THE Island Princess, OR THE Generous Portuguese. Made into an OPERA. As it is performed at the THEATRE ROYAL.
All the Musical Entertainments and the greatest Part of the Play new, and written by Mr. Motteux.
LONDON, Printed for Richard Wellington, at the Lute in St. Paul's Church-Yard; and Sold by Bernard Lintott, at the Cross-Keys in St. Martins-Lane, next Long Acre. 1699.
A Treatise of Education, especially of Young Gentlemen, by Obodiah Walker, D. D.
Where Gentlemen may pick Novels at 6 s. the Dozen.
To the Honorable POPHAM CONWAY, Esq
A Poetical Dedication is one of those Accidents, I had almost said Diseases, which few persons of extraordinary Merit and Fortune can escape, especially in this Town: soon or late it fixes on the most Conspicuous, and too often defaces the Beauties which it touches. The Apologies that usher in most addresses of this nature, sufficiently show, that they are thought a trouble even by those who presume to make them. It may well then seem strange, that I should own this, and at the same time dare to approach in that very manner a Person for whom I would express the greatest Respect. Yet, Sir, these Considerations, instead of deterring me from the attempt, are perhaps the chief Inducements that embolden me to make it: For You are of too generous and obliging a Temper, and too great a Favourer of the Muses in general, and more particularly of Dramatic Performances, not to be expos'd to the danger of having some of them forc'd upon You, by way of Dedication, beyond a possibility of escaping such a Compliment. Therefore, Sir, I flatter my self with the thoughts of having a better Pretence to do You that civil Violence, than many others, who perhaps wou'd not use You so gently, but wou'd rudely invade Your Character, and put You to more pain tha [...] my tender Respect will suffer me to do. For 'tis but too common with some Authors in a manner to dissect their Patrons, and read tedious Lectures over every individual [Page] Qualification. Now, Sir, I am not inclin'd to run into such a Fault: My Zeal may indeed make me afraid of saying too little, but my concern for the satisfaction of the Person to whom I write, makes me still more fearful of being thought guilty of saying too much; if yet too much can ever be said of such merit as seems above the reach of Flattery; Praise is a Tribute due to Vertue and acceptable even to the highest Powers: We offer up our Incense, and they shower down their Blessings. But a vulgar and unskilful hand sometimes prophanes the Rites it would perform, and no common Expressions can illustrate uncommon Desert. Shou'd I say, that where-ever You appear, You captivate the hearts of one Sex, and raise the Envy and Admiration of the other, 'twou'd be but what is universally own'd, tho' no more than what has been said to many: And shou'd I wave Your outward Graces to speak of those Nobler Accomplishments of Your mind that only wait Occasions to signalize Your Life by a Genius peculiar to Your illustrious Family, I could do little more than enumerate the Endowments of the living Ornaments and springing hopes of their Country. For, tho' most men have discernment enough to admire, very few have Capacity to commend. In an extraordinary Subject, I wou'd say something new and worthy of it; but, in so beaten a path as Panegyric, 'tis next to impossible to make Discoveries; and little more than to give a new turn to old Thoughts is what can be done, even by Masters of Wit and Oratory. Thus, Sir, I please my self with the hopes of being the more excusable in not aiming at that Theme; since, after all, the greatest Artists might be reduc'd to speak like the rest of the World that would do Justice to Your [Page] Character. Besides, some shining Truths, as well as Merit set off to advantage, are like those sparkling Diamonds which so much exceed the common magnitude, that they are sometimes suspected of not being what really they are. So blind some People are, not to consider, that a noble Soul looks most like her self in a graceful habitation. Certainly, Sir, had Yours been to have chosen her Dwelling, she cou'd not have pitch'd on one more worthy such a Guest. A transient sight of such Perfections may create Envy, but even that Envy must Convert it self to Esteem and Love upon a nearer view: For that Discretion, that Prudence which secures You from the dangerous Attacks of insinuating Designers, when joyn'd with Your sweetness of Temper, and other Qualifications, must blunt the Darts of the most repining Malice. The Judgment that attends Your kind disposition to oblige, never hinders it from becoming a diffusive Good, and only heightens the Favours You bestow, by Your Modesty in concealing them. Fortune is more oblig'd to You, than You to her. She has been thought one of those noble Prodigals who had rather be lavish of their Gifts than just in the payment of their debts; but we must cease to accuse her of Blindness, when we see how deservedly she has heap'd her Favours on You. May You live to possess [...]em long, and those richer Blessings, those native and acquir'd Treasures that so singularly set 'em off; and may You ever believe me to be, what I am ambitious of appearing,
To the Reader.
THO' Mr. Fletcher's Island Princess was frequently Acted of old, and Revived twelve years ago, with some alterations, the Judicious seem satisfy'd, that it wou'd hardly have been relish'd now on the Stage. As I found it not unfit to be made what we here call an Opera, I undertook to revise it, but not as I wou'd have done, had I design'd a correct Play. Let this at once satisfie the Modern Critics, and the Zealous Admirers of Old Plays; for I neither intended to make it regular, nor to keep in all that I lik'd in the Original, but only what I thought fit for my Purpose▪ and the success has answer'd my intent, far beyond Expectation. However, I am not willing to attribute it to my self, but chiefly to the Excellency of the Musical Part. What Mr. Daniel Purcel has set is so fine, that as he seems inspir'd with his Brother's wonderful Genius, it cannot but be equally admir'd. The Notes of the Interlude set by Mr. Clarke have air and humour that crown 'em with Applause: And the Dialogue and Enthusiastic Song, which Mr. Leveridge set, are too particularly lik'd not to engage me to thank him for gracing my words with his Composition, as much as for his celebrated singing; Nor must I omit Mr. Pate's admirable Performance, which, with Mr. Leveridge's, gives life to the whole Entertainment.
