to acquaint my Readers with concerning his private Affairs or Family is only this short account that he was much in Favour with his Sovereign and Father to the present Earl of Sterline The Occasion of his being mention'd in our Catalogue is from four Monarchick Tragedies as he stiles them which are in Print under his Name viz. The Alexandraean Tragedy Croesus Darius and Julius Caesar. These Plays seem to be writ with great Judgment and if I mistake not the Author has propos'd the Ancients for his Pattern by bringing in the Chorus between the Acts. They are grave and sententious throughout like the Tragedies of Seneca and yet where the softer and more tender Passions are touch't they seem as moving as the Plays so much in vogue with the Ladies of this Age. The greatest objection that I know against them is the Choice the Author has made of his Verse which is alternate like the Quatrains of the French Poet Pibrach or Sr. William Davenant's Heroick Poem call'd Gondibert This measure of Verse has lately been found fault with by an Eminent Critick notwithstanding what Sr. William has urg'd in its Defence I shall not pretend to decide the Controversy but leave it to my Reader to peruse both their Arguments at leisure It may possibly be objected that his Stile is not pure but as the Author has already pleaded his Country so he ought to be excus'd by all English Criticks having given the preference to our Tongue as exceeding the Scotch Dialect both in Elegance and Perfection His Tragedies are all of them founded on History and he has so strictly ty'd himself to it that even his Episodes which usually are the sole Invention of every Author are founded on Truth likewise The Alexandraean Tragedy is a proof of this for after the First Act which is wholly employed by Alexander's Ghost possibly in imitation of Seneca's Thyestes the rest of the Play is wholly circumscrib'd by History The The Play is built upon the Differences about the Succession that arose between Alexander's Captains after his Decease The Second Act begins with the Councel held by Perdiccas Meleager and the rest of the Commanders The Author has chiefly followed Q. Curtius lib. 10. cap. 6. seq and Justin lib. 13. But there are other Authors that have toucht upon this Story as well Annalists as Historians which for the Reader 's satisfaction I shall set down Such are Diodorus Siculus lib. 18. Oâ—osius lib. 3. cap. 21. Josephus lib. 12 cap. 1 Appian de Bellis Syriacis Saliani Annales Ecclesiastici A. M. 3730. Num. 30. c. Torniel A. M. 3730. N. 5. c. Raleigh's Hist. lib. 4 c. 3 Heylin 's Hist. of Greece Howell c. Croesus is chiefly borrow'd from Herodotus See lib. 1. sive Clio. You may consult likewise Justin lib. 1. cap. 7. Plutarch's Life of Solon â—ee besides Salian Torniel A. M. 3510. In the fifth Act there is an Episode of Abradates and â—anthaea which the Author has copied from Xenophon's Cyropaideia Or the Life and Institution of Cyrus Lib. 7. and the Ingenious â—â—cudery has built upon this Foundation in that diverting Romance call'd Grand Cyrus See Part 5. Book 1. I leave it to the Readers which Romance is best the Copy or the original Darius was the first Present our Author made the world at which time he was Lord Menstrie He printed this Tragedy at Edinborough in quarto 1603. and dedicated it to K. James VI by a Copy of three Stanzas It was first compos'd in a mixt Dialect of English and Scoth and even then was commended by two Copies of Verses The Author has since pollished and corrected much of his Native Language and even the Play it self is alter'd and 't is now reprinted with the Rest of his Works For the Plot of this Play read Q. Curtius lib. 3 4 and 5. and Justin lib. 11. cap. 5. c. See besides Diodorus lib. 17 Arrian de Expeditione Alexandri lib. 2. Plutarch's Life of Alexander Salian A. M. 2719. c. Julius Caesar is founded on History and the Reader may find many Authors that give an account of his Actions particularly Plutarch and Suetonius each of which writ his Life See besides Appian de Bellis Civilibus lib. 2 Florus lib. 4. cap. 2. Salian Torniel c. Besides these Plays he writ several other Poems of a different Species viz. Doomsday or the great day of the Lord's Judgment Poem divided into Twelve Books which the Author calls Hours A Paraenaesis to Prince Henry who dying before it was publish'd he dedicated it to Prince Charles afterwards King and Martyr Jonathan an Heroick Poem intended but the first Book only extant He writ all these Poems in the Ottava Rima of Tasso or as Michael Drayton calls it A Stanza of Eight Lines Six interwoven and Couplet in Base I shall leave their Excellency to the judgment of Criticks who may view them at leisure his Plays and Poems being all printed together in Folio under the Title of Recreations with the Muses printed at Lond. 1637 and dedicated to His Sacred Majesty K. Charles the First of Blessed Memory This being all the Account I am able to give of our Author and his Works I must have recourse to an old Copy of Verses stiled The Censure of the Poets which tho' mean in themselves shew the Opinion the unknown Author had of our Poet Part of which Copy take as follows So Scotland sent us hither for our own That Man whose Name I even would have known To stand by mine that most ingenious Knight My Alexander to whom in his right I want extreamly yet in speaking thus I do but shew that Love that was 'twixt us And not his Numbers which were brave high So like his Mind was his clear Poesy I have likewise seen an Anagram written by One Mr. William Quin on our Author's Name which being short I will transcribe GULIELMUS ALEXANDER Anagramma I LARGUS MELLE EXUNDA Tetrasticon Cum tibi det Genius Musa ingeniumque Poesis Floribus é variis Attica mella legas I largus melle exunda Mell taque funde Carmina sic facias nomine fata jubent Robert ARMIN. The Author of a Play called The Maids of Moor-clack stiled in former Catalogues a History I am able to give no Account either of the Author or his Play having no knowledge of either All that I can say is that I have seen a Book written by one of the same Name called A Discourse of Elizabeth Caldwell who with some other accomplices attempted to poyson her husband This Book is in quarto printed in London 1604. B. Abraham BAILY A Gentleman of whom I can give no other Information than that he has extant a Play called The Spightful Sister printed in 4 o but where or when I am not able to give an Account the Title-page Dedication and Preface if there be any being deficient in my Copy But if I may be
by Mr. Tate and acted at the Theatre in Dorset-Garden 1685. Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley have committed mistakes in this Author having omitted the Tragedy of Ovid and plac'd two anonymous Plays to him which I dare be confident are none of his viz. Thersites and Tyranical Government All his Poems being collected and publisht together in octavo Lond. 1669 by Mr. Kirkman who knew Plays far better than either of these Authors Having given you this Account of his Plays I am next to speak of his other Poems and Pieces but since the Author has reckon'd them up in Verse in an Epigram directed to his Honoured Friend Major William Warner I shall transcribe his own Lines which may inform the Reader of his Stile as well as his Poems Plays Eclogues Songs a Satyr I have writ A Remedy for those i' th amorous Fit Love Elegies and Funeral Elegies Letters of things of divers Qualities Encomiastick Lines to Works of some A Masque and an Epithalamium Two Books of Epigrams All which I mean Shall in this Volume come upon the Scene Some Divine Poems which when first I came To Cambridge I writ there I need not name Of Dianea neither my Translation Omitted here as of another Fashion For Heavens sake name no more you say I cloy you I do obey you Therefore Friend God b'wy you Edward COOK Esq A Gentleman of whom I can give no other account than that he has publisht a Play call'd Love's Triumph or The Royal Union a Tragedy in Heroick Verse never acted but printed in quarto Lond. 1678. and dedicated to her Highness the Most Illustrious MARY Princess of Orange This Play is founded on Cassandra a fam'd Romance as you will find by reading Part 5th Book 4th to the End John COOK The Author of a Play call'd Green's Tu Quoque a Comedy printed in quarto Lond. I cannot tell the Date or the Place where 't was first acted the Title-page of my Copy being lost tho' I suppose at the Red-Bull by a Passage in the Play but I can inform the Reader that it is commended by Thomas Heywood who purposely writ an Epistle to gratulate as he says the Love and Memory of his Worthy Friend the Author and his intirely beloved Friend the Actor He says further That it past the Test of the Stage with general Applause And I have seen it acted since the King's Return at the Play-house as I think in little Lincolns-Inn-Fields with good success tho' the printed Copy be not divided into Acts. The Plot of Spend-all's gaining the Widow Raysby has a near resemblance with that of Will. Small shanks and Widow Taffety tho' I think the Design is better wrought up in this Play because the Widow by a Counter-plot frees her self from Spend-all and after having made a Tryal of the Sincerity of his Love consents of her own accord to Marry him This Play had its Title given it by the Author in respect of the admirable Comedian Thomas Green who acted the part of Bubble whose universal Repartee to all Complement is Tu Quoque Mr. Heywood gives him this Character That there was not an Actor of his Nature in his Time of better ability in performance of what he undertook more applauded by the Audience of greater Grace at the Court or of more general Love in the City At the Entrance of this Play is a Distick which Mr. Winstanley applies to Mr. Robert Green of whom I shall give an account in his proper place tho' had he put on his Spectacles he would have found it printed thus Upon the Death of Thomas Green How fast bleak Autumn changeth Flora's dye What yesterday was Green now 's sear and dry W. R. John COREY A Gentleman who is pleas'd to stile himself the Author of a Play call'd The Generous Enemies or The Ridiculous Lovers a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties Servants and printed in quarto Lond. 1672. Tho'he has so little share in it that we may justly say of him as Appolodorus the Athenian said of the Books of Chrysippus If a Man should extract the things which he hath borrow'd from others the Paper would be left blank To prove this I am to acquaint the Reader that this Play like a Botcher's Cushion is made out of several Pieces he having stollen from Four Eminent Poets Fletcher and Randolph Th. Corneille and Quinault The chief Design of the Play that of the Generous Enemies is borrow'd from Quinault's La Genereuse Ingratitude as will be evident to those who will compare the Characters of Don Alvarez and Signior Flaminio with those of the French Zegry and Abencerage Semena in Disguise under the Name of Lisander with Zelinda under the Name of Ormin c. For the Ridiculous Lovers 't is chiefly borrow'd from a Comedy of Th. Corneille's call'd D. Bertran de Cigarral which Play is founded on a Spanish Comedy written by D. Francisco de Roxas and stiled Entre bobos anda el juego The Quarrel between Bertran and Robatzy in the fifth Act is stollen verbatim from Love's Pilgrimage Act 2. Sc. 1. and Act 3. Sc. 3. The testy Humour of Bertran to his Servants in the third Act is part of it taken from the Muses Looking-glass Act 2. Sc. 1. Act 3. Sc. 3. and 4. Charles COTTON Esq An Ingenious Gentleman lately as I am inform'd Deceas'd who sometimes dwelt at Beresford in the County of Stafford He was an excellent Lyrick Poet but particularly famous for Burlesque Verse but mention'd here on account of a Translation of his call'd Horace a French Tragedy of Monsieur Corneille printed in quarto Lond. 1671. and dedicated to his Dear Sister Mrs. Stanhope Hutchinson This Play was first finished in 1665. But neither at that time nor of sevaral years after was it intended for the publick view it being writ for the private divertisement of a fair young Lady and ever since it had the honor first to kiss her Hands so intirely hers that the Author did not reserve so much as the Broüillon to himself However she being prevail'd upon tho' with some difficulty to give her consent it was printed in Octo. 1670. I shall not extol or particularise the Excellencies of this Play in the Original 't is sufficient to tell you that the French Author thought it might pass for the best of his Productions if the three last Acts had been equal to the two First and this he says was the general Opinion as you may read in the beginning of his Examen of this Play As to the Performance of this our Countryman notwithstanding his Modesty and Generosity in giving the preference to Madam Phillips her Translation I think it no ways inferior to it at least I dare aver that it far transcends that Version publisht by Sr. William Lower The Plot of this Play as far as it is founded on History may be read in several Authors See Livy lib. 1. Florus lib. 1. c.
Edmonton of which see an Account in Rowly and with Decker in The Sun's Darling but writ likewise himself seven Plays most of which were acted at the Phoenix and the Black-Friars and may be known by an Anagram instead of his Name generally printed in the Title-page viz. FIDE HONOR He was more addicted to Tragedy than Comedy which occasion'd an Old Poet to write thus of him Deep in a Dump John Ford was alone got With folded Arms and melancholy Hat I shall give an Account of his Plays Alphabetically and place The Sun's Darling in its order because the greatest part of it was writ by our Author Broken Heart a Tragedy acted by the Kings Majesties Servants at the private House in Black-Fryars printed 4 o Lond. 1633. and dedicated to the most Worthy Deserver of the Noblest Titles in Honour William Lord Craven Baron of Hamstead Marshal The Speakers Names are fitted to their Qualities and most of them are deriv'd from Greek Etimologies Fancies Chast and Noble a Tragi-comedy presented by the Queen Majesties Servants at the Phoenix in Drury Lane printed 4 o Lond. 1638. and dedicated to the Right Noble Lord the Lord Randell Macdonell Earl of Antrim in the Kingdom of Ireland This Play is usher'd into the World by a Copy of Verses written by Mr. Edward Greenfield Ladies Tryal a Tragi-comedy acted by both their Majesties Servants at the private House in Drury Lane printed 4 o Lond. 1639. and dedicated to his Deservingly Honoured John Wyrley Esq and to the Virtuous and Right worthy Gentlewoman Mrs. Mary Wyrley his Wife Lovers Melancholy a Tragi-comedy acted at the private House in the Black-Fryars and publickly at the Globe by the Kings Majesties Servants printed 4 o Lond. 1629. and dedicated to his most worthily Respected Friends Nathaniel Finch John Ford Esquires Mr. Henry Blunt Mr. Robert Ellice and all the rest of the Noble Society of Grays-Inn This Play is commended by four of the Author's Friends one of which who stiles himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writ the following Tetrastick 'T is not the Language nor the fore-plac'd Rimes Of Friends that shall commend to after-times The Lovers Malancholy It s own Worth Without a borrow'd Praise shall set it forth The Author has Embellisht this Play with several Fancies from other Writers which he has appositely brought in as the Story of the Contention between the Musician and the Nightingale describ'd in Strada's Academical Prolusions Lib. 2. Prol. 6 which begins Jam Sol è medio pronus defluxerat Orbe c. A Definition and Description of Melancholy copied from the Ingenious Mr. Rob. Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy c. Love's Sacrifice a Tragedy receiv'd generally well acted by the Queens Majesties Servants at the Phoenix in Drury Lane printed 4 o Lond. 1633. and dedicated to his truest Friend his worthiest Kinsman John Ford of Gray's Inn Esquire There is a Copy of Verses printed before this Play written by that Dramatick Writer Mr. James Shirley Perkin Warbeck a Chronicle History and a Strange Truth acted sometimes by the Queens Majesties Servants in Drury Lane printed 4 o Lond. 1634. and dedicated to the Rightly Honourable William Cavendish Earl of Newcastle This Play as several of the former is attended with Verses written by Four of the Author's Friends one of which is his Kinsman above-mentioned The Plot is founded on Truth and may be read in most of the Chronicles that have writ of the Reign of King Henry the VII See Caxton Polidore Virgil Hollingshead Speed Stow Salmonet Du Chesne Martyn Baker Gaynsford's History of Perkin Warbeck c. Sun's Darling a Moral Mask often presented by their Majesties Servants at the Cock-pit in Drury Lane with great applause printed 4 o Lond. 1657. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Thomas Wriathesley Earl of Southampton This Play was written as I have said by our Author and Decker but not publisht till after their Decease A Copy of Verses written by Mr. John Tateham is the Introduction to the Masque at the Entry whereof the Reader will find an Explanation of the Design alluding to the Four Seasons of the Year 'T is pity she 's a whore a Tragedy printed 4 o I can give no further Account of the Title-page or Dedication mine being lost All that I can say is that it equalls any of our Author's Plays and were to be commended did not the Author paint the incestuous Love between Giovanni and his Sister Annabella in too beautiful Colours Mr. Winstanly says that this Author was very beneficial to the Red-Bull and Fortune Play-Houses as may appear by the Plays which he wrote tho' the Reader may see by the fore-going Account that he takes his Information upon trust or else the Plays he has seen are of different Editions from those I have by me but I rather believe the former since I have found him subject to several Mistakes of this Nature Thomas FORD An Author who liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First who publisht a Dramatick Poem call'd Love's Labyrinth or The Royal Shepherdess a Tragi-comedy printed 8 o Lond. 1660. This Play is commended by two Copies of Verses but whether ever it appear'd on any Stage I cannot determine only this I know that part of this Play is stollen from Gomersal's Tragedy of Sforza Duke of Millain Mr. Philips thro' mistake ascribes this Play to the above-mention'd Mr. John Ford. This Author has writ several other Pieces Virtus Rediviva a Panegyrick on King Charles the Martyr A Theatre of Wits being a Collection of Apothegms Fenestra in Pectore or a Century of Familiar Letters Fragmenta Poetica or Poetical Diversions A Panegyrick on the Return of King Charles the Second All these Pieces with the fore-going Play are printed together in 8 o Lond. 1661. John FOUNTAIN A Gentleman who flourish'd in Devonshire at the time of his Majesty King Charles the Second his Return and was the Author of a single Play nam'd Reward of Virtue a Comedy printed in 4o. Lond. 1661. This Play was not design'd for the Stage by the Author but about eight Years after the first printing Mr. Fountain being dead it was reviv'd with Alterations by Mr. Shadwell and acted with good Applause under the Title of The Royal Shepherdess Abraham FRAUNCE An Ancient Writer who liv'd in the time of Queen Elizabeth and was the Author of a Book called The Countess of Pembroke's Ivy Church which Title in former Catalogues was set down as the Name of a Play in 2 Parts tho' in reality there is but one Dramatick Piece call'd Amintas's Pastoral being the first part of the Book printed 4 o Lond. 1591. and dedicated to the Right Excellent and most Honourable Lady the Lady Mary Countess of Pembroke This Play is writ in English Hexameters and is a Translation from Tasso's Aminta which was done into Latin by one Mr. Watson before this Version was undertaken by our Author He owns that he has somewhat alter'd Sigr. Tasso's Italian
permitted to speak my Sentiments of the Play it self I believe the Author has stollen neither his Characters nor Language from any other and I presume those that have read the Character of My Lord Occus in particular Winifred and the rest in general will be of my opinion John BANCROFT A Gentleman who is the Author of a Tragedy called Sertorius acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1679. 'T is dedicated to Captain Richard Savage and the Epilogue was writ by Mr. Ravenscroft The Elder Corneille has writ a Play on the same subject which I have read but shall leave it to the decision of better judgments to determine which is best Those who would read the foundation of this Play may consult Plutarch's Life of Sertorius Velleius Paterculus lib. 2. Florus lib. 2. c. 22. c. John BANKS A Person now living and if I mistake not a Member of the Honourable Society of New-Inn One whose Genius to Poetry led him to make several Attempts on the Stage with different success but of whom I may say with justice that if he be not accounted a Poet of the first form yet he bears up with his Contemporaries of the second His Genius lays wholly to Tragedy and he has had the Fortune to please the fair Sex in the Earl of Essex and Anna Bullen He has five Plays in print of which in their Alphabetical Order Destruction of Troy a Tragedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1679. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Katherine Roos If this Play fall short of Shakspear's Troilus and Cressida at least it surpasses Heywood's Iron Age and how unkind soever the Criticks were to it I believe they have seen worse Tragedies on the Stage Various are the Authors that have toucht on this subject as Homer Virgil Ovid c. but none more fully than Dares Phrygius and Dictis Cretensis though Learned Men suppose those pieces we have under their Names to be spurious yet Natalis Comes has turned Daxes into Latin Verse and our Countryman Lydgate into old English Meetre Island Queens or The Death of Mary Queen of Scotland a Tragedy published only in defence of the Author and the Play against some mistaken Censures occasioned by its being prohibited the Stage printed in Quarto Lond. 1684. and dedicated to the Illustrious Princess Mary Dutchess of Norfolk Most Historians of those Times have written her Story as well Forreigners as our own See Buchanan Speed in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth Camden Du chesne Brantome's Memoirs Causin's Holy Court Nay even Writers of Romances have thought her Story an ornament to their Work witness the Princess Cloria where part 2. her Story is succinctly related and she pourtrayed under the title of Minerva Queen of Mysta Rival Kings or The Loves of Oroondates and Statira a Tragedy in Heroick Verse acted at the Theatre-Royal printed in quarto 1677. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Katherine Herbert The Play is founded chiefly on Cassandra a famed Romance in Fol. As to what concerns Alexander I refer you to Curtius and Justin. Vertue betrayed or Anna Bullen a Tragedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1682. and dedicated to the Illustrious Princess Elizabeth Dutchess of Somerset The Author has followed a little Novel translated from the French and called The Novels of Elizabeth Queen of England containing the History of Queen Ann Bullen For the Story most of our Chronicles relate it See Speed's Chron. in the Reign of Hen. VIII Ld. Herbert Duchesne Dr. Burnet's Hist. Reform Book the 2. c. Unhappy Favourite or The Earl of Essex a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed in quarto London 1682. and dedicated to the most High and most Illustrious Princess the Lady Ann Daughter to his Royal-Highness the present Princess of Denmark This Play was acted with good success The Prologue and Epilogne were written by Mr. Dryden and the play it self founded on a Novel called The Secret History of the most Renowned Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex printed in 120. Lond. 1680. For the true Story see Cambden's Elizabeth Speed Duchesne Stow Baker c. in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth There have been two French Plays one by Monsieur Calpranede the other by the Younger Corneille which I have read and am of opinion that the English play is not short of the French notwithstanding the high commendations given it by the Mercury Gallant January 1687. Barnaby BARNES This Person lived in the Reign of K. James the First and writ a Play called The Devil's Charter a Tragedy containing the Life and Death of Pope Alexander the VI. play'd before the King's Majesty upon Candlemas Night by his Majesty's Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1607. and dedicated to the Honourable and his very dear Friends Sir W. Herbert and Sir W. Pope Knights Associates in the Noble Order of the Bath This Tragedy seems to be written in imitation of Shakspear's old Play of Pericles Prince of Tyre for as Shakspear raises Gower an old English Bard for his Interlocutor or Introductor in that Play so this Author revives Guicciardine for the same design This was the common practice of the Poets of the last Age as Shakspear Heywood c. at which time they frequently introduced dumb Shews which took much with the Spectators of those times 'T is evident the Author followed Guicciardine who has largly treated to this Pope in his History of the Wars of Italy see the first six Books Other Authors have likewise treated of him as Du Preau Hist. de l'Estat succes de l'Eglise tom 2 p. 293 seq Vollateranus tit 22. sub fine Massonius de Gestis Pontificum Romanorum c. This Author has extant besides four Books of Offices about Princes how they ought to be administred printed fol. Lond. 1606. Robert BARON Esq This Author was a young Gentleman bred first at Cambridge and afterwards brought up in the worthy Society of Grays-Inn During his abode there he writ a Romance called The Cyprian Academy printed octavo Lond. 1647. He dedicated it to the famous Traveller Mr. James Howel in particular and to the Ladies and Gentlewomen of England in general In his Romance are included two Dramaticks which Mr. Kirkman has inserted in his Catalogue tho' they are not entire Tracts of themselves nor of any signal Eminence but since they have been mention'd in former Catalogues I shall not omit them Deorum Dona a Masque presented before Flaminius and Clorinda King and Queen of Cyprus at their Regal Palace in Nicosia Part of this piece is borrow'd from Mr. Waller's Poem to the King on his Navy Gripus and Hegio or The Passionate Lovers a Pastoral acted by the Lady Julio's Servants for the Entertainment of Flaminius This Play consists but of three Acts and is borrow'd very much from Waller's Poems and Webster's
know of that are publisht under our Authors name except a Play which I have already mention'd viz. Eastward-Hoe a Comedy play'd in the Black Friars by the Children of her Majesties Revels made by George Chapman Ben Johnson and John Marston printed in quarto Lond. 1605. This Play was writ shortly after Decker's Westward Hoe as you may see by the Prologue which is writ in Blank Verse The Play it self hath lately appear'd on the present Stage being reviv'd by Mr. Tate under the Title of Cuckold's Haven Mr. Phillips I know not why has omitted half this Authors Plays as you may see in his Account of the Modern Poets p. 53. Having given an Account of his Plays I am now to speak of his other Works which were not in those days accounted less eminent particularly his Version of all Homer's Works viz. His Illiads Odysses and what he calls The Crown of all his Works his Batracomyomachia or The Battle of Frogs and Mice together with his Hymns and Epigrams If it be urg'd by some that he has been since out-done by Mr. Ogleby in the Two former it is chiefly to be ascrib'd to the ill choice of his measure of Verse and the obsolete Expressions in use in his time and besides Translation was then as I may say in its Infancy However I think Mr. Ogleby himself has since been as far exceeded by the exact and curious Pen of Mr. Hobbs and for for his Minor Poems they have never been attempted by any other Pen that I know of To these I must add his Translation of Hesiod his finishing Musaeus his Erotopaenion or The Loves of Hero and Leander a Piece begun by Christopher Marloe his Andromeda liberata with a Vindication of the same all which speak his Industry at least if not his Ingenuity and how slight an Opinion soever this Age may entertain of his Translations I find them highly extoll'd in an Old Copy call'd a Censure of the Poets which having spoke of the Eminent Dramatick Poets as Shakesprear Johnson Daniel c. it adds of Translators as follows placing our Author in the first Rank Others again there lived in my days That have of us deserved no less Praise For their Translations than the daintiest Wit That on Parnassus thinks he high doth sit And for a Claim may 'mongst the Muses call As the most curious Maker of them all First reverend Chapman who hath brought to us Musaeus Homer and Hesiodus Out of the Greek and by his skill hath rear'd Them to that height and to our tongue indear'd That were those Poets at this day alive To see their Books that with us thus survive They'd think having neglected them so long They had been written in the English Tongue Sir Aston COKAIN A Gentleman that in the Reign of K. Charles the Second liv'd at Ashbourn a Market-town An Darby-shire situate between the River Dove and Compton He was of an Ancient Family as Mr. Cambden observes in the Entrance of his Description of Darby-shire Nay further Mr. John Cokain of Rushton our Authors Kinsman and Cousin-German to the Lord Obrian Cokain Viscount Cullen in Ireland had an Ancient Evidence to prove that Sr. Cokain their Predecessor was anciently allyed to King William the Conqueror and in those days lived at Hemmingham-Castle in Essex But whether our Author fetcht his Pedigree from so Ancient a Stock or no certain it is that he was well descended and had a Liberal Education bestowed on him being in his youth bred in Trinity College in Cambridge and when he was about Four and Twenty years of Age he was sent to make a Journey through France and Italy which he compleated in a Twelve-months space An. 1632. an Account of which he has writ to his Son He was very much addicted to Books and the study of Poetry spending most of his time in the Muses company Amongst his other Poetical Productions he has written Three Plays and a Masque which are in print of which take the following Account Masque presented at Bretbie in Darby-shire on Twelfth-Night 1639. This Entertainment has hitherto been omitted in all former Catalogues as I suppose through an Over-sight it being but short and printed in the body of the Author's Poems amongst others of a different Nature It was presented as I find upon perusal of it before the Right Honourable Phillip the first Earl of Chesterfield and his Countess Two of their Sons acting in it The diversion terminated in a Ball. Obstinate Lady a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1658. This Play with other Poems were left in the Custody of a Friend at the Author's Removal from London who dying they were disperst into several Hands One Mr. William Godbid a Bookseller as I suppose got this Play into his Hands and tho' he found it imperfect the last Leaf being wanting wherein were the Authors Conclusion and Epilogue he procured some of his Acquaintance to supply that defect and so printed it And tho' this Comedy were very much of it writ in Number as the Author calls it he put it forth as if the most part of it were Prose In this Edition you have that defect much amended and the Authors own Conclusion and Epilogue added Sr. Aston's Obstinate Lady seems to be Cousin-German to Massinger's Very Woman as they that will compare Don John Antonio and Almira with Carionil and Lucora in this Play may easily perceive Ovid's Tragedy printed in octavo Lond. 1669. This Play was printed since the rest of his Works tho 't is frequently bound with them I know not why the Author gave this Play the Title of Ovid's Tragedy except that he lays the Scene in Tomos and brings him to fall down dead with grief at the News he received from Rome in sight of the Audience otherwise he has not much business on the Stage and the Play ought rather to have taken the Name from Bassanes Jealousy and the dismal effects thereof the murther of his new Bride Clorina and his Friend Pyrontus But this is an Error which Beaumont and Fletcher have heretofore committed as Mr. Rimer has observ'd in the King and no King and therefore the more excusable in our Author The passage of Captain Hannibal's inviting the dead Carcass of Helvidius to Supper is possibly borrow'd from the Italian Play called Il Atheisto Fulminato to which Language our Author was no Stranger and on which Foundation the Catastrophe of the Libertine is built Trapolin creduto Principe or Trapolin suppos'd a Prince an Italian Tragi-comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1658. The Design of this Play the Author borrow'd from One which he saw or rather heard twice Acted in Venice during his abode in that City since he built this on that Foundation So that as he pleads in his Proloque it is no Translation This Play was reviv'd on our Stage since the King's Return and a new Prologue writ by Duffet printed in his Poems pag. 82. and has since that been alter'd
