Return from Parnassus 547 Revenge Ibid. Revengers Tragedy 506 Reward of Virtue 223 Rhodon and Iris. 316 Richard the Second 462 Rival Friends 245 Kings 8 Ladies 167 Queens 325 Rivals 547 Roaring Girl 373 Robert Earl of Huntingdon's Downfal and Death 267 Hood's Pastoral May-games 547 and his Crew of Souldiers Ibid. Roman Actor 358 Empress 308 Generals 129 Romeo and Juliet 462 Romulus and Hersilia 547 Roundheads 21 Rover. 20 Royalist 183 Royal King and Loyal Subject 268 Masque at Hampton-Court 547 Master 481 Shepherdess 450 Slave 43 Voyage 548 Rule a Wife and have a Wife 214 Rump 503 S. SAcrifice 184 Sad One 498 Shepheard 295 Saint Cicely 520 Salmacida Spolia 548 Sampson Agonistes 375 Sapho and Phaon 329 Scaramouch c. 429 School of Complements 480 Scornful Lady 214 Scots Figaries 503 Sea Voyage 214 Seven Champions of Christendom 315 See me and see me not 24 Sejanus 295 Selimus 315 Sertorius 6 Several Wits 393 Sforza Duke of Millain 237 Shepheards Holyday 433 Paradice 377 Shoomaker 's a Gentleman 429 Sicelides 548 Sicily and Naples 519 Siege 54 110 of Babylon 406 of Constantinople 549 of Memphis 183 of Rhodes 110 of Urbin 315 Silent Woman 296 Silver Age. 259 Sir Barnaby Whig 184 Courtly Nice 96 Giles Goose-cap 549 Hercules Buffon 318 Martin Mar-all 170 Patient Fancy 21 Solomon 549 Sister 484 Six Days Adventure 274 Slighted Maid 492 Sociable Companions 393 Soliman and Perseda 550 Sophister Ibid. Sophonisba 325 351 Sophy 128 Souldiers Fortune 399 Spanish Bawd 550 Curate 214 Fryar 170 Gypsies 373 Rogue 178 Sparagus Garden 37 Speeches at Pr. Henry's Barriers 296 Spightful Sister 6 Sport upon Sport 90 Springs Glory 381 Squire of Alsatia 450 Old Sap. 183 Staple of News 296 State of Innocence 172 Step-mother 551 Strange Discovery Ib. Successful Strangers 378 Sullen Lovers 450 Summers's last Will and Testament 383 Sun's Darling 221 Supposes 231 Surprisal 277 Susanna's Tears 551 Swaggering Damois 56 Sweetnam the Woman-hater arraigned 551 T. TAle of a Tub. 297 Tamberlain the Great 344 Taming of the Shrew 463 Tancred and Gismond 512 Tartuff 367 Tarugo's Wiles 434 Tempe restor'd 551 Tempest 172 463 Temple 64 of Love 110 The longer thou liv'st the more fool thou art 508 Thebais 394 Theodosius 326 Thersytes 552 Thomaso 313 Thornby Abby 524 Thracian Wonder 510 Three Lords and Ladies of London 521 Thyerry and Theodoret 215 Time vindicated to himself and to his Honours 297 Timon of Athens 451 Titus Andronicus 464 Titus and Berenice 399 Tom Essence 552 Tyler and his Wife 508 Tottenham Court 381 Town Fop. 22 Shifts 425 Trapolin supposed a Prince 70 Travels of 3 English Brothers 119 Traytor 481 to himself 553 Treacherous Brother 407 Trick for Trick 184 to catch the Old One. 373 Triumph of Beauty 485 Love and Antiquity 373 Peace 482 the Prince D'Amour 111 Triumphant Widdow 387 Troades 472 521 Troas 251 Troylus and Cressida 173 True Trojans 553 Widdow 451 Tryal of Chivalry 508 Treasure 554 Tryphon 28 Tunbridge Wells 554 Twelfth Night 466 Twins 427 Two Angry Women of Abington 407 Noble Kinsmen 215 Two Tragedies in One. 516 Wise Men and all the rest Fools 64 Tide tarrieth for no Man 508 Tyranical Government 554 Tyranick Love 173 V. VAlentinian 215 Valiant Scot. 523 Welchman 516 Varieties 387 Venice preserv'd 400 Very Woman 359 Vestal Virgin 277 Vilain 407 Virgin Martyr 359 Widow 410 Virtuoso 451 Virtuous Octavia 30 Wife 185 Virtue betray'd 8 Vision of Delight 297 the Twelve Goddesses 103 Unfortunate Lovers 112 Mother 382 Shepheard 506 Usurper 554 Ungrateful Favorite Ib. Unhappy Fair One. 499 Favorite 9 Unnatural Combat 359 Tragedy 393 Untrussing the Humorous Poet. 123 Vow-breaker 437 Usurper 274 W. WAlks of Islington and Hogsden 307 Wandring Lover 368 Warning for fair Women 555 Weakest goes to the wall Ib. Wealth and Health Ib. Wedding 483 Westward-hoe 124 What you will 351 When you see me you know me 430 White Devil 509 Whore of Babylon 124 Wiat's History 125 Widow 298 Ranter 22 's Tears 65 Wife for a Month. 216 Wild Gallant 174 Goose-chase 216 Wily beguil'd 555 Wine Beer Ale and Tobacco 555 Winters Tale. 466 Wise Women of Hogsden 268 Wit at several Weapons 216 of a Woman 556 in a Constable 233 without Money 216 Wits 111 Cabal 393 led by the Nose 556 Witty Combat 520 Fair One 483 Woman Captain 452 Hater 216 in the Moon 330 kill'd with Kindness 268 turn'd Bully 556 Woman 's a Weather-cock 198 Conquest 374 Prize 217 Women beware Women 374 pleas'd 217 Wonder a Woman never vex'd 429 World lost at Tennis 374 Wrangling Lovers 423 Y. YOrkshire Tragedy 466 Young Admiral 483 King 22 Your five Gallants 375 Youths Glory Deaths Banquet 393 The Plays in the Appendix ALphonso King of Naples Amphytryon Banish'd Duke Belphegor Bragadocio Distressed Innocence Edward the Third Ferrex and Porrex Folly of Priestcraft Gorboduc Mad World my Masters Mistakes Robin Conscience Royal Flight Scowrers Sir Anthony Love Unfortunate Lovers Witch of Edmonton Woman will have her will Wonder of a Kingdom The APPENDIX THe Occasion of adding this following Appendix is to compleat the Account of all the Plays that have been printed as far as this present Time since several new Ones have been publisht after the Fore-going Sheets were sent to the Press and some others thro' oversight omitted in the Body of the Book I have chose rather to place them here than leave the whole imperfect I shall follow the same Method as before beginning first with the Known Authors in an Alphabetical Order and afterwards mention those whose Authors are conceal'd I begin with Sir William DAVENANT I have already given an Account of this Author p. 106 c. to which I refer my Reader only beg his Pardon for the Omission of a Play to be found in the Body of his Works nam'd Unfortunate Lovers a Tragedy printed in Folio Thomas DECKER An Author already mention'd p. 122. to have a hand in Twelve Plays tho' thro' mistake I have given an Account but of Ten of them 'T is true I referr'd the Reader p. 125. to the Account of Will. Rowley for The Witch of Edmonton but quite forgot a Play which was writ wholly by our Author stil'd Wonder of a Kingdom a Tragi-comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1636. This I take to be a very diverting old Play John DRYDEN Esq The Reader will find an Account of this Author's Writings p. 130 c. but he having lately publisht a new Play I am here to give the Reader some Account of it Amphytryon or The Two Socias a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal to which is added the Musick of the Songs compos'd by Mr. Henry Purcel printed 4o. Lond. 1691. and dedicated to the Honourable Sir Levison Gower Baronet This Play is founded on Plautus's Amphytruo and Molliere's Amphytryon as the Author himself acknowledges in his Epistle Dedicatory The Reader that will take the pains to compare them will find that Mr. Dryden has more closely followed the French than
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
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
a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1653. Covent-Garden weeded or The Middlesex Justice of Peace printed in octavo Lond. 1658. Court Beggar a Comedy acted at the Cock-pit by His Majesties Servants Anno 1632. and printed in octavo Lond. 1653. Damoiselle or The New Ordinary a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1653. English Moor or The Mock Marriage a Comedy often acted with general applause by her Majesties Servants printed in octavo Lon. 1659. Jovial Crew or The Merry Beggars a Comedy presented at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane in the year 1641 printed in quarto Lond. 1652. and dedicated to the Right Noble Ingenious and Judicious Gentleman Thomas Stanley Esq This Play was reviv'd by the Actors at the Duke's Theatre and reprinted 1686. Love-sick Court or The Ambitious Politick a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1658. What Opinion the Author himself had of this Comedy may be gathered by the following Distick prefixt in his Title-page Nil mea ceu mos est comendes carmina curo Se nisi comendent carmina dispereant Mad Couple well Matcht a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1653. This Play was reviv'd on the Stage by the Duke's Actors under the Title of The Debaunchee or The Credulous Cuckold and reprinted in quarto Lond. 1677. New Academy or The New Exchange a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1658. Northern Lass a Comedy acted with great Applause at the Theatre Royal by His Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1663. and dedicated to the Right Worthy and no less Judicious than Ingenious Gentleman Rich. Holford Esquire This Play is