Author has made English by a nearer adherence to the Original than to the French Translation For the Plot 't is founded on Ovid's Metamorphosis lib. 11. See besides Catulli Aurgonautica sive Epithalamium 'T is not to be expected that I should spare room to give an Account of our Authors Works in particular they being so numerous I shall therefore only mention some of the most Emiment and refer the Reader for further Satisfaction to the perusal of a Catalogue of them published with a former Edition of his Letters printed 8o. Lond. 1655. His chief Pieces are Dodona's Grove a Book much priz'd and translated into French 1652. His Letters which were formerly in four distinct Volumes and are reduc'd into one amongst which are several to Ben. Johnson which speak their Intimacy Besides these he has writ a Book of the Precedency of Kings printed Fol. Lond. 1664. Survey of the Seniorie of Venice Fol. Lond. 1652. Life of Lewis the Thirteenth and Cardinal Richelieu Fol. Lond. 1646. Morphandra or The Queen of the Enchanted Island a Poem in Fol. The Vote a Poem Royal in 4 o c. He died about the beginning of November 1666. and was buried on the North-side of the Temple-Church with this Inscription fix'd upon the Wall Jacobus Howell Cambro-Britannus Regius Historiographus in Anglia primus qui post varias peregrinationes tandem naturae cursum peregit Satur Annorum Famae domae forisque huc usque erraticus heic fixus 1666. I. Thomas JEVORN A Person lately dead and one sufficiently known to all that frequent the Theatre both for his Excellency in Dancing and Action He has writ a Play or rather a Farce call'd The Devil of a Wife or A Comical Transformation acted by their Majesties Servants at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset-Garden printed 4o. Lond. 1686. and dedicated to his Friends that frequent Locket's Ordinary This Farce is founded on a Tale as well known as that of Mopsa in Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia tho' I think if compar'd with our French Farces so frequent on our English Stage it may deserve the Preheminence Thoms INGELAND A Student in Cambridge in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth The Author of a Play which he stiles A Pretty and Merry Interlude call'd The Disobedient Child 'T is writ in old Verse of Ten Syllables and printed 4o. in an old Black Letter without any Date by Thomas Colwell in Fleet-street John JONES An Author who liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and writ a Play nam'd Adrasta or The Womans Spleen and Loves Conquest a Tragi-comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1635. and dedicated to Eugenius by which Name he desires to comprehend all his Friends subscribing himself Musophilus This Play the Actors refus'd and I think with Justice it being very indifferently written The Intrigue between Damasippus Frail-ware and their Wives in the third Act is borrow'd from Boccace's Novels Day 8. Nov. 8 However the Author was of Opinion it deserved to appear in publick and therefore prefix'd the following Saying of Horace in his Title-page volet haec sub luce videri Judicis argutum quae non formidat acumen Benjamin JOHNSON I have already drawn some strokes of this Great Man's Character in my Defence of him against the Attempts of Mr. Dryden and therefore shall less need to make a curious and exact Description of all his Excellencies which otherwise are very Great Noble and Various and have been remark'd in parcells by several Hands but exceed my small Capacity to collect them into one full View I shall therefore rather let them lye dispers'd as Scaliger did Virgil's Praises thro' his whole Book of Poetry contenting my self at present with giving the Reader an Account of the private Occurrencies of his Life To begin then with his Nativity He was born in the City of Westminster and tho' he sprang from mean Parents yet his Admirable Parts have made him more Famous than those of a more Conspicuous Extraction Nor do I think it any Diminution to him that he was Son-in-law to a Bricklayer and work'd at that Trade since if we take a Survey of the Records of Antiquity we shall find the Greatest Poets of the meanest Birth and most lyable to the Inconveniencies of Life Witness Homer who begg'd from door to door Euripides traded in Herbs with his Mother Plautus was forc'd to serve a Baker Naevius was a Captain's Man Terence was a Slave to the Generous Lucan Virgil was the Son of a Basket-maker and yet these thought the Obscurity of their Extraction no Diminution to their Worth nor will any Man of Sence reflect on Ben. Johnson on this Account if he seriously call to Mind that saying of Juvenal Nobilitas sola est atque unica Virtus He was Bred first at a Private-School in St. Martin's Church then plac'd at Westminster under the Famous Mr. Cambden to whom in Gratitude he dedicated his Fourteenth Epigram afterwards he was sent to Saint John's Colledge in Cambridge from thence he remov'd to Oxford and was enter'd of Christ-Church Colledge where in the Year 1619. as Mr. Wood says he took his Master of Arts Degree tho' Dr. Fuller says He continu'd there but few Weeks for want of Maintenance being fain to return to the Trade of his Father-in-law where he assisted in the New Building of Lincolns Inn with a Trowel in his Hand and a Book in his Pocket But this English Maro was not long before he found a Maecenas and a Varus to manumit him from an Employment so painful and furnisht him with means to enjoy his Muse at liberty in private 'T was then that he writ his Excellent Plays and grew into Reputation with the most Eminent of our Nobility and Gentry 'T was then that Carthwright Randolph and others of both Universities sought his Adoption and gloried more in his Friendship and the Title of his Sons than in their own Well-deserv'd Characters Neither did he less love or was less belov'd by the Famous Poets of his Time Shakspear Beaumont and Fletcher witness his Copy which he writ on Shakspear after his Death and his Verses to Fletcher when living He was a Man of a very free Temper and withal blunt and somewhat haughty to those that were either Rivals in Fame or Enemies to his Writings witness his Poetaster wherein he falls upon Decker and his answer to Dr. Gill who writ against his Magnetick Lady otherwise of a good Sociable Humour when amongst his Sons and Friends in the Apollo from whose Laws the Reader may possibly better judge of his Temper a Copy of which I have transcrib'd for the Learn'd Readers perusal Leges Convivales quod foelix faustumque Convivis in Apolline sit Nemo asymbolus nisi umbra huc venito Idiota insultus tristis turpis abesto Eruditi Urbani Hilares Modesti adsciscuntur Nec lectae Foeminae repudiantur In apparatu quod convivis corruget nares nil esto Epulae delectu potius quam sumptu