by a Copy of Verses printed at the End writ by his Friend Mr. Samuel King Woman kill'd with Kindness a Comedy oftentimes acted by the Queens Majesties Servants and printed quarto Lond. 1617. These are all the Plays that our Author has extant except we will reckon his Dialogues under the Species of Dramatick Poetry such as Jupiter and Io Apollo and Daphne Amphrise or The Forsaken Shepherdess c. all which with several Translations above-mention'd the Reader may peruse in a Book intituled Pleasant Dialogues and Drammas collected out of Lucian Erasmus Textor Ovid c. printed octavo Lond. 1637. There may be another Reason added to those already mention'd why no more of our Author's Plays have been published which he himself gives us in his Epistle to The Rape of Lucrece That he used to sell his Copy to the Players and therefore suppos'd he had no further right to print them without their Consent which is the Reason that so few are in print and that some of these Plays that are so have been copy'd by the Ear and printed uncorrect without his Knowledge As to his other Pieces he has publisht several in Verse and Prose In the former he has written a Poem called The Hierarchy of the Blessed Angels with Notes printed fol. Lond. 1635. In reading over this Book I find our Author informing the World That he intended to commit to the publick View the Lives of the Poets Forreign and Modern from the first before Homer to the Novissimi and last of what Nation or Language soever so far as any History or Chronology would give him warrant But this Work notwithstanding our Author's Intention I presume was never compleated or at least publisht His chief Pieces in Prose are An Apology for Actors printed 4o. Lond. 1612. which was highly commended by several Copies of Verses written in Greek Latin and English This piece was answer'd or rather rail'd against by One J. G. in a Pamphlet call'd A Refutation of the Apology for Actors printed 4o. Lond. 1615. Whether Mr. Prynn's Piece call'd Histriomastix printed 4o. Lond. 1633. were particularly levell'd against this Book I cannot positively determine but I think Sir Richard Baker who answer'd it in a little Piece call'd The Theatre vindicated printed 8o. Lond. has sufficiently made out the Character he gives of it That all his Book is but a Bundle of Scolding Invectives and Railing instead of Reasoning He has writ besides The Life and Troubles of Queen Elizabeth from her Cradle to her Crown printed 8o. Lond. 1631. The Examplary Lives and Acts of Nine Women Worthies three Jews three Gentiles and three Christians printed 4o. 1640. The General History of Women of the most Holy and Profane the most Famous and Infamous in all Ages printed 8o. Lond. 1657. The usual Motto which he prefix'd to most of his Works and which shew'd the chief design of his Writing was this of Horace Aut prodesse solent aut delectare Barten HOLLYDAY A Gentleman that flourisht in the Reigns of King Charles the First and Second He was born about the latter End of Queen Elizabeths Reign in Oxford in the Parish of All-Saints He was enter'd young at Christ-Church in the time of Dr. Ravis his Relation and Patron by whom he was chose Student and having taken his Degrees of Batchelor and Master of Arts he at length became Arch-Deacon of Oxfordshire He died soon after the King's Return at Eifly the Corps of his Arch-Deaconry near Oxford in the Year 1661. and was buried in Christ-Church having left behind him the Character of a general Scholar a good Preacher a skilful Philosopher and an excellent Poet. As a proof of this I must refer my Reader to his Works in general it being my province at present only to enumerate his Writings and make remarks on nothing but what he has publisht in Dramatick Poetry which is a Play call'd TEXNOTAMIA or The Marriages of the Arts a Comedy acted by the Students of Christ-Church in Oxford before the University at Shrove-tide printed 4o. Lond. 1630. The Author has sufficiently shew'd his Learning in the Contexture of this Comedy and has introduc'd several things from the Ancients particularly two Odes from Anacreon viz. Act 2. Sc. 2. Act 3. Sc. the last He has shew'd how well he was able to imitate another Author by this Play as the Reader may see by comparing the Challenge of Logicus to Poeta Act 2. Sc. 2. with that of Dametas to Clinias drawn by the Pen of the Admirable Sir Philip Sidney He has several other Pieces of Poetry which tho' Translations have gain'd him a considerable Reputation as the Translation of the Satyrs of Juvenal and Persius Illustrated with Notes and Sculptures printed Fol. Oxon. 1673. His Version of the Odes of Horace mention'd by Mr. Wood to have been printed Lond. 1652. He has likewise publisht several Sermons as Three Sermons preach'd at Oxford and two Sermons at St. Pauls-Cross printed 1626. A Sermon of the Nature of Faith printed 4o. Lond. 1654. Motives to a godly Life printed 4o. Oxon. 1657. In Latin he has printed two Pieces viz. Philosophiae Politico-barbarae Specimen de Animâ 4o. Oxon. 1635. Orbis terrarum Inspectio lib. 10. Oxon. 1661. Charles HOOL A Gentleman living in the Reigns of King Charles the First and Second and possibly still in Being He was born at Wakefield in Yorkshire and at eighteen Years of Age came up to the University of Oxford and was enter'd of Lincoln Colledge After having taken his Degree of Master of Arts he withdrew into his own Countrey where he took upon him the Profession of a School Master he taught in several places particularly at Rotheram a Market-Town in the West Riding in Yorkshire and afterwards being sent for up to London by several Eminent Citizens he taught School in Red-Cross-street near Alders-gate Parish and afterwards remov'd to Arundel-Buildings not far from the Royal-Exchange At the King's Return he left the City and remov'd into Wales where possibly he still follows that useful Profession He has been very laborious not only in Instructing Youth but also in publishing many Books to their Advancement One of which is the Subject of his being mention'd in our Catalogue viz. Six Comedies of that Excellent Poet Publius Terentius an African of Carthage in English and Latin for the use of Young Scholars that they may the more readily obtain the purity of the Latin Tongue for common Discourse printed 8o. 1676. This Translation was undertaken by our Author at the Request of the Company of Stationers for whom it was printed and was castrated in some places as in particular see Eunuchus Act 3. Sc. 4 5. to spare the Modesty of the Youth under his Tuition Those who would know more of Terence and his Works let them turn back to Richard Bernard The rest of his Works consist chiefly in Translations of Books for the use of young Scholars as Corderius Cato AEsop's Fables Commenii Orbis pictus
hard Stars tho' possibly Gipsy-like he begs with stoln Children that he may raise the more Compassion Nathaniel LEE An Author whose Plays have made him sufficiently remarkable to those who call themselves The Wits and One whose Muse deserv'd a better Fate than Bedlam How truly he has verified the Saying of the Philosopher Nullum fit Magnum-Ingenium sine mixtur â dementiae even to the Regret and Pity of all that knew him is manifest I heartily wish his Madness had not exceeded that Divine Fury which Ovid mentions and which usually accompanies the best Poet Est Deus in nobis agitante calescimus illo But alas his Condition is far worse as it has been describ'd in a Satyr on the Modern Poets There in a Den remov'd from human Eyes Possest with Muse the Brain-sick-Poet lyes Too miserably wretched to be nam'd For Plays for Heroes and for Passion fam'd Thoughtless he raves his sleepless Hours away In Chains all Nights in darkness all the Day And if he gets some intervals from pain The Fit returns he foams and bites his Chain His Eye-balls rowl and he grows mad again However before this misfortune befel him he writ several Dramatical Pieces which gave him a Title to the First Rank of Poets there being several of his Tragedies as Mithridates Theodosius c. which have forc'd Tears from the fairest Eyes in the World his Muse indeed seem'd destin'd for the Diversion of the Fair Sex so soft and passionately moving are his Scenes of Love written He has publisht Eleven Plays besides those two in which he joyn'd with Mr. Dryden and of which we have already spoken viz. Caesar Borgia Son to Pope Alexander the VI. a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre by their Royal-Highnesses Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery For the Plot see Writers of those times as Guicciardine L. 5 6. Mariana L. 27 28. Sr. Paul Ricaut's Continuation of Platina in the Reign of Pope Alexander the VI. Constantine the Great a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1684. Many are the Authors that have writ the Actions of this Illustrious Emperor as Socrates Sozomen Eusebius Zonaras Eutropius Ruffinus Baronius c. The Story of Crispus and Fausta is particularly related as I think in Ammianus Marcellinus See besides Beard 's Theatre of God's Judgements Ch. 13. p. 225. Gloriana the Court of Augustus Caesar a Tragedy in Heroick Verse acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1676. and dedicated to her Grace the Dutchess of Portsmouth The Plot I take to be rather founded on Romance than History as the Reader will find by comparing the Play with the Romance of Cleopatra in the several Stories of Caesario Marcellus Julia Part 1. Book 3. Part 5. Book 3. Ovid Cypassis and Julia Part 7. Book 3. A Modern Poet in a Satyr writ in Imitation of Sir John Suckling's Session of the Poets writes thus of our Author and this Play Nat Lee stept in next in hopes of a Prize Apollo remember'd he had hit Once in Thrice By the Rubies in 's Face he could not deny But he had as much Wit as Wine could supply Confest that indeed he had a Musical Note But sometimes strain'd so hard that it rattled i' th' Throat Yet own'd he had Sense t' encourage him for 't He made him his Ovid in Augustus's Court. Lucius Junius Brutus Father of his Country a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre by their Royal Highnesses Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1681. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex This Play well deserv'd so great a Patron as his Lordship few Plays that I know being writ with more Manly Spirit Force and Vigour For the Plot our Author has partly follow'd History partly Romance For History consult Floras Lib. 1. Ch. 9 10. Livy Lib. 1. Dionysius Hallicarnassaeus Eutropius Sextus Rufus Orosius c. For Fiction read in the Romance called Clelia The History of Junius Brutus Part 2. Book 1. p. 170. Part 3. Book 1. p. 229. Massacre of Paris a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1690. This Play is founded on that Bloody Massacre which was acted on St. Bartholomew Day in the Year 1572. For the Story consult Thuanus Davila Lib. 5. Pierre Matthieu or as some say Monliard his Continuation of De Serres Mezeray and other Historians in the Reign of Charles the IX Several passages in the Duke of Guise are borrow'd from this Play as the Reader may find by comparing p. 6. of the former with p. 4. of the latter p. 11. with p. 5. p. 13. with p. 5. and 6 c. Mithridates Kings of Pontus a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1678. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex This Play may be reckon'd amongst those of The First-Rank and will always be a Favourite of the Tender-hearted Ladies It is founded on History See Appian de Bell. Mithrid Florus l. 3.c.5 Vell. Paterculus l. 2. Plutarch in the Lives of Scylla Lucullus and Pompey c. Nero Emperor of Rome his Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Right Honble the Earl of Rochester This Play is writ in a mixt Stile part in Prose part in Rime and part in Blank Verse For the Plot consult Suetonius in his Life Aurelius Victor Tacitus Ann. lib. 13 14 c. Sulpicius Severus c. Princess of Cleve a Tragi-comedy acted at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset Garden printed 4o. Lond. 1689. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex Lord Chamberlain of his present Majesty's Houshold and one of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council This Play is founded on a Romance call'd The Princess of Cleves translated from the French The Invective against Women spoken by Poltrot Act 5. Sc. 1. is printed in several Books of Poetry and may be read in a Romance call'd The French Rogue 8o. ch 21. p. 132. The Author tells his Patron That the Duke of Guise has wrested two Scenes from the Original but which they are I have not time to enquire Rival Queens or The Death of Alexander the Great a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed Lond. 1677. and dedicated to the Right Honourable John Earl of Mulgrave This Play has always been applauded by the Spectators and is acknowledg'd a Master-piece by Mr. Dryden himself in that Copy of Verses prefix'd to it which are a sufficient Testimony of its worth The Prologue was written by Sir Car Scroop For the Plot as far as the Author has follow'd History consult Arrian Q. Curtius Plutarch's Life of Alexander Justin lib. 11 12. Diodorus Siculus lib. 17. 18. Josephus lib. 11. cap. 8. Sophonisba or Hannibals
Overthrow a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1676. and dedicated to her Grace the Dutchess of Portsmouth This Play is writ in Heroick Verse and hath always appear'd on the Stage with applause especially from the Female Sex and Envy it self must acknowledge That the Passion between Massanissa and Sophonisba is well express't tho' Hannibal and Scipio's Parts fall somewhat short of the Characters given them by Historians as the Ingenious and Sharp Lord Rochester has observ'd in his Allusion to Horace's Tenth Satyr of the First Book When Lee makes temperate Scipio sret and rave And Hannibal a whining Amorous Slave I laugh and wish the Hot-brain'd Fustian-Fool In Busby's Hands to be well lasht at School As our Author has taken the Liberty in several Plays to follow Romances so possibly he purposely err'd with the late Earl of Orrery who in his first Part of Parthenissa has represented the Warlike Hannibal as much in Love with Izadora as Mr. Lee has describ'd him passionate of Rosalinda's Charms Many Historians have writ the Actions of these Great Men see Cornelius Nepos his Life of Hannibal Plutarch's Life of Scipio and that of Hannibal father'd on him tho' suppos'd to be writ by Donatus Acciajolus Livy Dec. 3. Lib. 1. c. Florus Lib. 2. C. 6. Justin Orosius Diodorus Polybius Appian c. Those who understand Italian may read the Story of Massanissa and Sophonisba very neatly describ'd by the Excellent Pen of Petrarch in his Il Trionfo d'Amore C. 2. Theodosius or The Force of Love a Tragedy acted by their Royal-Highness's Servants at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to her Grace the Dutchess of Richmond The Passions are extreamly well drawn in this Play and it met with its deserv'd Applause and our Author has said with as much Truth as Modesty That such Characters Every Dawber cannot draw This Play is founded on a Romance call'd Pharamond translated from the French of Mr. Calpranede See the History of Varannes Part 3. Book 3. p. 282. Of Martian Part 7. Book 1. p. 207. Of Theodosius Part 7. Book 3. p. 256. I know nothing else that our Author has in Print and therefore I shall conclude with that just Commendation given him and Mr. Otway by Mr. Evelyn in his Imitation of Ovid's Elegy ad Invidos When the aspiring Grecian in the East And haughty Philip is forgot in the West Then Lee and Otway's Works shall be supprest John LILLY An Ancient Writer living in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth he was a Kentish Man and in his younger Years brought up in St. Mary Magdalen Colledge in Oxon. where in the Year 1575. he took his Master of Arts Degree He was a very close Student and much addicted to Poetry a Proof of which he has given the World in Nine Plays he has bequeath'd to Posterity and which in that Age were well esteem'd both by the Court and the University He was One of the first Writers that in those Days attempted to reform our Language and purge it from obsolete Expressions Mr. Blount a Gentleman who has made himself known to the World by the several Pieces of his own Writing as Horae Subsecivae his Microcosmography c. and who publisht fix of these Plays in his Title-page stiles him The only Rare Poet of that Time The Witty Comical Facetiously-Quick and Unparalell'd John Lilly 'T is not to be expected that I should any where trace this Author if the Character Mr. Blount gives of him in his Epistle Dedicatory be true That he sat at Apollo's Table that Apollo gave him a Wreath of his own Bayes without Snatching and that the Lyre he play'd on had no borrow'd Strings The Reader therefore is only to expect a short Account of his Titles Alphabetically Alexander and Campaspe a Tragical-Comedy play'd before the Queens Majesty on Twelfth-day at Night by her Majesties Children and the Children of Paul's and afterwards at the Black-fryars printed 120. Lond. 1632. The Story of Alexander's bestowing Campaspe on the Enamour'd Apelles is related by Pliny in his his Natural History Lib. 35 L.10 Endymion a Comedy presented before Queen Elizabeth by the Children of her Majesties Chappel and the Children of Pauls printed 120 Lond. 1632. For the Story of Endimion's being belov'd by the Moon with Comments upon it may be met with in most of the Mythologists See Lucian's Dialogues between Venus and the Moon Natalis Comes Lib. 4. C 8. Hygini Poeticon Astronomicon Fulgentii Mythologia Galtruchius's History of the Heathen Gods Lib. I. C. 9. M. Gombauld has writ a Romance call'd Endymion translated in English printed octavo 1639. Galathea a Comedy play'd before the Queens Majesty at Greenwich on New-Years Day at Night by the Children of Paul's printed 120. Lond. 1632. In the Characters of Galathea and Phillidia the Poet has copy'd the Story of Iphis and Janthe which the Reader may find at large In Ovid's Metamorphosis Lib. 9 Cap. 12 Love's Metamorphosis a Witty and Courtly Pastoral first play'd by the Children of Paul's and now by the Children of the Chappel printed 4o. Lond. 1601. Maid's Metamorphosis a Comedy sundry times acted by the Children of Paul's printed 4o. Lond. 1600. The first Act is wholy writ in Verse and so is the greatest part of the Play Mother Bombie a Pleasant Conceited Comedy sundry times play'd by the Children of Paul's printed 120. Lond. 1632. Mydas a Comedy play'd before the Queens Majesty upon Twelfth-day at Night printed 120. Lond. 1632. For the Story see Ovid's Metamorphosis Lib. II. Fab. 4 Natalis Comes Lib. 9. Cap. 15. Galtruchius Book 2. Ch. 5 Apuleius has writ the Story at large in his Aureus Asinus c. Sapho and Phao a Comedy play'd before the Queens Majesty on Shrove-Tuesday by her Majesties Children and the Children of Paul's and afterwards at the Black-fryars printed 120. Lond. 1632. This Story the Reader may learn from Ovid's Epistle of Sapho to Phaon Ep. 21. Woman in the Moon a Comedy presented before Her Highness printed 4o. Lond. 1667. Six of these Plays viz. Alexander and Campaspe Endymion Galathea Mother Bombie Mydas Sapho and Phao are printed together under the Title of Six Court Comedies 120. Lond. 1632. and dedicated by the above mention'd Mr. Blount to the Right Honourable Richard Lumley Viscount Lumley of Waterford The other three are printed single in 4o. By which it appears how and Mr. Philips and his Transcriber Mr. Winstanley are mistaken in affirming That all Mr. Lilly's Plays are printed together in a Volume Not are they less mistaken in ascribing to him a Play call'd Warning for fair Women it being writ by an Anonymous Author I presume our Author may have other Pieces in print tho' I have not been so happy to see them Mr. Blount seems to mention a Book stiled Euphues Our Nation says he are in his Debt for a new English which he taught them Euphues and his
in quarto 1606. The Plot of Dulcimel her cozening the Duke by a pretended Discovery of Tiberio's Love to her is borrow'd from Boccace's Novels Day 3. Nov. 3. This Novel is made use of as an Incident in several other Plays as Flora's Vagaries Souldiers Fortune and Nymphadoro's Humour of Loving the whole Sex Act. 3. Sc. 1. is copy'd from Ovid's Amor. Lib. 2. Eleg. 4. What you will a Comedy printed 8o. Lond. 1633. Francisco's zanying the Person and Humour of Albano is an incident in several Plays as Mr. Cowley's Guardian Albumazer c. tho' I presume the Design was first copy'd from Plautus his Amphitruo This I take to be one of our Authors best Plays Wonder of Women or Sophonisba her Tragedy sundry times acted at the Black-fryars and printed in 8o. Lond. 1633. This Play is founded on History see Livy Dec. 3. Lib. 10. Corn. Nepos in Vit. Annibal Polibius Appian Orosius The English Reader may read this Story lively describ'd by the Judicious Sir W. Rawleigh in his History of the World Book the 5. Mr. Phillips and Mr. Winstanley have created him the Author of a Play call'd The Faithful Shepherd which I am confident is none of his and have ommitted his Satyrs which render'd him more eminent than his Dramatick Poetry The Title is The Scourge of Villany in three Books of Satyrs printed in 8o. Lond. 1598. Mr. Fitz-Geoffry above-mention'd in the Account of Daniel and Johnson writ in their Commendation the following Hexastick Ad Johannem Marstonem Gloria Marstoni Satyrarum proxima primae Primaque fas primas si numerare duas Sin primam duplicare nefas tua gloria saltem Marstoni primae proxima semper eris Nec te paeniteat stationis Jane secundus Cū duo sint tantùm est neuter at ambo pares John MASON I can give the Reader no Account of this Author further than he was a Master of Arts in the time of King James the First about the middle of whose Reign he publisht a Play stil'd Muleasses the Turk a Worthy Tragedy divers times acted by the Children of his Majesties Revels printed 4o. Lond. 1610. Whether this Play deserv'd the Title of Worthy I shall not determine but that the Author had a good Opinion of it seems apparent from his Lemma in the Title-page borrow'd from Horace Sume superbiam quaesitam meritis Philip MASSINGER PHILIP MASSINGER Our Author has publisht Fourteen Plays of his own Writing besides those in which he join'd with other Poets We shall begin with a Play call'd Bashful Lover a Tragi-comedy often acted at the private House in Black-friars by His Majesties Servants with great Applause printed 8o. 1655. Bondman an ancient Story often acted with good allowance at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane by the most Excellent Princess the Lady Elizabeth her Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1638. and dedicated to the Right Honourable and his Singular good Lord Philip Earl of Montgomery The Plot of the Slaves being seduc'd to Rebellion by Pisander and reduc'd by Timoleon and their flight at the sight of the Whips is borrow'd from the Story of the Scythian Slaves Rebellion against their Master See Justin L.1 C. 5 City Madam a Comedy acted at the private House in Black-friars with great Applause printed 4o. Lond. 1659. for Andrew Pennycuicke One of the Actors and dedicated by him to the truly Noble and Virtuous Lady Anne Countess of Oxford This is an Excellent old Play Duke of Millain a Tragedy printed in 4o. tho when or where acted I know not my Copy being imperfect As to the Plot I suppose Sforza's giving orders to his Favourite Francisco to murther his beloved Wife the Dutchess Marcelia was borrow'd from the History of Herod who on the like occasion left orders with his Uncle Joseph to put his beloved Mariamne to Death as the Reader may see in Josephus Lib. 15. Cap. 4. Emperor of the East a Tragi-comedy divers times acted at the Black-friars and Globe Play-houses by the King's Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1632. and dedicated to the Right Honourable and his very good Lord John Lord Mohune Baron of Oke-hampton This Play is commended by three Copies of Verses One of which was writ by Sir Aston Cockain For the Play 't is founded on the History of Theodosius the Younger See Socrates L. 7. Theodoret L.5 Nicephorus L. 14. Baronius Godeau c. Fatal Dowry a Tragedy often acted at the private House in Black-friars by His Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1632. This Play was writ by our Author and Mr. Nathaniel Field of whom I have already spoken The behaviour of Charalois in voluntarily choosing imprisonment to ransom his Fathers Corps that it might receive Funeral Rights is copied from the Athenian Cymon that admirable Example of Piety so much celebrated by Valerius Maximus Lib. 5. C. 4 Ex. 9 Plutarch and Cornelius Nepos notwithstanding make it a forc'd Action and not voluntary Guardian a Comical History often acted at the private House in Black-fryars by his late Majesties Servants with great Applause printed 8o. Lond. 1655. Severino's cutting off Calipso's Nose in the dark taking her for his Wife Jolantre is borrow'd from the Cimerian Matron a Romance 8o. the like Story is related in Boccace Day 8. Nov. 7. Great Duke of Florence a Comical History often presented with good allowance by her Majesties Servants at the Phoenix in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1636. and dedicated to the truly Honoured and his noble Favourer Sir Robert Wiseman of Thorrel's Hall in Essex This Play is commended by two Copies of Verses One of which was writ by Mr. John Ford of whom we have already spoken p. 219. The false Character given the Duke of the Beauty of Lidia by Sanasarro resembles the Story of King Edgar and Duke Ethelwolph in his Account of the Perfections of Alphreda As the Reader may find the Story related in our English Chronicles that have writ the Reign of Edgar as Speed Stow Baker c. Maid of Honour a Tragi-comedy often presented with good allowance at the Phoenix in Drury-lane by the Queen's Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1632. and dedicated to his most Honoured Friends Sir Francis Foliambe and Sir Thomas Bland A Copy of Verses is prefixt to the Play writ by Sir Aston Cokain New way to pay Old Debts a Comedy often acted at the Phoenix in Drury-lane by the Queens Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1633. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Carnarvan This Play is deservedly commended by the Pens of Sir Henry Moody and Sir Thomas Jay above-mention'd Old Law or A new Way to please you an excellent Comedy acted before the King and Queen at Salisbury-house and at several other places with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 1656. In this Play our Author was assisted by Mr. Middleton and Mr. Rowley At the End of it is printed a Catalogue of Plays which tho' stil'd perfect in the Title-page is far from it for besides abundance of
Dutchess of Malsy which is excusable only on the account of the Author's Youth he being but 17 Years of age when he compos'd that Romance which was the reason that it was so highly commended by twelve Copies of Verses writ by his Friends and printed with his Book Mirza a Tragedy really acted in Persia in the last Age Illustrated with Historical Annotations printed octavo Lond. and dedicated to his Majesty by a Copy of Verses This Play is much beyond either of the former and has the repute of a good Play It is commended by five Copies of Verses written by the Author's Cambridge-Friends On this very Subject the famous Denham had before writ a Play called The Sophy Tho' our Author had finished three compleat Acts of this Tragedy before he saw that nor was he then discouraged seeing the most Ingenious Author of that has made his seem quite another Story from this Mr. Baron has follow'd not only the Honourable Sr. Thomas Herbert's printed Account in his Travels but likewise made use of a Manuscript Letter which Sr. Dodmore Cotton Embassador to Abbas King of Persia from King Charles the First in the Year 1626. sent to a Friend of his in Cambridge according to which Letter he prosecuted the Story throughout The Author seems to have propos'd for his pattern the famous Catiline writ by Ben Johnson and has in several places not only hit the model of his Scenes but even imitated the Language tolerably for a young Writer Whoever pleases to compare the Ghost of Emir-hamze-mirza with that of Scilla may easily see his Imitation but that being too long to transcribe I shall set down the first words of Catiline in that admirable Play and afterwards those of Abbas and then submit my opinion to my Reader 's judgment Catiline Act first It is decreed Nor shall thy fate O Rome Resist my Vow Though hills were set on hills And seas met seas to guard thee I would thro' I 'll plough up Rocks steep as the Alpes in dust And lave the Tyrhene waters into clouds But I would reach thy head thy head proud City Mirza Act first The vow is made nor shall thy flattering Fate O Mirza contradict it though thy Troops Stood like a wall about thee nay tho' Jove Press all the gods to guard thee and should arm Them every one with thunder I would through I 'll tear the groundsells of thy Towers up And make their nodding Spires kiss the centre But I will reach thy heart thy heart proud Victor This is the first Author taken notice of either by Mr. Phillips in his Theatrum Poetarum or his Transcriber Mr. Winstanley in his Lives of the English Poets and though neither of them give any other Account of our Author but what they collected from my former Catalogue printed 1680. yet through a mistake in the method of that Catalogue they have ascrib'd many Anonymous Plays to the foregoing Writers which belonged not to them and thus have committed mistakes in almost all the Dramatick Writers they have handled To give an Instance in this Author they both ascribe to him Don Quixote or The Knight of the ill-favoured Countenance a Comedy I know not whence they had their Intelligence but I never heard or read any such Play nor do I believe there is any other Book which bears that title except the fam'd Romance written by the admirable Pen of that famous Spanish Author Miguel de Cervantes They have likewise ascribed several other Dramatick Pieces to this Author which I dare be confident are not of his Writing as Dick Scorner Destruction of Jerusalem Marriage of Wit and Science Masques and Interludes and have omitted two other Pieces written by him viz. Poems octavo and a Book intituled An Apology for Paris Neither do I believe Mr. Phillips's Account that any of his Pieces appear'd on the Stage I shall conclude all with the following Anagram written by his Friend Mr. John Quarles sometimes of St. Peter's College in Cambridge Anagram ROBERTUS BARONUS Anagram RARUS AB ORBE NOTUS Rarus haud cuiquam peperit Natura secundum Notus es scriptis Baron ab orbe tuis Lodowick BARREY An Author that liv'd in the middle of the Reign of King James the First who writ a Play call'd Ram-Alley or Merry Tricks a Comedy divers times heretofore Acted by the Children of the Kings Revels and printed in quarto Lond. 1611. The Plot of Will Smallshank's decoying the Widow Taffeta into Marriage is borrow'd as I suppose from the same Author from whence Kirkman took the Story which is to be found in the English Rogue Part the IV Chap. 19. and is an Incident in other Plays besides this particularly in Killegrew's Parjon's Wedding Francis BEAUMONT See Fletcher Captain William BEDLOE A Person so remarkable in this Nation not many years since on the Account of the Popish Plot that few are ignorant of his part of the discovery I shall not pretend here to give you an account of his Life but refer you to that which was written by an Unknown Hand intituled The Life and Death of Captain William Bedloe printed in octavo Lond. 1681. The Reason why we mention him in our Catalogue is on account of a Play writ by him called The Excommunicated Prince or The false Relick a Tragedy Acted by his Holiness's Servants being The Popish Plot in a Play printed in folio Lond. 1679. Dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Buckingham I must confess I was very desirous to read this Piece for the sake of the Title-page and came to it with great expectations but found them altogether frustrated and only a Story which I had formerly read in Dr. Heylin's Geography described in it But afterwards when his Life came out I was satisfied with the Account the Publisher gave of it which for the Readers Information and the Justification of the Deceased I shall quote word for word In the next place I desire leave to speak something of his Dramatick Poem call'd The Excommunicated Prince or The False Relick As to the worth of the Play I do own my self so unskilful in Poetry that I will not rashly pretend to give my opinion of it But that which I know let me assert in its vindication viz. That it was both began and finisht in the space of two Months which every one must needs acknowledge was but a very short time considering the great business that then more earnestly imploy'd his thoughts which must necessarily be a weighty clog to the ablest Muse. Whereas some of the chiefest Poets of this Age have thought it no disparagement to confess that a correct Play to be perfected will require at least twelve Months time And I remember in some Prologue I think in that to the Virtuoso I have read this Distick to the same purpose A Play like Ground must a Year Fallow lye E're it can ripen to good Comedy This consider'd and it being the first Essay he
