The Dramatic Works and Poems of James Shirley, Volume 1; Some Account of Shirley and His Writings. Commendatory Verses on Shirley. Love's Tricks, or the School of Complement. the Maid's Revenge. the Brothers. the Witty Fair One. the Wedding (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1833 Excerpt: ... SOME ACCOUNT OF SHIRLEY AND HIS WRITINGS. James Shirley was descended from the Shirleys of Sussex or Warwickshire.1 He was born either on the 13th. or 18th. of September, 1596,2 in or near the parish of St. Mary Woolchurch,3 London. On the 4th. of October, 1608, when he had little more than completed his twelfth year, he was admitted into Merchant-Taylors' School. The honourable situation of his name in the Probationtables of the Entry-book belonging to the School, is a proof that, even during boyhood, his superior abilities were displayed. On the 11th of March, 1612, he was " the eighth boy, or last monitor;" and we may conclude that he left the School on the 11th of June following, --the annual electionday, when the " upper boys" almost invariably depart. 1 Compare the poet's arms, in the engraving prefixed to the present work, from the picture in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, with the bearings of the Shirleys in Berry's Pedigrees of Sussex Families, p. 172, and Dugdale s Antiq. of Warwick. (by Thomas) p. 1125. 3 In the entry-book of Merchant-Taylors' School, his " nativitie" is registered in seven different " Tables of the Schoole's Probation," as having taken place on the 13th. Septr. 1596, but in the eighth and last table where it occurs, it is fixed on the 18th. Septr. Whether the latter date was a correction of the former, or a slip of the pen, cannot be discovered. Our poet's name was frequently written "Sherley;" so it is spelt in the above mentioned entry-book, and in the register of liis death. s "Where the Stocks-Market now is," says Wood; who adds in a note, " So I have been informed by his son, the butler of Furnival's inn, in Uolborn, near London." Ath. Oxon. vol. iii. p. 737. ed. Bliss. From Merchant-Taylors' School he was removed, (in 1612, )...