commended not only by the above-mentioned Ben Johnson but by Five other Copies of Verses printed before the Play This Play was reviv'd by the Players since the Union of the Two Houses and reprinted in quarto Lond. 1684. with a new Prologue and Epilogue the former written by Jo. Haynes the Comedian Novella a Comedy acted at the Black-friars by His Majesties Servants Anno 1632. and printed in octavo Lond. 1653. This I take to exceed many of our modern Comedies Queen and Concubine a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1659. Queen's Exchange a Comedy acted with general applause at the Black-fryars by His Majesties Servants and printed in quarto 1657. Sparagus Garden a Comedy acted in the year 1635. by the then Company of Revels at Salisbury-Court printed in quarto Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Right Honourable William Earl of Newcastle c. Governor to the Prince his Highness This Comedy is applauded by Two Copies of Verses writ by two of the Author's Friends He joyn'd with Thomas Heywood in a Play called The late Lancashire Witches an Account of which see in that Author Ten of these Plays are printed in two Volumes in octavo each under the Title of Five New Plays by Richard Brome Mr. Phillips I know not for what Reason has omitted several of our Authors Plays viz. Damoyselle New Academy Queen and Concubine Queen's Exchange and Lancashire Witches Fulk Grevile Lord BROOK This Honourable Person was Son to Sr. Fulk Grevile the Elder of Beauchamp-Court in Warwick-shire and after having been Educated some time at Cambridge he removed to Court in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and in the Seventeenth year of King James the First he was made a Baron He was eminently Famous for Learning and Courage He was bred up with the Fam'd Sr. Philip Sidney and in his youth writ several Poems of different Kinds amongst which are two Dramatick Pieces viz. Alaham a Tragedy printed in Folio 1633. This Play seems an Imitation of the Ancients The Prologue is spoken by a Ghost one of the Old Kings of Ormus an Island Scituate at the Entrance of the Persian Gulf where the Scene of the Dramma lies This Spectre gives an Account of each Character which is possibly done in Imitation of Euripides who usually introduced one of the chief Actors as the Prologue whose business was to explain all those Circumstances which preceded the opening of the Stage The Author has been so careful in observing the Rules of Aristotle and Horace that whereas Horace says nec quarta loqui persona laboret He has in no Scene throughout introduc'd above two Speakers except in the Chorus between each Act and even there he observes all the Rules laid down by that great Master in the Art of Poetry part of whose Directions to the Chorus are as follows Ille dapes laudet mensae brevis ille salubrem Justitiam legesque apertis otia Portis For the Plot of this Tragedy I know not whence it is taken neither can I find the Name of any such King as Alaham amongst those Princes that Reigned there which are enumerated by Mr. Herbert in his Account of Ormus Mustapha a Tragedy printed in Folio 1633. What I have spoken of the former may be applied to this Play likewise as to the Rules of the Ancients since both seem to be built on their Model All I have to say further is that an imperfect Copy of this Play appeared in print in quarto Lond. 1609. tho' I suppose without his Lordship's Knowledge since it may rather be stiled a Fragment than a Tragedy But those Imperfections are amended in the Folio Edition As to the Foundation of the Play 't is the same with that of my Lord Orrery's Tragedy therefore I refer you to the same Authors viz. Paulus Jovius Thuanus c. Both these Plays are printed together in Folio Lond. 1633. with several other Poems as A Treatise of Humane Learning An Inquisition upon Fame and Honour A Treatise of Wars All these are written in a Stanza of Six Lines four interwoven and a Couplet in Base which the Italians call Sestine Caelica containing One Hundred and Nine Sonnets of different Measures on different Subjects There are in this Volume two Letters the One to an Honourable Lady the Subject of which is how to behave her self in a Married State The other written to his Cosen Grevil Varney then in France containing Directions for Travel His Lordship has other Pieces ascribed to him besides these publisht under his Name as the Life of his Friend and Companion Sir Philip Sidney printed at the beginning of the Arcadia under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Remains or Poems of Monarchy and Religion printed in octavo Lond. 1670. and other Pieces which because of their uncertainty I omit Only I cannot pass by a Mistake committed by Mr. Phillips and Mr. Winstanley who ascribe another Play to him called Marcus Tullius Cicero's Tragedy This Play was not written at least not printed as I suppose till long after his Lordships Death who was unhappily kill'd by an ungrateful Servant who afterwards to avoid the Sentence of the Law made his own Hand the Executioner of Justice making Death his Choice which should have been his Punishment This Worthy Nobleman lies Buried as Dr. Fuller says in Warwick Church under a Monument of black and white Marble whereon
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
parts under a different Title suitable to their Subject The first which was writ when he was a Suitor to his Wife is usher'd in by a Character writ in Prose of a Mistress The second being Copies writ to her after Marriage by a Character of a Wife After which is a Character of a Friend before several Funeral Elegies The third part consists of Divine Poems some of which are Paraphrases on several Texts out of Job and the Book of Psalms before which is the Portraict of a Holy Man I know not when those Poems were first printed but the last Edition which I have by me augmented and corrected was printed 8o. Lond. 1640. and his Poetry is commended by his Friend and Kinsman Mr. John Talbot I know nothing that he has writ in Prose except his Chronicle of K. Edward the Fourth printed fol. Lond. 1640. Of what esteem it is in the World is well known to Historians Peter HAUSTEAD A Gentleman that was born at Oundle a Market Town in Northamptonshire and flourisht in the Reign of King Charles the First of Blessed Memory He was after some Years sent to the University of Cambridge where in Queens Colledge he took the Degree of Master of Arts. He challenges a Place in our Catalogue on Account of his Play call'd Rival Friends a Comedy acted before the King and Queens Majesties when out of their Princely Favour they were pleas'd to visit the University of Cambridge upon the nineteenth day of March 1631. Cry'd down by Boys Faction Envy and confident Ignorance approv'd by the Judicious and Expos'd to the publick Censure by the Author printed 4 o Lond. 1632. and dedicated by a Copy of Verses to the Right Honble Right Reverend Right Worshipful or whatsoever he be shall be or whom he hereafter may call Patron The Play is commended by a Copy of Latin Verses and Two writ in English The Prologue is a Dialogue betwixt Venus Thetis and Phoebus sung by two Trebles and a Base Venus being Phosphorus as well as Vesper appearing at a window above as risen calling to Sol who lay in Thetis Lap at the East-side of the Stage canopy'd with an Azure Curtain Our Author seems to me to be much of the Humor of Ben Johnson whose greatest weakness was that he could not bear Censure and has so great a Value for Ben's Writings that his Scene betwen Love-all Mungrel Hammershin Act 3. Sc. 7. is copy'd from that in Johnson's Play called The Silent Woman between True-wit Daw and La-fool Act. 4. Sc. 5. I know not whether our Author were in Orders when he writ this Play but I know there are Eleven Sermons in print under his Name published 4 o Lond. 1646. Richard HEAD This Author liv'd in the Reigns of King Charles the First and Second He was born in Ireland of English Parents being the Son of a Clergy-man who was murther'd in the deplorable Massacre of Ireland in the beginning of the Rebellion which broke out there on the 2 d day of October 1641. He was educated for some small time in the University of Oxford and afterwards exchang'd his Study for a Booksellers Shop I remember him a Bookseller and Partner with Kirkman if I mistake not in the Alley that fronts the North-gate of Pauls call'd Cannon-Alley He was a Man extreamly given to pleasure and yet of excellent Natural Parts had they been improv'd by Virtue or fix'd by Solidity He writ a Play call'd Hic ubique or The Humour 's of Dublin a Comedy acted privately with