and shall Honor haue While there 's or Slavish Lord or Royal Slave Robert CHAMBERLAIN A Gentleman that flourisht in the Reign of King Charles the First the Author of a Play called The Swaggering Damsel a Comedy printed in quarto Lond. 1640. I know not whether this Play was ever acted but 't is usher'd into the world by Three Copies of Verses one of which was writ by Mr. Rawlins in requital of a Copy writ by our Author in praise of his Tragedy called The Rebellion A Complement which has in this Age been practiced by Mr. Dryden to Mr. Lee's Rival Queens in Return of that past by him on Mr. Dryden's State of Innocence Mr. Phillips and Winstanley have ascrib'd to our Author a Play call'd Sicellides which they stile a Pastoral tho'it is distinguish'd by the Anonymous Author by the Title of a Piscatory the Dramatis Personae being most of them Fishermen William CHAMBERLAIN A Dorset-shire Gentleman who in the Reign of King Charles the First liv'd at Shaftsbury a Market-town of sufficient Note for giving the Title to the famous Lord Cooper first Earl of Shaftsbury He writ a Play called Love's Victory a Tragi-Comedy printed in quarto Lond. 1658. and dedicated to the Right Worshipful Sr. William Portman He writ this Play during the late Troubles and design'd to have it acted but the Powers then in being having suppressed the Stage he contented himself with Printing it tho' it has since appeared at least a great part of it upon the Stage in 1678. under the Title of Wits led by the Nose or A Poet's Revenge This Author writ besides an Heroick Poem called Pharonnida in Five Books printed in octavo Lond. 1659. and dedicated likewise to Sr. William Portman This Poem tho' it hath nothing extraordinary to recommend it yet appear'd abroad in Prose 1683. under the Title of a Novel called Eromena or The Noble Stranger George CHAPMAN A Gentleman of no mean Repute for his Poetical Writings and Versions amongst the Wits of the Age wherein he liv'd to wit in the later part of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and that of King James I can give him no greater Commendation than that he was so intimate with the famous Jhonson as to engage in a Triumvirate with Him and Marston in a Play called Eastward-Hoe a Favour which the haughty Ben could seldome be perswaded to I might add to this that he was so much valued in his time by the Gentlemen of the Middle-Temple and Lincoln's-Inn that when those two Honourable Societies agreed to Present Their Majesties with a Masque at Whitehall on the joyful Occasion of the Marriage between the Princess Elizabeth only Daughter to King James the First and Frederick the Fifth of that Name Count Palatine of the Rhine and afterwards King of Bohemia they chose Mr. Chapman for their Poet to suit Language to the Occasion and Mr. Inigo Jones for their Ingineer to order the Machines and Decoration of the Scenes He has writ many Dramatick Pieces to the number of Eighteen besides several other Poems and Translations of all which his Tragedy of Bussy d' Amboise has the Preference I know not how Mr. Dryden came to be so possest with Indignation against this Play as to resolve to burn One annually to the Memory of Ben Johnson but I know very well that there are some who allow it a just Commendation and others that since have taken the liberty to promise a solemn annual Sacrifice of The Hind and Panther to the Memory of Mr. Quarles and John Bunyan so that should this last Humour continue The Hind and Panther would grow as scarce as this Old Tragedy is at present But I leave this Digression to give the Reader an Account of his Plays in order All Fools a Comedy presented at the Black-friars and afterwards before his Majesty King James the First in the Begining of his Reign and printed in quarto Lond. 1605. This was in those days accounted an Excellent Comedy and will still bear Reading it seems to be built in part upon the same Fabrick with Terence's Heautontimorumenos as those who will compare the Characters of the two Fathers Gostanzo and Mar. Antonio with Chremes and Menedemus and their Sons Valerio Fortunio and Rynaldo with Clinia Antipho and Syrus may easily perceive The Prologue and Epilogue writ in Blank Verse shew that in those days Persons of Quality and those that thought themselves Judges of Wit instead of sitting in Boxes as now in use sat on the Stage what influence those Sparks had on the meaner Auditors may be seen by the following Lines Great are the Gifts given to united Heads To Gifts Attire to fair Attire the Stage Helps much for if our other Audience see You on the Stage depart before we end Our Wits go with you all and we are Fools c Alphonsus Emperor of Germany a Tragedy very often acted with great Applause at the Private-house in Black-friars by the Servants to King Charles the First printed in quarto Lond. 1654. This Play tho' it bear the Name of Alphonsus was writ as I suppose in Honor of the English Nation in the Person of Richard Earl of Cornwal Son to King John and Brother to King Henry the Third He was chosen King of the Romans in 1257. and Crown'd at Aix the Seventeenth day of May being Ascension day About this time Alphonsus the Tenth King of Castile the subject of this Tragedy was chosen by other Electors Tho'this King was accounted by some a Pious Prince yet our Author represents his as a Bloody Tyrant and contrary to other Historians brings him to an unfortunate End he supposing him to be kill'd by Alexander Son to Lorenzo de Cipres his Secretary in revenge of his Father who was poyson'd by him and to compleat his Revenge he makes him first deny his Saviour in hopes of Life and then stabs him glorying that he had at once destroyed both Body and Soul This Passage is related in several Authors as Bolton's Four last Things Reynolds of the Passions Clark's Examples Wanley's History of Man For the true Story consult Mariana de Reb. Hisp. Lib. 13 C. 10 c. Loüis de Mayerne Turquet Hist. Generale d' Espagne Lib. 12 Bzovius An. 1257 c. Blind Beggar of Alexandria a Comedy most pleasantly discoursing his variable Humours in disguised shapes full of Conceit and Pleasure sundry times publickly Acted in London by the Right Honourable the Earl of Notingham Lord High Admiral his Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1598. This Play is neither divided into Acts nor Scenes Bussy d' Amboise a Tragedy often presented at Pauls in the Reign of King James the First and since the Restauration of King Charles the Second acted at the Theatre-Royal with good Applause For the Plot see Thuanus Jean De Serres and Mezeray in the Reign of King Henry the Third of France The Intrigue between Bussy and Tamyra is related by Rosset in his Histoires
3. Dionysius Hallicarnassaeus c. There are other Works of this Author's writing which speak him a great Wit and Master of an excellent Fancy and Judgment Such as his Poem call'd The Wonders of the Peak printed in octavo Lond. 1681. His Burlesque Poems call'd Scarronides or Virgil Travestie a mock Poem on the first and fourth Books of Virgil's AEneis printed in octavo Lond. 1678. Tho' the Title seems to imply as if this Poem were an Imitation of Scarron who has translated Eight Books of Virgil in the same manner yet those who will compare both these Pieces will possibly find that he has not only exceeded the French but all others that have attempted in that kind to the reserve of the incomparable Butler the fam'd Author of Hudibras and I think we may with little variation apply the following Tetrastick written by Scarron's Uncle to this our Author Si punctum omne tulit qui miscuit utile dulcis Ludendo scribens seria quid meruit Virgilii miranda legens ridere jubetur Hoc debet Cotton Anglica Musa tibi ABRAHAM COWLEY Abraham COWLEY I have generally hitherto contented my self with giving a succinct Account of each Authors Affairs of Life or Family and chose rather to enlarge on their Works but Mr. Cowley was a Person of so great Merit and Esteem in the world when Living and his Memory so fresh in the minds of Learned Men that I am oblig'd not to pass him slightly over 'T is true my Predecessors in this Work I mean Mr. Phillips and Mr. Winstanley have given but an imperfect account of Him or his Writings but as I propose not them for my Pattern in this Subject so I must publickly own that I have so great a Veneration for the Memory of this great Man that methinks his very Name seems an Ornament to my Book and deserves to be set in the best Light I can place it Wherefore I shall be as careful in copying his Picture from his Writings as an Artist would be in hitting the Features of his Sovereign To begin first with his Birth the place of his Nativity was London and the time which made his Virtuous Parents happy in him was the year of our Lord 1618. Tho' his Mother had no prescience like Maia the Parent of the great Virgil who the Night before her delivery dreamt she brought forth a sprig of Lawrel which upon the setting forthwith became a Tree yet it may be said that this our English Maro grew ripe with equal speed as that famous Poplar Bough planted at the Roman Poets Birth sprung up into a beautiful tall Tree which overtopt several others of far riper Age. Virgil at Thirteen years of Age began his Studies at Millain but this our Author writ his Tragical History of Pyramus and Thisbe when he was but Ten years old his Constantia and Philetus at Twelve and at Thirteen had publisht not only these but several other Poetical Blossoms which sufficiently prov'd the pregnancy of his Wit and all this whilst he was yet but a Westminster Schollar before he could say with Juvenal Et nos ergo manum ferulae subduximus Nor is the Character he gives of himself less full of Admiration That even when he was a very young Boy at School instead of running about on Holidays and playing with his Fellows he was wont to steal from them and walk into the Fields either alone with a Book or with some One Companion if he could find any of the same Temper His first Inclinations to Poetry proceeded from his falling by chance on Spencer's Fairy Queen With which he was so infinitely delighted and which by degrees so fill'd his head with the tinkling of the Rhime and dance of the Numbers that he had read him all over before he was Twelve years old and was thus made a Poet as immediately as a Child is made an Eunuch Thus he gradualy grew up to that maturity both of Fancy and Judgment that in the opinion of a great Man now living Whoever would do him right should not only equal him to the principal Ancient Writers of our own Nation but should also rank his Name amongst the Authors of the true Antiquity the best of the Greeks and Romans Nor is this the sence only of this Worthy Person and Excellent Poet but the general Opinion of the Wits of both Universities and which will appear obvious to All that shall diligently read his Works most of which were writ or at least design'd whilst he was of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and of which I shall give a succinct Account begining first with his English Plays which are Three in Number viz. Guardian a Comedy printed in quarto Lond. 1650. Made says the Author and acted before the Prince or rather neither made nor acted but rough-drawn only and repeated for the hast was so great that it could neither be revised or perfected by the Author nor learned without Book by the Actors nor set forth in any Measure tolerably by the Officers of the Colledge This Mr. Cowley thought fit to acquaint the Prince with in the Prologue which was spoken to him at that time as the Reader may see by the following Lines being part of it Accept our hasty Zeal a thing that 's play'd E're 't is a Play and acted e're 't is made Our Ignorance but our Duty too we show I would all ignorant People would do so At other times expect our Wit and Art This Comedy is acted by the Heart After the Representation the Author tells us he began to look it over and changed it very much striking out some whole Parts as that of the Poet and the Souldier but he having lost the Copy durst not think it deserv'd the pains to write it again which made him omit it in the publication of his Works in Folio though at that time he acknowledg'd there were some things in it which he was not asham'd of taking the Excuse of his Age when he made it But as it was he accounted it only the hasty first-sitting of a Picture and therefore like to resemble him accordingly This Comedy notwithstanding Mr. Cowley's modest Opinion of it was acted not only at Cambridge but several times after that privately during the prohibition of the Stage and after the King's Return publickly at Dublin and never fail'd of Applause This I suppose put our Author upon revising it and there being many things in it which he dislik't and finding himself at leisure in the Country he fell upon altring it almost throughout and then permitted it to appear publickly on the Stage under a new Title as indeed 't was in a manner a new Play calling it Cutter of Coleman-street acted at his Royal Highness's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1663. This Play met with some Opposition at its Representation under this new Name from some who envyed the Authors unshaken Loyalty to the Prince and the Royal Cause in
the worst of Times but afterwards I suppose the Authors Preface to which I refer the Reader dispell'd all those Clouds rais'd by the Faction and I have seen it acted with universal Applause and I believe generally speaking all unbyass'd Judges that have read or seen it acted will give it the Approbation of an excellent Comedy and for those who are unsatisfied concerning his Fidelity to his King I must refer them to that admirable Defence writ by the Reverend Bishop of Rochester in behalf of this excellent Man it being too copious to be inserted here Love's Riddle a Pastoral Comedy written at his time of being King's Scholar in Westminster School printed first with his Poetical Blossoms in quarto Lond. 1633. but since printed in the Second Volume of his Works in Fol. Lond. 1681. and dedicated by a Copy of Verses to the truly Worthy and Noble Sr. Kenelm Digby If this Play be consider'd according to the Authors years at that time 't will certainly be allow'd standard or at least needs no other Apology then what the Author makes for it in his Dedication to his Patron Take it as early Fruits which rare appear Though not half ripe but worst of all the year And if it please your Taste my Muse will say The Birch which crown'd her then it s grown a Bay It might be expected that I should give some Account either of the Plots of these Plays or whence he has borrow'd but let those that think so be satisfied from the Famous Denham's Character That he is noâ— an Author of that Stamp I hope it will not be thought Foreign to my purpose to transcribe part of that Copy which he writ on this Admirable Poets Death and Burial amongst the Ancient Poets The whole Copy deserves to be engraved in Brass but I shall here transcribe only what is to our purpose Old Mother Wit and Nature gave Shakespear and Fletcher all they have In Spencer and in Johnson Art Of slower Nature got the start But both in him so equal are None knows which bears the happy'st share To him no Author was unknown Yet what he wrote was all his own He melted not the ancient Gold Nor with Ben Johnson did make bold To plunder all the Roman Stores Of Poets and of Orators Horace his Wit and Virgil's State He did not steal but emulate And when he would like them appear Their Garb but not their Cloaths did weas As to his other Works in English they consist both of Verse and Prose amongst which are his Love Verses call'd The Mistress which were first printed in octavo Lond. 1647. from a Correct Copy written by the Author himself and since they are printed in Folio with several of his other Pieces These Poems are highly applauded by the generality of judicious Men and notwithstanding the nice scruples of some it is an undeniable Truth which the knowing Writer of his Life lays down That never yet so much was written on a Subject so Delicate that can less offend the severest rules of Morality I dare not persume to give a particular Character of his Works therefore I shall refer them to the large Account of his Life written by the exact and ingenious Author above-mentioned or to the Readers own judgment They consist of Miscellanies Anacreontiques and Pindariques or some Copies of Verses translated Paraphrastically out of Anacreon and Pindar on the later he has writ Notes as replete with Learning as his Odes with Wit and Fancy and which most admirably explain the most difficult and abstruse Passages Besides these he has publisht an Epique Poem call'd Davideis a Sacred Poem of the Troubles of David in Four Books tho' design'd by the Author to be continu'd and extended to Twelve not for the Tribes sake but in imitation of Virgil. As it is a great grief to the Lovers of Poetry that he liv'd not to finish the Work so 't is the Opinion of an eminent Critick That as it may be lamented that he carried not on the Work so far as he design'd so it might he wisht that he had liv'd to Revise what he did leave us I think the Troubles of David is neither Title nor Matter proper for an Heroick Poem seeing it is rather the Actions than his Sufferings that make an Heroe nor can it be defended by Homer's Odysseis since Ulysses's Sufferings conclude with one great and perfect Action Yet notwithstanding this judicious Author allows That in the Davideis Fragment and imperfect as it is there shines something of a more fine more free more new and more noble air than appears in the Hierusalem of Tasso which for all his care is scarce perfectly purg'd from Pedantry And after all says That in the Lyrick way however Cowley far exceeds him and all the rest of the Italians Tho' Jacobus Philippus Tomasinus Laur. Crasso and other great Men give Tasso an extraordinary Character But to return to our Author whatever faults Mr. Cowley may have committed in the Oeconomy of his Poem as Mr. Rymer reckons up others if it be consider'd That he writ the greatest part of it as the Author of his Life observes whilst he was a young Student in Trinity College in Cambridge and withal reflect on the vastness of the Argument and his manner of Handling it he may seem like one of the Miracles he there adorns like a Boy attempting Goliah The rest of his Verses are written on several Occasions and for what remains unspoken of in his Second Volume they are Verses which he made when he was a King's Scholar and to which he gave the Title of Sylva As to his Pieces in English Prose they are Discourses by way of Essays upon grave and serious Subjects where he gives the truest and best Character of himself and his thoughts during his Retirement These with several others which he design'd to add he intended had not Death prevented him to have dedicated to his old Patron the Earl of St. Albans As a Testimony of his entire Respects to him and a kind of Apology for having left humane Affairs in the strength of his Age while he might still have been serviceable to his Country But not withstanding his Death his intentions are made good by his worthy Friend the careful Overseer to his Writings who has paid in this Legacy according to the will and intention of the deceased Testator His Latine Works contain the two former Books of his Davideis a Latine Comedy call'd Naufragium Joculare which was acted before the University of Cambridge by the Members of Trinity Colledge the second day of February 1638. and his Poemata Latina printed in octavo 1668. consisting of Six Books of Plants and One of Miscellanies of whose several Character you will find an account in his Life where you may likewise find a description of his Temper Conversation c. which would swell this Volume beyond its design'd Bulk to relate All that I shall acquaint you
by the Rest of the Audience Henry the Sixth the Second Part or the Misery of Civil-War a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1681. Part of this Play likewise is borrow'd from Shakespear For the Plot read the Chronicles of those Times writ by Graston Hollingshead Trussel Martin Stow Speed Biondi Du Chesne c. Juliana or The Princess of Poland a Tragi-Comedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke of York's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1671. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Roger Earl of Orrery This was the first Play this Author writ which if it be not so well penn'd as several of his later Productions it does but verify his own Observation That there are few Authors but have had those slips from their Prune which their riper Thoughts either were or at least had reason to be asham'd of Sr. Courtly Nice or It cannot be a Comedy acted by his Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1685. and dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Ormond This Play was written at the Command of his late Majesty K. Charles the Second who gave Mr. Crown a Spanish Play No pued eser or It cannot be out of which he took part of the Name and Design of this This Comedy or at least the Plot as far as relates to the Spanish Plot has formerly appear'd on the Stage under the Title of Tarugo's Wiles Sr. Courtly's Song of Stop Thief is a Paraphrase of Mascarille's Au Voleur in Mollier's Les precieuses Ridicules This Play is accounted an excellent Comedy and has been frequently acted with good Applause Thyestes a Tragedy acted at the Theatre Royal by their Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1681. The Plot of this Play is founded on Seneca's Thyestes and seems to be an Imitation of that Play I know not whether our Author ever saw the Italian Play on this Subject written by Ludovicus Dulcis which is commended by Delrio or the French Tragedies of Roland Brisset and Benoist Bauduyn but I doubt not but this Play may vie with either of them at least the French Plays which in the Opinion of some are very mean I know nothing else of our Authors writing except that Romance above-mention'd which I never saw D. John DANCER alias DAUNCY AN Author of whose place of Nativity or other passages of Life I am able to give no Account All I know of him is that he liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the Second and that his Translations shew him well vers'd in the French and Italian Tongue He has oblig'd us with Three Dramatick Plays translated from the Originals of three Eminent Poets viz. Tasso Corneille and Quinault Agrippa King of Alba or The False Tiberinus a Tragi-Comedy in Heroick Verse several times acted with great Applause before his Grace the Duke of Ormond then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at the Theatre Royal in Dublin printed in quarto Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Mary Cavendish Daughter to the Duke of Ormond This Play is traslated from the French of Monsieur Quinault an Author well known amongst those that are conversant in French Poetry several of whose Pieces have appear'd on the English Stage as La Genereuse Ingratitude L'Amant Indiscret Le Fantosme amoureux c. I know not whether this Translation be equal to the Original having never seen the later neither can I give any account of the Plot which I take to be fictitious Aminta a Pastoral printed in octavo Lond. 1660. and dedicated to his much Honoured and truly Noble Friend Mr. R. B. Who is meant by those Letters I will not be so bold as to conjecture because our Author has conceal'd his Patrons Name in obedience to his Commands This Play is a Translation of that famous Piece writ by that celebrated Wit Signior Torquato Tasso born at Sorrento bred up at Padua and the Favourite of Charles IX of France He was as I may say the Father of Pastorals being the first that transferr'd them from the Eclogue to Dramatick Poetry and his Aminta is esteem'd by Forreigners a Master-piece of Pastoral Comedy and has been translated into the French Spanish English German and Dutch Tongues This was the Pattern which the admired Guarini propos'd for his Imitation when he writ Il Pastor fido and our Author has since endeavour'd to imitate his excellent Translator the Lord Embassador Fanshaw If it be objected by some that this Translation of Tasso is far short of that of Guarini we may however with justice affirm that at least this Translation exceeds that printed in 1628 if we allow some consideration for his being clog'd with Rhime which forces him more upon Paraphrase and withal that it was his first attempt to Poetry With this Play are printed several Poems of different Subjects amongst which are Love Verses which seem as is they were writ in imitation of Mr. Cowley's Mistriss Nicomede a Tragi-Comedy acted at the Théatre Royal in Dublin printed in quarto Lond. 1671. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Thomas Earl of Ossory This Play is translated from the French Original of Monsieur Th. Corneille and is One of those Pieces which he himself most valu'd There are a great many Beauties in it which he enumerates in the Examen He says the Story is taken from the Fourth Book of Justin tho' I suppose this is an Errata of the Press the Story being in the last Chapter of the Thirty-fourth Book He writ besides there several other Pieces as a Romance call'd the English Lovers printed in octavo Lond. which however commended by Mr. Winstanley the Contrivance is due to Heywood's Play call'd The Fair Maid of the West in Two Parts from whence our Author borrow'd the Story Two other Pieces are mention'd by Mr. Winstanley viz. A Compleat History of the late Times and a Chronicle of the Kingdome of Portugal neither of which I have ever seen Samuel DANIEL Esq A Gentleman living in the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James the First and One whose Memory will ever be fresh in the minds of those who favour History or Poetry He was born near Taunton in Somerset-shire and at Nineteen years of Age in the year 1581. he was enter'd Commoner of St. Mary Magdalen Hall in Oxford and after having three years exercised himself in History and Poetry he left the University His own Merit added to the Recommendation of his Brother in Law the Resolute John Florio so well known for his Italian Dictionary prefer'd him to the Knowledge of Queen Ann who was pleased to confer on him the Honour of being One of the Grooms of her most Honourable Privy-Chamber which enabled him to rent a Garden-house near London where in private he compos'd most of his Dramatick Pieces At last being weary of the world he retir'd into Wiltshire where he rented a Farm near the Devises according to Dr. Fuller tho' Mr. Wood says that his retreat was to
and was printed as I believe in quarto Temple of Love presented by the Queens Majesty Wife to King Charles the First and her Ladies at Whitehall viz. The Lady Marquess Hamilton the Lady Mary Herbert Countess of Oxford Berkshire Carnarvan c. The Lords and others that represented the noble Persian Youths were The Duke of Lenox the Earls of Newport Desmond c. This Masque says the Author for the newness of the Invention variety of Scenes Apparitions and richness of Habits was generally approv'd to be one of the most Magnificent that hath been done in England Triumphs of the Prince d'Amour a Masque presented by his Highness at his Pallace in the Middle-Temple This Masque at the Request of that Honourable Society was devis'd and written by our Author in Three days and was presented by the Members thereof as an Entertainment to the Prince Elector A Lift of the Masquers Names as they were rank'd by their Antiquity in that noble Society is to be found at the end of the Masque to which I refer the curious Reader The Musick of the Songs and Symphonies were excellently compos'd by Mr. Henry and Mr. William Lawes his Majesties Servants Wits a Comedy heretofore acted at the Black-friars and since at the Duke's Theatre printed both in octavo and quarto before this New Edition and dedicated to the chiefly belov'd of all that Ingenious and Noble Endimion Porter of his Majesties Bed-Chamber This Play is commended by a Copy fo Verses written by Mr. Thomas Carew and has often appear'd on the Stage with Applause Having done with his Plays I am now to speak of his other Works which consist of Poems of several sorts and on several Occasions amongst which Gondibert an Epick Poem has made the greatest noise This Poem was design'd by the Author to be an Imitation of an English Dramma it being to be divided into Five Books as the other is into Five Acts The Canto's to be the Parallel of the Scenes with this difference that this is deliver'd Narratively the other Dialogue-wise The Reader may find a long account of the Author's design and his Reasons in the Preface which is directed to his Friend the so well known Mr. Hobbs who not only approves his Design but in the Close of his Letter fixes an extraordinary Complement upon him viz. The Virtues you distribute in your Poem amongst so many Noble Persons represent in the Reading the image but of One Man's Virtue to my fancy which is your own Nor was Mr. Hobbs the only Person that commended this Poem for the first and second Books were usher'd into the world by the Pens of two of our best Poets viz. Mr. Waller and Mr. Cowley which One would have thought might have prov'd a sufficient Defence and Protection against the snarling Criticks Notwithstanding which Four Eminent Wits of that Age two of which were Sr. John Denham and Mr. Donne publisht several Copies of Verses to Sr. William's discredit under this Title Certain Verses written by several of the Authors Friends to be reprinted with the second Edition of Gondibert in octavo Lond. 1653. These Verses were answer'd as Mr. Wood says by the Author himself with as much or rather more Wit and little or no concern for their Raillery rather seeming to sport at and pity their want of Sence The Title of his Answer is The Incomparable Poem Gondibert vindicated from the Wit-Combats of Four Esquires Clinias Dametas Sancho and Jack Pudding printed in octavo Lond. 1655. The Books being scarce I shall for the Readers diversion chuse one out of each of these as a Sample of the rest and amongst the former I shall pitch upon that Copy which reflects on the Commendations given by those great Men above-mention'd The Author upon Himself I am Old Davenant with my Fustian Quill Tho' skill I have not I must be writing still On Gondibert That is not worth a Fart Waller Cowley 't is true have prais'd my Book But how untruly All they that read may look Nor can Old Hobbs Defend me from dry Bobbs Then no more I 'll dabble nor pump Fancy dry To compose a Fable Shall make Will. Crofts to cry O gentle Knight Thou writ'st to them that shite Sr. William's Answer The Author upon Himself False as Foolish What turn felo de me Davenant kill Davenant No the whole World does see My Gondibert To be a piece of Art Waller and Cowley true have prais'd my Book And deservedly Nay I did for it look He both us robbs That blames for this Old Hobbs Write on jeer'd Will and write in Pantofle That 's over Pump-ho And for Will Crofts his baffle Thou may'st long write That writ'st to them that shite Many other Railleries were broacht against him by his Enemies as those Lines in Sr. John Sucklin's Session of the Poets the Ballad entitled How Daphne pays his Debts and others which I might insert but I think 't is time to leave these trifles and acquaint my Readers who are delighted with Criticismes that they may find more serious Animad versions on this Poem in the English Preface written by that admirable Critick Mr. Rymer to his Translation of Monsieur Rapin's Reflections on Aristotle's Treatise of Poesy printed 8 o Lond. 1674. This great Man Died on the Seventh day of April 1668. Aged 63 and was Buried amongst the Poets in Westminster-Abby near to his old Antagonist and Rival for the Bays Mr. Thomas May. 'T was observ'd that at his Funeral his Coffin wanted the Ornament of his Laureats Crown which by the Law of Heraldry justly appertain'd to him but this omission is sufficiently recompenc'd by an Eternal Fame which will always accompany his Memory he having been the first Introducer of all that is splendid in our English Opera's and 't is by his means and industry that our Stage at present rivals the Italian Theatre I shall conclude his Character with that Account which Mr. Dryden has formerly given of him which is the more valuable because the commendation of his Predecessors is seldome the Subject of his Pen. In the time says he that I writ with Sr. William Davenant I had the opportunity to observe somewhat more nearly of him than I had formerly done when I had only a bare acquaintance with him I found him then of so quick a Fancy that nothing was propos'd to him on which he could not suddenly produce a Thought extreamly pleasant and surprising and those first Thoughts of his contrary to the old Latine Proverb Were not always the least happy And as his Fancy was quick so likewise were the Products of it remote and new He borrow'd not of any other and his Imaginations were such as could not enter into any other Man His Corrections were sober and judicious and he corrected his own Writings much more severely than those of another Man bestowing twice the labour and time in Polishing which he us'd in Invention Si sic omnia