nobiles Eum adjutare assiduéque unà scribere Quod illi maledictum vehemens esse existimant Eam laudē hic ducit maxumā cùm illis placet Qui vobis universis populo placent Quorum operâ in bello in otio in negotio Suo quisque tempore usus est sine superbia The Plots of these Comedies he borrow'd from the Greeks the Four first from the Comedies of Menander and the Two last from Apollodorus He was beholding to Menander likewise for some other Comedies which in his Return from Greece by Sea were lost with himself in the Year of Rome 595 and the second year of the 155 th Olympiad Some say that he Died in Arcadia but the former Account is confirm'd by Volcatius in the following Verses Sed ut Afer sex populo edidit Comoedias Iter hinc in Asiam fecit navim cum semel ' Conscendit visus nunquam est sic vita vacat Consult further Crinitus de Poetis Latinis Scaliger in Poetic Lilius Gyraldus Hist. Poet. Vossius de Poetis Latinis c. Mrs. Frances BOOTHBY The Authress of a Play called Marcelia or The Treacherous Friend a Tragi-Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by His Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1670. and dedicated to the Honourable and most Accomplisht Lady Yate of Harvington in Worcester-shire to whom she was related Roger BOYLE Earl of Orrery An Irish Nobleman whose Abilities in Arts and Arms have render'd him better known to this Nation than any Character I can give him so that I may justly say of him with Madam Phillips Of him I cannot which is hardest tell Or not to praise him or to praise him well However I must observe that he is not only a Poet himself but a Patron of Poets likewise as Mr. Dryden and Mr. Crown must acknowledge so that methinks his Lordship's Reputation joyn'd with the Earl of Roscomon's might be sufficient to attone for their Country's Character in point of Wit He has publisht Four Plays in Heroick Verse wherein not only the true English Courage is delineated to the Life but likewise the very Infidels and Barbarians are taught by his Pen not only Humanity but the Highest Morality and Virtue But his Wit is as far above my Abilities to describe as to imitate and therefore I shall hasten to give an Account of his Plays viz. Black Prince a Tragedy acted at the Theatre Royal printed at Lond. folio 1672. Tho' this Play in the Title-page be call'd a Tragedy yet it ends successfully and therefore I presume was rather stiled so by the Author from the Quality and Grandeur of the Persons in the Dramma than from any unfortunate Catastrophe For the foundation of this Play as far as it concerns History consult Walsinghami Historia Angliae Florentii Monarch Wigorniensis Chronicon Pol Vergilii Historiae Angliae Froissard Croniques de France d'Angleterre Du Chesne Speed and other English Historians in in Reign of Edward the Third Tryphon a Tragedy acted by his Royal Highness the Duke of York's Servants and printed in folio Lond. 1672. Of this Usurper you have an account in Maccabees lib. 1. See besides Josephus lib. 13. Appian de Bellis Syriacis c. These two Plays are printed together Henry the Fifth a History acted at his Highness the Duke of York's Theatre printed in folio Lond. 1677. For the Plot see the Chronicles of England in the Reign of that King such as Walsingham Polydore Vergil Hollingshead Speed c. and the French Chronicles in the Reign of King Charles the Sixth as Les Chroniques d'Enguerrand de Monstrelet Jean Juvenal des Ursins L'Histoire de Charles VI. F. de Belleforest L'Histoire de neuf Roys Charles de France Mezeray c. Mustapha Son of Solyman the Magnificent a Tragedy acted at the Dukes Theatre printed in folio Lond. 1677. See Paulus Jovius lib. 40. Thuanus lib. 12. Tho. Artus la Continuation de l'Histoire des Turcs Knolles's Turkish History Besides these Plays there is a Comedy lately publisht tho' writ as I suppose some years ago under the Title of Mr. Anthony a Comedy acted by Their Majesties Servants and printed in quarto Lond. 1690. This Play I believe was acted formerly at the Dukes Theatre in Lincolns-Inn-Fields because I find Mr. Angel and Mrs. Long amongst the Actors Names who if I mistake not have been dead some years The Prologue to this Play is the same with that of The Fool turn'd Critick but whether it be borrow'd or genuine I know not Besides these Plays our Author has writ a Romance called Parthenissa which yields not either in Beauty Language or Design to the Works of the famous Scudery or Calpranede however Eminent they may be amongst the French for Pieces of this Nature and what Mr. Davis of Kidwelly says of Scarron's Comical Romance may with more Justice be applied to our Illustrious Author and this Work 'T is a thousand pities That the Author prevented by death hath left the Work imperfect so that we are and ever shall beat a loss to know what period he might bring so many noble Adventures to He his written a Treatise in Folio call'd The Art of War I have been told it has been commended by many expert Captains for the best Piece extant in English but this I must leave to the judgment of others more experienced in the Art Military I know not where or when our Noble Author Died but those who would view his Character more at large must read Sr. William Davenant's Poem to his Lordship which will make them regret the Loss of so great a Man Samuel BRANDON This Author liv'd in the later part of Queen Elizabeths Reign and publisht a Play called The Tragi-Comedy of the Virtuous Octavia never acted but printed 120. Lond. 1598. and dedicated by a Copy of Verses to the Right Honourable and truly Virtuous Lady the Lady Lucia Audelay accompanied with two other Copies in commendation of the Play It is writ in alternate Verse with a Chorus at the end of each Act. For the Ground of this Play read Suetonius's Life of Augustus Plutarch's Life of M. Anthony Dion Cassius c. At the End of this Play are printed two Epistles between Octavia and her Husband M. Anthony in imitation of Ovid's Stile but writ in long Alexandrins They are dedicated to the Honourable Virtuous and Excellent Mrs. Mary Thin The Author had that good Opinion of his Play that besides his Prosopopeia al Libro at the beginning of his Book he has concluded with this Italian Sentence L'aqua non temo de l' eterno oblio Anthony BREWER A Writer in the Reign of King Charles the First to whom is ascrib'd by Mr. Kirkman two Plays viz. The Country Girl and The Love-sick King tho' I question whether the former belong to him it being ascrib'd to T. B. in the Title-page However I am sure Mr. Winstanley is much mistaken in the Account that he gives of our Author
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