good Applause printed in quarto Lond. 1663. and dedicated to the Illustrious Charles Duke of Monmouth and Orkney He has writ several other Pieces of different Subjects tho' all of them trivial and which betray'd his Conversation as The first part of the English Rogue Venus Cabinet unlock'd The Art of Wheedling The Floating Island or A Voyage from Lambethania to Ram-allia A Discovery of O Brasil Jackson's Recantation The Red-sea and some Pieces against Dr. Wild all which I have borrow'd from Mr. Winstanley and shall be ready to return him Interest for it in the Next Edition of his Book if he pleases to command me Our Author according to Mr. Winstanley was cast away at Sea in his passage to the Isle of Wight William HEMMINGS A Gentleman that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and was Master of Arts of the University of Oxford tho' I cannot inform my self of what Colledge He writ two Tragedies which in his time were in some esteem and one of them has appear'd on the Stage since the Restitution of his late Majesty and the Muses with Approbation It is call'd Fatal Contract a Tragedy acted with good Applause by Her Majesties Servants and printed quarto Lond. 1653. This Play was published after the Author's Death having pass'd thro' many Hands as a Curiosity of Wit and Language and was dedicated to the Right Honourable James Compton Earl of Northampton and to Isabella his Virtuous Countess It was reviv'd not many Years since under the Title of Love and Revenge with some Alterations the Old Play being out of print it was about three Years ago reprinted as a New Play under the Title of The Eunuch For the Plot 't is founded on the French Chronicle in the Reigns of Chilperic the First and Clotaire the Second Consult Gregoire de Tours Lib. 4 5. c. Aimoin Fredegaire Sigebert Fortunat Valois De Serres Mezeray c. Jews Tragedy or their fatal and final Overthrow by Vespasian and Titus his Son agreeable to the Authentick and Famous History of Josephus printed 4 o Lond. 1662. This Play was not published till some Years after the Author's Death For the History consult Josephus Lib. 6 7. Jasper HEYWOOD This Author was Son to John Heywood the Famous Epigramatist of which by and by and was bred in his younger Years at Merton Colledge and afterwards was a Member of All-Souls Colledge in Oxford In some few Years he changed the University for S. Omers where he became a fierce Bigotted Jesuite and was the first Jesuite that set foot in England Dr. Fuller says He was executed in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth but Sir Richard Baker tells us That he was one of the Chief of those seventy Priests that were taken in the Year 1585. and when some of them were condemn'd and the rest in danger of the Law that Gracious Queen caus'd them all to be Ship'd away and sent out of England During his Residence in the University he imploy'd part of his time in translating three of Seneca's Tragedies of which we shall give an Account But first with the Readers permission since an hansome Opportunity offers it self we will present you with an Abridgment of the Life of this our Poetical-Stoick Lucius Annaeus Seneca was born at Cordoüa in Spain a little before the Death of Augustus Caesar. He bore his Father's Name which Conformity has mis-led some Authors causing them to ascribe to the Son
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
the Compilers of former Catalogues because it consists of Speeches of Gratulation as the Author stiles them which were spoke to his Majesty at Fen-Church Temple-Bar and the Strand and therefore besides the presidents of former Catalogues which might in part justify me I might be blam'd should I omit it The Author has plac'd a Comment throughout to illustrate and authorise his Contrivance Entertainment in private of the King and Queen on May-day in the Morning at Sir William Cornwallis's House at High-gate 1604. printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Entertainment of King James and Queen Anne at Theobalds when the House was deliver'd up with the possession to the Queen by the Earl of Salisbury May 22. 1607. The Prince of Janvile Brother to the Duke of Guise being then present printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Entertainment in particular of the Queen and Prince their Highnesses at Althrope at the Lord Spencer's on Saturday being the Twenty-fifth of June 1603. as they came first into the Kingdome printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Entertainment of the Two Kings of Great Brittain and Denmark at Theobalds July 24 th 1606. printed Fol. Lond. 1640. This Entertainment is very short and consists chiefly of Epigrams Every Man in his Humour a Comedy acted in the Year 1598. by the then Lord Chamberlain's Servants printed Fol. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Most Learned and his Honour'd Friend Mr. Cambden Clarencieux This Play has been reviv'd since the Civil Wars and was receiv'd with general Applause There is a new Epilogue writ for this Play the latter part of which is spoken by Ben Johnson's Ghost The Reader may find it in a Collection of Poems on several Occasions printed 8o. Lond. 1673. See pag. 29. Every Man out of his Humour a Comical Satyr first acted in the Year 1599. by the then Lord Chamberlain's Servants with allowance of the Master of the Revels printed Fol. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Noblest Nurseries of Humanity and Liberty in the Kingdome The Inns of Court This Play was reviv'd at the Theatre-Royal in the Year 1675. at which time a new Prologue and Epilogue were spoken by Jo. Heyns which were writ by Mr. Duffet See his Poems 8o. pag. 72. c. This is accounted an excellent Old Comedy Fortunate Isles and their Union celebrated in a Masque design'd for the Court on the Twelfth-Night 1626. printed Fol. Lond. 1641. Golden Age restor'd in a Masque at Court 1615. by the Lords and Gentlemen the King's Servants and printed Fol. Lond. 1641. Hymenaei or The Solemnities of a Masque and Barriers at a Marriage printed Fol. Lond. 1640. To this Masque are annext by the Author Learned Notes in the Margin for illustration of the Ancient Greek and Roman Customs Irish Masque at Court by Gentlemen the King's Servants printed Fol. Lond. 1640. King's Entertainment at Welbeck in Nottingham-shire a House of the Right Honourable William Earl of Newcastle at his going into Scotland 1633. printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Love free'd from Ignorance and Folly a Masque of her Majesties printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Love Restor'd in a Masque at Court by Gentlemen the King's Servants printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Love's Triumph thro' Callipolis perform'd in a Masque at Court 1630. by his Majesty King Charles the First with the Lords and Gentlemen Assisting the Inventors being Mr. Johnson and Mr. Inigo Jones printed Fol. Lond. 1641. Love's Welcome the King and Queen's Entertainment at Bolsover at the Earl of Newcastle's the 30 th of July 1634. and printed Fol. Lond. 1641. Magnetick Lady or Humours Reconcil'd a Comedy acted at the Black-fryars and printed Fol. Lond. 1640. This Play is generally esteem'd an Excellent Play tho' in those days it found some Enemies amongst which Dr. Gill Master of Pauls School or at least his Son writ a Satyr against it part of which the whole being too long I shall take the pains to transcribe But to advise thee Ben in this strist Age A Brick-kill's better for thee than a Stage Thou better know'st a Groundsil for to lay Then lay the Plot or Ground-work of a Play And better can'st direct to Cap a Chimney Then to converse with Clio or Polyhimny Fall then to work in thy old Age agen Take up thy Trug and Trowel gentle Ben Let Plays alone or if thou needs will write And thrust thy feeble Muse into the light Let Lowen cease and Taylor scorn to touch The loathed Stage for thou hast made it such But to shew how fiercely Ben could repartee on any one that had abus'd him I will present the Reader with his answer Shall the prosperity of a Pardon still Secure thy railing Rhymes infamous Gill At libelling Shall no Star-Chamber Peers Pillory nor Whip nor want of Ears All which thou hast incurr'd deservedly Nor Degradation from the Ministry To be the Denis of thy Father's School Keep in thy bawling Wit thou bawling Fool. Thinking to stir me thou hast lost thy End I 'll laugh at thee poor wretched Tike go send Thy blotant Muse abroad and teach it rather A Tune to drown the Ballads of thy Father For thou hast nought to cure his Fame But Tune and Noise the Eccho of his Shame A Rogue by Statute censur'd to be whipt Cropt branded slit neck-stockt go you are stript Masque at the Lord Viscount Hadington's Marriage at Court on Shrove-Tuesday at Night 1608. and printed fol. Lond. 1640. Masque of Augurs with several Antimasques presented on Twelfth-night 1622. printed fol. Lond. 1640. Masque of Owls at Kenelworth presented by the Ghost of Captain Coxe mounted on his Hobby-horse 1626. printed fol. Lond. 1640. Masque of Queens celebrated from the House of Fame by the Queen of Great Britain with her Ladies at Whitehall Febr. 2. 