some for an Admirable Poet but it is by those who are not acquainted much with Authors and therefore are deceiv'd by Appearances taking that for his own Wit which he only borrows from Others for Mr. Durfey like the Cuckow makes it his business to suck other Birds Eggs. In my Opinion he is a much better Ballad-maker than Play-wright and those Comedies of his which are not borrow'd are more ally'd to Farce than the true Comedy of the Ancients The Plays to which he lays claim are Thirteen in Number viz. Banditti or A Ladies Distress a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed in quarto Lond. 1686. This Play was affronted in the Acting by some who thought themselves Criticks and others with Cat-calls endeavour'd at once to stisle the Author's Profit and Fame which was the occasion that through Revenge he dedicated it to a certain Knight under this Ironical Title To the extream Witty and Judicious Gentleman Sir Critick-Cat-call The chief Plot of this Play is founded on a Romance written by Don Francisco de las Coveras call'd Don Fenise translated into English in 8o. See the History of Don Antonio Book 4. p. 250. The design of Don Diego's turning Banditti and joining with them to rob his supposed Father resembles that of Pipperollo in Shirley's Play call'd The Sisters Common-wealth of Women a Tragi-Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by Their Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1686. and dedicated to the truly Noble and illustrious Prince Christopher Duke of Albermarle This Play is Fletcher's Sea-Voyage reviv'd with the Alteration of some few Scenes tho' what is either alter'd or added may be as easily descern'd from the Original as Patches on a Coat from the main Piece Fond Husband or The Plotting Sisters a Comedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1678. and dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Ormond This is One of his best Comedies and has been frequently acted with good Applause tho' methinks the business of Sneak Cordelia and Sir Roger Petulant end but abruptly Fool turn'd Critick a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by His Majesties Servants and printed in quarto Lond. 1678. The Prologue to this Play is the same with that of Mr. Anthony and was I suppose borrow'd from thence The Characters of Old Wine-love Tim and Small-wit resemble those of Simo Asotus and Balio in the Jealous Lovers Fools Preferment or The Three Dukes of Dunstable a Comedy acted at the Queens Theatre in Dorset-Garden by their Majesties Servants with the Songs and Notes to them Composed by Mr. Henry Purcel printed in quarto Lond. 1688. and dedicated to the Honourable Charles Lord Morpeth with this familiar Title My Dear Lord and subscrib'd like a Person of Quality only with his Sir-name D'Urfey Nor is his Epistle less presumptuous where he arrogates to himself a Play which was writ by another and owns only a hint from an old Comedy of Fletcher's when the whole Play is in a manner trascrib'd from the Noble Gentleman abating the Scene that relates to Basset which is borrow'd from a late traslated Novel call'd The Humours of Basset As to part of the first Paragraph of his Dedication 't is borrow'd from the translation of Horace's Tenth Satyr by the Earl of Rochester and any Man that understands French and should read a Place he there quotes out of Montaigne would be so far from taking him to be as he stiles himself Nephew to the famous D'Urffee the Author of the Excellent Astraea that they would rather think he understood not the Language or was extreamly negligent in suffering such Errata to go uncorrected For my part I should rather take him to be lineally descended from the Roman Celsus whom Horace makes mention of in his Epistle to his Friend Julius Florus at least I am sure the Character will fit our Author Quid mihi Celsus agit monitus multumque monendus Privatas ut quaerat opes tangere vitet Scripta Palatinus quaecunque recepit Apollo Ne si fortè suas repetitum venerit olim Grex avium plumas moveat cornicula risum Furtivis nudata coloribus Injur'd Princess or The fatal Wager a Tragi-Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by His Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1682. The Design and the Language of this Play is borrow'd from a Play call'd the Tragedy of Cymbeline In this Play he is not content with robbing Shakespear but tops upon the Audience an old Epilogue to the Fool turn'd Critick for a new Prologue to this Play So that what Mr. Clifford said of Mr. Dryden is more justly applicable to our Author That he is a strange unconscionable Thief that is not content to steal from others but robbs his poor wretched Self too Madam Fickle or The Witty false One a Comedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1677. and dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Ormond This Play is patch up from several other Comedies as the Character of Sir Arthur Old Love is borrow'd from Veterano in the Antiquary Zechiel's creeping into the Tavern Bush and Tilbury Drunk in the Street under it with a Torch Act 5. Sc. 2. is borrow'd from Sir Reverence Lamard and Pimp-well in the Walks of Islington and Hogsden There are other Hints likewise borrow'd from the Fawn so that the Author did well to prefix that Verse of Horace before his Play Non cuivis Homini contingit adire Corinthum plainly implying that he could not write a Play without stealing Royalist a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed in quarto Lond. 1682. This Comedy was well receiv'd on the Stage but patcht up from Novels as the former from Plays Witness the Tryals which Camilla put upon her Husband Sir Oliver Old-cut for the Love of Sir Charles King-love which the Author borrow'd from Boccace Day 7. Nov. 9 Les Contes de M. de la Fontaine pag. 47. and other Hints Nay our Author who sets up himself for Madrigals has stoln the Song of Hey Boys up go We c. in the fourth Act from The Shepherds Oracle an Eclogue printed in quarto Lond. 1644. Siege of Memphis or The Ambitious Queen a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed in quarto Lond. 1676. This Play is writ in Heroick Verse and dedicated to the Truly Generous Henry Chivers Esq who shew'd himself truly such in defending a Play so full of Bombast and Fustian There goes more to the making of a Poet than capping Verses or taging Rimes 't is not enough concludere versum as Horace calls it but a Poet must be such a One Ingenium cui sit cui mens divinior atque os Magna sonaturum des nominis hujus honorem I would therefore advise all these Poetasters in the words of a Modern Prologue Rimesters get Wit e're ye pretend to shew it Nor think a game at Crambo makes a Poet. Squire Old-sap or The Night Adventurers a Comedy acted
and Mr. Watson's Latine Amintas to make them both one English Notwithstanding Mr. Chapman in his Translation of Homer and Sir Philip Sidney in his Eclogues have practic'd this way of Writing yet this way of Imitating the Latin Measures of Verse particularly the Hexameter is now laid aside and the Verse of Ten Syllables which we stile Heroick Verse is most in use If this Translation be allow'd grains for the time when 't was writ 't will be excus'd by the more moderate Criticks tho' if compar'd with the Translation which was afterwards printed in 1628. or that more Modern Version done by Dancer at the King's Return 't will appear inferior to either in Value The Second Part goes under the Title of Phillis Funeral and it is writ in the form of Eclogues being divided by the Author into twelve Parts which he stiles Days This Poem is likewise writ in Hexameters to which is annext in the same Measure The Lamentation of Corydon for the Love of Alexis This is a Translation of the second Eclogue of Virgil Verse for Verse The Author added likewise the begining of The AEthiopick History of Heliodorus in the same Species of Metre With these Pieces are commonly join'd another of our Authors Writing call'd The Countess of Pembrokes Emanuel Containing the Nativity Passion Burial and Resurrection of Christ together with certain Psalms of David all in English Hexameters printed in quarto Lond. 1591. and dedicated to the Right Excellent and most Honourable Lady the Lady Mary Countess of Pembroke by the following Distick Mary the best Mother sends her best Babe to a Mary Lord to a Ladies Sight and Christ to a Christian Hearing Mr. Phillips says That he writ some other things in Hexameter and Pentameter and the same writes Mr. Winstanley tho' I doubt the former takes his Opinion upon Trust and the later does not I believe know a Pentameter from an Asclepiade Verse The truth is there are no Pentameters throughout the Volume but in the last Act there is a Scene between Phillis and Amintas which whether it be in the Original I question where this pair of Lovers sing some Asclepiades which I suppose is the Occasion of the mistake tho' I cannot but wonder at Mr. Winstanley's negligence that when he copied out the begining of Heliodorus he should not inform himself better but I hope my small pains may be serviceable to his next Impression Neither is his Conjecture less probable concerning the time of our Author's Death which he supposes was about the former part of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth this can not be since our Author was alive at the publication of his Book which was in the Year 1591. and in the Thirty-third Year of her Reign tho' how long after he surviv'd I know not Sir Ralph FREEMAN A Gentleman who during the late Troubles busied himself in Poetry and writ an excellent Tragedy call'd Imperiale printed in quarto Lond. 1655. and dedicated to his Ancient and Learned Friend John Morris Esquire I know not whether ever this Play was acted but certainly it far better deserv'd to have appear'd on the Theatre than many of our modern Farces that have usurp'd the Stage and depos'd its lawful Monarch Tragedy The Compositor maim'd the last Act by setting the Sheet I false so that 't is pretty difficult to make out the five first Scenes The Catastrophe of this Play is as moving as most Tragedies of this Age and therefore our Author chose a proper Lemma for the Frontispiece of his Play in that Verse of Ovid. Omne Genus Scripti gravitate Tragoedia vincit The Story on which this Play is built is related by many Authors as Pontanus Budaeus's Treasury of Ancient and Modern Times Beard 's Theatre of Gods Judgments part 1. p. 427. and part 2. p. 45. Wanley's History of Man Book 4. Chap. 11. Goulart Histoires admirables de nôtre temps tom 1. p. 362. The Story is related at large in Bandello's Italian Novels see the French Translation by Belleforest Tom. 2. p. 242. Ulpian FULWEL An Ancient Writer of whom I can give no other Account than that he lived in the Reign of Q. Elizab. and publisht a Dramatical Piece call'd Like will to Like qouth the Devil to the Collier an Interlude wherein is declared what punishments follow those that will rather live Licentiously than esteem and follow good Counsel And what Benefits they receive that apply themselves to virtuous Living and good Exercises printed in quarto Lond. 1587. This Interlude is so contriv'd that Five may easily play it 'T is printed in an old Black Letter the Prologue is writ in Alternate Verse and the whole Play is writ in Rime such as it is however it might have suited with Mr. Dyrden's Design to prove the Antiquity of Crambo far better than the Tragedy of Gorbuduc which was writ in Blank Verse whereas this Play is tag'd with Rimes throughout and is Three Years Older than the other that not being printed till the Year 1590. G. George GASCOIGNE Esq THis Gentleman I can give no further Account of than that he flourisht in the begining of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth that he was a Member of the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn and was the Parent of feveral Poetical Works amongst which are Four Dramatick Pieces of which I shall first discourse Glass of Government a Tragical Comedy so intituled because therein are handled as well the Rewards for Virtues as also the Punishments for Vices Seen and allowed according to the Order appointed in the Queens Majesties Injunctions printed in quarto Lond. 1575. At the begining of this Play I find the following Hexastick In Comoediam Gascoigni Carmen B.C. Haec nova non vetus est Angli Comoedia Vatis Christus adest Sanctos nil nisi sancta decent Graecia vaniloquos genuit turpesque Poetas Vix qui syncerè scriber at unus erat Idvereor nostro ne possit dicier aevo Vana precor valeant ver a precor placeant This Play is printed in a Black Letter as are all his Works 't is writ in prose with a Chorus between each Act which with the Prologue are all in Verse Jocasta a Tragedy written in Greek by Euripides translated and digested into Acts by our Author and Mr. Francis Kinwelmershe of Gray's Inn and there presented and printed in quarto Lond. 1556. Each Act of this Play is introduc'd by a Dumb shew which in those times was the mode in Tragedies and concluded by a Chorus The First Fourth and last Acts were translated by Mr. Kinwelmershe the Second and Third by our Author and the Epilogue was writ by Mr. Christopher Yelverton in Alternate Rime This is the only Play of that ancient Tragedian that to my Knowledge is translated into English tho' our Language and the Knowledge of this Age be far more proper for Translations now than in that time our Author flourisht That I may not be wanting in my Respect to those
Worthy Ancients which by any of my Country-men are Naturaliz'd I shall give some Account of them and their Writings as opportunity shall offer it self and therefore I crave leave to lay hold of this to speak a word or Two of Euripides This Poet was stil'd the Tragick Philosopher and was born at Phyla a Town in Attica in the 75 Olympiade and in the 274 Year after the Building of Rome Prodius taught him Rhetorick after which he made a Voyage to AEgypt with Plato to visit the Learned Men there and to improve himself by their Conversation He was also a Friend of Socrates and some have believed that this Philosopher assisted him in the Composition of his Tragedies He went from Athens dissatisfied with the People for preferring the Comick Writers before him and retir'd to the Court of Archelaus King of Macedonia about the year of Rome 338. This Prince confer'd many Favours on him and had a great value for him It happen'd at that time that a certain person nam'd Decamnion having raillied him about his Breath which was not over agreeable Archelaus sent him to Euripides to be punisht at his pleasure This so exasperated Decamnion both against the King and the Poet that for the sake of Revenge he join'd with other Conspirators in the Assassination of the Former and set Dogs upon the later which soon devour'd the Object of his Hatred Some say that this Misfortune proceeded from the Brutality of those irrational Creatures by accident and not design Others again relate that he receiv'd his Death from some inhumane Women against whom he had somewhat too bitterly inveigh'd I remember a pleasant Story in Ford's Apothegms that Sophocles being once ask'd the Reason why in his Tragedies he always represented Women Good and Euripides Wicked answer'd That Euripides describ'd them as they were he as they ought to be But Digression apart the time of his Death no more than the manner of it is agreed upon Some say he Dy'd about the 65 year of his Age in the 93 Olympiade and in the Year of Rome 348. being 406 years before the Incarnation of our Saviour Others say that he Dy'd not till the Year of Rome 351. The Ancients mention Ninety odd Tragedies writ by him of which at present we enjoy but Nineteen Supposes a Comedy Englisht from the Italian of Ariosto a famous Poet a Ferarese and Favuorite of Alphonsus the First Duke of Ferrara and of the Cardinal Hippolito d' Este his Brother He Dy'd the 13 of July in the Year 1533. I purposely decline to give a larger Account of his Life because it would swell my Book too much and the English Reader may satisfy his Curiosity by perusing his Life at the End of Sr. John Harrington's Translation of Orlando Furioso Those Vers'd in Italian may read his Life writ by Gierolamo Poro of Padoua Gierolamo Guarafola of Ferrara Simon Fornari of Rheggio c. This Play was presented at Gray's Inn and printed in quarto Lond. 1566. The Prologue as well as the Play is writ in prose This Prologue I suppose gave the Grounds for that writ by Mr. Duffet to the Play call'd Trappolin suppos'd a Prince as that did to the Epilogue of The Duke and No Duke Pleasure at Kenelworth Castle a Masque as Mr. Kirkman informs us in his Catalogue which I never saw Our Author has written several Poems of a Different Species which he calls Herbs and which with his Plays make a considerable Vollume and are printed together in quarto Lond. 1587. Henry GLAPTHORN An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First who publisht several Plays which I presume in those days past with good Approbation at the Globe and Cock-pit Play-houses tho' I cannot agree with Mr. Winstanley That he was One of the chiefest Dramatick Poets of this Age. He writ Five Plays viz. Albertus Wallenstein Duke of Fridland and General to the Emperor Ferdinand the Second his Tragedy acted with good Allowance at the Globe on the Bank-side by His Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Great Example of Virtue and true Mecaenas's of Liberal Arts Mr. William Murrey of His Majesties Bed-chamber For the Plot see the Historians who have writ on the last German Wars in the Reign of Ferdinand the Second See besides M. Sarasins Walstein's Conspiracy translated into English 8 o Lond. 1678. Spondanus's Continuation of Baronius Fierzen L'Hist de Liege c. Argalus and Parthenia a Tragi-comedy acted at the Court before their Majesties and at the Private-house in Drury-lane by their Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1639. The Plot of this Play is founded on Sr. Philip Sidney's Arcadia a Romance in the Story of Argalus and Parthenia see pag. 16. c. Mr. Quarles has writ a pretty Poem on the same Foundation Hollander a Comedy written in the Year 1635. and then acted at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane by their Majesties Servants with good Allowance and at the Court before Both their Majesties printed in quarto Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the great Hope of growing Nobleness his Honourable Friend Sir Thomas Fisher. Lady's Priviledge a Comedy acted with good Allowance at the Cock-pit in Drury Lane and before Their Majesties at White-hall twice printed 4o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the true Example of Heroick Virtue and Favourer of Arts Sir Frederick Cornwallis Wit in a Constable a Comedy writ in the Year 1639. and then acted at the Cock-pit in Drury Lane by Their Majesties Servants with good Allowance printed 4o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Right Honourable his singular good Lord Thomas Lord Wentworth Besides these Plays he has a Book of Poems extant in which are several Copies directed to his Mistress under the Name of Lucinda printed 4 o Lond. 1639. Thomas GOFF. A Gentleman that flourisht in the Reign of King James the First He was born in Essex towards the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's Reign about the Year 1592. In his Youth he was sent to Westminster-School and at the Age of Eighteen he was brought in Student of Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford Being an Industrious Scholar he arrived to be a good Poet a skilful Oratour and an Excellent Preacher In the Year 1623. he proceeded Batchelour of Divinity and was preferr'd to a Living in Surrey call'd East-Clandon there he got him a Wife which prov'd as great a plague to him as a Shrew could be and became a true Xantippe to our Ecclesiastical Socrates insomuch that she gave him daily opportunities of exercising his Patience and t is believ'd by some that this Domestick-scourge shortned his days He was buried at his own Parish-Church at Clandon the 27. of July 1627. He writ several Pieces on several Subjects amongst which are reckon'd five Plays viz. Careless Shepherdess a Tragi-comedy acted before the King and Queen at Salisbury-Court with great applause printed 4 o Lond. 1656. with an Alphabetical Catalogue of all such Plays that ever were
Hertfordshire near St. Albans He was most familiar with Sr. Thomas More whose Neighbour he was and by whom I suppose he was introduc'd to the knowledge of Queen Mary in whose Favour he grew exceedingly After her Death he fled beyond Sea on Account of his Religion and Died an Exile at Mechlem An. Dom. 1556. He was I believe One of the first Dramatick Writers in our English Tongue and publisht Seven Pieces which he calls Interludes and which according to Mr. Kirkman were printed with the first of our English Printing Notwithstanding his suffering for Religion he has as much exploded the Vices of the Romish Clergy as Nic. de Clemangiis He says of his own Writings ` That he applied Mirth more than Thrift `made mad Plays and did few good Works Of all his Plays I never saw but one which I have by me in quarto tho' I have been told that the rest of his Plays are printed in fol. of which in Order Four P's a Merry Interlude of a Palmer a Pardoner a Potycary and a Pedler Imprinted at London in Fleet-street at the Sign of the George by Will. Middleton in 4o. Take a Sample of his Stile that you may judge of the rest Palmer Nowe God be here who kepeth this Place Now by my Faith I crye you mercy Of Reason I must sew for grace My Rewdness sheweth me no so homely Where of your pardon art and wonne I sew you as Curtesy doth me binde To tell this which shall be begonne In order as may come best in mindy I am a Palmer as yee se c. Play between John the Husband and Tib his Wife Play between the Pardoner the Fryar the Curate and Neighbour Prat. Play of Gentleness and Nobility 2 Parts Play of Love Play of the Weather Besides these Plays he has written Three hundred Epigrams upon 300. Proverbs printed in quarto London A Fourth hundred of Epigrams printed in quarto Lond. 1598. A Fifth hundred of Epigrams printed in quarto Lond. 1598. Dr. Fuller mentions a Book writ by our Author intituléd Monumenta Literaria which are said to be Non tam labore condita quà m lepore condita The Author of The Art of English Poetry speaking of several of our Old English Bards says thus of this our Poet John Heywood who in King Edward the Sixth's time for the Mirth and Quickness of his Conceits more than for any good Learning that was in him came to be well benefy'd by the King That the Reader may judge of his Epigrams to which certainly the forementioned Writer alludes I will transcribe one writ by him on himself Of Heywood's Fifth Hund. Numb 100. Art thou Heywood with thy mad Merry Wit Yea forsooth Master that Name is even hit Art thou Heywood that apply'st Mirth more than Thrift Yes Sir I take merry Mirth a Golden Gift Art thou Heywood that hast made many mad Plays Yea many Plays few good Works in my Days Art thou Heywood that hath made Men merry long Yea and will if I be made merry among Art thou Heywood that wouldst be made merry now Yes Sir help me to it now I beseech you 'T is not unlikely that our Author may have more Plays in Print than we have mention'd but I am very confident that The Pinder of Wakefield and Philotas Scotch notwithstanding the Allegations of Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley are not of that number the One being written as I suppose at least printed above Twenty the Other more than Fourty Years after his Death Thomas HEYWOOD An Author that liv'd in the Time of Queen Elizabeth and the Reign of King James the First Tho' he were but an Actor as is manifest by Mr. Kirkman's Testimony and apparent from a Piece writ by him call'd The Actors Vindication yet his Plays were in those Days accounted of the Second-Rate He was the most Voluminous Writer that ever handled Dramatick Poetry in our Language and I know none but the Famous Spaniard Lopez de Vega that can vye with him if at least we give Credit to his own Attestation in the Preface to One of his Plays This Tragi-comedy as he says being One reserv'd amongst two Hundred and Twenty in which I have had either an entire Hand or at the least a main Finger Of this Number we have that I know of but Five and Twenty entire Plays remaining the Reason of which the Author gives us in the same Epistle True it is that my Plays are not exposed unto the world in Volumes to bear the Title of Works as others one Reason is That many of them by shifting and change of Companies have been negligently lost Others of them are still retained in the Hands of some Actors who think it against their peculiar profit to have them come in Print and a third That it was never any great Ambition in me to be Voluminously read These seem to me to be more plausible Reasons than what Mr. Winstanley gives for their Miscarriage 'T is said that he not only acted himself almost every day but also wrote each day a Sheet and that he might loose no time many of his Plays were compos'd in the Tavern on the back-side of Tavern Bills which may be the occasion that so many of them be lost Certainly the Tavern Bills were very large or Mr. Winstanley must think his Readers Credulity of the same extent with his own who would subscribe to the belief of so ridiculous a Story This Report Mr. Winstanley partly borrows from Mr. Kirkman's Advertisement at the End of his Catalogue and as Stories lose nothing in the carriage Mr. Winstanley had added the Contrivance of making use of Tavern Bills to save Paper But tho' many of these Plays being written loosely in Taverns as Mr. Kirkman observes might occasion their being so mean yet it did not in probability much contribute to their loss as Mr. Winstanley would have it To do our Author justice I cannot allow that his Plays are so mean as Mr. Kirkman has represented them for he was a general Scholar and an indifferent Linguist as his several Translations from Lucian Erasmus Textor Beza Buchanan and other Latine and Italian Authors sufficiently manifest Nay further in several of his Plays he has borrow'd many Ornaments from the Ancients as more particularly in his Plays call'd The Ages he has intersperst several Things borrow'd from Homer Virgil Ovid Seneca Plautus c. which extreamly set them off What Opinion the Wits of the last Age had of him may appear from the following Verses extracted from a Copy of the Poets of those Times viz. The squibbing Middleton and Heywood Sage Th' Apologetick Atlas of the Stage Well of the Golden Age he could entreat But little of the Mettal he could get Three score sweet Babes he fashion'd at a Lump For he was Christen'd in Parnassus Pump The Muses Gossip to Aurora's Bed And ever since that time his Face was Red. I shall now give the Reader an
c. To which I may add his Edition of the Greek Testament in which the Young Grecian will find all the Themes of Greek Words according to Passor's Lexicon plac'd in the Margin He has publisht besides An Entrance to the Latin Tongue octavo Lond. 1659. An Explanation of the Accidence octavo Lond. 1683. with other Books of the like Nature Edward HOWARD Esq A Gentleman as I suppose now living who has addicted himself to the Study of Dramatick Poetry how well he has succeeded therein I shall leave to the Readers Judgment who may find four Plays of his under the Titles of Man of New-Market a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal and printed 4 o Lond. 1678. Six Days Adventure or The New Utopia a Comedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke of York's Theatre printed 4 o Lond. 1671. This Play miscarried in the Action as the Author himself acknowledges in his Preface and indeed that sharp Wit the late Earl of Rochester writ an Invective against it but the Ingenious Mrs. Behn Mr. Ravenscroft and other Poets of the Age sent the Author Recommendatory Verses which are printed with the Play and in return he writ a Pindarick to Mrs. Behn which she gratefully publisht in a Collection of Poems printed 8 o Lond. 1685. Usurper a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1668. Whether the Author design'd in the Caracter of Damocles to personate Oliver Cromwel and intended his Play a paralel of those times I leave to more discerning Judgments Womens Conquest a Tragi-comedy acted by his Royal Highness the Duke of York's Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1677. This I take to be the best Play our Author has publisht Besides these Plays Mr. Howard hath publisht an Epick Poem in octavo call'd The British Princess which the late Earl of Rochester has likewise handled severely There is ascrib'd to him another Book of Poems and Essays with a Paraphrase on Cicero's Laelius or Tract of Friendship printed in octavo London 16 James HOWARD Esq I am not able to acquaint the Reader whether or no this Gentleman be of the same Family with the former but I am oblig'd to mention him on Account of two Plays writ by him viz. All mistaken or The Mad Couple a Comedy acted by his Majesties Servants at the Theatre-Royal and printed 4 o Lond. 1672. This Play is commended by some for an excellent Comedy English Monsieur a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties Servants printed 4 o Lond. 1674. Whether the late Duke of Buckingham in his Character of Prince Volscius's falling in Love with Parthenope as he is pulling on his Boots to go out of Town design'd to reflect on the Characters of Comely and Elsbeth I pretend not to determine but I know there is a near Resemblance in the Characters Sir Robert HOWARD This Ingenious Person is equally conspicuous for the Lustre of his Birth and the Excellency of his Parts being as I suppose Brother to the present Earl of Berkshire and One whose Plays will remain Eternal Testimonies to Posterity of his Skill in Dramatick Performances His Committee and Indian Queen are deservedly admir'd by the best Judges of Dramatick Poetry and even our late Laureat in spite of Envy must acknowledge his Worth both as a Poet and Patron His Plays are six in number viz. Blind Lady a Comedy printed octavo Lond. 16 Committee a Comedy printed fol. Lond. 1665. This is an admirable Comedy and highly commended Great Favourite or The Duke of Lerma a Tragi-comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1668. For the Plot see the Historians of those Times as Mariana de Mayerne Turquet c. This Play as I have before observ'd p. 165. was reflected on by Mr. Dryden tho' had he consulted Reason Gratitude or his own Reputation he had otherwise imploy'd his time it being a true Observation which Sr. Robert has made in his Prologue to the Vestal Virgin This doth a wretched Dearth of Wit betray When things of Kind on One another prey Indian Queen a Tragedy writ in Heroick Verse and formerly acted with great applause at the Theatre-Royal printed fol. Lond. 1665. Surprisal a Tragi-comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal and printed fol. Lond. 1665. Vestal Virgin or The Roman Ladies a Tragedy acted by the King's Servants and printed fol. Lond. 1665. Some Readers who are strangers to the Excellent Tallents of Sir Robert might expect from me some Discoveries of what he has borrow'd but I am to Inform them That this Admirable Poet has too great a Stock of Wit of his own to be necessitated to borrow from others All that I can observe is That The Vestal Virgin has a double Fifth Act the One of which ends Tragically the Other successfully which possibly might be done in Imitation of Sir John Suckling the only Gentleman that I know fit for his Imitation who has done the same thing in his Aglaura He has writ besides some Poems which are printed with his Blind Lady in octavo and four of his Plays viz. Surprisal Committee Indian Queen and Vestal Virgin are printed together in fol. Lond. 1665. James HOWEL A Gentleman of Wales born at Abernalies in the County of Caermarden in the Year 1594. He was Bred up at the Free-School in Hereford and at 16. Years of Age sent to the University of Oxford where he became a Member of Jesus Colledge About March in the Year 1618. he travelled beyond Sea being sent on Buisiness by Sir Robert Mansel where he visited the Low-Countries and afterwards made a Tour thro' France and Italy as appears by the Letters he has publisht In which the Reader may not only be inform'd of the Chief Occurences of those Times but of our Author 's several Imployments as His being sent by King James into Spain for the Recovery of a Vessel of great value seiz'd on by the Vice-Roy of Sardinia under pretence of being laden with prohibited Goods His being chosen Fellow of Jesus Colledge during his absence His being Secretary to the Lord Scroop when he was President of the Councel in the North His being Imploy'd about the Clerks of the Councel c. Notwithstanding his various Employs and multiplicity of Business he found leisure to publish abundance of Books to the number of Fourty-nine Many of them were Translations out of French Italian Spanish Portuguese Of which Nature is the Play which occasions his mention in our Catalogue viz. Nuptials of Peleus and Thetis consisting of a Masque and a Comedy or The Great Royal Ball acted in Paris six times by the King in person the Duke of Anjou the Duke of York with divers other Noblemen Also by the Princess Royal Henriette Marie the Princess of Conty c. printed 4o. Lond. 1654. and dedicated to the most Excellent and High Born Lady the Lady Katherine Marchioness of Dorchester The Masque was extracted from an Italian Comedy which the