Dutchess of Malsy which is excusable only on the account of the Author's Youth he being but 17 Years of age when he compos'd that Romance which was the reason that it was so highly commended by twelve Copies of Verses writ by his Friends and printed with his Book Mirza a Tragedy really acted in Persia in the last Age Illustrated with Historical Annotations printed octavo Lond. and dedicated to his Majesty by a Copy of Verses This Play is much beyond either of the former and has the repute of a good Play It is commended by five Copies of Verses written by the Author's Cambridge-Friends On this very Subject the famous Denham had before writ a Play called The Sophy Tho' our Author had finished three compleat Acts of this Tragedy before he saw that nor was he then discouraged seeing the most Ingenious Author of that has made his seem quite another Story from this Mr. Baron has follow'd not only the Honourable Sr. Thomas Herbert's printed Account in his Travels but likewise made use of a Manuscript Letter which Sr. Dodmore Cotton Embassador to Abbas King of Persia from King Charles the First in the Year 1626. sent to a Friend of his in Cambridge according to which Letter he prosecuted the Story throughout The Author seems to have propos'd for his pattern the famous Catiline writ by Ben Johnson and has in several places not only hit the model of his Scenes but even imitated the Language tolerably for a young Writer Whoever pleases to compare the Ghost of Emir-hamze-mirza with that of Scilla may easily see his Imitation but that being too long to transcribe I shall set down the first words of Catiline in that admirable Play and afterwards those of Abbas and then submit my opinion to my Reader 's judgment Catiline Act first It is decreed Nor shall thy fate O Rome Resist my Vow Though hills were set on hills And seas met seas to guard thee I would thro' I 'll plough up Rocks steep as the Alpes in dust And lave the Tyrhene waters into clouds But I would reach thy head thy head proud City Mirza Act first The vow is made nor shall thy flattering Fate O Mirza contradict it though thy Troops Stood like a wall about thee nay tho' Jove Press all the gods to guard thee and should arm Them every one with thunder I would through I 'll tear the groundsells of thy Towers up And make their nodding Spires kiss the centre But I will reach thy heart thy heart proud Victor This is the first Author taken notice of either by Mr. Phillips in his Theatrum Poetarum or his Transcriber Mr. Winstanley in his Lives of the English Poets and though neither of them give any other Account of our Author but what they collected from my former Catalogue printed 1680. yet through a mistake in the method of that Catalogue they have ascrib'd many Anonymous Plays to the foregoing Writers which belonged not to them and thus have committed mistakes in almost all the Dramatick Writers they have handled To give an Instance in this Author they both ascribe to him Don Quixote or The Knight of the ill-favoured Countenance a Comedy I know not whence they had their Intelligence but I never heard or read any such Play nor do I believe there is any other Book which bears that title except the fam'd Romance written by the admirable Pen of that famous Spanish Author Miguel de Cervantes They have likewise ascribed several other Dramatick Pieces to this Author which I dare be confident are not of his Writing as Dick Scorner Destruction of Jerusalem Marriage of Wit and Science Masques and Interludes and have omitted two other Pieces written by him viz. Poems octavo and a Book intituled An Apology for Paris Neither do I believe Mr. Phillips's Account that any of his Pieces appear'd on the Stage I shall conclude all with the following Anagram written by his Friend Mr. John Quarles sometimes of St. Peter's College in Cambridge Anagram ROBERTUS BARONUS Anagram RARUS AB ORBE NOTUS Rarus haud cuiquam peperit Natura secundum Notus es scriptis Baron ab orbe tuis Lodowick BARREY An Author that liv'd in the middle of the Reign of King James the First who writ a Play call'd Ram-Alley or Merry Tricks a Comedy divers times heretofore Acted by the Children of the Kings Revels and printed in quarto Lond. 1611. The Plot of Will Smallshank's decoying the Widow Taffeta into Marriage is borrow'd as I suppose from the same Author from whence Kirkman took the Story which is to be found in the English Rogue Part the IV Chap. 19. and is an Incident in other Plays besides this particularly in Killegrew's Parjon's Wedding Francis BEAUMONT See Fletcher Captain William BEDLOE A Person so remarkable in this Nation not many years since on the Account of the Popish Plot that few are ignorant of his part of the discovery I shall not pretend here to give you an account of his Life but refer you to that which was written by an Unknown Hand intituled The Life and Death of Captain William Bedloe printed in octavo Lond. 1681. The Reason why we mention him in our Catalogue is on account of a Play writ by him called The Excommunicated Prince or The false Relick a Tragedy Acted by his Holiness's Servants being The Popish Plot in a Play printed in folio Lond. 1679. Dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Buckingham I must confess I was very desirous to read this Piece for the sake of the Title-page and came to it with great expectations but found them altogether frustrated and only a Story which I had formerly read in Dr. Heylin's Geography described in it But afterwards when his Life came out I was satisfied with the Account the Publisher gave of it which for the Readers Information and the Justification of the Deceased I shall quote word for word In the next place I desire leave to speak something of his Dramatick Poem call'd The Excommunicated Prince or The False Relick As to the worth of the Play I do own my self so unskilful in Poetry that I will not rashly pretend to give my opinion of it But that which I know let me assert in its vindication viz. That it was both began and finisht in the space of two Months which every one must needs acknowledge was but a very short time considering the great business that then more earnestly imploy'd his thoughts which must necessarily be a weighty clog to the ablest Muse. Whereas some of the chiefest Poets of this Age have thought it no disparagement to confess that a correct Play to be perfected will require at least twelve Months time And I remember in some Prologue I think in that to the Virtuoso I have read this Distick to the same purpose A Play like Ground must a Year Fallow lye E're it can ripen to good Comedy This consider'd and it being the first Essay he