I should now say something in answer to two late Books in which the Discourse about the Lawfulness and Vnlawfulness of the Stage, printed before Beauty in Distress is examin'd: but I am too much engag'd in other matters to do my Friend and my self that Justice at present. Yet if the doubting Gentleman will be pleas'd to meet the Booksellers and Me, they and I can convince him or any Friend of his that the Discourse was really English'd and sent me by the person mentioned in the Title.
The Dialogue in the 4th Act, should have been sung in the first Entertainment, which, as well as the last, is not very proper for that place, nor wou'd I have let 'em appear thus but for Reasons as improper to be mention'd here.
PROLOGUE
- Wit-Carpers,
- Mobb'd Sinners,
- Play-Sharpers,
- In Pinners,
- Loud Bullies,
- Kept-Toppers,
- Tame Cullies,
- Bench-Hoppers,
- Sowre Grumblers,
- High-Fliers,
- Wench-Bumblers,
- Pit-Plyers,
- Give Ear, ev'ry Man!
- Be still, if you can!
- Young Tattles,
- Young Graces
- Wild Rattles,
- Black Faces,
- Fan-Tearers,
- Some faded,
- Mask-Fleerers,
- Some jaded,
- Old Coasters,
- Old Mothers,
- Love Boasters,
- And Others,
- Who set up for Truth!
- Who've yet a Colts-Tooth,
- Free Laughers,
- Sly Spouses
- Close Gaffers,
- With Blowzes,
- Dry Joakers,
- Grave Horners,
- Old Soakers,
- In Corners,
- KindCousins
- Kind No-Wits,
- By Dozens,
- Save-Poets,
- Your Custom don't break!
- Clap till your hands ake;
Dramatis Personae.
- Armusia, A Noble Portuguese, Mr. Powell.
- Ruidias, General of the Portuguese in the Spice Islands. Mr. Mills.
- Piniero, A Portuguese Officer, his Friend. Mr. Thomas.
- King Of Tidore. Mr. Evans.
- The Governor, or Tyrant of the Island of Ternate. Mr. Johnson.
- King Of Bakam. Mr. Bullock.
- Prince Of Syana Mr. Kent.
- Quisara, The King of Tidore's Sister. Mrs. Rogers.
- Panura, One of her Women. Mrs. Wilkins.
Bramins, Portuguese, Officers, Citizens, Guards and Attendants.
SCENE the Spice-Islands.
The Island Princess.
ACT I.
SCENE I. The Entrance to the Temple in the Palace.
ACT II.
SCENE I. A Vault under the Castle.
Scene the Town of Ternate.
SCENE changes to a Prison, and a prospect of Fire.
ACT. III. The Palace.
SCENE II.
SCENE III, The Princesses Apartment.
ACT IV.
- your Booby and you
- your Trollop and you, and you.
SCENE the Temple.
An Incantation set by Mr. D. and Purcell.
ACT V.
SCENE. The Temple.
SCENE. The Town.
SCENE. A Field or broad place near the Fort.
The SCENE changes to a Palace.
The Four Seasons or Love in every Age. A Musical Interlude. Set to Music by Mr. Jeremy Clarke.
THe Overture is a Symphony, lofty, yet gay: At the latter part, it changes to a flat adagio; to which mournful Movement
The Dance of Spring here.
THE EPILOGUE.
A Catalogue of Novells Printed for Richard Wellington at the Lute in St. Paul's Church-yard.
- THe Drudge or Jealous Extravagant.
- Princess of Cleves.
- Nicerc [...]s. A Novell.
- Agiatis Queen of Sparta.
- Mock Clelia.
- Revengeful Mistress.
- The Dutchess of Mazarines Memoirs written by her self.
- Pallace Royal, or the Amours of the French King.
- Cardinal Mazarines Letters.
- Count de Soisions.
- Chast Seraglio.
- Count de Amboise.
- Don H [...]nrick.
- Court Secret.
- Fatal Beauty, or Agnes de Castro.
- Art of Making Love.
- Alcander.
- Neapolitan, or the Defender of his Mistress.
- Amours of Count Teckley.
- Don Sebastian.
- Rival Princess.
- Character of Love.
- Unhappy Lovers, or the Timmerous Fair one.
- Clytie. A Novel.
- Humours and Conversation of the Town.
- Rival Mother. A Novel.
- Casimir King of Poland.
- The Lovers Secretary.
- The Nuns Letters to a Cavileer.
- Religio Laici, in a Letter to Mr: Dryden.
- Intreagues and Gallantries of Christina Queen of Sweden.
- Gallant Ladies. A Novell.
- Princess of Fez.
- Count Gabalis.
- Homais Queen of Tunis.
- Life of the Duke of Guise.
- Unfortunate Hero.
- Irish Princess.
- Bassa of Buda.
- Amorous Abbess.
- Lisarda, or the Travels of Love, and Jealousy.
- Duke of Alancon and Queen Elizabeth.
- Amours of the Queen of Polonia.
- Hattigi King of Tameran.
- Pilgrim.
- Scanderbegg.
- Revived Fugitive.
- Lord Rochester's Familiar Letters, in 2 Voll.
- A Treatise of Education but especially of Young Gentlemen, by Obadiah Walker.
- The History of Polybius the Megalopilitan containing an Account of the Transactions of the whole World but principally of the Roman People during the 1st. Punick War, Translated by Sir Henry Sheers and Mr. Dryden in 3 Vollums, the 3d. never before Printed.
- Mrs. Behn's Novells in one Voll.
- Incognita, or Love and Duty Reconciled, by Mr. Congreve.
Where you may be also furnish'd with all sorts of Plays.