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The History Sale 2015
www.adams.ie41
BOYLE, ROGER, EARL OF ORRERY
English adventures by a Person of Honour. Tom. I - London: 1676. 8vo. pp. [i], 129. Apart from
ink spotting coming through to the titlepage, it is a very good copy in rebacked contemporary
calf. Bookplate of West Dean Library. In quarter morocco solander box. Wing O 476. The pro-
totype of the Irish-authored historical novel, the action takes place in Tudor England and has
for its primary character Henry VIII. Travelling incognito. The present fragment - further “tomes”
were promised but never written - is of extra interest in that it provided a tale within the main
story entitled “The History of Brandon” the plot for Otway’s “The Orphan” a tragedy first staged
in 1680. Indeed according to an 18th century note on the verso of the titlepage: “In 1751 this
book was lent Mr Garrick: He was much pleased with the sight of it and on returning it, told the
owner, that he did not know before from whence Otway had borrowed his plot”. Sweeney 605.
€150 - €200
42
BOYLE, ROGER, EARL OF ORRERY
Two new tragedies - London: 1672. Folio. pp. [iv], 62, [iv], 57, [1]. A very good copy in modern
quarter morocco. Wing O 502.
This combines The Black Prince, “first acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties servants,”
and Tryphon first acted by “the Duke of York’s servants.” Charles II suggested the subject mat-
ter for The Black Prince. It was a failure as were the majority of the Boyle plays but he claims a
distinction in theatrical history as the first playwright in the English language to adopt the rules
of French heroic drama. Tryphon gave the story of a pretender to the throne of Syria in the 2nd
century B.C. as related by Josephus in his “History of the Jews”. Like The Black Prince, it too
was a failure, Samuel Pepys writing in his diary that it was “the very same design on words
and sense and plot, as every one of his plays have.” Such a critical reaction was not altogether
unexpected to judge by the sentiments expressed in the Epilogue:
“Your dealing, we confess, is very fair;
You paid your Money e’re you saw our Ware,
And if you should dislike it now ‘tis seen,
I pray how would you get it back again?
Since never yet at Law an Action lay
for Money paid to see a Cry’d-down-Play;
Then whatsoe’re it be, dispraise it not,
But doe as some when they a Clap have got;
Commend the Wench that more to her may goe,
Thus if they jeer you, you may jeer them too;
New Plays, like Wives are subject to the Curse
Of being took for Better or for Worse.”
Sweeney 611 quoting the 1st edition of 1669.
€200 - €250
Lot 41
Lot 42