Beckington near Phillips-Norton in Somerset-shire where he Died in October 1619. being about Four-score years of Age and was Buried in the same Parish-Church where a Monument was erected at the sole Bounty of the Lady Ann Clifford Heiress of George Earl of Cumberland and afterwards Countess of Pembroke Dorset and Montgomery whose Tutor he was Having given this Account of his Life I am now to speak somewhat of his Writings and it being at present my Subject I shall speak first of his Dramatick Pieces which consist of Two Pastorals Two Tragedies and a Masque viz. Cleopatra a Tragedy printed in quarto Lond. 1623. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Mary Countess of Pembroke by a Copy of Verses written in Stanzas of Eight Lines which the Italians from whence we took the Measure call Ottava Rima This Play was first printed in octavo Lond. 1611. but this later Copy infinitly differs from the former and far exceeds it the Language being not only corrected but it having another advantage in the Opinion of a Modern Poet since that which is only dully recited in the first Edition is in the last represented for the Foundation of the Story consult Plutarch in the Lives of Pompey and Anthony Florus lib. 4. c. 11. Appian de Bellis Civilibus Lib. 5. and a new Book translated out of French by Mr. Otway in octavo Lond. 1686. call'd The History of the Three Triumvirates where the Story is related at large Hymen's Triumph a Pastoral Tragi-Comedy Presented at the Queens Court in the Strand at her Majesties Magnificent Entertainment of the Kings most Excellent Majesty being at the Nuptials of the Lord Roxborough printed in quarto Lond. 1623. and dedicated by a Copy of Verses to the most Excellent Majesty of the Highest born Princess Ann of Denmark Queen of England c. This Play is not printed in the Octavo Edition 'T is introduc'd by a pretty contriv'd Prologue Hymen being oppos'd by Avarice Envy and Jealousy the Disturbers of quiet Marriage Philotas his Tragedy printed in quarto Lond. 1623. and dedicated to the Prince afterwards King Charles the First Both this Play and Cleopatra were much esteem'd in their time they are both written with the Chorus between each Act according to the manner of the Ancients This Play indeed found some Enemies not on the score of the Wit or Conduct of the Design but because it was reported that under the Character of Philotas that Great but Unfortunate Favourite of Queen Elizabeth Robert d'Eureux Earl of Essex was portrayed but the Author in his Apology at the End of the Play has sufficiently clear'd himself from that imputation This was the first Play that our Author writ as for the Plot it is founded on History See Q. Curtius lib. 6. c. 7. Justin lib. 12. c. 5. Plut. in Vit. Alex. Arrian c. Queens Arcadia a Pastoral Tragi-Comedy presented to her Majesty and her Ladies by the University of Oxford in Christ-Church in Aug. 1605. printed in quarto Lond. 1623. and dedicated by a Copy of Verses to the Queens most Excellent Majesty Whether the Scene between Carinus and Amintas the Lovers of Cloris be borrow'd from any ancient Poet I know not but sure I am that in Monsieur Quinault's La Comedie sans Comedie there is a Scene betwixt Filene and Daphnis in a manner the same As the Two next Scenes between these Shepherds and their Mrs. Clomire exactly resemble the Scene betwixt the Swains Damon and Alexis and the inconstant Nymph Laurinda in Randolph's Amyntas Vision of the Twelve Goddesses presented in a Masque the Eighth of January at Hampton-Court by the Queens most Excellent Majesty and her Ladies printed in 4o. Lond. 1623. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Lucy Countess of Bedford This was printed without the Authors leave by the unmannerly presumption of an indiscreet Printer without warrant and so imperfect that the Author to prevent the prejudice which both the Masque and the Invention suffer'd publisht it from his own Copy His Design under the shapes and in the Persons of Twelve Goddesses was to present the Figure of those Blessings which this Nation enjoy'd in peace under the happy Reign of King James the First by Juno was represented Power by Pallas Wisdome and Defence c. All these Pieces are printed together in 4 o Lond. 1623. under the Title of The Whole Works of Samuel Daniel Esq in Poetry by which I suppose his other Poetical Works which were printed with his Plays in octavo Lond. 1611. are inserted in this later Edition tho' that Volume I have by me want them The Names of them are An Epistle from Octavia to M. Anthony in AEgypt dedicated to the Lady Margaret Countess of Cumberland and writ in Ottava Rima Complaint of Rosomond in Stanza's of Seven Lines Musophilus and containing a general Defence of all Learning written Dialogue-wise between Musophilus and Philocosmus and dedicated to Sr. Fulk Grivel A Funeral Poem upon the Death of the late Earl of Devonshire Delia containing Fifty Seven Love Sonnets He writ besides an Heroick Poem of the Civil Wars between the two Houses of York and Lancaster in which he endeavour'd to imitate Lucan's Pharsalia and Succeeded so well in the Opinion of Mr. Speed that he is by him call'd the English Lucan These are all the Poems that our Author has publisht that ever I heard of but however his Genius was qualified for Poetry I take his History of England to be the Crown of all his Works It was first printed about the year 1613. and was dedicated to Queen Ann. It reaches from the state of Brittain under the Romans to the end of the Reign of King Edward the Third An. Dom. 1376. Of this History a late Writer has given this Character It is written with great Brevity and Politeness and his Political and Moral Reflections are very fine useful and instructive John Trussel continu'd this History with the like Brevity and Truth but not with equal Elegance till the end of the Reign of Richard III. A.D. 1484. I have never seen any Copies made on the old Poets but Mr. Daniel is therein mention'd with Honor. One Author stiles him in a Copy on the Time Poets The Pithy Daniel whose Salt Lines afford A weighty Sentence in each little Word Another Author in a Copy call'd A Censure of the Poets says thus Amongst these Samuel Daniel whom I May speak of but to censure do deny Only have heard some Wise men him rehearse To be too much Historian in Verse His Rimes were smooth his Meeters well did close But yet his Matters better fitted Prose Having given you the Sence of the Poets of those times concerning this excellent Author give me leave to transcribe an Epigram written in his Commendation by his Friend Mr. Charles Fitz-Geoffry with which I shall conclude Spenserum si quis nostrum velit esse Maronem Tu Daniele mihi Naso Brittannus
