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
Querer por solo querer To love only for Love's sake a Dramatick Romance represented at Aranjuez before the King and Queen of Spain to celebrate the Birth-day of that King Phil. IV. by the Meninas which are a Set of Ladies in the Nature of Ladies of Honour in that Court Children in Years but Higher in Degree being Daughters and Heirs to Grandees in Spain than the Ladies of Honour Attending likewise that Queen This Play was written in Spanish by Don Antonio de Mendoza 1623. and dedicated to the Queen of Spain which was Elizabeth Daughter to Henry the Great of France It was paraphras'd by our Author in English in 1654. during his Confinement to Tankersly Park in Yorkshire by Oliver after the Battle of Worcester in which as I have already observ'd he was taken prisoner serving his Majesty King Charles the Second as Secretary of State At that time he writ on this Dramatick Romance 3 Stanzas both in Latin and English which may give the Reader a Taste of his Vein in both these Languages and therefore may not be improper for me to transcribe or unpleasant to the Reader to perufe I shall give the preference to the Latin Verses Learning and Learned Men being to be preferr'd before Vulgar Readers Ille ego qui dubiis quondam jactatus in Undis Qui dum nunc Aulae nunc mibi Castra Strepunt Leni importunas mulceban Carmine Curas In quo PASTORIS Flamma FIDELIS erat At nunc Castris Aulisque ejectus Undis Nam mihi Naufragium Portus Ira Quies Altius insurgens Regum haud intactus Amores Et Reginarum fervidus Arma Cano Quae vinclis Hymenaee tuis spretisque Coronis Nec juga ferre virûm nec dare Jur a velint Dulce prosellosos audire ex Litore fluctus Eque truci Terram dulce videre Mari. In English thus Time was when I a Pilgrim of the Seas When I midst noise of Camps Courts disease Purloin'd some Hours to charm rude Cares with Verse Which Flame of FAITHFUL SHEPHERD did rehearse But now restrain'd from Sea from Camp from Court And by a Tempest blown into a Port I raise my Thoughts to muse on higher things And Eccho Arms Loves of Queens Kings Which Queens despising Crowns and Hymen's Band Would neither Men Obey nor Men Command Great Pleasure from rough Seas to see the Shore Or from firm Land to hear the Billows rore Tho' this Play was during the Author's Imprisonment translated 't was not printed till long after his Death viz. 4o. Lond. 1671. to which is added Fiestas de Aranjuez Festivals represented at Aranjuez written by the same Author and on the same Occasion and translated by the same Hand The Play it self consists but of three Acts which the Spaniards call Jornadas according to the Spanish Custom their Poets seldom or never exceeding that number As to his other Works he writ several Poems in Latin as a Copy on the Escurial another on the Royal Sovereign and a third on Mr. May's Translation of and Supplement to Lucan He translated other Pieces into that Learned Tongue as two Poems written by Mr. Thomas Carew Several Pieces he translated out of Latin into English as the fourth Book of Virgil's AEneids an Epigram out of Martial Lib. 10. Epig. 47. Two Odes out of Horace relating to the Civil Wars of Rome the First Carm. Lib. 3. Ode 24. The Second Epod. 16. with some Sonnets translated from the Spanish and other Poems writ in his Native Language with several Pieces which you will find bound up with Pastor Fido printed 8o. Lond. 1671. Nor was it out of these Languages only that he translated what pleas'd him but even so uncourted a Language as he terms that of Portugal employ'd his Pen during his Confinement For he translated Luis de Camoens whom the Portugals call their Virgil his Lusiad or Portugal's Historical Poem This Poem was printed fol. Lond. 1665. and dedicated to the Right Honourable William Earl of Strafford Son and Heir to that Glorious Protomartyr of Monarchy the Noble Thomas Earl of Strafford Lord Deputy of Ireland on whose Tryal our Author writ a Copy of Verses printed amongst his Poems p. 302. Besides these Pieces Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley attribute to him the Latin Version of Mr. Edmund Spencer's Shepherds Calendar which I take