1609. This Masque is adorned with learned Notes for the Explanation of the Author's Design He was assisted in the Invention and Architecture of the Scenes throughout by Mr. Inigo Jones Masque presented in the House of the Right Honourable the Lord Haye by divers of Noble Quality his Friends for the Entertainment of Monsieur Le Baron de Tour Extraordinary Ambassador for the French King on Saturday the 22. of Febr. 1617. printed fol. Lond. 1617. Metamorphos'd Gypsies a Masque thrice presented to King James first at Burleigh on the Hill next at Belvoyr and lastly at Windsor in August 1621. printed fol. Lond. 1641. Mercury Vindicated from the Alchymists at Court by Gentlemen the King's Servants printed fol. Lond. 1640. Mortimer's Fall a Tragedy or rather a Fragment it being just begun and left imperfect by his Death tho' the Reader may see the Model of each Act by the Argument publisht before it printed fol. Lond. 1640. Neptune's Triumph for the Return of Albion celebrated in a Masque at Court on the Twelfth-Night 1644. printed fol. Lond. 1641. News from the New World discovered in the Moon a Masque presented at Court before King James 1620. and printed fol. Lond. 1641. Oberon the Fairy Prince a Masque of Prince Henries printed fol. Lond. 1640. On
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
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
will be so far bold as to assert that the Earls of Orrery and Roscommon the Incomparable Cowley and the Ingenious Flatman with others amongst whom I must not forget my much respected Countryman James Tyrrel Esq would not have employ'd their Pens in praise of the Excellent Orinda had she not justly deserv'd their Elogies and possibly more than those Ladies of Antiquity for as Mr. Cowley observes in his third Stanza on her Death Of Female Poets who had Names of old Nothing is shewn but only told And all we hear of them perhaps may be Male Flattery only and Male Poetry Few Minutes did their Beauties Lightning waste The Thunder of their Voice did longer last But that too soon was past The certain proofs of our Orinda's Wit In her own lasting Characters are writ And they will long my Praise of them survive Tho' long perhaps that too may live The Trade of Glory manag'd by the Pen Tho' great it be and every where is found Does bring in but small profit to us Men 'T is by the numbers of the Sharers drown'd Orinda in the Female Courts of Fame Engrosses all the Goods of a Poetick Name She doth no Partner with her see Does all the buisiness there alone Which we Are forc'd to carry on by a whole Company The Occasion of our mention of this Excellent Person in this place is on the Account of two Dramatick Pieces which she has translated from the French of Monsieur Corneille and that with such exquisite Art and Judgment that the Copies of each seem to transcend the Original Horace a Tragedy which I suppose was left imperfect by the untimely Death of the Authress and the fifth Act was afterwards supply'd by Sir John Denham This Play acted at Court by Persons of Quality the Duke of Monmouth speaking the Prologue Part of which being in Commendation of the Play I shall transcribe This Martial Story which thro' France did come And there was wrought in Great Corneille's Loom Orinda's Matchless Muse to Brittain brought And Forreign Verse our English Accents taught So soft that to our shame we understand They could not fall but from a Lady's Hand Thus while a Woman Horace did translate Horace did rise above a Roman Fate For the Plot of this Play consult Livy's History Lib. 1. Florus Lib. 1. C. 3. Dionysius Hallicarnassaeus c. Pompey a Tragedy which I have seen acted with great applause at the Duke's Theatre and at the End was acted that Farce printed in the fifth Act of The Play-house to be Let. This Play was translated at the Request of the Earl of Orrery and published in Obedience to the Commands of the Right Honourable the Countess of Corse to whom it is dedicated How great an Opinion My L d Orrery had of this Play may appear from the following Verses being part of a Copy addrest to the Authress You English Corneille's Pompey with such Flame That you both raise our wonder and his Fame If he could read it he like us would call The Copy greater than the Original You cannot mend what is already done Unless you 'l finish what you have begun Who your Translation sees cannot but say That 't is Orinda's Work and but his Play The French to learn our Language now will seek To hear their Greatest Wit more nobly speak Rome too would grant were our Tongue to her known Caesar speaks better in 't than in his own And all those Wreaths once circled Pompey's Brow Exalt his Fame less than your Verses now Both these Plays with the rest of her Poems are printed in one Volume in Fol. Lond. 1678. This Lady to the Regret of all the Beau Monde in general died of the Small-pox on the 22d. of June 1664. being but One and Thirty Years of Age having not left any of her Sex her Equal in Poetry Sam. PORDAGE Esq A Gentleman who was lately if he be not so at present a Member of the Worthy Society of Lincolns-Inn He has publisht two Plays in Heroick Verse viz. Herod and Mariamne a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1673. This Play was writ a dozen Years before it was made publick and given to Mr. Settle by a Gentleman to use and form as he pleas'd he preferr'd it to the Stage and dedicated it to the Dutchess of Albermarle For the Plot I think the Author has follow'd Mr. Calpranede's Cleopatra a Romance in the Story of Tyridates but for the true History consult Josephus Philo-Judaeus Eberus Egysippus c. Siege of Babylon a Tragi-comedy acted at the Theatre dedicated to her Royal Highness the Dutchess and printed 4o. Lond. 1678. This Play is founded on the Romance of Cassandra Henry PORTER An Author in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth who writ a pleasant History called The two Angry Women of Abington with the humorous Mirth of Dick Coomes and Nicholas Proverbs two Servingmen play'd by the Right Honourable the Earl of Nottingham L d High Admiral 's Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1599. Thomas PORTER Esq An Author that has writ in our Times two Plays which are receiv'd with Candor by all Judges of Wit viz. Carnival a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1664. Villain a Tragedy which I have seen acted at the Duke's Theatre with great applause the part of Malignii being incomparably play'd by Mr. Sandford What this Author may have writ besides I know not and am sorry I can give no better Account of One whose Writings I love and admire George POWEL A Person now living the Author of a Tragedy call'd The treacherous Brother acted by their Majesties Servants at the Theatre-Royal and printed 4o. Lond. 1690. 'T is dedicated to the Patentees and Sharers of their Majesties Theatre and commended by a Copy of Latin Verses writ by his Fellow-Actor Mr. John Hudgson For the Foundation of the Play I take it to be borrow'd from a Romance in Fol. call'd The Wall Flower and tho' they are not alike in all particulars yet any One that will take the pains to read them both will find the Soporifick Potion given to Istocles and Semanthe to be the same in quantity with that given to Honoria Amarissa and Hortensia in the asoresaid Romance Thomas PRESTON A very ancient Author who writ a Play in old fashion'd Metre which he calls A Lamentable Tragedy mixed full of pleasant Mirth containing the Life of Cambises King of Persia from the beginning of his Kingdom unto his Death his one good deed of Execution after the many wicked Deeds and tyrannous Murders committed by and through him and last of all his odious Death by Gods Justice appointed Done in such order as followeth printed 4o. Lond. by John Allde In stead of naming more than Justin and Herodotus for the true Story I shall set down the beginning of this Play spoke by King Cambises not only to give our Reader a Taste of our Author's Poetry but because I believe it was
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.
