour's most bounden, John Lowin, Joseph Taylor, Richard Robinson, Robert Benfeild, Eyl^rd Swanston, Thomas Pollard, Hugh Clearke, William Allen, SxEi'HEN Hammerton, Theophilus Byrd. * Hie txample of some, &c.] i. e. Hemine;e and Condell; who in lC23 published the firstedition of Shakespeare's VVorks. They dedicated thein to tills same nobleman, then £arl ofMontgomery^ and hU elder brother, William Earl of Pembroke. VOL. I. b Mr.
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