to be a mistake of Mr. Philips ' whose Errors Mr. Winstanley generally copies not having heard of any other Translation than that done by Mr. Theodore Bathurst sometime Fellow of Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge and printed at the end of Mr. Spencer's Works in fol. Lond. 1679. Henry L d Viscount FAULKLAND This Worthy Person was as I suppose Father of the present Right Honourable Cary Viscount Faulkland A Person Eminent for his Extraordinary Parts and Heroick Spirit He was well known and respected at Court in the Parliament and in Oxfordshire his Country of which he was Lord Lieutenant When he was first elected to serve in Parliament some of the House oppos'd his Admission urging That he had not sow'd his Wild-oats he reply'd If I have not I may sow them in the House where there are Geese enough to pick them up And when Sir J. N. told him That He was a little too wild for so grave a Service he reply'd Alas I am wild and my Father was so before me and I am no Bastard as c. But what need I search for Wit when it may be sufficiently seen in a Play which he writ the occasion of our making mention of him call'd The Marriage Night a Tragedy printed 4 o Lond. 1664. I know not whether this Play ever appear'd on the Stage or no. He was cut off in the prime of his Years as much miss'd when dead as belov'd when living Nathaniel FIELD An Author that liv'd in the Reigns of King James and King Charles the First who was not only a Lover of the Muses but belov'd by them and the Poets his Contemporaries He was adopted by Mr. Chapman for his Son and call'd in by Old Massinger to his Assistance in the Play call'd The Fatal Dowry of which Play more hereafter He writ himself two Plays which will still bear Reading viz. Amends for Ladies with the merry Pranks of Moll Cut-purse or The Humour of Roaring a Comedy full of honest Mirth and Wit Acted at the Black-Friars both by the Prince's Servants and the Lady Elizabeth's and printed 4 o Lond. 1639. The Plot of Subtles tempting the married Wife at her Husbands intreaty seems to be founded on Don Quixote's Novel of the Curious Impertinent and has been the Subject of many Plays as The City Night-cap Amourous Prince of The Curious Husband c. This Play was writ by our Author as Amends to the Fair Sex for a Play which he had writ some Years before and whose very Title semm'd a Satyr on Womankind viz. Woman's Weather-cock a Comedy acted before the King in White-hall and several times privately at the
Account of the Plays our Author has written but crave his leave to begin first with those which are usually stiled The Ages because they are generally sold together and depend upon each other and on another score they deserve the Preference as being accounted by most the Flower of all his Plays I shall rank them in the same manner as Ovid has describ'd them in his Divine Work the Metamorphosis Golden Age or The Lives of Jupiter and Saturn with the Deifying of the Heathen Gods a History sundry times acted at the Red-Bull by the Queens Majesties Servants and printed 4 o Lond. 1611. This Play the Author stiles The Eldest Brother of three Ages that have adventur'd the Stage but the only yet that hath been judg'd to the Press The Author in this Play and the Two following introduces Homer as the Expositor of each Dumb shew in imitation as I suppose of Shakespear's practice in Pericles Prince of Tyre where Gower is suppos'd to do the same piece of Service to the Audience I shall leave it to the Learned Readers Judgment how far our Poet has follow'd the Writers of Poetical History whilst I refer my English Readers to Ross's Mistagogus Poeticus and to Galtruchius's Poetical History for satisfaction or if they please to the Historical Dictionaries of Gouldman Littleton c. Silver Age a History including the Love of Jupiter to Alcmena the Birth of Hercules and the Rape of Proserpine concluding with the Arraignment of the Moon printed 4 o Lond. 1613. The Author in this Epistles acquaints the Reader That tho' He began with Gold follow with Silver proceed with Brass and purpose by God's Grace to end with Iron He hopes the declining Titles shall no whit blemish the Reputation of the