Querer por solo querer To love only for Love's sake a Dramatick Romance represented at Aranjuez before the King and Queen of Spain to celebrate the Birth-day of that King Phil. IV. by the Meninas which are a Set of Ladies in the Nature of Ladies of Honour in that Court Children in Years but Higher in Degree being Daughters and Heirs to Grandees in Spain than the Ladies of Honour Attending likewise that Queen This Play was written in Spanish by Don Antonio de Mendoza 1623. and dedicated to the Queen of Spain which was Elizabeth Daughter to Henry the Great of France It was paraphras'd by our Author in English in 1654. during his Confinement to Tankersly Park in Yorkshire by Oliver after the Battle of Worcester in which as I have already observ'd he was taken prisoner serving his Majesty King Charles the Second as Secretary of State At that time he writ on this Dramatick Romance 3 Stanzas both in Latin and English which may give the Reader a Taste of his Vein in both these Languages and therefore may not be improper for me to transcribe or unpleasant to the Reader to perufe I shall give the preference to the Latin Verses Learning and Learned Men being to be preferr'd before Vulgar Readers Ille ego qui dubiis quondam jactatus in Undis Qui dum nunc Aulae nunc mibi Castra Strepunt Leni importunas mulceban Carmine Curas In quo PASTORIS Flamma FIDELIS erat At nunc Castris Aulisque ejectus Undis Nam mihi Naufragium Portus Ira Quies Altius insurgens Regum haud intactus Amores Et Reginarum fervidus Arma Cano Quae vinclis Hymenaee tuis spretisque Coronis Nec juga ferre virûm nec dare Jur a velint Dulce prosellosos audire ex Litore fluctus Eque truci Terram dulce videre Mari. In English thus Time was when I a Pilgrim of the Seas When I midst noise of Camps Courts disease Purloin'd some Hours to charm rude Cares with Verse Which Flame of FAITHFUL SHEPHERD did rehearse But now restrain'd from Sea from Camp from Court And by a Tempest blown into a Port I raise my Thoughts to muse on higher things And Eccho Arms Loves of Queens Kings Which Queens despising Crowns and Hymen's Band Would neither Men Obey nor Men Command Great Pleasure from rough Seas to see the Shore Or from firm Land to hear the Billows rore Tho' this Play was during the Author's Imprisonment translated 't was not printed till long after his Death viz. 4o. Lond. 1671. to which is added Fiestas de Aranjuez Festivals represented at Aranjuez written by the same Author and on the same Occasion and translated by the same Hand The Play it self consists but of three Acts which the Spaniards call Jornadas according to the Spanish Custom their Poets seldom or never exceeding that number As to his other Works he writ several Poems in Latin as a Copy on the Escurial another on the Royal Sovereign and a third on Mr. May's Translation of and Supplement to Lucan He translated other Pieces into that Learned Tongue as two Poems written by Mr. Thomas Carew Several Pieces he translated out of Latin into English as the fourth Book of Virgil's AEneids an Epigram out of Martial Lib. 10. Epig. 47. Two Odes out of Horace relating to the Civil Wars of Rome the First Carm. Lib. 3. Ode 24. The Second Epod. 16. with some Sonnets translated from the Spanish and other Poems writ in his Native Language with several Pieces which you will find bound up with Pastor Fido printed 8o. Lond. 1671. Nor was it out of these Languages only that he translated what pleas'd him but even so uncourted a Language as he terms that of Portugal employ'd his Pen during his Confinement For he translated Luis de Camoens whom the Portugals call their Virgil his Lusiad or Portugal's Historical Poem This Poem was printed fol. Lond. 1665. and dedicated to the Right Honourable William Earl of Strafford Son and Heir to that Glorious Protomartyr of Monarchy the Noble Thomas Earl of Strafford Lord Deputy of Ireland on whose Tryal our Author writ a Copy of Verses printed amongst his Poems p. 302. Besides these Pieces Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley attribute to him the Latin Version of Mr. Edmund Spencer's Shepherds Calendar which I take to be a mistake of Mr. Philips ' whose Errors Mr. Winstanley generally copies not having heard of any other Translation than that done by Mr. Theodore Bathurst sometime Fellow of Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge and printed at the end of Mr. Spencer's Works in fol. Lond. 1679. Henry L d Viscount FAULKLAND This Worthy Person was as I suppose Father of the present Right Honourable Cary Viscount Faulkland A Person Eminent for his Extraordinary Parts and Heroick Spirit He was well known and respected at Court in the Parliament and in Oxfordshire his Country of which he was Lord Lieutenant When he was first elected to serve in Parliament some of the House oppos'd his Admission urging That he had not sow'd his Wild-oats he reply'd If I have not I may sow them in the House where there are Geese enough to pick them up And when Sir J. N. told him That He was a little too wild for so grave a Service he reply'd Alas I am wild and my Father was so before me and I am no Bastard as c. But what need I search for Wit when it may be sufficiently seen in a Play which he writ the occasion of our making mention of him call'd The Marriage Night a Tragedy printed 4 o Lond. 1664. I know not whether this Play ever appear'd on the Stage or no. He was cut off in the prime of his Years as much miss'd when dead as belov'd when living Nathaniel FIELD An Author that liv'd in the Reigns of King James and King Charles the First who was not only a Lover of the Muses but belov'd by them and the Poets his Contemporaries He was adopted by Mr. Chapman for his Son and call'd in by Old Massinger to his Assistance in the Play call'd The Fatal Dowry of which Play more hereafter He writ himself two Plays which will still bear Reading viz. Amends for Ladies with the merry Pranks of Moll Cut-purse or The Humour of Roaring a Comedy full of honest Mirth and Wit Acted at the Black-Friars both by the Prince's Servants and the Lady Elizabeth's and printed 4 o Lond. 1639. The Plot of Subtles tempting the married Wife at her Husbands intreaty seems to be founded on Don Quixote's Novel of the Curious Impertinent and has been the Subject of many Plays as The City Night-cap Amourous Prince of The Curious Husband c. This Play was writ by our Author as Amends to the Fair Sex for a Play which he had writ some Years before and whose very Title semm'd a Satyr on Womankind viz. Woman's Weather-cock a Comedy acted before the King in White-hall and several times privately at the
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