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
Soul's Warfare and is grounded on the Danger of the Soul in this World S. TUKE A Collonel now living as I have been inform'd in Sussex the Author of One of the best Plays now extant for Oeconomy and Contrivance viz. Adventures of five Hours a Tragi-comedy the second Edition printed 4o. Lond. 1662. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Howard of Norfolk attended with Eight Copies of Verses writ by very Eminent Persons as Mr. Cowley Evelyn Carlisle and others This Play I believe ows its Foundation to one in Spanish Cyril TURNEUR This Author liv'd in the Reign of King James the First and published Two Tragedies viz. Atheist's Tragedy Of the Date of this Play or to whom dedicated I can give no Account the Title-page and Epistle if there were any of my Copy being lost The Plot of Levidulcia her Conveying Sebastian and Fresco out of her Chamber when she was surpris'd by her Husband Belleforrest's Coming is borrow'd from Boccace Day the 7. Nov. the 6. Revenger's Tragedy sundry times acted by the Kings Majesties Servants and printed 4o. Of these two Plays Mr. Winstanley quotes a Distich I know not from what Author as follows His Fame unto that pitch so only rais'd As not to be despis'd nor too much prais'd John TUTCHIN An Author of our Times who has a Pastoral extant call'd Unfortunate Shepherd a Pastoral printed 8o. Lond. 1685. This Play with the rest of his Poems on several Occasions and a Piece in Prose call'd A Discourse of Life were all printed octavo Lond. 1685. W. Lewis WAGER A Learned Clerk living in the begining of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth who was the Author of an Interlude call'd Mary Magdalen her Life and Repentance printed in a Black Letter 4o. Lond. 1567. This Interlude may easily be acted by Four Persons For the Plot take an Account from the following Lines being part of the Prologue and will give you a Taste of the Author's Stile Of the Gospel we shall rehearse a fruitful Story Written in the 7th of Luke with words plaine The Story of a Woman that was right sorry For that she had spent her Life in sinne vile and vaine By Christ's preaching she was converted againe To be truly penitent by hir fruictes she declared And to shew hir self a sinner she never spared Edmund WALLER A Gentleman not many Years deceas'd whose Name will ever be dear to all Lovers of the Muses His Compositions are universally applauded and they are thought fit to serve as a Standard for all succeeding Poems He was a Friend to the Ingenious Fletcher as appears by his Verses printed at the beginning of those Plays and was so far a Lover of Dramatick Poetry that he translated part of a Play in which the Right Honourable the Earl of Dorset and Middlesex was concerned viz. Pompey the Great a Tragedy acted by the Servants of His Royal Highness the Duke of York printed 4o. Lond. 1664. Besides this Play he has a Volume of Poems extant which have been several times reprinted the Fourth Edition was printed octavo Lond. 1682. There is newly publish'd a Second part containing his Alteration of The Maid's Tragedy and whatsoever of his was left unprinted publisht octavo Lond. 1690. George WAPUL An Author whose Writings are as unknown as any of the former to whom is ascribed a Comedy call'd Tide tarrieth for no Man William WAYER An Author of whose Time and Writings I can give no further Account than that he is accounted the Author of a Comedy which I never saw called The more thou liv'st the more Fool thou art There are two other Plays whose Authors are unknown ascribed by Mr. Philips and Winstanley to our Author viz. Tryal of Chivalry and Tom Tyler and his Wife tho' I believe they were never writ by him R. WAVER The Author of a Play which I have never seen call'd Lusty Juventus who or whence this Author was I know not John WEBSTER An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King James the First and was in those Days accounted an Excellent Poet. He joyn'd with Decker Marston and Rowley in several Plays and was likewise Author of others which have even in our Age gain'd Applause As for Instance Appius and Virginia Dutchess of Malfy and Vittoria Corrombona but I shall speak of these in their Order Appius and Virginia a Tragedy printed according to my Copy 4o. Lond. 1659. I suppose there may be an older Edition than mine but this is that which was acted at the Duke's Theatre and was alter'd as I have heard by Mr. Carthwright by Mr. Betterton For the Plot consult Livy Florus c. Devil's Law-case or When Women go to Là w the Devil is full of business a Tragi-comedy approvedly well acted by Her Majesty's Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1623. and dedicated to Sir Thomas Finch An Accident like that of Romelio's stabbing Contarino out of Malice which turned to his preservation is if I mistake not in Skenkius his Observations At least I am sure the like happened to Phaereus Jason as you may see in Q. Val. Maximus lib. 1. cap. 8. The like Story is related in Goulart's Histoires Admirables tome 1. page 178. Dutchess of Malfy a Tragedy presented privately at the Black-fryars and publickly at the Globe by the King's Majesty's Servants and I have seen it since acted at the Duke of York's Theatre 'T was first printed 4o. Lond. 1623. and dedicated to the Right Honourable George Lord Barkeley and since reprinted 4o. Lond. 1678. For the Plot consult Bandello's Novels in French by Belleforest N. 19. Beard 's Theatre of God's Judgments Book 2. Ch. 24. The like Story is related by Goulart in his Histoires admirables de nôtre temps p. 226. White Devil or The Tragedy of Paulo Giordano Ursini Duke of Brachiano with the Life and Death of Vittoria Corombona the Famous Venetian Curtezan acted by the Queen's Majesty's Servants at the Phoenix in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1612. and since acted at the Theatre-Royal and reprinted 1665. Besides these Plays our Author has been assisted by Mr. Rowley in two others which because he had the least part in their Composition I place to our Author viz. Cure for a Cuckold a Comedy several times acted with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 1661. Thracian Wonder a Comical History several times acted with great applause printed quarto Lond. 1661. Mr. Philips has committed a great Mistake in ascribing several Plays to our Author and his Associate Mr. Decker One of which belong to another Writer whose Name is annexed and the rest are Anonymous As for Instance The Noble Stranger was writ by Lewis Sharpe and The New Trick to cheat the Devil Weakest goes to the wall and Woman will have her will to unknown Authors John WATSON Esq An Author who in the Reign of King Charles the Second writ a Play in Heroick Verse call'd Amazon Queen or The Amours of Thalestris to Alexander the Great a Tragi-comedy in Heroick Verse and printed 4o. Lond.