Works but he rather trusts that as those Mettals decrease in value so è contrario their Books shall increase in substance weight and estimation Our Author in this Play has borrow'd several Passages from the Ancients as the Intrigue of Jupiter and Alcmena is translated from the Amphitruo of Plautus The Rape of Proserpine is borrow'd from Ovid's Metamorphosis lib. 3 with other places too many to repeat Brazen Age a History the First Act containing the Death of the Centaure Nessus the Second the Tragedy of Meleager the Third the Tragedy of Jason and Medea the Fourth Vulcan's Net the Fifth the Labours and Death of Hercules printed 4 o Lond. 1613. All these Stories are to be found in Ovid's Metamorphosis For the Story of Nessus see Lib. 9 Fab. 2 Of Meleager Lib. 8 Fab. 4 Of Jason Lib. 7 Fab. 1 Of Vulcan's Net Lib. 4 Fab. 5 Of Hercules Lib. 9 Fab. 3 Iron Age the first part an History containing the Rape of Hellen the Siege of Troy the Combat between Hector and Ajax Hector and Troilus slain by Achilles Achilles slain by Paris Ajax and Ulysses contend for the Armour of Achilles the Death of Ajax c. printed 4 o Lond. 1632. and dedicated to his Worthy and Much Respected Friend Mr. Thomas Hammond of Gray's Inn Esquire The Author in his Epistle acquaints the Reader That this Iron Age beginneth where the other left holding on in a plain and direct course from the second Rape of Hellen not only to the utter ruine and devastation of Troy but it with the second part stretcheth to the Deaths of Hellen and all those Kings of Greece who were the undertakers of that Ten years bloody and fatal Siege Lastly he desires the Reader to take notice That these were the Plays often and not with the least applause publickly acted by two Companies upon One Stage at once and have at sundry times thronged three several Theatres with numerous and mighty Auditories The Author has borrow'd in many places of this Play as the Reader may see by comparing the Contention between Ajax and Ulysses with Ovid's Metamorphosis Lib. 13 and other the like too numerous to particularise For the main Plot consult Homer Vigil Dares Phrigius c. for the Episodes Ovid's Epistles Metamorphosis Lucian's Dialogues c. Iron Age the second part a History containing the Death of Penthesilea Paris Priam and Hecuba The burning of Troy The Deaths of Agamemnon Menelaus Clitemnestra Hellena Orestes Egistus Pylades King Diomed Pyrbus Cethus Synon Thersites printed 4 o Lond. 1632. and dedicated to his Worthy and much Respected Friend Mr. Thomas Manwaring Esquire For the Plot consult the foremention'd Authors Mr. Heywood design'd a new Edition of all these Ages together And to illustrate as he says the whole Work with an Explanation of the difficulties and an Historical Comment upon every hard Name which might appear obscure and intricate to such as were not frequent in Poetry but design of his I know not for what reason was laid aside Having given the Reader a full if not too tedious Account of these Plays I hasten to speak of the rest in our accustom'd order as follows Challenge for Beauty a Tragi-comedy sundry times acted by the Kings Majesties Servants at the Black fryars and at the Globe on the Bank-side printed 4 o Lond. 1636. Dutchess of Suffolk her Life a History divers and sundry times acted with good Applause printed 4 o Lond. 1631. The PLot is built on History see the Story at large in Fox's Martyrology in the Reign of Queen Mary An. Dom. 1558. in the Story of Lady Katherine Dutchess of Suffolk See besides Clark's Martyrology Chap. 11. pag. 521. Edward the Fourth a History in Two Parts printed 4 o Lond. 16 The Foundation of this Play is built upon Chronicle See the Story of this King writ by Polydore Virgil Du Chesue Speed c. English Traveller a Tragi-comedy publickly acted at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane by her Majesties Servants prited 4 o Lond. 1633. and dedicated to the Right Worshipful Sir Henry Appleton Knight Baronet The Plot and Language of young Lyonel and Reginald is stoln from Plautus's Mostellaria The Story of old Wincote and his Wife Geraldine and Dalavil the Author affirms to be true in his History of Women where 't is related at large lib. 4. pag. 269. 