Dramatick Poem of a Sacred Argument and I have heard some People of tender Consciences speak against this Play and Christ's Passion writ by the same Author But I think the following Opinion of the Great Vossius printed before this Play may satisfy them in this point I am of Opinion says he 't is better to chuse another Argument than Sacred For it agrees not with the Majesty of Sacred things to be made a Play and a Fable It is also a Work of very dangerous Consequence to mingle Humane Inventions with things sacred because the Poet adds uncertainties of his own sometimes falsities which is not only to play with holy things but also to ingraft in Mens Minds uncertain Opinions and now and then false These things have place especially when we bring in God or Christ speaking or treating of the Mysteries of Religion I will allow more where the History is taken out of the Sacred Scriptures but yet in the Nature of the Argument is Civil As if the Action be of David flying from his Son Absalon or of Joseph sold by his Brethren advanced by Pharoah to the Government of Egypt and in that Dignity adored by and made known unto his Brethren Of which Argument is Sophompaneas made by the most Illustrious and Incomparable Man Hugo Grotius Embassador when he liv'd of the most Gracious Queen and Kingdom of Sweden to the most Christian King of France Which Tragedy I suppose may be set for a Pattern to him that would handle an Argument from the Holy Scriptures I shall say nothing of the Life of Hugo Grotius only that he was an Honour to Delph where he was born in the Year 1583. and will be famous to Posterity in regard of those many Excellent Pieces that he has published In some of his Writings he had defended Arminianism for which he suffer'd Imprisonment in the Castle of Louverstein in the Year 1618. at which time his Associate Barnevelt lost his Head on the same Account afterwards he escaped out of Prison by means of Maria Reigersberg his Wife and fled into Flanders and thence into France where he was kindly receiv'd by Lewis the XIII He died at Rostoch in Meclebourg Sept. the first 1645. His Life is writ at large by Melchior Adamus in Latin and in English by C. B. and printed 8 o Lond. 1652. â—â—â— to our Author and his Translation which is in Heroick Verse I find it extreamly commended by the Verses of four of his Friends and I doubt not but the candid Reader will assent to their Judgments For the Plot the Author has acquainted the Reader before the Play That the History is recorded by Moses in Genesis 44 and 45 Chapters with the Contexts there adjoyning Psal. 105. Acts 7. By Philo in the Life of Josephus By Josephus in the 2d. Book of the Jewish Antiquities and partly by Justin out of Trogus Pompeius the 36. Book It is extant also in Astapanus out of Alexander Polyhistor and in Demetrius the places you may see in Eusebius his Preparation to the Gospel Alexander GREEN A Gentleman that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the Second who presently after the Restauration published a Play call'd The Politician cheated a Comedy printed 4 o Lond. 1663. I know not whether ever this Play appear'd on the Stage or no nor can I recover any thing else of this Author 's Writing Robert GREEN This Author lived in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and was a Master of Arts of Cambridge As to any further Account of him I I can meet with none except what I am forc'd to borrow from Mr. Winstanley But the truth is I dare not trust too much to him knowing how subject he is to take things upon Reâ—â—â—â—â— as I find particularly in the Innumeration he makes of this Author's Plays However for once I will venture to transcribe the following passage upon his Authority who tells us That the Person we here treat of was married to a Deserving Gentlewoman whom he ungratefully forsook living above himself and therefore was forc'd to make his Pen a slave to his Purse to supply his Extravagancies notwithstanding which he was reduc'd to extreme poverty towards the latter end of his Life which through God's Mercy led him to a sight of his former Follies and to a Repentance of his evil Course of Life especially his Unkindness and Disloyalty to his Virtuous Partner which occasion'd a Letter published by Mr. Winstanley which was directed to her by our Penitent and found after his Death which Epistle in my Opinion very much resembles the Stile of Dr. Reynolds in his God's Revenge against Murther As to that Distich said by Mr. Winstanley to be writ on our Author I have shew'd his mistake in the Account This Author has writ several Pieces but especially one Play the occasion of his mention in this place whose Title is The Honourable History of Fryar Bacon and Fryar Bungy play'd by the Prince Palatine's Servants and printed Lond. I know not whence the Author borrow'd his Plot but this Famous Fryar Minor liv'd in the Reign of King Henry the Third and died in the Reign of Edward the First in the Year 1284. Conâ—â—â—â—â— Bale Script Illustr Majoris Britannae Caâ—â—â—â— Pitseus Relationes Historicae Wood. Antiq. Oxon. Dr. â—lot Hist. Oxford c. Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley say That he was an Associate with Dr. Lodge in writing several Comedies namely The Laws of Nature Lady Alimony Liberality and Prodigality and a Masque called Lumenalia Besides which he wrote alone the Comedies of Fryar Bacon and Fair Emme But in this Assertion they are extreamly out for he joyn'd with Dr. Lodge but in one Play call'd A Looking-glass for London of which hereafter and as to the others most of which I have by me they are all Anonymous Plays As to his other Pieces I have never seen but two viz. Quip for an Upstart Courtier and Dorastus and Fawnia tho' Mr. Winstanley reckons up several others as Euphues his Censure to Philautus Tullies Love Philomela The Lady Fitzwaters Nightingale Green's never too late first and second part Green's Arcadia Green's Farewell to Folly Green's Groats-worth of Wit c. H. William HABINGTON Esq A Gentleman that liv'd in the Time of the late Civil Wars and slighting Bellona gave himself up entirely to the Muses He was equally famous for History and Poetry of which his Edward the Fourth and Castara are sufficient Testimonies Mr. Kirkman who was very knowing in Plays has ascribed a Dramatick Piece to him which gives us occasion to speak of him 't is call'd Queen of Arragon a Tragi-comedy acted at Court and the Black-Fryars and printed fol. Lond. 1640. Tho' the Author's Name be not prefix'd to the Title-page yet I have that confidence in Mr. Kirkman's Judgment as to believe this Play to be writ by him His other Poems are all printed together 8o. and go under the Title of Castara they are divided into three
