Stowe MS 976

THE SHEPHERD'S PARADISE: a pastoral play in prose, in five acts, by Walter Montagu, written to be acted by Queen Henrietta Maria and the ladies of her Court. The present copy bears no title or author's name, but at the beginning is a list of the characters: "Saphira-Bellesa, the Quene; Bassalino-Moromante, My Lady Marques; Agenor-Genorio, Mrs. Cicely Croftes," etc. A portion of Act Three is missing (one of the characters is cut off in mid-sentence, and the manuscript picks up roughly 200 lines later). There is another copy in Sloane MS. 3649, without title, author's name, or distribution of parts, but with a prologue, beg. "What newes, Apollo, from the highest spheares?" Printed under the above title for Thomas Dring, London, 1629. This date, however, is evidently an error (for 1659?), the titlepage speaking of "the late King Charls."

The same edition was also issued as printed for John Starkey, London, 1659. The piece was no doubt that which was acted by the queen and her ladies at Christmas, 1632 (Collier, Hist. of Dram. Poetry, 1831, vol. ii. p. 38). Its preparation is alluded to in letters of John Pory, of 20 Sept., "That which the queen's majesty, some of her ladies, and all her maids of honour, are now practising upon, is a pastoral penned by Mr. Walter Montagu," etc.; and again, 25 Oct., "Mr. Montagu's pastoral, wherein her Majesty is the prime actress, is extremely long for my lady marquis's part is as long as an ordinary play" (Doran, Court and Times of Charles I, 1848, vol. ii. pp. 176, 187). Paper; ff. 68. Small Folio.

Walter Montagu, Abbot of St Martin de Pontoise: "The Shepherd's Paradise ": a pastoral play: 1632.

Charles I of England: Pastoral play acted by the Queen and her ladies: 1632.

Drama: "The Shepherd's Paradise," by W. Montagu: 1632.