8 o Edition Fair Maid of the Exchange a Comedy together with the merry Humours and pleasant Passages of the Cripple of Fanchurch furnisht with variety of delectable Mirth printed 4o. Lond. 1637. The Parts are so cast by the Author that tho' there are Twenty Actors Eleven may easily act this Comedy tho' in my opinion it is not worth reviving Nay further I question notwithstanding Mr. Kirkman has ascrib'd it to our Author whether it be his since his Name is not prefixt neither does the Stile or Oeconomy resemble the rest of his Labours Fair Maid of the West or A Girlworth Gold a Tragi-comedy the First Part lately acted before the King and Queen with approved liking by the Queens Majesties Comedians printed 4 o Lond. 1631. and dedicated to his much Worthy and his most Respected John Othow Esquire Counsellor at Law in the Noble Society of
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
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
a Tragi-comedy Natures three Daughters Beauty Love and Wit a Comedy in two parts Presence a Comedy To this are added twenty nine single Scenes which the Dutchess design'd to have inserted into this Play but finding it would too much lengthen it she printed them separately Publick Wooing a Comedy in which the Duke writ several of the Suitors Speeches as that of the Souldier the Countryman the Spokesman for the Bashful Suitor besides two other Scenes and the two Songs at the End of the Comedy Religious a Tragi-comedy Several Wits a Comedy Sociable Companions or The Female Wits a Comedy Unnatural Tragedy The Prologue and Epigue were of the Duke's making Act 2. Sc. 3. the Dutchess inveighs against Mr. Cambden's Brittannia tho' whether with Justice I leave it to the Determination of others Wits Cabal a Comedy in two parts His Grace writ the Epilogue to the first part Youth's Glory and Death's Banquet a Tragedy in two parts Two Scenes with the Speeches at the first part in commendation of Mile Sans pareille were writ by his Grace so were all the Songs and Verses in the second part The Blazing World Bridal Convent of Pleasure Presence and Sociable Companions are printed together in one Volume and the rest in another As to her other Works I shall only mention the Titles and the Dates when printed and I shall begin with the Crown of her Labours The Life of the Duke of Newcastle in English printed Folio Lond. 1667. and in Latin Folio Lond. 1668 Nature's Picture drawn by Fancy's Pencil to the Life printed Fol. Lond. 1656. at the End of it she has writ her own Life Philosophical Fancies printed Fol. Lond. 1653. Philosophical and Physical Opinions Fol. Lond. 1655. Philosophical Letters Fol. Lond. 1664. Two Hundred and Eleven Sociable Letters Fol. Lond. 1664. Orations Fol. 1662. Poems Fol. 1653. Thomas NEWTON An Author that liv'd in the Reign of Queâ—â— Elizabeth and joyn'd with Jasper Heywood and Alexander Nevil above-named and others in the Translation of Seneca's Tragedies Tho' our Author translated but one Play yet he published all the Ten and dedicated them to Sir Thomas Henage Treasurer of her Majesties Chamber The Play which our Author has render'd into English is intituled Thebais a Tragedy This by some is believed not to be Seneca's because in this Tragedy Jocasta appears alive and in Oedipus she is kill'd and it is not likely that he would wâ—ite two Drammas that should so very much differ in the Catastrophe But if it be Seneca's 't is the shortest of his Tragedies and has no Chorus and is said by One to be Perpetuum Canticum nullis diverbiis incorruptum THOMAS OTWAY Thomas NUCE An Author of the same Time and joyn'd in the same Design with the former We are owing to his pains for the Version of One Play of Seneca's called Octavia a Tragedy This is the only Tragedy of the Ancients that I know of that is founded on History so near the time of the Author I shall not pretend to determine whether it was writ by Seneca or no tho' Delrio and others deny it For the History see Suetonius in Vit. Claud. Nero. Tacitus L.12 C. 14 Dion c. O. Thomas OTWAY AN Author who was well known to most Persons of this Age who are famous for Wit and Breeding He was