Author has made English by a nearer adherence to the Original than to the French Translation For the Plot 't is founded on Ovid's Metamorphosis lib. 11. See besides Catulli Aurgonautica sive Epithalamium 'T is not to be expected that I should spare room to give an Account of our Authors Works in particular they being so numerous I shall therefore only mention some of the most Emiment and refer the Reader for further Satisfaction to the perusal of a Catalogue of them published with a former Edition of his Letters printed 8o. Lond. 1655. His chief Pieces are Dodona's Grove a Book much priz'd and translated into French 1652. His Letters which were formerly in four distinct Volumes and are reduc'd into one amongst which are several to Ben. Johnson which speak their Intimacy Besides these he has writ a Book of the Precedency of Kings printed Fol. Lond. 1664. Survey of the Seniorie of Venice Fol. Lond. 1652. Life of Lewis the Thirteenth and Cardinal Richelieu Fol. Lond. 1646. Morphandra or The Queen of the Enchanted Island a Poem in Fol. The Vote a Poem Royal in 4 o c. He died about the beginning of November 1666. and was buried on the North-side of the Temple-Church with this Inscription fix'd upon the Wall Jacobus Howell Cambro-Britannus Regius Historiographus in Anglia primus qui post varias peregrinationes tandem naturae cursum peregit Satur Annorum Famae domae forisque huc usque erraticus heic fixus 1666. I. Thomas JEVORN A Person lately dead and one sufficiently known to all that frequent the Theatre both for his Excellency in Dancing and Action He has writ a Play or rather a Farce call'd The Devil of a Wife or A Comical Transformation acted by their Majesties Servants at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset-Garden printed 4o. Lond. 1686. and dedicated to his Friends that frequent Locket's Ordinary This Farce is founded on a Tale as well known as that of Mopsa in Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia tho' I think if compar'd with our French Farces so frequent on our English Stage it may deserve the Preheminence Thoms INGELAND A Student in Cambridge in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth The Author of a Play which he stiles A Pretty and Merry Interlude call'd The Disobedient Child 'T is writ in old Verse of Ten Syllables and printed 4o. in an old Black Letter without any Date by Thomas Colwell in Fleet-street John JONES An Author who liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and writ a Play nam'd Adrasta or The Womans Spleen and Loves Conquest a Tragi-comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1635. and dedicated to Eugenius by which Name he desires to comprehend all his Friends subscribing himself Musophilus This Play the Actors refus'd and I think with Justice it being very indifferently written The Intrigue between Damasippus Frail-ware and their Wives in the third Act is borrow'd from Boccace's Novels Day 8. Nov. 8 However the Author was of Opinion it deserved to appear in publick and therefore prefix'd the following Saying of Horace in his Title-page volet haec sub luce videri Judicis argutum quae non formidat acumen Benjamin JOHNSON I have already drawn some strokes of this Great Man's Character in my Defence of him against the Attempts of Mr. Dryden and therefore shall less need to make a curious and exact Description of all his Excellencies which otherwise are very Great Noble and Various and have been remark'd in parcells by several Hands but exceed my small Capacity to collect them into one full View I shall therefore rather let them lye dispers'd as Scaliger did Virgil's Praises thro' his whole Book of Poetry contenting my self at present with giving the Reader an Account of the private Occurrencies of his Life To begin then with his Nativity He was born in the City of Westminster and tho' he sprang from mean Parents yet his Admirable Parts have made him more Famous than those of a more Conspicuous Extraction Nor do I think it any Diminution to him that he was Son-in-law to a Bricklayer and work'd at that Trade since if we take a Survey of the Records of Antiquity we shall find the Greatest Poets of the meanest Birth and most lyable to the Inconveniencies of Life Witness Homer who begg'd from door to door Euripides traded in Herbs with his Mother Plautus was forc'd to serve a Baker Naevius was a Captain's Man Terence was a Slave to the Generous Lucan Virgil was the Son of a Basket-maker and yet these thought the Obscurity of their Extraction no Diminution to their Worth nor will any Man of Sence reflect on Ben. Johnson on this Account if he seriously call to Mind that saying of Juvenal Nobilitas sola est atque unica Virtus He was Bred first at a Private-School in St. Martin's Church then plac'd at Westminster under the Famous Mr. Cambden to whom in Gratitude he dedicated his Fourteenth Epigram afterwards he was sent to Saint John's Colledge in Cambridge from thence he remov'd to Oxford and was enter'd of Christ-Church Colledge where in the Year 1619. as Mr. Wood says he took his Master of Arts Degree tho' Dr. Fuller says He continu'd there but few Weeks for want of Maintenance being fain to return to the Trade of his Father-in-law where he assisted in the New Building of Lincolns Inn with a Trowel in his Hand and a Book in his Pocket But this English Maro was not long before he found a Maecenas and a Varus to manumit him from an Employment so painful and furnisht him with means to enjoy his Muse at liberty in private 'T was then that he writ his Excellent Plays and grew into Reputation with the most Eminent of our Nobility and Gentry 'T was then that Carthwright Randolph and others of both Universities sought his Adoption and gloried more in his Friendship and the Title of his Sons than in their own Well-deserv'd Characters Neither did he less love or was less belov'd by the Famous Poets of his Time Shakspear Beaumont and Fletcher witness his Copy which he writ on Shakspear after his Death and his Verses to Fletcher when living He was a Man of a very free Temper and withal blunt and somewhat haughty to those that were either Rivals in Fame or Enemies to his Writings witness his Poetaster wherein he falls upon Decker and his answer to Dr. Gill who writ against his Magnetick Lady otherwise of a good Sociable Humour when amongst his Sons and Friends in the Apollo from whose Laws the Reader may possibly better judge of his Temper a Copy of which I have transcrib'd for the Learn'd Readers perusal Leges Convivales quod foelix faustumque Convivis in Apolline sit Nemo asymbolus nisi umbra huc venito Idiota insultus tristis turpis abesto Eruditi Urbani Hilares Modesti adsciscuntur Nec lectae Foeminae repudiantur In apparatu quod convivis corruget nares nil esto Epulae delectu potius quam sumptu
And in great Choller offer'd to go out But Those that were there thought it not fit To discontent so ancient a Wit And therefore Apollo call'd him back agen And made him mine Host of his own New-Inn I know nothing else published by our Author only I have read a Letter from Mr. James Howell to Dr. Duppa then Bishop of Chichester and Tutor to King Charles the Second when Prince of Wales that he was publishing a Piece call'd Johnsonus Verbius to which Mr. Howell contributed a Decastick I know not what Reception Mr. Howell's Verses met with in the World but I am confident he had willingly allowed Mr. Oldham's Ode had he then liv'd a place in the first Rank of Poets The Title sufficiently explains the Design and the Reader may find it commended by an Ingenious Copy of Verses addrest to the Bishop by Sir W. D'Avenant See his Poems Fol. Edit p. 253. He died An. D. 1637. being aged 63. and was buried in St. Peter's Church in Westminster on the West-side near the Belfry having only a plain Stone over his Grave with this Inscription O RARE BEN. JOHNSON 'T is manifest that a better Monument was design'd him by some Friends but the Civil Wars breaking out hindred their good Intentions tho' it shall not prevent me from transcribing an Elegy written by a Studious Friend and Admirer of Ben. Johnson which I wish were set upon his Grave Hic Johnsonus noster Lyricorum Dramaticorumque Coryphaeus qui Pallade auspice laurum à Graecia ipsaque Roma rapuit fausto Omine in Brittaniam transtulit nostram nunc invidia major fato nec tamen aemulis cessit An Dom. 1637. Id. Nov. Thomas JORDAN An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First who could both write and act Plays as appears from three Drammas he has publisht and from a Tragedy call'd Messalina in which he acted the part of Lepida Mother to that shameless Empress His Plays are two Comedies and a Masque viz. Fancies Festivals a Masque printed 4o. Lond. 16 This I have not at present but have formerly read it with satisfaction and still retain the following Lines spoken by a Souldier God and the Souldier Men alike adore Just at the brink of danger and no more The danger past both are alike requited God is forgotten and the Souldier slighted Money is an Ass a Comedy acted with good applause printed 4o. Lond. 1668. I suppose by the Stile this was writ and possibly publish'd some Years before it being a common thing with Mr. Kirkman to publish old Plays as Any thing for a Quiet Life Cure for a Cuckold Gammer Gurton's Needle and many others Walks of Islington and Hogsdon with the Humors of Woodstreet-Compter a Comedy publickly acted Nineteen Days together with extraordinary applause printed 4o. Lond. 1657. and dedicated to the true Lover of Ingenuity the much Honour'd Richard Cheyny of Hackney Esq This Play in those days was commended by a Copy of Verses written by R. C. Master of Arts part of which are thus These Walks 'twixt Islington Hogsdon will Like those 'twixt Tempe and Parnassus Hill Show how the Muses in their sportfull Rage Set all the Town a walking to your Stage With so much Wit and Art and Judgment laid That Nineteen dayes together they were play'd Now by the bounty of the Press we be Possess'd of that which we before did see Not pleasing only Nineteen times read o're But Nineteen Ages or till Times no more William JOYNER A Gentleman born in Oxfordshire and Educated in Magdalen Colledge where he was sometime Fellow but upon the Change of his Religion or in order to it he voluntarily quitted his Place in the beginning of the Wars After he left the Colledge he betook himself to a retir'd Life never intermedling with the Controversies of Religion or the Affairs of State which prudent Demeanor joyned with the Sweetness of his Disposition continued him in the Favour and Good-will of the Society till the New-modelling of the Colledge under the Ecclesiastical Commissioners by whom he was re-placed in his former Station but did not long enjoy it the Colledge being shortly after again restored to its former Settlement That he did not wholly bid Adieu to the Muses when he first withdrew from the University may appear by a Dramma that he publish'd under the Name of The Roman Empress a Tragedy acted at the Royal Theatre by his Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1671. and dedicated to the Honourable Sir Charles Sidley This Play in spight of a dead Vacation and some other Impediments found the applause and approbation of the Theatre as oft as it appear'd The Author has propos'd the Oedipus and Hippolitus for his pattern and I think it may justly deserve to be observ'd That his Tragedy is writ in a more Masculine and lofty Stile than most Plays of this Age and Terror and Compassion being the chief hinges on which he design'd his Tragedy should turn he has judiciously rejected what he calls the Gingling Antitheses of Love and Honour By the Advice of Friends he tells us that he hath disguis'd the Names yet that this Emperour was One of the Greatest that ever Rome boasted I am apt to believe that under the Character of Valentius the Author means Constantine the Great and that Crispus and his Mother-in-law Faustina are shadow'd under the Characters of Florus and Fulvia but this being only Conjecture I must leave it to the Criticks Decision Our Author has nothing else in print that I know of except a little Book entituled Some Observations on the Life of Cardinal Reginal dus Polus where he disguises his Name under these two Letters G. L. which I take to be Guilielmus Lyde the Ancient Name of that Family 'T is printed 8o. Lond. 1686. In this Book the Reader is made acquainted not only with the Authors Reading Stile and Judgment but his skill in the French and Italian Languages K. Henry KILLEGREW AN Author who liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and writ a Play call'd Conspiracy a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1638. This Play was design'd for an Entertainment of the King and Queen at York-House at the Nuptials of the Lady Mary Villiers and the Lord Charles Herbert 'T was afterwards acted on the Black-fryars Stage and found the approbation of the most Excellent Persons of this kind of Writing which were in that time if there were ever better in any time Ben Johnson being then alive who gave a Testimony of this Perce even to be envy'd Some Cavillers at its first Representation at Blackfryars exclaim'd against the Indecorum that appear'd in the part of Cleander who being represented as a Person of seventeen years old is made to speak words that would better sute with the Age of Thirty saying It was monstrous and impossible but the Author was sufficiently vindicated by the Lord Viscount Faulkland who made the following Repartee to One of these Hypercriticks
Sir 't is not altogether so monstrous and impossible for One of Seventeen Years to speak at such a rate when He that made him speak in that manner and writ the whole Play was Himself no Older This Impression was printed without the Authors consent from a false and an imperfect Transcript the Original Copy being with the Author in Italy so that it might rather be call'd the First Design or Foul Draught than a True Copy This occasioned a new Edition and the Publisher impos'd on it a New Title that it might shew as little Affinity as possible to what he calls its Anti-type stiling it Pallantus and Eudora a Tragedy printed fol. Lond. 1653. To this Edition I recommend the Reader remembring that of Martial Multum crede mihi refert à fonte bibatur Quae stuit an pigro quae stupet unda lacu Thomas KILLEGREW A Gentleman well known at Court having been Page of Honour to King Charles the First and Groom of the Bed-chamber to King Charles the Second with whom he endur'd twenty Years Exile During his abode beyond Sea he took a view of France Italy and Spain and was Honoured by his Majesty with the Creditable Employ of Resident at the State of Venice whither he was sent in August 1651. During his Absence from his Country he diverted himself with the Muses writing several Playes of which Sir John Denham in a jocular way takes notice in his Copy of Verses on our Author's Return from his Embassie from Venice I. Our Resident Tom From Venice is come And hath left the Statesman behind him Talks at the same pitch Is as wise is as rich And just where you left him you find him II. But who says he was not A man of much Plot May repent that false Accusation Having plotted and penn'd Six Plays to attend The Farce of his Negotiation Tho' Sir John Denham mentions but six our Author writ nine Plays in his Travells and two at London amongst which his Don Thomaso in two parts and his Parson's Wedding will always be valu'd by the best Judges and Admirers of Dramatick Poetry Of these Eleven Plays I shall speak in their Order Bellamira her Dream or Love of Shadows a Tragi-comedy the first Part printed fol. Lond. 1663. written in Venice and dedicated to the Lady Mary Villiers Dutchess of Richmond and Lenox Bellamira her Dream the second Part a Tragi-comedy written in Venice printed fol. Lond. 1663. and dedicated to the Lady Anne Villiers Countess of Essex Cicilia and Clorinda or Love in Arms a Tragi-comedy the first Part printed fol. Lond. 1663. written in Turin and dedicated to the Lady Anne Villiers Countess of Morton Cicilia and Clorinda the second Part a Tragi-comedy printed fol. Lond. 1663. written in Florence in August 1651. and dedicated to the Lady Dorothy Sidney Countess of Sunderland The first Scene between Amadeo Lucius and Manlius seems copied from the Characters of Aglatidas Artabes and Megabises in the Grand Cyrus see the History of Aglatidas and Amestris Part 1. Book 3. Claracilla a Tragi-comedy printed Folio Lond. 1663. written in Rome and dedicated to his Dear Sister the Lady Shannon On this Play and The Prisoners Mr. Carthwright has writ an ingenious Copy of Verses which the Reader may find amongst his Poems p. 258. Parson's Wedding a Comedy printed Folio Lond. 1663. written at Basil in Switzerland and dedicated to the Lady Ursula Bartu Widow This Play was reviv'd at the Old Theatre in little Lincolns-Inn-fields and acted all by Women a new Prologue and Epilogue being spoken by Mrs. Marshal in Man's Cloaths which the Reader may find printed in Covent-Garden Drollery 8o. pag. 3. c. The Intrigue of Careless and Wild circumventing the Lady Wild and Mrs. Pleasance into Marriage is an Incident in several Plays as Ram-Alley Antiquary c. but in none so well manag'd as in this Play Pilgrim a Tragedy printed Fol. Lond. 1663. written in Paris in the Year 1651. and dedicated to the Countess of Carnarvan Princess or Love at first sight a Tragi-comedy printed Fol. Lond. 1663. written in Naples and dedicated to his Dear Neece the Lady Anne Wentworth Wife to the Lord Lovelace Prisoners a Tragi-comedy printed Fol. Lond. 1663. written in London and dedicated to his Dear Neece the Lady Crompton Thomaso or The Wanderer a Comedy in two Parts printed Fol. Lond. 1663. and dedicated to the Fair and Kind Friends of Prince Palatine Polexander In the first part of this Play the Author has borrow'd several Ornaments as the Song sung by Angelica Act 2. Sc. 3. is taken from Fletcher's Play call'd The Captain Act 4. He has made use of Ben Johnson considerably for not only the Character of Lopus but even the very Words are copied from Johnson's Fox where Vulpone personates Scoto of Mantua as the Reader will see by comparing Act 4. Sc. 2. of this Play with that of the Fox Act 2. Sc. 2. I do not believe that our Author design'd to conceal his Theft since he is so just to acknowledge a Song against Jealousy which he borrow'd and was written by Mr. Thomas Carew Cup-bearer to King Charles the First and sung in a Masque at Whitehall An. 1633. This Chorus says he I presume to make use of here because in the first design 't was writ at my request upon a Dispute held betwixt Mrs. Cicilia Crofts and my self where he was present she being then Maid of Honor this I have set down lest any man should believe me so foolish as to steal such a Poem from so famous an Author or so vain as to pretend to the making of it my self Certainly therefore if he scrupled to rob Mr. Carew he would much more Mr. Johnson whose Fame as much exceeded the others as his Writings and Compositions are better known However it be I am sure he is not the only Poet that has imp'd his Wings with Mr. Johnson's Feathers and if every Poet that borrows knew as well as Mr. Killegrew how to dispose of it 't would certainly be very excusable All these Plays are printed together in One Volume in Folio Lond. 1664. Sir William KILLEGREW A Gentleman who by his Writings and honourable Station in the Court being Vice-Chamberlain to the Queen Dowager is well known He is the Author of Four Plays which have been applauded whether with Justice or no I leave to the Criticks by Men who have themselves been reputed Eminent for Poetry as Mr. Waller Sr. Robert Stapleton Mr. Lodowick Carlell and others I shall therefore only acquaint the Reader with their several Titles and submit them to his further judgment Ormasdes or Love and Friendship a Tragi-Comedy Pandora or The Converts a Comedy Selindra a Tragi-comedy Siege of Urbin a Tragi-comedy All these Plays were printed together in Folio Oxon 1666. There is another Play ascrib'd to our Author call'd The Imperial Tragedy printed Fol. Lond. 1669. the chief part was taken out of a Latine Play and very much alter'd by him for
his own diversion But upon the Importunity of Friends he was prevailed with to have it publisht but without Name because many do censure Plays according to their Opinions of the Author The Plot is founded on the History of Zeno the Twelfth Emperor of Constantinople after Constantine Several Authors have writ his Story as Marcellinus Cassiodorus Cedrenus Evagrius Zonoras Baronius c. John KIRKE A Writer in the Reign of King Charles the First of a Play call'd The Seven Champions of Christendome acted at the Cock-pit and at the Red Bull in St. John's Street with a general liking printed 4o. Lond. 1638. and dedicated to his much respected and worthy Friend Mr. John Waite This Play is written in a mixt stile and founded on that well known Book in prose which bears the same Title See besides Dr. Heylin's History of St. George Ralph KNEVET An Author that liv'd about the same time with the former He writ a Play call'd Rhodon and Iris a Pastoral presented at the Florists Feast in Norwich May the Third 1631. printed 4o. Lond. 1631. and dedicated to the Right Worshipful Mr. Nicholas Bacon of Gillingham Esquire This Pastoral is commended by Four Copies of Verses Thomas KYD. An Ancient Writer or rather Translator in the time of Queen Elizabeth who publisht a Play call'd Pompey the Great his Fair Cornelia's Tragedy effected by her Father and Husband 's Down-cast Death and Fortune printed 4o. Lond. 1595. and dedicated to the Virtuously Noble and rightly Honour'd Lady the Countess of Sussex This Play is translated from the French of Robert Garnier who in the Reigns of Charles the Ninth Henry the Third and Henry the Fourth was accounted an Excellent Poet tho' M. Rapin says His Tragedies with those of Rotrou Serre and others of that time are of a mean Character 'T is evident to any that have read his Tragedies which are Nine in Number that he propos'd Seneca for his Model and he was thought in those days to have happily succeeded in his Design This Translation is writ in blank Verse only here and there at the close of a Paragraph if I may so speak the Reader is presented with a Couplet The Chorus's are writ in several Measures of Verse and are very sententious L. John LACY A Comedian whose Abilities in Action were sufficiently known to all that frequented the King's Theatre where he was for many years an Actor and perform'd all Parts that he undertook to a miracle in so much that I am apt to believe that as this Age never had so the next never will have his Equal at least not his Superiour He was so well approv'd of by King Charles the Second an undeniable Judge in Dramatick Arts that he caus'd his Picture to be drawn in three several Figures in the same Table viz. That of Teague in the Committee Mr. Scruple in The Cheats and M. Galliard in The Variety which piece is still in being in Windsor-Castle Nor did his Talent wholly ly in Acting he knew both how to judge and write Plays and if his Comedies are somewhat allied to French Farce 't is out of choice rather than want of Ability to write true Comedy We have Three Plays extant under his Name viz. Dumb Lady or The Farriar made Physitian a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1672. and dedicated to the High-born and most Hopeful Prince Charles Lord Limrick and Earl of Southampton This Play is founded on a Comedy of Molliere's call'd Le Medecin malgré luy If the Reader will take the pains to compare them together he will easily see that our Author has much improv'd the French Play Old Troop or Monsieur Ragou a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1672. and dedicated to the young Prince George Third Son to the Dutchess of Cleveland I fancy by the stile this Play likewise is founded on some French Original tho' my small Acquaintance with French Poets makes me speak only on Conjecture Both these Plays were acted with universal Applause Sir Hercules Buffoon or The Poetical Squire a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1684. This Play was brought upon the Stage and publisht after the Author's Decease the Prologue was writ by Mr. Durfey the Epilogue by Jo. Heyns the Comedian and both spoken by the later I know not how this Play succeeded on the Theatre but I am confident had the Author been alive to have grac'd it with his Action it could not have fail'd of Applause This Mr. Durfey has observ'd in the beginning of his Prologue Ye Scribling Fops cry mercy if I wrong ye But without doubt there must be some among ye Know that fam'd Lacy Ornament o' th' Stage That Standard of true Comedy in our Age Wrote this New Play And if it takes not all that we can say on 't Is we 've his Fiddle not his Hands to play on 't John LEANARD A confident Plagiary whom I disdain to stile an Author One who tho' he would be esteem'd the Father is at best but the Midwife to the Labour of others I mean those Two Dramatick Pieces which go under his Name I know not how they were receiv'd on the Stage but I am sure the Author deserv'd tho' the Plays might not to be damn'd for his vain-glorious Humour of re-printing another Man's Play under his own Name as he has done Mr. Brewer's Country Girl under the Title of Country Innocence or The Chamber-maid turn'd Quaker a Comedy acted at the Theatre Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1677. and dedicated to his Honour'd Friend Sr. Francis Hinchman Whether his Patrons Instructions rais'd him to that height of presumption as to publish another man's Play as his own I pretend not to judge but I am sure he has sufficiently made appear to the World that he is One of those Authors he speaks of whose Arrogance and Impudence are their chief dependency Had our Author been as well acquainted with Martial as he pretends to be with Homer he would have weigh'd his Opinion before he had made any progression as he calls it in his Thefts Mutare dominum non potest liber notus Aliena quisquis recitat petit famam Non emere Librum sed silentium debet Rambling Justice or The Jealous Husbands with the Humours of Sir John Twiford a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1680. A great part of it is stoln from a Comedy of Middleton's call'd More Dissemblers besides Women As the Scene between Sir Generall Amorous and Bramble Act 2. Sc. 1. is stoln from the Scene between Lactantio and Dondolo Act 3. Sc. 1. Petulant Easy disguis'd like a Gipsy in the same Act is borrow'd from Aurelia's Disguise in Middleton's Play Act 4. Sc. 1. The Scene between Bramble and the Gipsies is stoln from the same Play but since our Author is forc'd to strole like One of that Tribe for a Livelihood with the Issue of other Men's Brains I leave him to his