conceited Comedy sundry times acted by the Earl of Worcester's Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1634. The Story of Anselme's saving of Young Arthur's Wife by taking her out of the Grave and carrying her to his Mother's House is the Subject of other Plays and such a Story is related in several Novels see the 9. Nov. of the Pleasant Companion printed octavo Lond. 1684. call'd Love in the Grave But the Novel which I take to be the foundation of this Play is in Cynthio Giraldi Dec. 3. Nov. 5. I. Jacob and Esau an Interlude mentioned in former Catalogues which I never saw tho' 't is easy to guess that 't is founded on Scripture Story see Genesis Ch. 25 26 c. See besides Josephus Lib. 1. Tornelli Annals c. Jack Drum's Entertainment or The Comedy of Pasquil and Katherine sundry times acted by the Children of Paul's and printed 4 o Lond. 1616. Mammon's poysoning Katherine's Face resembles the Usage of Demagoras to Parthenia in Argalus and Parthenia Jack Juggler stiled a Comedy by Old Catalogues of which having never seen it I can give no Account Jack Straw's Life and Death a Notable Rebel in England who was killed in Smith-fields by the Lord Mayor of London printed quarto Lond. 1593. This Play I know not for what reason is divided into but four Acts. For the Plot see the English Chronicles as Pol. Virgil Hollingshead Stow Speed c. in the Reign of King Richard the Second James the Fourth a History mentioned in former Catalogues which I never saw but I suppose the Play is founded on the Story of the King of Scotland of that Name Jeronymo the First part with the Wars of Portugal or The Spanish Tragedy containing the Life and Death of Don Andraea a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1605. Jeronymo is mad again or The Spanish Tragedy containing the Lamentable End of D. Horatio and Bellimperia with the pittiful Death of Jeronymo printed quarto Lond. 1623. This Play has been divers times acted and several Lines have been quoted out of it by several Authors as those may see that will read over Every man in his Humour Bird in a Cage Love will find out the way c. Impatient Poverty stiled a Comedy by some Catalogues This Play I never saw Imperial Tragedy taken out of a Latin Play and very much altered by a Gentleman for his own Diversion who on the importunity of Friends consented to have it published but without his Name Because many says he do censure Plays according to their Opinion of the Author This Play was printed Fol. Lond. 1669. and has been acted if I mistake not at the Nursery in Barbican For the Story see Marcellinus and Cassiodorus in their Chronicles concerning Zenon See besides Zonaras Baronius Godeau c. Interlude of Youth an Old Serious Instructive Piece written in Verse and printed at London in quarto in an Old Character As to the Date hereof or the Title-page I am ignorant mine being lost John the Evangelist a Piece which I never saw Joseph's Afflictions another tho' the Title-page of both shew the Subject Divine Tovial Crew or The Devil turned Ranter an Interlude which I never saw tho' being mentioned in Mr. Kirkman's Catalogue I could not omit it K. King and Queen's Entertainment at Richmond after their Departure from Oxford in a Masque presented by the most Illustrious Prince Prince Charles Sept. 12. 1636. printed 4o. Lond. 1636. and dedicated to the Majesty of the Queen of Great Britain by a Copy of Verses of Ten Lines The Occasion of the Masque was the Queen's Desire to see the Prince not much above six Years of Age dance The Dances were compos'd by Simon Hopper the Musick by Mr. Charles Hopper and the parts of the Captain and Druyd were acted so well by the then Ld. Buckhurst and Mr. Edward Sackvile that it proved that Genuine Action was not so much confined to the Stage but that a Gentleman might reach it if not transcend it Knack how to know an Honest Man a Comedy which I could never meet with Knack how to know a Knave a most pleasant and merry Comedy sundry times play'd by Edw. Allen with Kemp's Applauded Merriments of the Men of Goteham in Receiving the King into Goteham printed quarto Lond. 1594. The Serious part of this Play is the Story of King Edgar Ethenwald and Alfreda See Malmesbury Pol. Virgil Walsingham Grafton Stow c. The Play is printed in Old Black Letter and lays open the Vices of the Age being detected by Honesty Knave in grain new vampt a Comedy acted at the Fortune many Days together with great applause and printed 4o. Lond. 1640. This Play has given Subject to the late Novels as Julio's Cheating his Drunken Guests Act 3 d is repeated by Kirkman in the Third part of the English Rogue Ch. 13. His Cheating the Countryman of the piece of Gold Act 5 th is revived in the Account of the last Frost 1684. in octavo p. 46. Knavery in all Trades or The Coffee-House a Comedy acted in the Christmas Holy-days by several Apprentices with great Applause printed quarto Lond. 1664. I know not with what Applause it might be acted privately but I presume it would not meet with Success on the Stage in Dorset Garden nay nor in the Nursery for I can find no Plot in it L. Lady Alimony or The Alimony-Lady an Excellent pleasant Comedy duly authorised daily acted and frequently followed printed 4o. Lond. 1659. Late Revolution or The Happy Ghange a Tragi-comedy acted throughout the English Dominions in the Year 1688. Written by a Person of Quality and printed Lond. 1690. This Play begins from the Birth of the late Prince of Wales to the Arrival of Our present Majesty at Exeter and concludes the whole Catastrophe of our late Affairs Laws of Nature a Play which I never saw Levellers levelled or The Independents Conspiracy to root out Monarchy an Interlude written by Mercurius Pragmaticus printed quarto 1647. Who this Author is under this Disguise I know not but 't is easy to discover him a Royalist by his Dedication to King Charles the Second and an Enemy to Lilly the Almanack-maker whom he lashes under the Name of Orlotto Liberality and Prodigality a Comedy which I can give no Account Lingua or The Combat of the Tongue and the Five Senses for Superiority a pleasant Comedy printed quarto Lond. Mr. Winstanley says That the late Usurper Oliver acted the part of Tactus in Cambridge which first inspired him with Ambition See his Account of Ant. Brewer to whom through mistake he ascribes this Play London Chanticleers a Witty Comedy full of Various and Delightful Mirth often acted with great applause and printed quarto Lond. 1659. This Play or rather Interlude for 't is not divided into Acts is of the Basse Comedy writ by the French the Scene lying entirely amongst Persons of the lowest Rank Look about you a pleasant Comedy played by the Right Honourable the Lord High Admiral 's
Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1600. For the Historical part see the Chronicles in the Reign of King Henry the Second viz. Pol. Virg. Speed Baker Daniel c. Love in its Extasie or The large Prerogative a kind of Royal-Pastoral written long since by a Gentleman supposed by Mr. Kirkman I know not on what ground to be One Peaps Student at Eaton and printed quarto Lond. 1649. The Author was not seventeen Years of Age when this was writ on which Account I think the Play may pass Muster with others of those Times Lost Lady a Tragi-comedy which I never read or saw but once and which I remember was printed in Folio Love a-la-mode a Comedy acted with great applause at Middlesex House written by a Person of Honour and printed 4o. Lond. 1663. This Play is justified by the Author in his Preface and ushered into the World by three Copies of Verses nor is the Play altogether undeserving Commendation Luminalia or The Festival of Light personated in a Masque at Court by the Queen's Majesty and Her Ladies on Shrove-Tuesday Night 1637. and printed 4o. Lond. 1637. The Famous Mr. Inigo Jones Surveyor of Her Majesty's Works had a Hand in the Contrivance of this Masque by Her Majesty's Command The Invention consisting of Darkness and Light the Night presented the first Antimasque and the Subject of the Main-masque is Light But for the clearer Information of the Reader I refer him to the Masque it self M. Manhood and Wisdom a Play mentioned by other Authors of which I can give no Account never having seen it Marcus Tullius Cicero that Famous Roman Orator his Tragedy printed quarto Lond. 1651. I know not whether even this Play was acted but it seems to me to be written in Imitation of Ben. Johnson's Cataline For the Plot see Plutarch in his Life See likewise his own Works Hist. Ciceroniana Lambin as also Dion Appian c. Marriage of Wit and Science an Interlude which I never saw Masque of Flowers presented by the Gentlemen of Grays-Inn at the Court at Whitehall in the Banquetting-house upon Twelfth-Night 1631. Being the last of the Solemnities and Magnificences which were performed at the Marriage of the Right Honourable the Earl of Sommerset and the Lady Frances Daughter of the Earl of Suffolk Lord Chamberlain printed 4o. Lond. 1614. This Masque is dedicated to Sir Francis Bacon Attorney General to King James the First Massenello but rightly Tomaso Amello di Malfa General of the Neopolitans his Tragedy or The Rebellion of Naples printed in octavo Lond. 1631. This Play was written by a Gentleman who was an Eye-witness where this was really acted upon that Bloody Stage the Streets of Naples An. D. 1647. 