formerly as I have heard bred for some time in Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford From thence he removed to London where he spent some time in Dramatick Poetry and by degrees writ himself into Reputation with the Court His Genius in Comedy lay a little too much to Libertinism but in Tragedy he made it his business for the most part to observe the Decorum of the Stage He was a man of Excellent parts and daily improved in his Writing but yet sometimes fell into plagiary as well as his Contemporaries and made use of Shakespear to the advantage of his Purse at least if not his Reputation He has publisht ten Dramatick Pieces if we may be allow'd to reckon his Farces as Distinct Plays of which we shall give the Reader a particular Account beginning with Alcibiades a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Middlesex This Play is writ in Heroick Verse and was the first Fruits of our Author's Muse He has made Alcibiades a Person of true Honour chusing rather to loose his Life than wrong his Defender King Agis or his betrothed wife Timandra whereas Plutarch gives him a different Character telling us that in the King's Absence he abused his Bed and got his Queen Timaea with Child and that Timandra was not his Wife but his Mistress and Justin sayes That he was informed of the design of the Lacedmoonian Princes against his Life by the Queen of King Agis with whom he had committed Adultery Atheist or the Second part of The Souldiers Fortune a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1684. and dedicated to the Lord Elande Eldest Son to the Marquess of Hallifax The Plot between Beaugard and Portia is founded on Scarron's Novel of The Invisible Mistress Cheats of Scapin a Farce acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1677. 'T is printed with Titus and Berenice and dedicated to the Right Honourable John Earl of Rochester This Play is translated from a French Comedy of Molliere though 't is not printed amongst his Plays of the Amsterdam Edition in 5 Tomes which I have by me yet that it is his I collect from M. Boileau's Art of Poetry where speaking of Molliere in the third Canto he says thus Estudiez la Cour connoissez la Ville L'une l'autre est toûjours en Modeles fertile C'est par là que Moliere illustrant ses Ecrits Peut-estre de son Art eust remporté le prix Si moins ami du Peuple en ses doctes peintures Il n'eust point fait souvent grimacer ses Figures Quittè pour le Bouffon l'agreable le fin Et sans honte à Terence allié Tabarin Dans ce sac ridicule où Scapin s'enveloppe Je ne reconnois point l' Auteur du Misanthrope But notwithstanding the Farce in this Comedy Molliere has borrow'd the Design from Terence his Phormio as may be visible to those that will compare them Caius Marius his History and Fall a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to the L d Viscount Faulkland A great part of this Play is borrow'd from Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet as the Character of Marius Junior and Lavinia the Nurse and Sulpitius which last is carried on by our Author to the End of the Play though Mr. Dryden says in his Postscript to Granada That Shakespear said himself that he was forc'd to kill Mercurio in the 3d. Act to prevent being kill'd by him For the true History of Marius Senior see Plutarch's Life of C. Marius Lucan's Pharsalia lib. 2. Florus
and when the Enthusiastick Fit was past he has acknowledged him in his Dramatick Essay Equal at least if not Superiour to Mr. Johnson in Poesie I shall not here repeat what has been before urged in his behalf in that Common Defence of the Poets of that Time against Mr. Dryden's Account of Ben. Johnson but shall take the Liberty to speak my Opinion as my predecessors have done of his Works which is this That I esteem his Plays beyond any that have ever been published in our Language and tho' I extreamly admire Johnson and Fletcher yet I must still aver that when in competition with Shakespear I must apply to them what Justus Lipsius writ in his Letter to Andraeas Schottus concerning Terence and Plautus when compar'd Terentium amo admiror sed Plautum magis He has writ about Forty six Plays all