England began first that Language All our Ladies were then his Schollars and that Beauty in Court which could not Parley Eupheisme was as little regarded as She which now there speaks not French Thomas LODGE A Doctor of Physick in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth who was not so entirely devoted to AEsculapius but that during his Residence in the University of Cambridge he sometimes sacrificed to Apollo and the Nine Sisters Mr. Philips says That he was One of the Writers of those pretty old Pastoral Songs and Madrigals which were very much the Strain of those Times But 't is not in Lyrick Poetry alone that he exercis'd his Pen but sometimes he exercis'd it in Dramatick likewise in which way he has publish two Pieces viz. Looking-Glass for London and England a Tragi-comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1598. in an old Black-Letter In this Play our Author was assisted by Mr. Robert Green of whom we have given an Account p. 241. This Drama is founded on Holy Writ being the History of Jonas and the Ninevites form'd into a Play I suppose they chose this Subject in Imitation of others who had writ Dramas on Sacred Subjects long before them as Ezekiel a Jewish Dramatick Poet writ the Deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt Gregory Nazianzen or as some say Apollinaris of Laodicea writ the Tragedy of Christ's Passion as I learn from the Learned Vossius To these I might add Hugo Grotius Theodore Beza Petavius c. all which have built upon the Foundation of Sacred History Wounds of Civil War lively set forth in the true Tragedies of Marius and Silla publickly Play'd in London by the Right Honourable the Lord High Admiral his Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1594. For the Plot consult Plutarch in the Lives of Marius and Silla Velleius Paterculus Lib. 2 Salust de Bello Jugurth T. Livius Lib. 66 Brev. Florus Lib. 3. C. 3. Aurelius Vistor Eutropius c. This Author as Mr. Winstanley says was an Eminent Writer of Pastoral Songs Odes and Madrigals of which he cites a pretty Sonnet which is said to be of his Composure and he has transcrib'd another in praise of Rosalinde out of his Euphue's Golden-Legacy This Book I never saw and know nothing else of our Author 's Writing except a Treatise of the Plague printed 4o. Lond. 1600. As to the Plays ascrib'd to him by Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley in which he is made an Associate with Mr. Robert Green I have already shewed their mistakes in the Account of that Author to which I refer the Reader Sir William LOWER A Gentleman that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First who during the beat of our Civil Wars took Sanctuary in Holland where in peace and privacy he enjoy'd the Society of the Muses He was a great Admirer of the French Poets and bestowed some times and pains in dressing some Plays in an English Garb besides what he has writ himself in his Mother-Tongue So that we are obliged to him for six Plays viz. Amorous Phantasin a Tragi-comedy printed at the Hague 120. 1658. and dedicated to her Highness The Princess Royal. This Play is translated from the French of M. Quinault's Le Fantōme Amoureux which appear'd with success on the French Stage Enchanted Lovers a Pastoral printed at the Hague 120. 1658. Horatius a Roman Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1656. This Play is Translated from the French of Mr. Corneille and as it is the first Version we had of that Admirable Play I think it ought to be excused if it come short of the Excellent Translation of Mr. Cotton and the Incomparable Orinda For the Story consult Livy Lib. 1. Florus Lib. 1. C. 3 Dionysius Hallicarnassaeus Cassiodorus c. Noble Ingratitude a Pastoral Tragi-comedy printed at the Hague 120. 1658. and dedicated to Her Majesty the Queen of Bohemia Our Author is fully perswaded that this Play is in the Original One of the best Dramatick Pieces that has been presented on the French Stage and undoubtedly M. Quinault is an Excellent Poet notwithstanding the Raillery of the Sharp-witted Boileau Si je pense exprimer un Auteur sans default La Raison dit Virgile la Rime Quinault Phoenix in her Flames a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1639. and dedicated to the Right Worshipful his most Honoured Cousin Thomas Lower Esquire This Play was written before our Author was Knighted and I take it to be the first he writ Polyeuctes a Tragedy Printed 4o. Lond. 1655. For the true Story consult Coeffeteau Hist. Rom. Surius de Vitis Sanctorum As to the Incidents of the Dream of Paulina the Love of Severus the Effectual Baptism of Polyeuctes the Sacrifice for the Emperours Victory the Dignity of Felix the Death of Nearchus the Conversion of Felix and Paulina they are all of them the Author's Invention Three of these Plays viz. Amorous Phantasm Enchanted Lovers Noble Ingratitude were printed together at the Hague during the Author's Exile and at His Majesty's Return the Remainder of the Copies were purchas'd by Mr. Kirkman who printed new Titles in the Year 1661. Thomas LUPON I am able to recover nothing of this Author either as to the time of his Birth the Place where he liv'd or any thing he writ besides a Tragedy mention'd in former Catalogues called All for Money which I never saw M. Lewis MACHIN A Gentlemen that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the Martyr the Author of a single Play called Dumb Knight an Historical Comedy acted sundry times by the Children of his Majesties Revels printed 4o. Lond. 1633. Our Author has borrow'd several Incidents from Novels as the Story of Mariana her Swearing Prince Philocles to be Dumb Act 2. is borrow'd from Bandello's Novells as I have read the Story translated by Belleforest Tom. 1. Nov. 13. The same Incident is in a Play called The Queen or The Excellency of her Sex Alfonsos ' Cuckolding Prate the Oratour Act 3. and the latter appearing before the Council and pleading in Alfonso's Cloathes whilst he is brought before the King in the Orator's Habit Act 5. is borrow'd as I remember from another of Bandello's Novels and the English Reader may meet with the same Story in The Complaisant Companion octavo p. 246. John MAIDWEL An Ingenious Person still living as I suppose in London where some time ago he undertook the Care and Tuition of young Gentlemen and kept a Private School during which Employment besides some other Performances with which he has obliged the World he has borrow'd so much time as to write a Play stiled Loving Enemies a Comedy acted at his Highness the Duke of York's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to the Honourable Charles Fox Esquire The part of Circumstantio seems to me to resemble the Humor of Sir Formal Trifle especially the Description of the Magpies sucking a Hen's Egg Act 4. Sc. 1. is writ much after the same way with that of the Mouse taken in a Trap See
made him Famous all over England Of these he has writ A Discourse of Horsemanship printed 4o. without Date and dedicated to Prince Henry Eldest Son to King James the First Cure of all Diseases incident to Horses 4o. 1610. English Farriar 4o. 1649. Master-piece 4o. 1662. Faithful Farriar 8o. 1667. Perfect Horseman 120. 1671. For Husbandry he publisht Liebault's Le Maison Rustique or The Country Farm Fol. Lond. 1616. This Treatise which was at first translated by Mr. Richard Surflet a Physitian our Author enlarg'd with several Additions from the French Books of Serres and Vinet the Spanish of Albiterio and the Italian of Grilli and others The Art of Husbandry first translated from the Latine of Conr. Heresbachius by Barnaby Googe he revis'd and augmented 4o. 1631. He writ besides Farewel to Husbandry 4o. 1620. Way to get Wealth wherein is compris'd his Country Contentments printed 4o. 1668. To this I may add Hungers Prevention or his Art of Fowling 8o. His Epitome 120. c. In Military Discipline he has publisht The Souldiers Accidence and Grammar 4o. 1635. Besides these the second part of the First Book of The English Arcadia is said to be writ by him insomuch that he may be accounted if not Unus in Omnibus at least a Benefactor to the Publick by those Works he left behind him which will without doubt eternise his Memory Christopher MARLOE An Author that was Cotemporary with the Incomparable Shakespear and One who trod the Stage with Applause both from Queen Elizabeth and King James Nor was he accounted a less Excellent Poet by the Judicious Johnson and Heywood his Fellow Actor stiles him the Best of Poets In what esteem he was in his time may be gathered from part of a Copy of Verses writ in that Age call'd a Censure of the Poets where he is thus Characteriz'd Next Marlow bathed in the Thespian Springs Had in him those brave Sublunary things That your First-Poets had his Raptures were All Air and Fire which made his Verses clear For that fine Madness still he did retain Which rightly should possess a Poet's Brain His Genius inclin'd him wholly to Tragedy and he has obliged the world with Seven Plays of this kind of his own Composure besides One in which he join'd with Nash call'd Dido Queen of Carthage which I never saw Of the others take the following Account Dr. Faustus his Tragical History printed 4o. Lond. 1661. There is an old Edition which I never saw but this is printed with new Additions of several Scenes The Plot or the Foundation of this Play may be read in several Authors as Camerarei Hor. Subcisiv Cent. 1. Wierus de Praestigiis Daemonum Lib. 2. Cap. 4. Lonicerus c. Edward the Second a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. I know not the Date or the Stage where this Play was acted thro' the defect of my Title-page For the Plot consult the Historians that have writ on those Times as Ranulphus Higden Walsingham Math. Westminster Especially those that have more particularly writ his Life as Thomas de la More Sr. Fr. Hubert c. Jew of Malta a Tragedy play'd before the King and Queen in her Majesties Theatre at Whitehall and by her Majesties Servants at the Cock-pit printed 4o. Lond. 1633. after the Author's Decease and dedicated by Mr. Thomas Heywood the Publisher To his Worthy Friend Mr. Thomas Hammon of Gray's Inn. This Play was in much esteem in those days the Jew's Part being play'd by Mr. Edward Allen that Ornament both to Black-friars Stage and to his Profession to the One on Account of of his excellent Action to the Other of his exemplary Piety in founding Dulwich Hospital in Surrey What Opinion Mr. Heywood had of the Author and Actor may be seen by the beginning of his Prologue spoke at the Cock-pit We know not how our Play may pass this Stage But by the best of Poets in that Age The Malta Jew had being and was made And He then by the best of Actors play'd In Hero and Leander one did gain A lasting Memory in Tamberlain This Jew with others many th' other wan The Attribute of peerless being a Man Whom we may rank with doing no one wrong Proteus for Shapes and Roscius for a Tongue Lust's Dominion or The Lascivious Queen a Tragedy publisht by Mr. Kirkman 8o. Lond. 1661. and dedicated to his worthily honour'd Friend William Carpenter Esquire This Play was alter'd by Mrs. Behn and acted under the Title of Abdelazer or The Moor's Revenge Massacre of Paris with the Death of the Duke of Guise a Tragedy play'd by the Right Honourable the Lord Admiral 's Servants printed octavo Lond. This Play is not divided into Acts it begins with that fatal Marriage between the King of Navarre and Marguerite de Valois Sister to King Charles the Ninth the Occasion of the Massacre and ends with the Death of Henry the Third of France For the Plot see the Writers of those times in the Reigns of these two Kings Ch. IX and Henry III. Thuanus Davila Pierre Matthieu Dupleix Mezeray c. Tamburlain the Great or The Scythian Shepherd a Tragedy in two parts sundry times acted by the Lord Admiral 's Servants printed in an old Black-Letter octavo Lond. 1593. Had I not Mr. Heywood's Word for it In the fore-mention'd Prologue I should not believe this Play to be his it being true what an ingenious Author said That whoever was the Author he might ev'n keep it to himself secure from Plagiary For the Story see those that have writ his Life in particular as Pietro Perondini M. St. Sanctyon Du Bec c. and those that have treated of the Affairs of Turks and Tartars in general in the Reigns of Bajazet and Tamerlane as Laonicus Chalcocondylas Pet. Bizarus Knolles c. He writ besides a Poem call'd Hero and Leander Whose mighty Lines says One Mr. Benjamin Johnson a Man sensible enough of his own Abilities was often heard to say that they were Examples sitler for Admiration than Paralel This Poem being left imperfect by our our Author who according to Mr. Philips In some riotous Fray came to an untimely and violent End it was finished by Mr. Chapman and printed octavo Lond. 1606. Shakerley MARMION A Gentleman born in the Reign of King Charles the First at Ainoe in Sutton Hundred in the County of Northampton about the beginning of January A. D. 1602. He was bred up at Thame-School in Oxfordshire and at fifteen Years of Age was sent to the University of Oxford where he became a Member of Wadham Colledge and in 1624. he took his Master of Arts Degree What further became of him I know not all that I am able to inform the Reader is that he was the Author of three Comedies which have formerly been well approv'd viz. Antiquary a Comedy acted by her Majesties Servants at the Cock-pit and printed quarto Lond. 1641. Aurelio's declaring his Marriage to the Duke and
Leonardo from Lucretia's Lodging where he got in by her Maid's Assistance is an Incident as I have already shew'd in several Plays Fine Companion a Comedy acted before the King and Queen at Whitehall and sundry times with great applause at the Private House in Salisbury-court by the Prince's Servants printed quarto Lond. 1633. and dedicated to the truly Noble and his worthy Kinsman in all respects Sir Ralph Dutton The Reader will find that Captain Porpuss in Sir Barnaby Whig is beholding to Captain Whibble in his Play for some of his Expressions Holland's Leaguer an Excellent Comedy often acted with great Applause by the High and Mighty Prince Charles his Servants at the Private House in Salisbury-court printed quarto Lond. 1632. The Author in this Play has shewed his Reading having borrow'd several things from Juvenal Petronius Arbyter c. Mr. Winstanley has made no mention of our Author and Mr. Philips to prove his Character of him that he is not an Obscure or Uncopious Writer of English Comedy has ascrib'd two Comedies to him which belong to other Men the Fleire being writ by Edward Sharpham and the Fair Maid of the Exchange if we may believe Kirkman's Account by Thomas Heywood John MARSTON An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King James the First who was a Contributor to the Stage in his Time by Eight Plays which were approv'd by the Audience at the Black-fryars and one of them viz. Dutch Curtezan was some few Years since reviv'd with success on the present Stage under the Title of The Revenge or The Match in New-gate The place of our Author's Birth and Family are to me unknown neither can I recover other Information of him than what I learnt from the Testimony of his Bookseller That he was free from all Obscene Speeches which is the chief cause that makes Plays to be so odious unto most Men. That he abhorr'd such Writers and their Works and profest himself an Enemy to all such as stufft their Scenes with Ribaldry and larded their Lines with Scurrilous Taunts and Jests So that whatsoever even in the Spring of his Years he presented upon the private and publick Theatre in his Autumn and Declining Age he needed not to be asham'd of An Excellent Character and fit for the Imitation of our Dramatists most of whom would be thought to have throughly studyed Horace I could wish therefore that they which know him so well would call to Mind and practice his Advice which is thus exprest Silvis deducti caveant me judice Fauni Ne nimiū teneres juvenentur versibus unquam Aut immunda crepent ignominiosaque dicta Offenduntur enim quibus est equus pater res But leaving this I shall give the Reader an Account of his Plays in their Accustom'd Order having first inform'd him that six of our Author's Plays are collected into one Volume being publisht under the Title of The Works of Mr. John Marston printed octavo Lond. 1633. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Elizabeth Carie Viscountess Faulkland According to the Alphabet I am to begin with viz. Antonio and Melida a History acted by the Children of Paul's printed octavo Lond. 1633. Antonio's Revenge or The Second part of Antonio and Melida frequently acted by the Children of Paul's printed in octavo These two Plays were likewise printed in quarto above 30 Years before this new Edition viz. 1602. Dutch Curtezan a Comedy divers times presented at the Black-fryars by the Children of the Queens Majesties Revels printed in octavo Lond. 1633. This Play was publisht long before in quarto viz. 1605. Cockledemoy's cheating Mrs. Mulligrub the Vintner's Wife of the Goblet and the Salmon is borrow'd from an old French Book called Les Contes du Monde see the same Story in English in a Book of Novels call'd The Palace of Pleasure in the last Novel Insatiate Countess a Tragedy acted at the White-fryars printed quarto Lond. 1603. It being a common custom with our Author to disguise his Story and to personate real Persons under feign'd Characters I am perswaded that in this Play under the Title of Isabella the Insatiable Countess of Suevia he meant Joane the First Queen of Jerusalem Naples and Sicily and I doubt not but the Reader who will compare the Play with the History will assent to my conjecture Many are the Writers that have related her Life as Collenuccio Simmoneta Villani Montius c. but I refer my English Reader to Dr. Fuller's Prophane State Ch. 2. That her Life has been the Subject not only of History but of Poetry and Novels also is manifest from this Play and the Novels of Bandello who has related her Story under the Title of The Inordinate Life of The Countess of Celant This Novel is translated into French by Belleforest Tom. 2. Nov. 20. and possibly our Author might build his Play on this Foundation The like Story is related in God's Revenge against Adultery under the Name of Anne of Werdenberg Dutchess of Ulme See Hist. 5. Male Content a Tragicomedy the first Design being laid by Mr. Webster was corrected and augmented by our Author printed 4o. Lond. 1604. and dedicated in the following Stile to Ben Johnson Benjamini Johnsonio Poetae Elegantissimo Gravissimo Amico suo candido cordato Johannes Marston Musarum Alumnus asperam hanc suam Thaliam D. D. Notwithstanding our Authors profession of Friendship he afterwards could not refrain from reflecting on Mr. Johnson on Account of his Sejanus and Catiline as the Reader will find in the perusal of his Epistle to Sophonisba Know says he that I have not labour'd in this Poem to relate any thing as an Historian but to enlarge every thing as a Poet. To transcribe Authors quote Authorities and translate Latin Prose Orations into English Blank-Verse hath in this Subject been the least aim of my Studies That Mr. Johnson is here meant will I presume be evident to any that are acquainted with his Works and will compare the Orations in Salust with those in Catiline On what provocations our Author thus censured his Friend I know not but this Custom has been practic'd in all Ages the Old Proverb being verify'd in Poets as well as Whores Two of a Trade can never agree 'T is within the Memory of Man that a Play has been dedicated to the late witty Earl of Rochester and an Essay upon Satyr from the same Hand has bespatter'd his Reputation So true it is that some Poets Are still prepar'd to praise or to abhor us Satyr they have and Panegyrick for us But begging pardon for this Digression I return to the Play which I take to be an honest general Satyr and not as some malicious Enemies endeavour'd to perswade the World design'd to strike at any particular Persons Parasitaster or The Fawn a Comedy divers times presented at the Black-fryars by the Children of the Queens Majesties Revels printed 80. Lond. 1633. This Play was formerly printed
Typographical Faults there are many other gross Errors several pieces being mention'd under the Title of Plays which are of a different Species for Instance Virgil's Eclogues are inserted under the Name of a Tragedy c. Picture a Tragi-comedy often presented with good allowance at the Globe and Black-Fryars Play-houses by the King's Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1636. and dedicated to his Honour'd and Selected Friends of the Noble Society of the Inner-Temple This Play was acted by those excellent Players of the last Age Lowin Taylor Benfield c. and is commended by his true Friend Sir Thomas Jay The Plot of Sophia's decoying the two debaucht Courtiers Richardo and Ubaldo who attempted her Chastity is related in a Book of Novels in octavo call'd The Fortunate Deceiv'd and Unfortunate Lovers see Nov. 4. of the Deceiv'd Lovers but this Story is I suppose originally Italian this Book being a Collection from Italian Novels Renegado a Tragi-comedy often acted by the Queens Majesties Servants at the private Play-house in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1630. and dedicated to the Right Honourable George Harding Baron of Barkley of Barkley-Castle and Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bath This Play is likewise commended by two Copies of Verses One of which was writ by Mr. James Shirley Roman Actor a Tragedy acted divers times with good allowance at the private House in the Black-fryars by the King's Majesties Servants printed 4o. 1629. and dedicated to his much Honour'd and most True Friends Sir Philip Knivet Sir Thomas Jay and Thomas Bellingham of Newtimber in Sussex Esquire This Play is commended by Six Copies of Verses writ by several Dramatick Poets of that Age as May Goss Ford c. For the Plot read Suetonius in the Life of Domitian Aurelius Victor Eutropius Lib. 7. Tacitus Lib. 13. c. Very Woman or The Prince of Tarent a Tragi-comedy often acted at the private House in the Black-fryars by His late Majesties Servants with great applause printed 8o. Lond. 1655. Our Author owns this Play to be founded on a Subject which long before appear'd on the Stage tho' what Play it was I know not I have already acquainted the Reader with the Resemblance between the Plot of this Tragi-comedy and The Obstinate Lady This Play with The Bashful Lover and The Guardian are printed together Virgin Martyr a Tragedy acted by His Majesties Servants with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 1661. In this Play our Author took in Mr. Thomas Decker for Partner I presume the Story may be met with in the Martyrologies which have treated of the Tenth Persecution in the time of Dioclesian and Maximian See Rossweidus Valesius c. Unnatural Combat a Tragedy presented by the King's Majesties Servants at the Globe printed 4o. Lond. 1639. and dedicated to his much Honour'd Friend Anthony Sentliger of Oukham in Kent Esquire This Old Tragedy as the Author tells his Patron has neither Prologue nor Epilogue it being composed in a time when such By-ornaments were not advanced above the Fabrick of the whole work I know nothing else of our Authors Writings and therefore must hasten to the last Act of his Life his Death which happen'd at London in March 1669. On the Seventeenth of the same Month he was Buried in St. Mary Overies Church in Southwark in the same Grave with Mr. Fletcher What Monument or Inscription he has I know not but shall close up our Account of this Ingenious Poet with the following Epitaph writ by Sir Aston Cokain An Epitaph on Mr. John Fletcher and Mr. Philip Massinger who lay both buried in one Grave in St. Mary Overy's Church in Southwark In the same Grave Fletcher was buried here Lies the Stage Poet Philip Massinger Plays they did write together were great Friends And now one Grave includes them in their Ends. So whom on Earth nothing did part beneath Here in then Fame they lie in spight of Death Thomas MAY. This Gentleman was born in Sussex of an ancient but somewhat declining Family in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth He was for some Years bred a Scholar in the University of Cambridge being Fellow-Commoner of Sidney Colledge During his Abode there he was a very close Student and what Stock of Learning he then treasur'd up is apparent from his Works which are in print He remov'd afterwards to London following the Court where he contracted Friendship with several Eminent Courtiers amongst others with the accomplisht Endymion Porter Esq One of the Gentlemen of his Majesties Bedchamber a Gentleman so dear to Sir William D'Avenant that he stiled him Lord of his Muse and Heart Whilst he resided at Court he writ the five Plays which are extant and possibly his other Pieces Dr. Fuller says of him That some Disgust at Court was given to or taken by him as some would have it because his Bays were not guilded richly enough and his Verses rewarded by King Charles according to expectation Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley insinuate That being Candidate with Sir William D'Avenant for the Honourable Title of the Queen's Poet and being frustrate in his Expectations out of meer Spleen as it is thought for his Repulse he vented his Spite in his History of the late Civil Wars of England wherein Mr. Winstanley says he shew'd all the Spleen of a Male-contented Poet making thereby his Friends his Foes and rendring his Name odious to Posterity Whether this Accusation be true or no I know not but I am sure his Enemies must allow him to be a good Poet tho' possibly he fell short of Sir William D'Avenant and tho' I no ways abet his self Opinion yet I learn from Horace that even Ill Poets set a value on their Writings tho' they are despis'd by others Ridentur mala qui componunt Carmina verùm Gaudent Scribentes se venerantur ultrò Si taceas laudant quicquid scripsere beati And therefore I hope the moderate Critick will bear with the Frailty of our Author and I doubt not but if they will read his Works with Candor and especially his Plays they will find he had some Reason for his Opinion of what he writ I shall first give the Reader a succinct Account of his Plays as follows Agrippina Empress of Rome her Tragedy printed 120. Lond. 1639. Our Author has follow'd Xiphilinus Tacitus and Suetonius in the Designing his Tragedy and besides has translated and inserted above 30. Lines from Petronius Arbyters Satyricon being a Translation of those Verses recited by Eumolpus beginning Orbemjam totum victor Romanus habebat c. and concluding with Siculo scarus aequore mersus Ad mensam vivus perducitur Now altho' this is patly enough apply'd by our Author he having introduced Nero at a Banquet commanding Petronius to write a Satyr against those Pleasures he us'd to commend yet methinks Mr. May having such a particular Value for Lucan as to translate his Pharsalia he should not have inserted what was
purposely writ against this particular Work as may be gather'd from the foregoing Speech Ecce Belli Civilis ingens Opus c. but rather have left it to such a Man as Douza who as a French Author has observ'd could no longer endure the Fire and Tempest of Lucan when he read the Taking of Troy or that little Essay of the War of Pharsalia which he declar'd to love much better quam trecenta Cordubensis illius Pharsalicorum versuum Volumiua The first Act of this Play has been ill corrected four pages of it being printed twice over Antigone the Thebane Princess her Tragedy printed 8o. Lond. 1631. and dedicated to the most Worthily Honoured Endymion Porter Esquire Our Author in the Contexture of this Tragedy has made use of the Antigone of Sophocles and the Thebais of Seneca The Reader may see besides Statius's Thebais c. Cleopatra Queen of AEgypt her Tragedy acted 1626. and printed 120. Lond. 1639. and dedicated to the Accomplish'd Sir Kenelme Digby The Author has follow'd the Historians of those times as Appian de Bellis Civilibus lib. 5. Plutarch's Life of M. Anthony Suetonius's Life of Augustus Florus lib. 4. Dion c. He has borrow'd besides several other Embelishments as Calimaccus's Epigram upon Timon the Misanthropist an Account of the Ancient Lybian Psylls so famous for curing the Venemous Bites of Serpents by sucking the wound related by Pliny lib. 7. c. 2. and by Solinus c. Heir a Comedy acted by the Company of Revels 1620. printed 4o. Lond. 1633. This Comedy is extreamly commended by the already mention'd Mr. Thomas Carew in a Copy of Verses affix'd to the Play where amongst other Commendations bestow'd on the Stile and the Natural working up of the Passions he says thus of the Oeconomy of the Play The whole Plot doth alike it self disclose Thro' the Five Acts as doth a Lock that goes With Letters for till every one be known The Lock 's as fast as if you had found none I believe there are few Persons of Judgment that are true lovers of Innocent and inoffensive Comedy but will allow this to be an Excellent Play Old Couple a Comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1651. This Play is not much short of the former and is chiefly design'd an Antidote against Covetousness Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley ascribe two other Plays to our Author viz. The Old Wives Tale and Orlando Furioso the first of these I never saw but for the latter I assure my Reader it was printed long before our Author was born at least before he was able to guide a Pen much less to write a Play it being printed 4o. Lond. 1594. But tho' he has no more Plays he has other pieces extant in print as the Translation of Lucan's Pharsalia 8o. Lond. 1635. which Poem our Author has continued down to the Death of Julius Caesar in VII Books both in Latin and English Verse I have already given you Douza's Character of this Poem to which I might add that of Scaliger Rapin and other Criticks but this being somewhat forreign to my present Subject I shall wave it and content my self with acquainting my Reader That however pompous and splendid the French Version of Brebeuf has appear'd in France our English Translation is little inferiour to it and is extreamly commended by our Famous Johnson in a Copy of Verses prefix'd before the Book well worth the Reader 's perusal He translated besides Virgil's Georgicks printed with Annotations 8o. Lond. 1622. Mr. Philips mentions a History of Henry the Second writ by him in Verse and a History of the late Civil Wars of England in Prose neither of which have I seen and therefore pretend not to determine whether he were a partial Writer or no. Only give me leave to conclude in the Words of Dr. Fuller That if he were a byassed and partial Writer yet that he lyeth buried near a good and true Historian indeed viz. Mr. Cambden in the West-side of the North-Isle of Westminster Abbey dying suddenly in the Night A.D. 1652. in the 55 th Year of his Age. I know not how Mr. Winstanley happened to omit the Transcript of so memorable a passage since he has elsewhere borrow'd so largely from this Worthy Author as well as Mr. Philips without either of them acknowledging the least obligation to him Robert MEAD An Author that liv'd in the Reigns of King James and King Charles the First and was sometime a Member of Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford as I learn from the Title-page of a Play call'd Combat of Love and Friendship a Comedy formerly presented by the Gentlemen of Christ-Church in Oxford and printed 4o. Lond. 1654. This Play was published after the Authors decease at that time when the Muses were banish'd the Theatre I wish I were able to give the Reader a better Account of our Author But being destitute of other Information this Gentleman having wholly escaped the Industry of Mr. Wood I must be beholding for what I have borrow'd to the Stationer's Epistle to the Reader where he tells us That he had been a Person whose Eminent and General Abilities have left him a Character precious and honourable to our Nation and therefore the Reader is not to look upon this Composition but as at a stoop when his youth was willing to descend from his then higher Contemplation He tells us that he could say more in his Honour but that he was so great a lover of Humility in his Life that he was almost afraid being dead he might be displeas'd to hear his own worth remembred Mr. Philips thro' his old Mistake ascribes to him The Costly Whore tho' I am almost confident the Play is not of his Writing and that those that believe it so have taken up their Opinion upon Conjecture Matthew MEDBOURN An Actor belonging to the Duke's Theatre in the Reign of King Charles the Second One whose good parts deserv'd a better fate than to die in Prison as he did in the time of the late Popish-Plot thro' a too forward and indiscreet Zeal for a mistaken Religion Ten Years before the Discovery of that Conspiracy our Author publisht a Play call'd Tartuffe or The French Puritan acted at the Theatre-Royal written in French by Molliere and rendred into English with much Addition and Advantage printed 4o. Lond. 1670. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Lord Howard of Norfolk This Play was recceiv'd with universal Applause on our English Stage if we believe our Author and is accounted by him the Master-piece of Molliere's Productions or rather that of all French Comedy I presume the Translator who was a great Bigot esteem'd this Play the more it being design'd as a Satyr against the French Hugonots tho' at the same time it must be acknowledg'd that the French Author has made an Admirable Defence for the Character of his Protagonist Tartuffe in his Preface to which I refer the Reader who is vers'd in the French Tongue
