Elizabeth InchbaldREMARKS [on Edward the Black Prince].¹
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William Shirley, Esq. the author of this play, is little known but as a man well versed in commercial affairs. He was some time English resident at Lisbon, and was considered of deep penetration and knowledge in respect to the trading concerns of different nations; particularly in those of Great Britain and Portugal.²

His name, as a poet, has not attained the same reputation as his skill in commerce; for, though he has produced many dramas, Edward the Black Prince is the only one, which has been acted of many years; nor does this tragedy possess much dramatic merit beyond the interest of the story.³

The hero of Cressy and Poictiers must ever command the fixed attention of an English audience; and the reader of this play may not be displeased at having his memory revived on the subject of this great prince, by a short extract from history previous to its perusal. Edward, Prince of Wales, commonly called the Black Prince, from the colour of his armour, was the son of Edward III. and born in 1330. He accompanied his father to France when he was but sixteen years old, and distinguished himself there above all the warriors of his age, particularly at the battle of Cressy, where he took the standard of the King ofb 2[Page 4]Bohemia, embroidered with three ostrich feathers, and having this motto, Ich Dien—I serve. This he always wore; and it has continued to be the crest of the Prince of Wales ever since.⁴

The battle of Poictiers, in which greater feats were achieved than at Cressy, is very faithfully described in the following play, or, at least, all those events in which the Black Prince was himself concerned in his military capacity.⁵

The character of Arnold, his love, and its ignominious effects, are the invention of the author to give variety to his production.⁶ But the coincidence of names between this British renegade and an American General who betrayed his post, and came over to the English army during the late war in America, confers some tokens of the prophetic upon the writer's pen.⁷

This tragedy made its first appearance at Drury Lane in the year 1750; and as its reception was by no means flattering to the author, or advantageous to the manager, it sunk into obscurity, till Mr. Kemble chose Prince Edward for the second part in which to appear before a London audience.⁸ This was in the year 1783, and at that time, General Arnold, not long arrived from his hostile country, resided in this metropolis, a pensioner on the English government for betraying his own.

It was said, that the General, unacquainted with the fictitious events in this play, was unfortunately in the theatre on the first night of its revival. Whether this was a truth or not, it is certain, that in the scenes between Arnold and Ribemont,⁹ in the beginning of the [Page 5]third act—and in that between Arnold and Edward in the fourth, a singular whisper ran through the whole audience, which denoted, that if they did not see the real Arnold, at least they thought of him.

The character of Audley has history for its foundation, and seems to be a precise recorder of facts. James, Lord Audley, of Haleigh in Staffordshire, distinguished himself greatly under Edward III. in France, and was one of the first Knights of the Garter. He was present at the famous battle of Poictiers, where he was so grievously wounded, that his esquires were obliged to bear him out of the field of battle; after which, the Black Prince bestowed on him a noble pension, with many marks of his regard.

Biog. Brit.¹⁰

Ribemont appears to have been a creature of the poet's fancy, which should likewise have been exercised in giving birth to a female of much more importance than Mariana; for without a very interesting woman's part, few plays will be attractive.b 3