which except three are bound in one Volume in Fol. printed Lond. 1685. The whole Book is dedicated to the Earls of Pembroke and Montgomery being usher'd into the World with several Copies of Verses but none more valued than those Lines made by Ben Johnson which being too long to be here transcribed I shall leave them to be perus'd by the Reader with his Works of which I shall give some Account as follows All 's well that ends well a Comedy This Play is founded on a Novel written by Jean Boccacio see his Nov. Day the 3. Nov. the 9. concerning Juliet of Narbona and Bertrand Count of Rossilion Anthony and Cleopatra a Tragedy The Ground of this Play is founded on History see Plutarch's Life of Anthony Appian Dion Cassius Diodorus Florus c. As you like it a Comedy Comedy of Errors This Play is founded on Plautus his Maenechmi and if it be not a just Translation 't is at least a Paraphrase and I think far beyond the Translation call'd Menechmus which was printed 4o. Lond. 1595. Coriolanus a Tragedy This is founded on History see Livy Dionysius Hallicarnassaeus Plutarch's Life of Coriolanus c. Part of this Play appear'd upon the Stage seven Years since under the Title of Ingratitude of a Common-Wealth Cromwell Thomas Ld. the History of his Life and Death This Play is likewise founded on History See Fox's Martyrology Fuller's Church History Stow Speed Hollingshead Herbert Baker Dr. Burnet c. The Story of Cromwell and Mr. Frescobald the Merchant is related in Dr. Hakewell's Apology and Wanley's History of Man Book 3. Ch. 20 Cymbeline his Tragedy This Play tho' the Title bear the Name of a King of Brute's Linage yet I think ows little to the Chronicles of those Times as far as I can collect from Graston Stow Milton c. But the Subject is rather built upon a Novel in Boccace viz. Day 2. Nov. 9. This Play was reviv'd by Durfey about seven Years since under the Title of The Injured Princess or The Fatal Wager Henry the Fourth the First part with the Life of Henry Percy sirnamed Hot-spur This Play is built upon our English History see the four former Years of his Reign in Harding Buchanan Caxton Walsingham Fabian Polydore Virgil Hall Grafton Hollingshead Heyward Trussel Martin Stow Speed Baker c. As to the Comical part 't is certainly our Author 's own Invention and the Character of Sir John Falstaff is owned by Mr. Dryden to be the best of Comical Characters and the Author himself had so good an Opinion of it that he continued it in no less than four Plays This part used to be play'd by Mr. Lacy and never fail'd of universal applause Henry the Fourth the Second part containing his Death and the Coronation of King Henry the Fifth For the Historical part consult the fore-mentioned Authors The Epilogue to this Play is writ in Prose and shews that 't was writ in the Time of Q. Elizabeth Henry the Fifth his Life This Play is likewise writ and founded on History with a Mixture of Comedy The Play is continued from the beginning of his Reign to his Marriage with Katherine of France For Historians see as before Harding Caxton Walsingham c. This Play was writ during the time that Essex was General in Ireland as you may see in the beginning of the first Act where our Poet by a pretty Turn compliments Essex and seems to foretell Victory to Her Majesties Forces against the Rebels Henry the Sixth the First part Henry the Sixth the Second part with the Death of the Good Duke Humphrey Henry the Sixth the Third part with the Death of the Duke of York These three Plays contain the whole length of this Kings Reign viz. Thirty eight Years six Weeks and four Days Altho' this be contrary to the strict Rules of Dramatick Poetry yet it must be own'd even by Mr. Dryden himself That this Picture in Miniature has many Features which excell even several of his more exact Strokes of Symmetry and Proportion For the Story consult the Writers of those Times viz. Caxton Fabian Pol. Virgil. Hall Hollingshead Grafton Stow Speed c. Henry the Eighth the Famous History of his Life This Play frequently appears on the present Stage the part of Henry being extreamly well acted by Mr. Betterton This Play is founded on History likewise Hollingsh Hall Grafton