Masque or Masque of Heroes presented as an Entertainment for many worthy Ladies by Gentlemen of the same Ancient and Noble House printed 4o. Lond. 1640. This Play was writ twenty Years before it was printed and yet so well esteem'd by Mrs. Behn that she has taken part of it into the City Heiress Mayor of Quinborough a Comedy often acted with much applause by his Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1661. In this Play are several Dumb Shews explained by Rainulph Monk of Chester and the Author has chiefly followed his Polychronicon See besides Stow Speed Du Chesne c. in the Reign of Vortiger Michaelinass-Term a Comedy printed in quarto but where or when I know not thro' the imperfection of my Copy More Dissemblers besides Women a Comedy printed 8o. Lond. 1657. No Wit no Help like a Woman's a Comedy printed 8o. Lond. 1657. Phoenix a Tragi-comedy sundry times acted by the Children of Paul's and presented before his Majesty printed 4o. Lond. 1607. Roaring Girl a Comedy which I never saw Spanish Gypsie a Tragi-comedy acted with great applause at the Private-House in Drury-Lane and Salisbury-Court written by our Author and Mr. Rowley printed 4o. Lond. 1661. The Story of Roderigo and Clara has a near resemblance with if it be not borrow'd from a Spanish Novel writ by Mignel de Cervantes call'd The Force of Blood Trick to catch the Old One a Comedy often in Action both at Paul's the Black-fryars and before their Majesties printed 4o. Lond. 1616. This is an Excellent Old Play Triumphs of Love and Antiquity an Honourable Solemnity performed thro' the City at the Confirmation and Establishment of the Right Honourable Sir William Cockaine Kt. in the Office of His Majesties Lieutenant the Lord Mayor of the Famous City of London Taking beginning in the Morning at his Lordship's Going and perfecting it self after his Return from Receiving the Oath of Mayoralty at Westminster on the Morrow after Simon and Jude's Day Octob. 29 1619. printed 4o. Lond. and dedicated to the Honour of him to whom the Noble Fraternity of Skinners his Worthy Brothers have dedicated their Loves in Costly Triumphs The Right Honourable Sir William Cockaine Knight Lord Mayor of this Renowned City and Lord General of his Military Forces This Piece consists only of Speeches addrest to his Lordship at his Cavalcade thro' the City and I think no ways deserv'd either the Title of a Masque under which Species it has been hitherto rank'd nor so pompous a Title as the Author has prefix'd Women beware Women a Tragedy printed 8o. Lond. 1657. This Play with two others viz. More Dissemblers besides Women and No Wit like a Woman's are all in one Volume The Foundation of this Play is borrow'd from a Romance called Hyppolito and Isabella octavo This Drama if we give Credit to Mr. Richards a Poet of that Age was acted with extraordinary applause as he says in his Verses on that Play I that have see it can say having just cause Ne're Tragedy came off with more Applause World lost at Tennis a Masque divers times presented to the Contentment of many Noble and Worthy Spectators by the Princes Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1620. and dedicated to the truly Noble Charles Lord Howard Baron of Effingham and to his Virtuous and Worthy the Right Honourable Mary Lady Effingham Eldest Daughter of the truly Generous and Judicious Sir W. Cockain Knight Ld. Mayor of the City of London and Lord General of the Military Forces Your Five Gallants a Comedy often in Action at the Black-fryars and imprinted at London 4o. This Play has no Date and I believe was One of the first that our Author publishd John MILTON An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the Martyr Had his Principles been as good as his Parts he had been an Excellent Person but his demerits towards his Sovereign has very much sullied his Reputation He has writ several Pieces both in Verse and Prose and amongst others two Dramas of which we shall first give an Account viz. Samson Agonistes a Dramatick Poem printed 8o. Lond. 1680. Our Author has endeavour'd to imitate the Tragedy of the Ancient Greek Poets 't is writ in Blank Verse of ten Syllables which the Author prefers to Rime His Reasons are too long to be transcribed but those who have the Curiosity may read them at the Entrance of his Paradice lost The Chorus is introduced after the Greek Manner and says my Author The Measure of its Verses is of all sorts called by the Greeks Monostrophic or rather Apolelymenon without regard had to Strophe Antistrophe or Epod which were a kind of Stanza's fram'd only for the Musick than used with the Chorus that sung not essential to the Poem and therefore not material or being divided into Stanza's or Pauses they may be called Allaeostropha Division into Act and Scene referring chiefly to the Stage to which this Work never was intended is here omitted In this the Author seems to follow Sophocles whose Plays are not divided into Acts. I take this to be an Excellent Piece and as an Argument of its Excellency I have before taken Notice that Mr. Dryden has transferred several Thoughts to his Aurengzebe The Foundation of the History is in Holy Writ See Judges Ch. 13 c. Josephus Antiq. l. 5. Torniel Salian c. Masque presented at Ludlow Castle 1634. on Michaelmass Night before the Right Honourable John Earl of Bridgwater Viscount Brackley Ld. President of Wales and One of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council printed 4o. Lond. 1637. and dedicated by Mr. Henry Laws the Publisher to the Right Honourable John Lord Viscount Brackley Son and Heir Apparent to the Earl of Bridgwater c. The Publisher acquaints his Patron that Altho not openly acknowledged by the Author yet it is a Legitimate Off-spring so lovely and so much desired that the often copying of it hath tir'd his Pen to give his several Friends Satisfaction and brought him to a Necessity of producing it to the publick view The principal Persons of this Masque were the Lord Brackley Mr. Thomas Egerton the Lady Alice Egerton Our Author 's other Pieces in Verse are his Paradice lost an Heroick Poem in twelve Books I know not when it was first printed but there came out not long since a very fair Edition in Fol. with Sculptures printed Lond. 1689. His Paradice regain'd a Poem in four Books is fitted likewise to be bound with it He publisht some other Poems in Latin and English printed 8o. Lond. 1645. Nor was he less Famous for History than Poetry witness his History of Brittain from the first Traditional Beginning of the Norman Conquest printed 4o. Lond. 1670. He writ several other Pieces as a Latin Piece called Pro populo Anglicano Defensio contra Salmasium 120. Lond. 1652. The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce in two Books printed 4o. Lond. 1644 this being answered by an Anonymous Writer was reply'd to by our Author in a Book which
the greatest Master of Wit the most exact Observer of Mankind and the most acurate Judge of Humour that ever he knew Besides what his Grace has writ in Dramatick Poetry he published during his Honourable Exile at Antwerp the most Magnificent and withall the Best Book of Horsmanship that was ever yet extant How eminent his skill was in that Noble Art of Dressing Horses in the Manage is well known not only to our Countrymen but to all Nations of Europe Persons of all Countries and those of the best Quality crouding to his Manage at Antwerp to see him ride Insomuch that Signior del Campo One of the most knowing Riders of his Time said to the Duke upon his Dismounting as it were in an Extasie Il faut tirer la Planche The Bridge must be drawn up meaning that no Rider must presume to come in Horsemanship after him M. De Soleil one of the best Writers that I have met with amongst the French when he enlarged his Le Parfaict Mareschal borrowed the Art of Breeding from the Duke's Book as he owns in his Avis au Lecteur and stiles him Un des plus accomplis Cavaliers de nôtre temps But having nam'd this Forreigner's borrowing from his Grace I should justly deserve to be branded with Ingratitude should I not own That 't is to the Work of this Great Man that I am indebted for several Notions borrow'd from his Grace in a little Essay of Horsemanship printed 8o. Oxon. 1685. Nay further I think it no small Glory that I am the only Author that I know of who has quoted him in English He has written two Books of Horsemanship the first in French called La Methode nouvelle de Dresser les Chevaux avec Figures Fol. Ant. 1658. The other in English stiled A New Method and Extraordinary Invention to dress Horses and work them according to Nature as also to perfect Nature by the Subtlety of Art Fol. Lond. 1667. The first Book was writ by the Duke in English and made French at his command by a Wallon and is extraordinary scarce and dear The latter as the Duke informs his Reader Is neither a Translation of the first nor an absolutely necessary Addition to it and may be of use without the other as the other hath been hitherto and still is without this but both together will questionless do best I beg my Reader 's Pardon if I have dwelt upon this Subject to the tryal of his Patience but I have so great a Value for the Art it self and such a Respect for the Memory of the best of Horsemen that I cannot refrain from trespassing yet further by transcribing an Epigram writ to the Duke on this Subject but it being the production of the Immortal Johnson I hope that alone will attone for the Digression An Epigram to William Duke of Newcastle When first my Lord I saw you back your Horse Provoke his Mettle and command his force To all the uses of the Field and Race Methought I read the ancient Art of Thrace And saw a Centaure past those tales of Greece So seem'd your Horse and you both of a piece You shew'd like Perseus upon Pegasus Or Castor mounted on his Cyllarus Or what we hear our home-born Legend tell Of bold Sir Bevis and his Arundel Nay so your Seat his Beauties did endorse As I began to wish my self a Horse And surely had I but your Stables seen Before I think my wish absolv'd had been For never saw I yet the Muses dwell Nor any of their Houshold half so well So well as when I saw the Floor and Room I look'd for Hercules to be the Groom And cry'd Away with the Caesarian Breed At these immortal Mangers Virgil fed Margaret Dutchess of NEWCASTLE A Lady worthy the Mention and Esteem of all Lovers of Poetry and Learning One who was a fit Consort for so Great a Wit as the Duke of Newcastle Her soul sympathising with his in all things especially in Dramatick Poetry to which she had a more than ordinary propensity She has publisht six and twenty Plays besides several loose Scenes nineteen of which are bound and printed in one Volume in Fol. 1662. the others in Folio Lond. 1668. under the Title of Plays never before printed I shall not presume to pass my Judgment on the Writings of this Admirable Dutchess but rather imitate the Carriage of Julius Scalinger to the Roman Sulpitia by concluding with him Igitur ut tà m laudibilis Heroinae Ratio habeatur non ausim objicere ei judicii severitatem I know there are some that have but a mean Opinion of her Plays but if it be consider'd that both the Language and Plots of them are all her own I think she ought with Justice to be preferr'd to others of her Sex which have built their Fame on other People's Foundations sure I am that whoever will consider well the several Epistles before her Books and the General Prologue to all her Plays if he have any spark of Generosity or Good Breeding will be favourable in his Censure As a proof of my Assertion it may be proper in this place before I give an Account of her Plays to transcribe part of that general Prologue the whole being too long to be here inserted But Noble Readers do not think my Plays Are such as have been writ in former Days As Johnson Shakespear Beaumont Fletcher writ Mine want their Learning Reading Language Wit The Latin Phrases I could never tell But Johnson could which made him write so well Greek Latin Poets I could never read Nor their Historians but our English Speed I could not steal their Wit nor Plots out take All my Plays Plots my own poor Brain did make From Plutarch's Story I nere took a Plot Nor from Romances nor from Don Quixot As others have for to assist their Wit But I upon my own Foundation writ c. I hasten now to give an Account of the Titles of her Plays according to our accustomed order viz. Apocryphal Ladies a Comedy This Play consists of three and twenty Scenes but is not divided into Acts. Bell in Campo a Tragedy in two parts In the second Play are several Copies of Verses writ by the Duke of Newcastle Blasing World a Comedy Tho' this be stil'd a Play in former Catalogues yet it is but a Fragment the Authress before she had finisht the second Act desisted not finding her Genius tend to the prosecution of it Bridals a Comedy Comical Hash a Comedy This Play has not been in any Catalogue before Convent of Pleasure a Comedy Female Academy a Comedy Lady Contemplation a Comedy in two parts Three Scenes in the first and two in the second part were writ by the Duke Loves Adventures in two parts a Comedy The Song and the Epithalamium in the last Scene in the second part was likewise writ by the Duke Matrimonial Trouble in two parts the second being a Tragedy or as the Authress stiles it
lib. 3. c. 21. Don Carlos Prince of Spain a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1679. and dedicated to his Royal Highness the Duke This Play is writ in Heroick Verse as well as Alcibiades that being the first this the second that ever he writ or thought of writing For the History consult the Spanish Chronicles as Loüis de Mayerne Turquet's Chronicle of Spain Cabrera's Life of Philip the Second Thuanus Brantome c. Tho' I believe our Author chiefly follow'd the Novel of Don Carlos translated from the French and printed 8o. Lond. 1674. which is the most perfect Account of that Tragical Story that I have met with Friendship in Fashion a Comedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1678. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex This is a very diverting Play and was acted with general applause Orphan or The Unhappy Marriage a Tragedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to her Royal Highness the Dutchess This is a very moving Tragedy and is founded on a Novel call'd English Adventures See the History of Brandon p. 17. Souldiers Fortune a Comedy acted by their Royal Highness's Servants at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1681. This Play is dedicated to Mr. Bentley his Stationer and is as he says a sort of Acquittance for the Money receiv'd for the Copy There are several passages in this Play that have been touch'd before by others As for Instance the Plot of My Lady Dunce making her Husband the Agent in the Intrigue between Beaugard and her to convey the Ring and Letter is the Subject of other Plays writ before this as The Fawne and Flora's Vagaries and the Original Story is in Boccace's Novels Day 3. Nov. 3. Sir Jolly boulting out of his Closet and surprising his Lady and Beaugard kissing and her Deportment thereupon is borrow'd from Scarron's Comical Romance in the Story of Millamant or The Rampant Lady p. 227. tho' by the way that Story is not in the French Copy and I suppose was not writ by Scarron but was rather translated from Les Amours des Dames Illustres de nôtre Siecle The Behaviour of Bloody-bones is like the Bravo in the Antiquary and that of Courtine at Silvia's Balcony like Monsieur Thomas his Carriage to his Mistress in that Play of Fletcher's so called Titus and Berenice a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1677. and dedicated with the Cheats of Scapin as aforesaid This Play is translated from the French of Monsieur Racine it consists of three Acts and is written in Heroick Verse For the Story of Titus and Berenice see Suetonius in his Life Ch. 7. See besides Josephus Dion c. Venice preserved or A Plot discovered a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1682. and dedicated to the Dutchess of Portsmouth I have not at present any particular History of Venice by me but suppose this Story may be found in some of the Writers on the Venetian Affairs as Bembus Sabellicus Maurocenus Paruta c. Besides his Dramatick Poems our Author writ a Stitcht Poem call'd The Poet's Complaint to his Muse printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and a Pastoral on King Charles the Second printed with Mrs. Behn's Lycidas 8o. p. 81. Add to these his Translation out of French being a Book call'd The History of the Triumvirates printed since his Decease 8o. Lond. 1686. P. John PALSGRAVE AN Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth He was Bachelor of Divinity but of what University I know not and was Chaplain to the King He printed a Play in an Old English Character call'd Accolastus a Comedy printed 4o. 1540. and dedicated to King Henry the Eighth This Play was translated from the Latine Accolastus written by Gulielmus Fullonius the English being printed after the Latine The Plot is the Parable of the Prodigal Son in the Gospel and the Author has endeavour'd to imitate Terence and Plautus in the Oeconomy 'T was set forth by the Author Fullonius before the Burgesses of the Hague in Holland An. Dom. 1529. This Author publisht besides L'Eclaircissement de la Langue Francoise 1530. George PEEL An Author that liv'd in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and was formerly Student and Mr. of Arts of Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford He is the Author of Two Plays which are in print viz. David and Bethsabe their Love with the Tragedy of Absalom divers times play'd on the Stage and printed 4o. Lond. 1599. This Play is founded on Holy Scripture See Samuel Kings c. Edward the First Sirnamed Edward Longshanks with his Return from the Holy Land Also the Life of Llewellin Rebel in Wales Lastly the sinking of Queen Elinor who sunk at Charing-Cross rose again at Potters Hithe now named Queen-hithe printed 4o. Lond. 1593. For the Story see the Authors that have writ of those times as Walsingham Fabian Matth. Westm. Pol. Virgil Grafton Hollingshead Stow Speed Martyn Baker c. I am not ignorant that another Tragedy to wit Alphonsus Emperor of Germany is ascribed to him in former Catalogues which has occasion'd Mr. Winstanley's mistake but I assure my Reader that that Play was writ by Chapman for I have it by me with his Name affixt to it Mr. Philips mentions some Remnants of his Poetry extant in a Book call'd England's Hellicon which I never saw Mary Countess of PEMBROKE The belov'd Sister of the Admirable Sr. Philip Sidney to whom he dedicated his Arcadia and Patron to the Ingenious Daniel A Lady whose Inclinations led her not only to the Patronage but love of the Muses as appears by a Tragedy of Hers in print call'd Antonius which to my regret I never yet saw though I have earnestly desired it it is thus commended by Mr. Daniel in his Dedication of Cleopatra I who contented with an humble Song Made Musick to my self that pleas'd me best And only told of Delia and her wrong And prais'd her Eyes and plain'd mine own unrest A Text from whence my Muse had not digrest Had I not seen thy well grac'd Anthony Adorn'd by thy sweet stile in our fair Tongue Requir'd his Cleopatra's Company Mr. Philips through mistake as formerly has ascrib'd another Play to her viz. Albion's Triumph a Masque I know nothing else of this Admirable Lady's Writing KATHARINE PHILLIPS Mrs. Katherine PHILIPS A Lady of that admirable Merit and Reputation that her Memory will be honour'd of all Men that are Favourers of Poetry One who not only has equall'd all that is reported of the Poetesses of Antiquity the Lesbian Sapho and the Roman Sulpitia but whose Merit has justly found her Admirers amongst the greatest Poets of our Age and though I will not presume to compare our Poets with Martial who writ in praise of Sulpitia or Horace Ausonius and Sydonius who commended Sapho least I offend their Modesty who are still living yet I
King of Persia a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. 3 d Edit Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Illustrious Princess Anne Dutchess of Monmouth This Tragedy is written in Heroick Verse and founded on History For the Plot see Justin Herodotus Ammianus Marcellinus c. Conquest of China by the Tartars a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1676. and dedicated to the Lord Castle-Rizing This is also writ in Heroick Verse and founded on History See Signior Palafax his History of China translated in octavo John Gonzales de Mendoza Lewis de Guzman c. Empress of Morocco a Tragedy in Heroick Verse acted at the Duke's Theatre printed with Sculptures 4o. Lond. 1673. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Earl of Norwich and Earl-Marshal of England This Play Mr. Dryden writ particularly against in a Pamphlet called Notes and Observations on the Empress of Morocco or some few Erratas to be printed instead of the Sculptures with the second Edition of that Play printed 4o. Lond. 1674. This as I have already observ'd was answered by another Pamphlet which shewed Mr. Dryden was not Infallible but that notwithstanding his Bravadoes he himself was as faulty as others and that he had verified the Spanish Proverb No es tan bravo el Leon come le pintan The Lyon is not so fierce as they paint him Fatal Love or The forc'd Inconstancy a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to Sir Robert Owen This Play is founded on Achilles Tatius his Romance called Clitiphon and Leucippe see Book the fifth The English Reader may peruse it translated in octavo printed Oxon. 1638. Female Prelate being the History of the Life and Death of Pope Joan a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the late Earl of Shaftsbury This Play being founded on History see Marianus Scotus Sigibert Sabellicus and for the English he may read Platina translated in Fol. by Sir Paul Ricault and the Life and Death of Pope Joan written heretofore in a Dialogue by Mr. Alexander Cooke a Gentleman formerly a Fellow of University Colledge in Oxford a Piece so much cry'd up and admir'd in those Times that it was translated into French by J. De la Montaigne 'T is now published in a set Discourse 8o. Lond. 1675. The Reader will find there a List of those Authors who affirm and those who deny the truth of this Story Heir of Morocco with the Death of Gayland acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1682. and dedicated to the Lady Henrietta Wentworth Baroness of Nettlested Ibraim the Illustrious Bassa a Tragedy in Heroick Verse acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1677. and dedicated to the Dutchess of Albermarle The Play is founded on M. Scudery's Romance so called Love and Revenge a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Late Duke of Newcastle 'T is a great part borrowed from a Play called The Fatal Contract and is founded on the French Chronicles see Mezeray De Serres c. 'T is pitty our Author was so little considerate to fall upon Mr. Shadwell in his Postscript when he lay so open to an Attaque himself and if our Laureat reply'd too severely upon him in his Preface to the Libertine 't was but se defendendo and he being the Aggressor ought to forgive it Pastor Fido or Faithful Shepherd a Pastoral acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1677. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Elizabeth Delaval The Play was written in Italian by Guarini and afterwards translated by Sir Ric. Fanshaw This Translation our Author has follow'd being a stranger to the Italian tho' possibly it may by ill natur'd Criticks be thought a presumption to attempt to improve either the Original or the Copy Our Author I think has several Copies of Verses in print besides Prose but because some of them will not advance his Reputation and of others I know not exactly which he writ I shall omit further mentioning of them in this place Tho. SHADWELL Esq Poet Laureat to their present Majesties A Gentleman whose Dramatick Works are sufficiently known to the World but especially his Excellent Comedies which in the Judgment of some Persons have very deservedly advanced him to the Honour he now enjoys under the Title of Poet Laureat to their present Majesties An Advancement which he ingeniously consesses is chiefly owing to the Patronage of the Noble Earl of Dorset that Great Judge of Wit and Parts in whose Favour it has been Mr. Shadwell's particular Happiness sor several Years to have had an Eminent Share Mr. Dryden I dare presume little imagined when he writ that Satyr of Mack-Flecknoe that the Subject he there so much exposes and ridicules should have ever lived to have succeeded him in wearing the Bays But I am willing to say the less of Mr. Shadwell because I have publickly profess'd a Friendship for him and tho' it be not of so long date as some former Intimacy with others so neither is it blemished with some unhandsome Dealings I have met with from Persons where I least expected it I shall therefore speak of him with the Impartiality that becomes a Critick and own I like His Comedies better than Mr. Dryden's as having more Variety of Characters and those drawn from the Life I mean Men's Converse and Manners and not from other Mens Ideas copyed out of their publick Writings tho' indeed I cannot wholly acquit our Present Laureat from borrowing his Plagiaries being in some places too bold and open to be disguised of which I shall take Notice as I go along tho' with this Remark That several of them are observed to my Hand and in a great measure excused by himself in the publick Acknowledgment he makes in his several Prefaces to the Persons to whom he was obliged for what he borrowed That Mr. Shadwell has propos'd B. Johnson for his Model I am very certain of and those who will read the Preface to the Humorists may be sufficiently satisfied what a value he has for that Great Man but how far he has succeeded in his Design I shall leave to the Reader 's Examination So far only give me leave to premise in our Laureat's Defence that the Reader is not to measure his Merit by Mr. Dryden's Standard since Socrates never was more persecuted by the Inhumane Aristophanes than Mr. Shadwell by Mr. Dryden's Pen and with the same injustice tho' I think whoever shall peruse the Modest Defence of the former in his Epistle to the tenth Satyr of Juvenal will not only acquit him but love him for his good Humour and gentle Temper to One who endeavour'd to destroy his Reputation so dear to All Men but the very Darling of Poets as Ovid says Quid petitur sacris nisi tantum fama Poetis Hoc votum nostri summa laboris habet Mr. Shadwell has
7. London Prodigal a Comedy This is One of the Seven Plays which are added to this Volume which tho' printed all of them in 4o. were never in Folio till 1685. Two of these viz. Cromwell and Locrine we have already handled the Remaining four viz. Old-castle Pericles Puritan Widow and Yorkshire Tragedy shall be treated in their order Loves Labour lost a Comedy the Story of which I can give no Account of Measure for Measure a Comedy founded on a Novel in Cynthio Giraldi viz. Deca Ottava Novella 51 The like Story is in Goulart's Histoires Admirables de nôtre temps Tome 1. page 216. and in Lipsii Monita L.2 C. 9 p. 125. This Play as I have observed was made use of with the Comedy Much ado about nothing by Sir William D' Avenant in his Law against Lovers Merchant of Venice a Tragi-comedy Merry Wives of Windsor a Comedy which Mr. Dryden allows to be exactly form'd and it was regular before any of Ben. Johnson's This is not wholly without the Assistance of Novels witness Mrs. Ford's conveying out Sir John Falstaff in the Basket of Foul Clothes and his declaring all the Intrigue to her Husband under the Name of Mr. Broom which Story is related in the first Novel of The Fortunate Deceived and Unfortunate Lovers which Book tho' written since Shakespear's Time I am able to prove several of those Novels are translated out of Cynthio Giraldi others from Mallespini and I believe the whole to be a Collection from old Novelists Mackbeth a Tragedy which was reviv'd by the Dukes Company and re-printed with Alterations and New Songs 4o. Lond. 1674. The Play is founded on the History of Scotland The Reader may consult these Writers for the Story viz. Hector Boetius Buchanan Du chesne Hollingshead c. The same Story is succinctly related in Verse in Heywood's Hierarchy of Angels B. 1. p. 508. and in Prose in Heylin's Cosmography Book 1. in the Hist of Brittain where he may read the Story at large At the Acting of this Tragedy on the Stage I saw a real one acted in the Pit I mean the Death of Mr. Scroop who received his death's wound from the late Sir Thomas Armstrong and died presently after he was remov'd to a House opposite to the Theatre in Dorset-Garden Midsummer Nights Dream a Comedy The Comical part of this Play is printed separately in 4o. and used to be acted at Bartholomew Fair and other Markets in the Country by Strolers under the Title of Bottom the Weaver Much ado about nothing a Comedy I have already spoke of Sir William D' Avenant's making use of this Comedy All that I have to remark is That the contrivance of Borachio in behalf of John the Bastard to make Claudio jealous of Hero by the Assistance of her Waiting-Woman Margaret is borrowed from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso see Book the fifth in the Story of Lurcanio and Geneuza the like Story is in Spencer's Fairy Queen Book 2. Canto 4. Oldcastle the good Lord Cobham his History The Protagonist in this Play is Sir John Oldcastle who was executed in the Reign of King Henry the Fifth See his Life at large in Fox his Martyrology Dr. Fuller and other Writers of Church History as well as Chronologers Othello the Moor of Venice his Tragedy This is reckoned an Admirable Tragedy and was reprinted 4o. Lond. 1680. and is still an Entertainment at the Theatre-Royal Our Author borrowed the Story from Cynthio's Novels Dec. 3. Nov. 7. The truth is Salustio Picolomini in his Letter to the Author extreamly applauds these Novels as being most of them fit Subjects for Tragedy as you may see by the following Lines Gli Heccatomithi vostri Signor Cynthio mi sono maravigliosa mente piaciuti Et fra le altre cose io ci ho veduti i più belli argomente di Tragedie che si possano imaginare quanto a i nodi quanto alle solutioni tanto felicemente ho viste legate le difficulta che pure ano impossibili ad essere slegate Mr. Dryden says That most of Shakespear's Plots he means the Story of them are to be found in this Author I must confess that having with great difficulty obtained the Book from London I have found but two of those mentioned by him tho' I have read the Book carefully over Pericles Prince of Tyre with the true-Relation of the whole History Adventures and Fortunes of the said Prince This Play was publish'd in the Author's Life-time under the Title of The much Admired Play of Pericles by which you may guess the value the Auditors and Spectators of that Age had for it I know not whence our Author fetch'd his Story not meeting in History with any such Prince of Tyre nor remembring any of that Name except the Famous Athenian whose Life is celebrated by Plutarch Puritan or The Widow of Wattling-street a Comedy sufficiently diverting Richard the Second his Life and Death a Tragedy which is extreamly commended even by Mr. Dryden in his Grounds of Criticisme in Tragedy printed before Troilus and Cressida and Mr. Tate who altered this Play in 1681. says That there are some Master-touches in this Play that will vye with the best Roman Poets For the Plot consult the Chronicles of Harding Caxton Walsingham Fabian Pol. Virgil Grafton Hollingshead Stow Speed c. Richard the Third his Tragedy with the landing of the Earl of Richmond and the Battle of Bosworth Field This Play is also founded on History See Fabian Caxton Pol. Virgil Hollingshead Grafton Trussel stow Speed Baker c. Romeo and Juliet a Tragedy This Play is accounted amongst the best of our Author's Works Mr. Dryden says That he has read the Story of it in the Novels of Cynthio which as yet I cannot find but set it down in my former Catalogue relying upon his Knowledge But I have since read it in French translated by M. Pierre Boisteau whose Sir-name was Launay who says it was writ by Bandello but not having as yet met with Bandello in the Original I must acquiesce in his Word The French Reader may peruse it in the first Tome of Les Histoires Tragicques extraictes des oeuvres Italiennes de Bandello imprimé 8o. à Turin 157c Taming of the Shrew a very diverting Comedy The Story of the Tinker is related by Pontus Heuteras Rerum Burdicarum lib. 4. and by Goulart in his Hist. Admirables Tom. 1. p. 360 Tempest a Comedy How much this Play is now in Esteem tho' the Foundation were Shakespear's all People know How it took at the Black-fryars let Mr. Dryden's Preface speak For his Opinion of Caliban the Monster 's Character let his Preface to Troilus and Cressida explain No Man except Shakespear ever drew so many Charactars or generally distinguish'd them better from one another except only Johnson I will instance but in one to shew the copiousness of his Invention t is that of Caliban or the Monster in the Tempest He seems here to