'T is dedicated to Iohn Caesar of Hyde-Hall in the County of Hertford Esquire by his Kinsman T. B. the Publisher For the Plot or rather the History read Alexander Giraffi's History of Naples translated by J. Howell See besides Du Verdier Histoire Universelle c. Mercurius Britannicus or The English Intelligencer a Tragi-comedy acted at Paris with great applause printed 1641. The Subject of this Play is about the Business of Ship-money the Judges being arraign'd under feigned Names as for Example Justice Hutton is called Hortensius and Justice Cook Corvus Acilius Prin is also introduced under the Name of Prinner There are but Four Acts and of the Fifth the Epilogue gives the following Account It is determined by the AEdils the Mistress of publick Plays that the next Day by Jove's Permission the Fifth Act shall be acted upon Tyber I should say Tyburne by a New Society of Abalamites Vive le Roy. Merry Devil of Edmonton a Comedy acted sundry times by his Majesty's Servants at the Globe on the Bank-side and printed 4o. Lond. 1655. This Play is said by Kirkman to be writ by Shakespear tho' finding no Name to it I have plac'd it amongst those that are Anonymous This Play is founded on the History of One Peter Fabel of whom see Fuller's Worthies in Middlesex p. 186. See other Chronicles in the Reign of Henry the Sixth Morning Ramble or The Town Humours a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1673. This Play is said to be written by One Mr. Pane and may be accounted a good Comedy Mucedorus the King's Son of Valencia and Amadine the King's Daughter of Arragon with the Merry Conceits of Mouse a Comedy acted by his Highness's Servants at the Globe and before the King's Majesty at Whitehall on Shrove-Tuesday Night printed 4o. 1668. This Play is said by former Catalogues to have been writ by Shakespear and was I presume printed before this Edition It has been frequently the Diversion of Country-people in Christmas Time Muse of New-market containing Three Drolls viz. Merry Milk-maids of Islington or The Rambling Gallants defeated Love lost in the Dark or The Drunken Couple Politick Whore or The Conceited Cuckold acted at New-market and printed quarto Lond. 1681. All these Three Drolls are stollen as I remember from Plays but not having them by me I cannot tell the particulars Mistaken Beauty or The Lyar a Comedy acted by their Majesties Servants at the Theatre-Royal printed quarto Lond. 1685. This Comedy is translated from a Play of P. Corneilles call'd Le Menteur N. Nero's Tragedy printed Lond. in quarto This Play was in former Catalogues call'd Nero newly written because 't was writ after that of Claudius Tiberius Nero which through Kirkman's want of Knowledge in History he call'd Nero's Life and Death which led me into the same Mistake till I came to read both Plays I know not when either of them were printed or when printed the Title-pages of both my Plays being wanting For the History of Domitius Nero consult Suetonius in Vit. Neronis Aurelius Victor Tacitus Sulpitius Severus Augustinus de Civit. Dei Eusebius c. New Custom an Interlude no less witty if we believe the Title-page than pleasant printed in a Black Letter quarto Lond. 1573. This Play is so contriv'd that Four Persons may act it and the Design of it is against Propery and to justify Reformation which then flourished in Queen Elizabeth's Reign This Play consists of 3. Acts but is written in Verse throughout so that had Mr. Dryden ever seen this Play he might better have quoted it than Gondibert which besides being writ seventeen Years before this is not in Rime to prove the Antiquity of Verse New-market Fair a Tragi-comedy in Two parts the First of which I never saw but the Second part I have by me and the Title of it is New-market Fair or Mistress Parliaments New Figaries written by the Man in the Moon and printed at You may go look in quarto 1649. The Design of it is to expose the Rebels then in power Nice Wanton a Comedy which I never saw No Body and Some Body with the true Chronicle History of Elydure who was fortunately three several times crown'd King of England acted by the Queen's Majesties
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
no disparagement to submit his Writings to his Correction What a great Veneration Ben. had for him is evident by those Verses he writ to him when living Mr. Fletcher's Wit was equal to Mr. Beaumont's Judgment and was so luxuriant that like superfluous Branches it was frequently prun'd by his Judicious Partner These Poets perfectly understood Breeding and therefore successfully copy'd the Conversation of Gentlemen They knew how to describe the Manners of the Age and Fletcher had a peculiar tallent in expressing all his thoughts with Life and Briskness No Man ever understood or drew the Passions more lively than he and his witty Raillery was so drest that it rather pleas'd than disgusted the modest part of his Audience In a word Fletcher's Fancy and Beaumont's Judgment combin'd produc'd such Plays as will remain Monuments of their Wit to all Posterity Nay Mr. Fletcher himself after Mr. Beaumont's Decease compos'd several Dramatick Pieces which were well worthy the Pen of so great a Master Of this the following Lines writ by that Excellent Poet Mr. Carthwright are a proof Tho' when All Fletcher writ and the entire Man was indulg'd unto that sacred fire His thoughts his thoughts dress appear'd both such That 't was his happy fault to do too much Who therefore wisely did submit each Birth To knowing Beaumont e're it did come forth Working again until he said 't was fit And made him the sobriety of his Wit Tho' thus he call'd his Judge into his Fame And for that aid allow'd him half the Name 'T is known that sometimes he did stand alone That both the spunge and pencil were his own That himself judg'd himself could singly do And was at last Beaumont and Fletcher too Else we had lost his Shepherdess a piece Even and smooth sprung from a finer fleece Where Softness reigns where passions passions greet Gentle high as floods of Balsam meet Where drest in white Expressions sit bright Loves Drawn like their fairest Queen by milky Doves A Piece which Johnson in a Rapture bid Come up a glorify'd Work and so it did They who would read more of these admirable Poets worth may peruse at their leisure those excellent Copys of Verses printed with their Works written by the prime Wits of the Age as Waller Denham Sir John Berkenhead Dr. Main c. I am extreamly sorry that I am not able to give any Account of the Affairs of these Great Men Mr. Beaumont's Parentage Birth County Education and Death being wholly unknown to me And as to Mr. Fletcher all I know of him is That he was Son to the Eminent Richard Fletcher created Bishop of Bristol by Queen Elizabeth An. 1559. and by her preferr'd to London 1593. He died in London of the Plague in the First Year of King Charles the Martyr 1625. being Nine and fourty Years of Age and was bury'd in St. Mary Overies Church in Southwarke I beg my Reader 's Leave to insert the Inscription which I find writ under his Picture by that well known Wit Sir John Berkenhead which will give the Reader a fuller Knowledge of his Abilities and Merit than I am able to express Felicis aevi ac Praesulis Natus comes Beaumontio sic quippe Parnassus Biceps FLETCHERVS unam in Pyramida furcas agens Struxit chorum plùs simplicem Vates Duplex Plus Duplicem solus nec ullum transtulit Nec transferrendus Dramatum aeterni sales Anglo Theatro Orbi Sibi superstitites FLETCHERE facies absque vultu pingitur Quantus vel umbram circuit nemo tuam Where or when Mr. Beaumont died I know not but I have met with an Epitaph writ by Dr. Corbet immediately after his Death that well deserves the Reader 's perusal On Mr. Francis Beaumont Then newly dead He that hath such Acuteness and such Wit As would ask Ten good Heads to husband it He that can write so well that no man dare Refuse it for the best let him beware BEAUMONT is dead by whose sole Death appears Wit 's a Disease consumes men in few years There are two and fifty Plays written by these worthy Authors all which are now extant in one Volume printed fol. Lond. 1679. each of which I shall mention Alphabetically Beggers Bush a Comedy This Play I have seen several times acted with applause Bonduca a Tragedy The plot of this Play is borrow'd from Tacitus's Annals Lib. 14. See Milton's History of England Book 2. Ubaldino de Vita delle Donne Illustri del Regno d' Inghelterra Scotia pag. 7 c. Bloody Brother or Rollo Duke of Normandy a Tragedy much in request and notwithstanding Mr. Rymer's Criticisms on it has still the good fortune