Stow Speed Herbert Martin Baker c. Hamlet Prince of Denmark his Tragedy I know not whether this Story be true or false but I cannot find in the List given by Dr. Heylin such a King of Denmark as Claudius All that I can inform the Reader is the Names of those Authors that have written of the Affairs of Denmark and Norway and must leave it to their further search such are Saxo-Grammaticus Idacius Crantzius Pontanus c. This Play was not many Years ago printed in quarto all being mark'd according to the Custom of the Stage which was cut out in the Action John King of England his Life and Death For the Plot see Matth. Paris R. Higden Walsingham Westminster Fabian Pol. Virgil Hollingshead Grafton Stow Speed c. Julius Caesar his Tragedy This Play is founded on History see Livy Plutarch Suetonius c. This Play was reviv'd at the Theatre-Royal about fifteen Years ago and printed 4o. Lond. 1684. There is an Excellent Prologue to it printed in Covent Garden Drollery p. 9. Lear King of England his Tragedy This Play is founded on History see such Authors as have written concerning Brutes History as Leland Glocester Huntingdon Monmouth c. But the Subject of this Story may be read succinctly in Milton's History of England 4o. Book 1. p. 17. c. This Play about eight Years since was reviv'd with Alterations by Mr. Tate Locrine Eldest Son to King Brutus his Tragedy This Tragedy contains his Reign with the loss of Estrildis and Sabra which according to Isaacson's Chronology was twenty Years For the Authors consult those aforemention'd particularly Milton Book 1. p. 14. Supplement to Theatre of Gods Judgments Ch. 6 Ubaldino Le vite delle Donne Illustri p.
of Divinity 'T was then that he employ'd his Pen in more Serious Studies and those Three Sermons of his which are extant shew him a Solid Divine as well as an Excellent Oratour He died the Eleventh of March 1644. and was Buried at Christ-Church John STUDLEY An Author that liv'd in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and who contributed with the other Four Translators already mention'd viz. Heywood Nuce Newton and Nevile to perfect the Version of Seneca's Tragedies Our Author had the largest Share in the Work he having rendred Four into English viz. Agamemnon a Tragedy of which says Heinsius Est frugis bonae haec Tragoedia I shall not pretend to determine of the oeconomy of this Tragedy but leave it to the Criticks nor take upon me to discover how much or how little Seneca has borrowed from Ion and AEschylus but refer the Reader to Delrio and others 'T is sufficient for me to observe That the Translator has taken upon him to add a whole Scene at the End of the Fifth Act tho' upon what Reason I know not except it be to give an Account of the Death of Cassandra the Imprisonment of Electra and the Flight of Orestes all which was made known before However for this purpose the Translator makes choice of Euribates who in the beginning of the Third Act brings notice to Clitemnestra of Agamemnon's Return possibly to comply with the Poet who throughout makes no use of a Nuntius in this Play tho' the Death of Agamemnon be to be discovered by a Narration but leaves it to Cassandra and Electra in the Fifth Act. Hippolytus a Tragedy that is extreamly regular in the Three Unities of Place Time and Action and Heinsius that great Critick has not stuck to give it the Title of Divine How near our Translator has approacht the Sense of the Author I shall leave to others Determination Hercules Oetaeus a Tragedy which by some is thought to be an Imitation of Sophocles his TRAXINIAI Medea a Tragedy in which Seneca has imitated Euripides and in the Opinion of some even excelled his Copy This Play is stiled by One Alta Medea Senecae and is likewise regular as indeed are all Seneca's Tragedies except his Thebais Our English Translator I know not for what Reason has alter'd the Chorus of the First Act whether it was that he thought the Description of an Epithalamium which the Corinthian Women sing before the design'd Wedding of Jason and Creusa were too light a Subject for a Tragedy or what other Motive he had to substitute his own Thoughts instead of Seneca's I know not but must leave