Black-fryars printed 8o. Lond. 1652. and dedicated to the Worthily Honoured Friend Sir Edmund Bowyer The Queen 's Courting Rosania under the Disguise of a Page and the King 's Surprizing them has Resemblance to a Story in the English Adventures 8o. part 3. between King Henry Izabella and Horatio Imposture a Tragi-comedy acted at the Private-house in Black-fryars and printed 8o. Lond. 1652. 'T is dedicated to Sir Robert Bolles Baronet Sisters a Comedy acted at the Private-house in Black-fryars and printed 8o. Lond. 1652. 'T is dedicated to William Paulet Esq Having given an Account of these Six Plays I am now to speak of Two others which are printed together in 8o. Lond. 16 viz. Honoria and Mammon a Comedy which is built upon that Entertainment before mentioned called Contention for Honour and Riches I shall refer my Reader to the Author's Epistle for further Satisfaction of the Reason of his Undertakings Contention of Ajax and Ulysses for the Armour of Achilles This Interlude was nobly represented says the Author by Young Gentlemen of Quality at a private Entertainment of some Persons of Honour The Design is taken from Ovid's Metamorphosis Book the 13. See the beginning There rests only his Poems to be spoken of printed octavo Lond. 1646. to which is added a Masque call'd Triumph of Beauty personated by some Young Gentlemen for whom it was intended at a private Recreation The Subject of this Masque is that known Story of the Judgment of Paris upon the Golden-Ball which you may read in Lucians Dialogues But our Author has imitated Shakespear in the Comical part of his Midsummer Nights Dream and Shirley's Shepheard Bottle is but a Copy of Shakespear's Bottom the Weaver I shall conclude this Account with Four Lines writ in our Author's Commendation by One Mr. Hall who in the Title of his Panegyrick stiles him The Surviving Honour and Ornament of the English Scene and in the End concludes thus Yet this I dare assert when Men have nam'd Johnson the Nations Laureat the fam'd Beaumont and Fletcher he that cannot see Shirley the fourth must forfeit his best Eye Sir Charles SIDLEY A Gentleman whose Name speaks a greater Panegyrick than I am able to express and whose Wit is so well known to this Age that I should but tarnish its Lustre by my Endeavouring to deliver it over to the next His Wit is too Noble a Subject to need any Herald to proclaim its Titles and Pedigree or if it did my Voice and Skill are too weak to sound out his Praises in their due measures I shall therefore only content my self as the Vallys that have no Voice of their own to eccho out his Merits at the Second-hand and give you part of his Character from a Person whose Honour and Pride it is to have a considerable share in his Friendship I mean Mr. Shadwell who in his Epistle Dedicatory to The True Widow says That he has heard him speak more Wit at a Supper than all his Adversaries with their Heads joyn'd together could write in a Year That his Writings are not unequal to any Man 's of this Age not to speak of Abundance of Excellent Copies of Verses That he has in the Mulberry Garden shown the true Wit Humour and Satyr of a Comedy and in Anthony and Cleopatra the true Spirit of a Tragedy But least this might be thought Partiality or Flattery in our Laureat give me leave to transcribe another part of his Character from an Unquestionable Judge of Poetry the great Ornament of the Muses the Lord Rochester in his Imitation of Horace's Tenth Satyr of the First Book Sidley has that prevailing gentle Art That can with a resistless Charm impart The loosest Wishes to the chastest Heart Raise such a Conflict kindle such a Fire Betwixt declineing Virtue and Desire Till the poor vanquisht Maid dissolves away In Dreams all Night in sighs and tears all Day The Plays this Great Wit has oblig'd the World with are but three all which appear to be writ with Design at least they may serve to be Patterns for succeeding Poets Imitation which I shall only mention in their Alphabetical Order viz. Anthony and Cleopatra a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1677. For the History see Plutarch's Life of Anthony Appian Dion Cassius Diodorus Florus c. Bellamira or The Mistress a Comedy acted by their Majesties Servants and printed Lond. 1687. This Play is an Imitation as the Author informs us of Terence's Eunucbus Mulberry Garden a Comedy acted by his Majesty's Servants at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1668. and dedicated to Her Grace the Dutchess of Richmond and Lenox which Epistle is not the least Ornament to the Play and shews the Neatness of his Stile in Prose I dare not say that the Character of Sir John Everyoung and Sir Samuel Fore-cast are Copies of Sganarelle and Ariste in Molliere's L'Escole des Maris but I may say that there is some Resemblance tho' whoever understands both Languages will readily and with Justice give our English Wit the preference and Sir Charles is not to learn to Copy Nature from the French Give me Leave to conclude with what the Learned Mr. Evelyn has said with no less Truth than Ingenuity in his Imitation of Ovid's Fifteenth Elegy of this Excellent Poet and his Friend Sir George Etheridge While Fathers are severe and Servants cheat Till Bawds and Whores can live without deceit Sidley and easy Etheridge shall be Great John SMITH A Gentleman as I suppose now living at Snenton in Yorkshire the Author of a Comedy call'd Cytherea or The Enamouring Girdle printed 4 o Lond. 1677. This Play was refused to be acted by the Players of the Duke's Theatre as you may see by the Epistle Dedicatory to the Northern Gentry I leave the Play to the Judgment of those that have read it William SMITH An Author that lived in the Reign of King James the First who publish'd a Play call'd Hector of Germany or The Palsgrave Prime Elector an Honourable History publickly acted at the Red-bull and at the Curtain by a Company of Young Men of this City printed 4o. Lond. 1615. and dedicated to the Right Worshipful Sir John Swinnerton Lord Mayor of London in the Year 1611. This Play is not divided into Acts I am not certain where this Story is to be found tho' possibly Albertus Argentinensis or Henry Monk of Rebdorf may make some Mention of this Palatin Our Author writ another Play called The Freeman's Honour to dignify the Worthy Company of Taylors but whether ever it was printed or no I know not This Author joyned with One W. Webbe in writing a Book called The Description of the Counry Palatine of Chester Lond. 1656. Hieronymo is ascribed by Mr. Philips and Winstanley thro' their old Mistake to our Author it being an Anonymous Play Thomas SOUTHERN An Author of whom I can give no further Account than that he has two Plays in print viz. Disappointment or
jam Trigessimus Scriptu dignissima fecit factu dignissima scripsit Calamo pariter Gladio celebris pacis artium gnarus belli Gilbert SWINHOE Esq A Gentleman who liv'd in the Reigns of King Charles the First and Second a North-country Man by Birth being Born in Northumberland the Author of a Play call'd Unhappy fair Irene her Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1658. This Play is accompany'd with three Copies of Verses in its Commendation tho' I think it scarce deserve them The Play is founded on History see Knolles his Turkish History in the Life of Mahomet the First which Story is the Subject of a Novel in Bandello which is translated into French by Pierre Boisteau see Histoires Tragicques tome premier Nov. 2. The same is translated into English by Wil. Painter in his Palace of Pleasure in quarto Nov. 4o. T. Nathaniel TATE AN Author now living who tho' he be allow'd to be a Man of Wit and Parts yet for Dramatick Poetry he is not above the common Rank What he has extant for the most part is borrow'd at least we may say That generally he follows other Mens Models and builds upon their Foundations for of Eight Plays that are printed under his Name Six of them owe their Original to other Pens as we shall shew in the following Account Brutus of Alba or The enchanted Lovers a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1678. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex This Play is founded on Virgil's AEneids Book the 4 th and was finished under the Names of Dido and AEneas but by the Advice of some Friends was transformed to the Dress it now wears Cuckold's Haven or An Alderman no Conjurer a Farce acted at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset Garden printed 4o. Lond. 1685. and dedicated to Colonel Edmund Ashton This Play is borrow'd from Johnson's Eastward-hoe and Devil is an Ass. Duke and no Duke a Farce acted by their Majesties Servants with the several Songs set to Musick with Thorough-Basses for the Theorbo or Bass-Viol printed 4o. Lond. 1685. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Sir George Hewyt This Play is founded on Sir Aston Cockain's Trappolin suppos'd a Prince Ingratitude of a Common-wealth or The Fall of Caius Martius Coriolanus acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1682. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Lord Herbert Marquess of Worcester This Play is borrowed from Shakespear's Coriolanus Island Princess a Tragi-comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal revived with Alterations printed 4o. Lond. 1687. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Lord Walgrave This Play is Fletcher's Originally Loyal General a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to Edward Taylor Esquire Lear King of England his History acted at the Dukes Theatre revived with Alterations printed 4o. Lond. 1687. and dedicated to Thomas Boteler Esq This Play in the Original was writ by W. Shakespear Richard the Third a History acted at the Theatre-Royal under the Name of The Sicilian Usurper with a Prefatory Epistle in Vindication of the Author occasioned by the Prohibition of this Play on the Stage printed 4o. Lond. 1681. and dedicated to George Raynford Esq This Play owns its Birth likewise to Shakespear Besides these Plays our Author has two Volumes of Poems in print One wholy writ by him call'd Poems writ on several Occasions second Edit enlarg'd printed 8o. Lond. 1684. The other call'd Poems by several Hands and on several Occasions collected by our Author and printed octavo Lond. 1685. John TATEHAM An Author that flourish'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and was says Mr. Winstanley the City Poet. If he was not an Extraordinary Wit at least he was Loyal in the highest Degree as may appear by his Plays and equally hated the Rump and the Scots He has Four Plays in print Three in quarto and One printed with his Poems in octavo Distracted State a Tragedy written in the Year 1641. but not printed till 1651. 4o. and dedicated to John Sidley This Play suited well with the Times and his Hatred to the Scots appears in this Play where he introduces a Scotch Mountebank in the fourth Act to poyson Archias the Elected King at the Instigation of Cleander This I take to be the best of our Author's Writings Rump or The Mirrour of the late Times a Comedy acted many times with great applause at the Private-house in Dorset Court printed the second Edit 4o. Lond. 1661. and dedicated to Walter James of Rambden-House in Smarden in the County of Kent Esq This Play has lately been reviv'd on our Stage under the Name of The Roundheads Scots Figaries or A Knot of Knaves a Comedy printed 4 o Lond. 1652. and dedicated to Robert Dormer Esq Most of this Play is writ in the Scotch Dialect and displays them to the Life Love crowns the End a Tragi-comedy acted by the Scholars of Bingham in the County of Nottingham This Play is not divided into Acts and is much shorter than most usually are being fitted purposely as I suppose for those Youths than acted it 'T is printed with his Poems call'd The Mirrour of Fancies in octavo Lond. 1657. and dedicated to Sir John Winter Secretary of State to his Majesty in his Exile Robert TAYLOUR An Author to whose Person and Writings I am wholy a Stranger only I find in former Catalogues a Comedy ascribed to him call'd Hog-huth lost his Pearl Thomas THOMSON Another Author of the meanest Rank and a great Plagiary if One of the Plays be own'd by him which Mr. Kirkman has ascribed to him viz. English Rogue a Comedy acted before several Persons of Honour with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 1668. and dedicated to Mrs. Alice Barret Mother Shipton her Life acted Nine Days together with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 16 I suppose the Occasion of the Success of this Play was from what he stole for all the Characters except what relate to Shipton are borrow'd as the Characters of Shift-hose Monylack Sir Oliver Whore-hound David c. are stollen verbatim from Massinger's City Madam and Middleton's Chast Maid in Cheapside This Play has not the Author's Name to it but the two first Letters it may be he was asham'd to set his Name to other Mens Labours As to the Story of Shipton I know not how to direct the Reader except to an old Book in quarto call'd The Life and Death of Mother Shipton Nicholas TROTT An Author who writ a Tragedy call'd Arthur which I never saw neither can I give any Account of the Author himself or the time he liv'd in Richard TUKE An Author of whom I can give no further Account than that he writ a Play call'd Divine Comedian or The Right Use of Plays improved in a Sacred Tragi-comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1672. and dedicated to the Right Honourable and no less Virtuous Mary Countess of Warwick This Play was call'd first by the Author The
Servants and printed quarto Lond. For the Historical part of this Play consult Grafton Hollingshead Pol. Virgil Lloyd c. 'T is not devided into Acts. O. Old Wives Tale a Play of which I can say nothing having never seen it Orlando Furioso One of the Twelve Peers of France his History acted before the Queen's Majesty and printed quarto Lond. 1594. This Play is not divided into Acts but is founded upon the Epick Poem of Ariosto so called and translated into English by Sir John Harrington P. Pastor Fido or The Faithful Shepheard a Pastoral translated out of Italian into English printed quarto Lond. 1602. This was the first Version of the Famous Guarini into English and was Excellent for those Times The Author tho' his Name be unknown was nearly related to Sir Edward Demock Queen Elizabeth's Champion to whom after the Author's Decease the Bookseller dedicated it Pathomachia or The Battle of Affections shadowed by a Feigned Siege of the City Pathopolis printed quarto Lond. 1630. This Play was written some Years before and published by Fr. Constable a Friend of the Deceas'd Author's and by him dedicated to the Lord Hundsdon This is the same Play with that called Love's Loadstone Patient Grissel a Comedy say ancient Authors which tho' I never saw I presume is founded on that Famous Story in Boccacio I mean the last Novel in his Book Pedlers Prophecy a Comedy mentioned in former Catalogues of which I can give no Account Philotus a very Excellent and Delectable Comedy as we are told in the Preface wherein we may perceive the great Inconveniencies that fall out in the Marriage between Old Age and Youth This Play is printed at Edinburgh in an Old Black Letter An. Dom. 1612. Some People have mistaken this Play for Daniel's Philotas but this is of a different Subject and kind of Verse and is printed in Stanzas Pinder of Wakefield a Comedy which I have once seen printed in 4o. as I remember Lond. 1632. or thereabouts Piso's Conspiracy a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1676. This Play is only the Tragedy of Nero before mention'd Reviv'd and printed verbatim For the Plot see Suetonius Tacitus c. Presbyterian Lash or Noctroffe's Maid whipt a Tragi-comedy acted in the Great Room at the Pye Tavern at Algate by Noctroff the Priest and several of his Parishioners at the Eating of a Chine of Beef The First part printed for the use of Mr. Noctroffe's Friends This Play is dedicated to Mr. Zach. Noctroffe by F.K. which I take to be Fr. Kirkman I know not whether ever there were a Second part extant or no. Promises of God manifested this I never saw Promus and Cassandra in Two parts These are mention'd in other Catalogues though I can give no Account of either Q. Queen or The Excellency of her sex an Excellent Old Play found out by a Person of Honour and given to the Publisher Alexander Goughe printed 4o. Lond. 1653. This Play is dedicated by him to the Lady Katherine Mohun Wife to Lord Warwick Mohun Baron of Oakehamton This Publisher is applauded by two Copies of Verses before the Play The Plot of Salassa's Swearing Velasco not to fight is founded on a Novel said to be Bandello's which the Reader may peruse in Les Dixhuit Histoires Tragicques par Fr. De Belleforest 8o. Nov. 13 p. 285. R. Rampant Alderman or News from the Exchange a Farce printed quarto Lond. 1685. This Farce is patcht up out of several Plays as Fine Companion c. Reformation a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1673. This Play is ascribed to Mr. Arrowsmith and is a very good Comedy Rehearsal a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4 th Edit quarto Lond. 1683. This Play is ascribed to the Late Duke of Buckingham and will ever be valued by Ingenious Men. There are some who pretend to furnish a Clavis to it my Talent not lying to Politicks I know no more of it than that the Author lashes several Plays of Mr. Dryden as Conquest of Granada Tyranick Love Love in a Nunnery and some passages of other Plays as The Siege of Rhodes Virgin Widow Slighted Maid Villain English Monsieur c. Religious Rebel a Tragi-comedy in quarto which I have only once seen but can give no Account of Return from Parnassus or The Scourge of Simony a Comedy publickly acted by the Students of St. John's Colledge in Cambridge printed quarto Lond In this Play the Poets of those times are censured and this is the Original of Dr. Wild's Benefice which is now in print Revenge or A Match in New-gate a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed quarto Lond. 1680. This Play is ascribed to Mrs. Behn but is indeed a Play of Marston's revived and called The Dutch Curtezan Rivals a Tragi-comedy in quarto which at present I have not but have heard Mr. Cademan for whom as I think it was printed say it was writ by Sir Will. D' Avenant Robin Hood's Pastoral May Games which I know not Robin Hood and his Crew of Souldiers of the same Stamp and which I never saw Romulus and Hersilia or The Sabine War a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed quarto Lond. 1683. For the Plot see Livy lib. 1. Ovidii Met. lib. 14. Plut. in Vit. Romuli Florus Dionysius Hallicarnassaeus Velleius Paterculus Eutrop. c. Royal Masque at Hampton-Court presented on Sunday Night being the Eighth of January 1604. and personated by the Queen 's Most Excellent Majesty attended by Eleven Ladies of Honour printed quarto Lond. 1604. Royal Voyage or The Irish Expedition a Tragi-comedy printed quarto Lond. 1690. The Subject of this Play is known by the Title S. Salmacida Spolia a Masque presented by the King and Queen's Majesties at Whitehall on Tuesday the 21st of January 1639. and printed quarto Lond. 1639. The Invention Ornament Scenes and Machines with their Descriptions were made by Mr. Inigo Jones Surveyor General of His Majesty's Works What was spoken or sung by Sir Will. D'Avenant and the Musick was compos'd by Mr. Lewis Richard Master of Her Majesties Musick Sicelides a Piscatory acted in Kings Colledge in Cambridge and printed quarto Lond. 1631. The Serious parts of this Play are most writ in Verse with Chorus's between the Acts. Perindus telling to Armillus the Story of Glaucus Scylla and Circe Act 1. Sc. 4. is taken from Ovid's Met. lib. 13. Atychus fighting with and killing the Ork that was to have devoured Olynda is an Imitation of Perseus Andromeda Ovid Met. lib. 4. or else Orlando Furioso Book eleventh Shoomaker 's Holyday or The Gentle-Craft with the Humorous Life of Simon Eyre Shoomaker and Lord Mayor of London a Comedy acted before the Queen's most Excellent Majesty on New-Year's Day at Night by the Right Honourable the Earl of Nottingham Lord High Admiral his Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1657. This Play is dedicated To all Good Fellows Professors of the Gentle-Craft
of what Degree soever For the Plot I can direct you to no other but the Book of the Gentle-Craft in Quarto Siege of Constantinople a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed quarto Lond. 1675. For the Plot see Chalcocondylas Constantinopolis a Mahammada Secund. Expugnata Paulus Jovius Hen. Pantaleon Knolles c. Sir Clyomon Knight of the Goledn-shield Son to the King of Denmark and Clamydes the White Knight Son to the King of Swavia both Valiant Knights their History printed quarto Lond. 1599. This Play is written in Old Fashion'd Verse and is very heavy in Reading Sir Gyles Goose-cappe Knight a Comedy acted with great applause at the Private-house in Salisbury Court printed quarto Lond. 636. and dedicated by the Publisher Hugh Perry to Rich. Young Esq of Wooley-Farm in the County of Berks. Sir Salomon or The Cautious Coxcomb a Comedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke of York's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1671. This Play is Originally French being a Translation from Moliere's L'Ecole des Femmes It was translated as I have heard by John Carell and own'd in the Epilogue as a Translation What we have brought before you was not meant For a New Play but a new Precedent For we with modesty our Theft avow There is some Conscience shewn in stealing too And openly declare that if our Cheere Doth hit your Palates you must thank Molliere This Play was frown'd and pelted at to use the Author 's own Expression by many Persons who thought themselves Criticks but notwithstanding it met with Success in the Action And the Author has sufficiently justified his Play in his La Critique de L'Ecole des Femmes to whom I refer the Reader Solyman and Perseda their Tragedy wherein is laid open Love's Constancy Fortune's Inconstancy and Death's Triumphs printed quarto Lond. 1599. This Play I presume was never acted neither is it divided into Acts. Sophister a Comedy printed 4o. 1638. I know not where this was acted or printed the Title-page of my Play being lost Spanish Bawd represented in Celestina or Calisto and Melibea a Tragi-comedy wherein is contained besides the Pleasantness and Sweetness of the Stile many Philosophical Sentences and profitable Instructions fit for the Younger Sort Shewing the Deceits and Subtilties housed in the Bosom of false Servants and Cunny-catching Bawds printed Fol. Lond. 1631. This Play is originally Spanish and translated into English by a Spaniard One Don Diego Puede-ser and by him dedicated to Sir Thomas Richardson the same Author translated Miguel de Cervantes his Exemplary Novels Fol. Lond. 1664. Step-mother a Tragi-comedy acted with great applause at the Theatre in Little Lincolns-Inn-Fields by his Highness the Duke of York's Servants printed quarto Lond. 1664. Strange Discovery a Tragi-comedy printed in quarto I know not when this Play was acted or where printed mine having not the Title-page but I know very well that both the Plot and the Language is borrowed from Heliodorus his AEthiopick History which I take to be One of the most Ancient if not the first Romances extant Susanna's Tears a Play which I never saw Swetnam the Woman-hater arraign'd by Women a Comedy acted at the Red-Bull by the Queen's Servants and printed quarto Lond. 1620. Tho' this Play seems designed chiefly as a Scourge for Joseph Swetnam's Scandalous Pamphlet against the Female Sex called The Arraignment of lew'd idle froward and unconstant Woman printed quarto Lond. 1617. Yet the Play is founded on Story much elder which I have read in Spanish in Twelves and is Intitled Historia de Aurelia y Isabella Hija del Rey de Escotia donde se disputa quien da mas occasion de peccar el Hombe a la muger o la muger al Homber T. Tempe restored a Masque presented by the Queen and Fourteen Ladies to the King's Majesty at Whitehall on Shrove-Tuesday 1631. and printed quarto Lond. 1631. This Masque is founded on the Story of â—irce see Ovid's Metamorphosis Book 14. The Verses were writ by Mr. Aurelian To â—nsend The Subject and Allegory of the Masque with the Descriptions and Apparatus of the Scenes were invented by Mr. Inigo Jones Surveyor of His Majesties Works Thersites an Interlude which I never saw Tom Essence or The Modish Wife a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 16 This Play is founded on two French Plays viz. Molliere's Sganarelle ou Le Cocu Imaginaire and Tho. Corneille's D. Caesar D'Avalos in the part of Love-all's Intrigue with Luce without the Reader will suppose that he follow'd a Spanish Novel call'd The Trapanner trapann'd and for the Business of Tom Essence and his Wife copyed Sir William D'Avenant's Play-House to be Let Act fifth which is a Translation from the former This Play is said to be writ by One Mr. Rawlins Tiberius Claudius Nero his Tragical Life and Death a Tragedy in quarto This Play used to be placed under the Title of Nero's Life and Death which made People mistake it for the Life of Nero Caesar who was the Sixth Emperour of Rome this being the Third I know not when this Play was printed or where acted mine wanting the Title-page but for the Plot read Suetonius Tacitus Dion Victor Eutropius c. Tom Tyler and his Wife an Excellent Old Play acted about a Hundred and thirty Years ago and printed quarto Lond. 1661. This Play is printed in an Old English Letter and is writ in a kind of Burlesk Verse where the Author affects an odd sort of Chiming in the middle of each Line The Design of the Play is to represent a Shrew and teach the way to humble her The Plot of this Play has some Resemblance with Mr. Poisson's Le Sot vengé Traytor to himself or Man's Heart his greatest Enemy a Moral Interlude in Heroick Verse Representing the Careless Hardned Returning Despairing and Renewed Heart with Intermasques at the Close of each several Act. Acted by the Boys of a Publick School at a Breaking-up and published so as it may be useful on the like Occasion printed Oxon. 1678. I find nothing Remarkable in this Play but that 't is writ without Womens parts which the Author says he never thought fit to put on Boys I remember not any Play but Plautus his Captivei that is thus writ and yet notwithstanding it is generally accounted an Admirable Play True Trojans or Fuimus Troes being a Story of the Britains Valour at the Romans first Invasion publickly presented by the Gentlemen Students of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford and printed quarto Lond. 1633. For the Plot or Story the Author has follow'd Livy lib. 3. Caesar's Commentaries lib. 4. 5 and Galfridus Monumetensis lib. 4. as you may see by the perusal of the Drammatis Personae Tryal of Chivalry a Play of which I can give no Account having never seen it Tryal of Treasure a Play to which I am as much a stranger Tunbridge Wells or A Days Courtship a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed
he called Collasterion printed 4o. Lond. 1645. He writ besides a Piece called Tetrachordon or An Exposition on the Four Chief places of Scripture concerning Marriage and Divorce printed Lond. 1645. Sr. Robert Filmer if I mistake not writ against him in his Observations concerning the Original of Government printed 4o. Lond. 1652. Walter MOUNTAGUE Esq A Gentleman who liv'd at Court in the Reign of King Charles the First and during the times of Peace before the Muses were disturb'd by the Civil Wars writ a Play call'd Shepheard's Oracle a Pastoral privately acted before King Charles by the Queen's Majesty and Ladies of Honour printed octavo Lond. 1649. I shall not be so presumptuous to criticise on a Play which has been made Sacred by the Protection of Majesty it self besides I am deterr'd from Criticism by the Stationers Friend's Advice in his Verses in Commendation of the Play at least good Manners sayes They first should understand it e're dispraise William MOUNTFORT One who from an Actor sets up for an Author and has attempted both Tragedy and Comedy with what success I leave to those who have seen his Plays to determine Had I been of the number of his Friends I should have endeavour'd to have perswaded him still to act Sir Courtly Nice in bestowing only Garniture on a Play as he calls it as a Song or a Prologue and let alone sine Language as belonging only to Pedants and poor Fellows that live by their Wits He has publisht two Plays viz. Injur'd Lovers or The Ambitious Father a Tragedy acted by their Majesties Servants at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. London 1688. and dedicated to the Right Honourable James Earl of Arran Son to his Grace the Duke of Hamilton There are some Surlyes who think that in this Play Sir Courtly writ for his Diversion but never regarded Wit Successful Strangers a Tragi-comedy acted by their Majesties servants at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1690. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Thomas Wharton Comptroller of his Majesty's Houshold This Play far exceeds the Other tho' the Author as well as his predecessors is beholding to others for part of his Plot he having made use of Scarron's Novel call'd The Rival Brothers in working up the Catastrophe of his Comedy I have seen some Copies of Verses in Manuscript writ by our Author but not being in print that I know of I forbear to mention them N. Thomas NABBES A Writer in the Reign of Charles the First who we may reckon amongst Poets of the Third-rate and One who was pretty much respected by the Poets of those Times Mr. Richard Brome and Mr. Robert Chamberlain before mention'd having publickly profest themselves his Friends and Sir John Suckling being his Patron He has Seven Plays and Masques extant besides other Poems of which we may say That if they are not to be compar'd with some Dramatick Pieces of this Age at least wise what our Author has published is His own and not borrow'd from others and in that Respect deserves Pardon if not Applause from the Candid Reader This he averrs in his Prologue to Covent Garden and which I believe may be urged for the rest of his Labours viz. He justifies that 't is no borrow'd Strain From the Invention of another's Brain Nor did he steal the Fancy 'T is the same forth He first intended by the Proper Name 'T was not a Toyl of Years few Weeks brought This Rugged Issue might have been more worth If he had lick'd it more Nor doth he raise From th' Imitation of Authentick Plays Matter or Words to height nor bundle up Conceits at Taverns where the Wits do sup His Muse is solitary and alone Doth practice her low Speculation c. The Reader therefore is to expect little more from me than a bare Account of the Titles of his Works as followss Bride a Comedy acted in the Year 1638. at the Private-House in Drury-Lane by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Generality of his Friends Gentlemen of the several Honourable Houses of the Inns of Court Covent Garden a pleasant Comedy acted in the Year 1632. by the Queen's Majesty's Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1638. and dedicated to the Right Worthy of his Honour Sir John Suckling Hannibal and Scipio an Historical Tragedy acted in the Year 1635. by the Queen's Majesties Servants at their Private-House in Drury-Lane printed Lond. 1637. The Play is addrest in Verse by the Author to the Ghosts of Hannibal and Scipio with an Answer printed in their Names directed to our Author It was acted before Women came on the Stage the part of Sophonisba being play'd by one Ezekiel Fenne For the Plot the Title-page speaks the Foundation to be History see the Life of of Hannibal writ by Cornelius Nepos that of Scipio by Plutarch see besides Livy Florus and other Authors mention'd p. 326. Microcosmus a Moral Masque presented with general liking at the Private-House in Salisbury-Court and here set down according to the Intention of the Author printed 4o. Lond. 1637. and dedicated to the Service and Delight of all Truly Noble Generous and Honest Spirits This Masque is introduc'd by two Copies One of which was writ by Mr. Richard Brome Spring 's Glory vindicating Love by Temperance against the Tenet Sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus Moralized in a Masque with other Poems Epigrams Elegies and Epithalamiums of the Author's printed 4o. Lond. 1638. and dedicated to Peter Balle Esq At the end of these Poems is a piece call'd A Presentation intended for the Prince his Highness's Birth-day the 29. of May 1638. annually celebrated this in former Catalogues was stiled an Interlude These Masques and Poems are commended by two Copies one of which was penned by Mr. Robert Chamberlain Tottenham-Court a pleasant Comedy acted in the Year 1637. at the Private-House in Salisbury-Court printed 4o. Lond. 1638. and dedicated to the Worshipful William Mills Esq Unfortunate Lover a Tragedy never acted but set down according to the Intention of the Author printed 4o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Right Worshipful Richard Brathwaite Esq This Play is attended by three Copies written in its Commendation by several of our Author's Friends and a Proeme in Verse by the Author wherein he justifies it to be writ according to the Rules of Art A Constant Scene the buisiness it intends The two Hours of Time of Action comprehends Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley according to their old Custom have ascrib'd two other Anonymous Plays to our Author The Woman-Hater arraigned a Comedy and Charles the First a Tragedy the Reason of their Mistake has been already given p. 13. and more at large in the Preface to my former Catalogue Thomas NASH A Gentleman that liv'd about the time with the foremention'd Author and was sometime educated in the University of Cambridge His Genius was much addicted to Dramatick Poetry and Satyr and he writ some things in Prose all which gain'd