to Please it being frequently acted by the present Company of Actors at the Queen's Play-House in Dorset-Garden The Design of this Play is History See Herodian lib. 4. Xiphilini Epit. Dion in Vit. Ant. Caracallae Part of the Language is copy'd from Seneca's Thebais Captain a Comedy Chances a Comedy reviv'd by the late Duke of Buckingham and very much improv'd being acted with extraordinary applause at the Theatre in Dorset-Garden and printed with the Alterations Lond. 4 o 1682. This Play is built on a Novel written by the Famous Spaniard Miguel de Cervantes call'd The Lady Cornelia which the Reader may read at large in a Fol. Vol. call'd Six Exemplary Novels Coronation a Tragi-comedy Coxcomb a Comedy which was reviv'd at the Theatre-Royal the Prologue being spoken by Jo. Hains Cupid's Revenge a Tragedy Custome of the Country a Tragi-comedy This is accounted an excellent Play the Plot of Rutilio Duarte and Guyomar is founded on one of Malespini's Novels Deca 6. Nov. 6. Double Marriage a Tragedy which has been reviv'd some years ago as I learn from a new Prologue printed in Covent-Garden Drollexy p. 14. Elder Brother a Comedy which has been acted with good applause Faithful Shepherdess a Pastoral writ by Mr. Fletcher and commended by two Copies written by the Judicious Beaumont and the Learned Johnson which the Reader may read at the end of the Play See the last Edit Fol. p. 233. When this Pastoral was first acted before their Majesties at Sommerset House on Twelfth-Night 1633. instead of a Prologue there was a Song in Dialogue sung between a Priest and a Nymph which was writ by Sir William D'Avenant and an Epilogue was spoken by the Lady Mary Mordant which the Reader may read in Covent-Garden Drollery pag. 86. Fair Maid of the Inn a Tragi-comedy Mariana's disowning Caesario for her Son and the Duke's Injunction to marry him is related by Causin in his Holy Court and is transcrib'd by Wanley in his History of Man Fol. Book 3. Chap. 26. False One a Tragedy This Play is founded on the Adventures of Julius Caesar in AEgypt and his Amours with Cleopatra See Suetonius Plutarch Dion Appian Florus Eutropius Orosius c. Four Plays or Moral Representations in One viz. The Triumph of Honour The Triumph of Love The
Triumph of Death The Triumph of Time I know not whether ever these Representations appear'd on the Stage or no. The Triumph of Honour is founded on Boccace his Novels Day 10. Nov. 5. The Triumph of Love on the same Author Day 5. Nov. 8. The Triumph of Death on a Novel in The Fortunate Deceiv'd and Unfortunate Lovers part 3. Nov. 3. See besides Palace of Pleasure Nov. 4o. Belle-forest c. The Triumph of Time as far as falls within my discovery is wholly the Authors Invention Honest Man's Fortune a Tragi-Comedy As to the plot of Montaign's being prefer'd by Lamira to be her Husband when he was in Adversity and least expected the like Story is related by Heywood in his History of Women Book 9. pag. 641. Humourous Lieutenant a Tragi-Comedy which I have often seen acted with Applause The Character of the Humourous Lieutenant refusing to fight after he was cured of his Wounds resembles the Story of the Souldier belonging to Lucullus describ'd in the Epistles of Horace lib. 2. Ep. 2. but the very Story is related in Ford's Apothegms p. 30. How near the Poet keeps to the Historian I must leave to those that will compare the Play with the Writers of the Lives of Antigonus and Demetrius the Father and the Son See Plutarch's Life of Demetrius Diodorus Justin Appian c. Island Princess a Tragi-Comedy This Play about three Years ago was reviv'd with Alterations by Mr. Tate being acted at the Theatre Royal printed in quarto Lond. 1687. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Lord Walgrave King and No King a Tragi-Comedy which notwithstanding its Errors discover'd by Mr. Rymer in his Criticisms has always been acted with Applause and has lately been reviv'd on our present Theatre with so great success that we may justly say with Horace Haec placuit semel haec decies repetita placebit Knight of the burning Pestle a Comedy This Play was in vogue some years since it being reviv'd by the King's House and a new Prologue instead of the old One in prose being spoken by Mrs. Ellen Guin The bringing the Citizen and his Wife upon the Stage was possibly in imitation of Ben Johnson's Staple of News who has introduc'd on the Stage Four Gossips Lady-like attir'd who remain during the whole Action and criticise upon each Scene Knight of Malta a Tragi-Comedy Laws of Candy a Tragi-Comedy Little French Lawyer a Comedy The Plot is borrow'd from Gusman or The Spanish Roque part 2. ch 4. The Story of Dinant Clerimont and Lamira being borrow'd from Don Lewis de Castro and Don Roderigo de Montalva The like Story is in other Novels as in Scarron's Novel called The Fruitless Precaution and in The Complaisant Companion 8 o p. 263. which is copied from the above-mentioned Original Love's Cure or The Martial Maid a Comedy Love's Pilgrimage a Comedy This I take to be an admirable Comedy The Foundation of it is built on a Novel of Miguel de Cervantes called The Two Damsels The Scene in the first Act between Diego the Host of Ossuna and Lazaro his Ostler is stoln from Ben Johnson's New Inn which I may rather term borrow'd for that Play miscarrying in the Action I suppose they made use of it with Ben's Consent Lovers Progress a Tragi-Comedy This Play is built on a French Romance written by M. Daudiguier call'd Lisander and Calista Loyal Subject a Tragi-Comedy Mad Lover a Tragi-Comedy The Design of Cleanthe's Suborning the Priestess to give a false Oracle in favour of her Brother Syphax is borrow'd from the Story of Mundus and Paulina describe'd at large by Josephus Lib. 18. Cap. 4. This Play Sr. Aston Cockain has chiefly commended in his Copy of Verses on Mr. Fletcher's Plays See the Verses before the old Edition printed 1647. and Cockain's Poems pag. 101. Maid in the Mill a Comedy This Play amongst othershas likewise been reviv'd by the Duke's House The Plot of Antonio Ismenia and Aminta is borrowed from Gerardo a Romance translated from the Spanish of Don Gonzalo de Cespides and Moneces see the Story of Don Jayme pag. 350. As to the Plot of Otrante's seizing Florimel the Millers supposed Daughter and attempting her Chastity t is borrow'd from an Italian Novel writ by Bandello a Translation of which into French the Reader may find in Les Histoires Tragiques par M. Belleforest Tom. 1. Hist. 12. The same Story is related by M. Goulart see Les Histoires admirables de nôtre temps 8o. Tom. 1. p. 212. Maids Tragedy a Play which has always been acted with great Applause at the King's Theatre and which had still continu'd on the English Stage had not King Charles the Second for some particular Reasons forbid its further Appearance during his Reign It has since been reviv'd by Mr. Waller the last Act having been wholly alter'd to please the Court as the Author of the Preface to the second part of his Poems informs us and give us further the following Account T is not to be doubted who sat for the Two Brothers Characters 'T was agreeable to the Sweetness of Mr. Waller's Temper to soften the Rigor of the Tragedy as he expresses it but whether it be agreeable to the Nature of Tragedy it self to make every thing come off easily I leave to the Criticks This last Act is publisht in the Second Part of Mr. Waller's Poems printed in quarto Lond. 1690. Masque of Grays-Inn Gentlemen and the Inner-Temple This Masque was written by Mr. Beaumont alone and presented before the King and Queen in the Banqueting-house of Whitehall at the Marriage of the Illustrious Frederick and Elizabeth Prince and Princess Palatine of the Rhine Monsieur Thomas a Comedy which not long since appear'd on the present Stage under the Name of Trick for Trick Nice Valour or The Passionate Mad-man a Comedy Night Walker or The Little Thief a Comedy which I have seen acted by the King's Servants with great Applause both in the City and Country Noble Gentleman a Comedy which was lately reviv'd by Mr. Durfey under the Title of The Fools Preferment or The Three Dukes of Dunstable Philaster or Love lies a Bleeding a Tragi-Comedy which has always been acted with Success and has been the diversion of the Stage even in these days This was the first Play that brought these Excellent Authors in Esteem and this Play was One of those that were represented at the old Theatre in Lincolns-Inn-Fields when the Women acted alone The Prologue and Epilogue were spoken by Mrs. Marshal and printed in Covent-garden Drollery pag. 18. About this Time there was a Prologue written on purpose for the Women by Mr. Dryden and is printed in his Miscellany Poems in octavo p. 285. Pilgrim a Comedy which was reviv'd some years since and a Prologue spoke which the Reader may find in Covent-garden Dollery p. 12. Prophetess a Tragical History which has lately been reviv'd by Mr. Dryden under the Title of The Prophetess or The History of Dioclesian with