him and his Works to the Judgment and Censure of the Criticks Sir John SUCKLING A Gentleman whose Admirable Parts made him sufficiently Famous in the Reign of King Charles the First to whom he was Comptroller He was born at Witham in the County of Middlesex in the Year 1631. and which was Extraordinary according to his Mother's Reckoning in the beginning of the Eleventh Month. Nor was his Life less Remarkable than his Birth for he had so pregnant a Genius that he spoke Latin at Five Years Old and writ it at Nine Years of Age. His Skill in Languages and Musick was Remarkable but above all his Poetry took with all the People whose Souls were polished by the Charms of the Muses And tho' War did not so well agree with his Constitution yet in his Travels he made a Campaign under the Famous Gustavus where he was present at three Battles five Sieges and as many Skirmishes and if his Valour was not so Remarkable in the North in the beginning of the Wars yet his Loyalty was conspicuous by his Expence in the Troop of Horse which he rais'd whose Equipage viz. Horses Arms and Clothes were provided all at his own Charge and stood him in 12000 l. But these passages being at present forreign to my Subject I shall return to his Poetry and begin with his Dramatick Pieces which are Four in Number viz. Aglaura presented at the Private-house in Black-fryars This Play was first printed in Fol. upon which an Anonymous Satyrist i. e. Mr. Rich. Brome see at the Entrance of Covent Garden weeded made a Copy of Verses which being too large to be transcrib'd I shall refer my Reader to a Small Book of Poems call'd Musarum Deliciae or The Muses Recreation where he may find them in the 51 st page Only by this we may observe the truth of that saying of Ovid Pascitur in vivis livor post fata quieseit Cum suus ex merito quemque tuetur Honos This Play is much priz'd at this Day and has this Remarkable That the last Act is so altered that 't is at the pleasure of the Actors to make it a Tragedy or Tragi-comedy which was so well approv'd of by that Excellent Poet Sir Robert Howard that he has followed this president in his Vestal Virgin Brenoralt or The Discontented Colonel a Tragedy presented at the Private-house in Blackfryars by His Majesty's Servants Goblings a Tragi-comedy presented at the Private-house in Blackfryars by His Majesty's Servants Sad One a Tragedy This Piece was never finish'd 'T is not to be expected that I should give any Account of the Plots or Thefts in this Author's Works for his Muse was Young and Vigorous enough had she not so soon been cut off by Death to have brought forth many more Children without any Assistance but that of the proper Parent All that I have further to say is That these Plays with the rest of his Works are printed under the Title of Fragmenta Aurea or A Collection of all the Incomparable Pieces written by Sir John Suckling 8o. There are several Editions of his Works and the last as I think was printed 8O Lond. 1676. to which are added several Poems and other Pieces which were by his Sisters Permission allowed to be published I shall not pretend to give a Character of his Works but subscribe to One already printed viz. That his Poems are Clean Sprightly and Natural his Discourses Full and Convincing his Plays well humor'd and Taking his Letters Fragrant and Sparking only his Thoughts were not so loose as his Expression witness his Excellent Discourse to My Lord Dorset about Religion This Ingenious Gentleman died of a Feaver A. D. 164 being about 29. Years of Age What Excellent Advice he left to his Friends about him may be read in Mr. Lloyd's Memoirs nor can I forbear transcribing what that Author writ upon that Subject Ne hae zelantis animae sacriores Scintillulae ipsum unde deciderant spirantes Coelum Author magnus ipsa quam Aliis dedit careret memoria Interesse Posteris putavimus brevem Honoratissimi Viri Johannis Sucklingii vitam Historia esse perennandam Utpote qui Nobilissima Sucklingiorum Familia Oriundus cui tantum reddidit quantum accepit honorem Nat. Cal. Apr. 1613. Withamiae in Agro Middles Renatus ibid. Maii 70. and Denatus 164 haud
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