Hertfordshire near St. Albans He was most familiar with Sr. Thomas More whose Neighbour he was and by whom I suppose he was introduc'd to the knowledge of Queen Mary in whose Favour he grew exceedingly After her Death he fled beyond Sea on Account of his Religion and Died an Exile at Mechlem An. Dom. 1556. He was I believe One of the first Dramatick Writers in our English Tongue and publisht Seven Pieces which he calls Interludes and which according to Mr. Kirkman were printed with the first of our English Printing Notwithstanding his suffering for Religion he has as much exploded the Vices of the Romish Clergy as Nic. de Clemangiis He says of his own Writings ` That he applied Mirth more than Thrift `made mad Plays and did few good Works Of all his Plays I never saw but one which I have by me in quarto tho' I have been told that the rest of his Plays are printed in fol. of which in Order Four P's a Merry Interlude of a Palmer a Pardoner a Potycary and a Pedler Imprinted at London in Fleet-street at the Sign of the George by Will. Middleton in 4o. Take a Sample of his Stile that you may judge of the rest Palmer Nowe God be here who kepeth this Place Now by my Faith I crye you mercy Of Reason I must sew for grace My Rewdness sheweth me no so homely Where of your pardon art and wonne I sew you as Curtesy doth me binde To tell this which shall be begonne In order as may come best in mindy I am a Palmer as yee se c. Play between John the Husband and Tib his Wife Play between the Pardoner the Fryar the Curate and Neighbour Prat. Play of Gentleness and Nobility 2 Parts Play of Love Play of the Weather Besides these Plays he has written Three hundred Epigrams upon 300. Proverbs printed in quarto London A Fourth hundred of Epigrams printed in quarto Lond. 1598. A Fifth hundred of Epigrams printed in quarto Lond. 1598. Dr. Fuller mentions a Book writ by our Author intituléd Monumenta Literaria which are said to be Non tam labore condita quà m lepore condita The Author of The Art of English Poetry speaking of several of our Old English Bards says thus of this our Poet John Heywood who in King Edward the Sixth's time for the Mirth and Quickness of his Conceits more than for any good Learning that was in him came to be well benefy'd by the King That the Reader may judge of his Epigrams to which certainly the forementioned Writer alludes I will transcribe one writ by him on himself Of Heywood's Fifth Hund. Numb 100. Art thou Heywood with thy mad Merry Wit Yea forsooth Master that Name is even hit Art thou Heywood that apply'st Mirth more than Thrift Yes Sir I take merry Mirth a Golden Gift Art thou Heywood that hast made many mad Plays Yea many Plays few good Works in my Days Art thou Heywood that hath made Men merry long Yea and will if I be made merry among Art thou Heywood that wouldst be made merry now Yes Sir help me to it now I beseech you 'T is not unlikely that our Author may have more Plays in Print than we have mention'd but I am very confident that The Pinder of Wakefield and Philotas Scotch notwithstanding the Allegations of Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley are not of that number the One being written as I suppose at least printed above Twenty the Other more than Fourty Years after his Death Thomas HEYWOOD An Author that liv'd in the Time of Queen Elizabeth and the Reign of King James the First Tho' he were but an Actor as is manifest by Mr. Kirkman's Testimony and apparent from a Piece writ by him call'd The Actors Vindication yet his Plays were in those Days accounted of the Second-Rate He was the most Voluminous Writer that ever handled Dramatick Poetry in our Language and I know none but the Famous Spaniard Lopez de Vega that can vye with him if at least we give Credit to his own Attestation in the Preface to One of his Plays This Tragi-comedy as he says being One reserv'd amongst two Hundred and Twenty in which I have had either an entire Hand or at the least a main Finger Of this Number we have that I know of but Five and Twenty entire Plays remaining the Reason of which the Author gives us in the same Epistle True it is that my Plays are not exposed unto the world in Volumes to bear the Title of Works as others one Reason is That many of them by shifting and change of Companies have been negligently lost Others of them are still retained in the Hands of some Actors who think it against their peculiar profit to have them come in Print and a third That it was never any great Ambition in me to be Voluminously read These seem to me to be more plausible Reasons than what Mr. Winstanley gives for their Miscarriage 'T is said that he not only acted himself almost every day but also wrote each day a Sheet and that he might loose no time many of his Plays were compos'd in the Tavern on the back-side of Tavern Bills which may be the occasion that so many of them be lost Certainly the Tavern Bills were very large or Mr. Winstanley must think his Readers Credulity of the same extent with his own who would subscribe to the belief of so ridiculous a Story This Report Mr. Winstanley partly borrows from Mr. Kirkman's Advertisement at the End of his Catalogue and as Stories lose nothing in the carriage Mr. Winstanley had added the Contrivance of making use of Tavern Bills to save Paper But tho' many of these Plays being written loosely in Taverns as Mr. Kirkman observes might occasion their being so mean yet it did not in probability much contribute to their loss as Mr. Winstanley would have it To do our Author justice I cannot allow that his Plays are so mean as Mr. Kirkman has represented them for he was a general Scholar and an indifferent Linguist as his several Translations from Lucian Erasmus Textor Beza Buchanan and other Latine and Italian Authors sufficiently manifest Nay further in several of his Plays he has borrow'd many Ornaments from the Ancients as more particularly in his Plays call'd The Ages he has intersperst several Things borrow'd from Homer Virgil Ovid Seneca Plautus c. which extreamly set them off What Opinion the Wits of the last Age had of him may appear from the following Verses extracted from a Copy of the Poets of those Times viz. The squibbing Middleton and Heywood Sage Th' Apologetick Atlas of the Stage Well of the Golden Age he could entreat But little of the Mettal he could get Three score sweet Babes he fashion'd at a Lump For he was Christen'd in Parnassus Pump The Muses Gossip to Aurora's Bed And ever since that time his Face was Red. I shall now give the Reader an
Virtuoso Act 3. towards the End The Epilogue to this Play is writ by Mr. Shadwell Jasper MAIN A Person of Fame and Note as well for Natural Parts as acquired Learning He was Born in the Reign of King James the First at Hatherleigh c. His Education was at Westminster School from whence be was transplanted to Christ-Church and admitted Student A.D. 1624. In this Colledge he gradually advanced in the Study of Arts and Sciences till he took both his Degrees and enter'd into holy Orders and was prefer'd to two Livings both in the Gift of the Colledge and one hard-by Oxford About this time the Civil Wars breaking out and the Pious King being forc'd by wicked Subjects to fly for shelter to this Seat of the Muses our Author was made choice of amongst others deputed to Preach before His Majesty Soon after which Mr. Wood tells us he was created Dr. of Divinity and resided in Oxford till the time of the Mock Visitation sent to the University when he amongst other Worthies eminent for their Loyalty was ejected not only from the Colledge but both his Livings During this Storm he found an Asylum in the House of the Right Honourable the Earl of Devonshire where for the most part he resided till the Happy Return of King Charles the Second to his Kingdomes at which time he was not only restored to his Places but made Canon of Christ-church and Arch-deacon of Chichester which Preferments he enjoy'd to his Death He was a Person of a ready and facetious Wit and yet withal a sound Orthodox Preacher In his younger years he was very much addicted to Poetry in which time he writ two Plays which are very much esteem'd by the generality of those who delight in Dramatick Poetry Amorous War a Tragi-comedy printed 4 o Oxon. 1658. City Match a Comedy acted before the King and Queen at Whitehall and afterwards on the Stage at Black-friars with general Applause and printed 4o. Oxon. 1658. These two Plays have been printed in Folio 4o. and 8o. and are bound together Besides these Dramatick Pieces our Author writ a Poem upon the Naval Victory over the Dutch by the Duke of York printed 1665. and added some Dialogues to those of Lucian translated by Mr. Francis Hicks printed Fol. Lond. 1638. He publisht likewise many serious Pieces as several Sermons in 4o. 1646 47 52 62. Amongst which none was so much talkt of as that concerning false Prophets It was if I mistake not writ against by Mr. Francis Cheynel which occasion'd our Authors Vindication publisht 1647. He writ besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Peoples War examined according to the Principles of Scripture and Reason in answer to a Letter for the satisfation of a Person of Quality printed 4o. 1647. with several other Pieces which I have not seen He Died on the Sixth day of December An. 1672. and was Buried in Christ-Church on the North-side of the Quire having in his Will left several Bequests to Pious uses As Fifty Pounds to the Re-building of St. Pauls A Hundred Pounds to be distributed by the Two Vicars of Cassington and Purton for the use of the Poor of those Parishes with many other Legacies amongst which I cannot forget One which has frequently occasion'd Mirth at the relation He had a Servant who had long liv'd with him to whom he bequeath'd a Trunk and in it Somewhat as he said that would make him Drink after his Death The Doctor being dead the Trunk was speedily visited by his Servant with mighty Expectation where he found this promising Legacy to be nothing but a Red-Herring So that it may be said of him that his propensity to innocent Raillery was so great that it kept him Company even after Death Cosmo MANUCH A Gentleman that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and One that as I suppose took up Arms for his Majesty under the Quality of a Major tho' whether of Horse or Foot I am ignorant Mr. Phillips supposes him an Italian stiling him Manuci but whatever his Country be he has writ Two Plays which shew him well vers'd in the English Language viz. Just General a Tragi-comedy printed quarto Lond. 1650. and dedicated to the Right Honourable James Earl of Northampton and Isabella his most Virtuous Lady This is the first Play our Author writ and which was intended for the Stage but never acted not that it is any ways contemptible and therefore the Major did not forfeit his Modesty when he said of it In spite of Malice venture I dare thus far Pack not a Jury and I 'll stand the Bar. Loyal Lovers a Tragi-comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1652. In this Play our Author lashes the old Committee-men and their Informers in the Persons of Gripeman and Sodom and I believe he meant to expose Hugh Peters's Adventure with the Butcher's Wife of St. Sepulcher's with his Revenge thereupon under the Characters of Phanaticus and Fly-blow If my Conjecture prove true I hope no sober man will be angry that Peters should be personated on the Stage who himself had ridicul'd others when he acted the Clown's part in Shakespear's Company of Comedians as I have read in Dr. Young's Relation of his Life If it be consider'd that our Author's Muse was travesté en Cavileer that he made Writing his Diversion and not his Business that what he writ was not borrow'd but propriâ Minervâ I hope the Criticks will allow his Plays to pass Muster amongst those of the third Rate Gervase MARKHAM A Gentleman who flourisht under the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles the First for the later of whom he took up Arms in the time of the Rebellion being honour'd by His Majesty with a Captain 's Commission He was the Son of Robert Markham of Cotham in the County of Nottingham Esq and was eminently Famous for his numerous Volumes of Husbandry and Horsemanship besides what he has writ on Rural Recreations and Military Discipline He understood the Practick as well as the Theory of the Art of War and was esteem'd a good Scholar and an excellent Linguist understanding perfectly the French Italian and Spanish Languages from all which he collected Notes of Husbandry In the enumeration of his Works the Reader will be satisfied of his excellent Parts and Abilities and that he was tà m Marti quà m Mercurio vers'd in the Employments of War and Peace and One piece of Dramatick Poetry which he has publisht will shew that he Sacrific'd to Apollo and the Muses as well as to Mars and Pallas This Play is extant under the Title of Herod and Antipater a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1622. where or when this Play was acted the imperfection of my Copy hinders my information For the Foundation 't is built on History See Josephus Ant. Jud. Lib. 14 15 16 17. Torniel Salian Spondanus Baronii Ann. c I shall now mention his Works and first those which treat of Horsemanship which have
a Tragi-comedy Natures three Daughters Beauty Love and Wit a Comedy in two parts Presence a Comedy To this are added twenty nine single Scenes which the Dutchess design'd to have inserted into this Play but finding it would too much lengthen it she printed them separately Publick Wooing a Comedy in which the Duke writ several of the Suitors Speeches as that of the Souldier the Countryman the Spokesman for the Bashful Suitor besides two other Scenes and the two Songs at the End of the Comedy Religious a Tragi-comedy Several Wits a Comedy Sociable Companions or The Female Wits a Comedy Unnatural Tragedy The Prologue and Epigue were of the Duke's making Act 2. Sc. 3. the Dutchess inveighs against Mr. Cambden's Brittannia tho' whether with Justice I leave it to the Determination of others Wits Cabal a Comedy in two parts His Grace writ the Epilogue to the first part Youth's Glory and Death's Banquet a Tragedy in two parts Two Scenes with the Speeches at the first part in commendation of Mile Sans pareille were writ by his Grace so were all the Songs and Verses in the second part The Blazing World Bridal Convent of Pleasure Presence and Sociable Companions are printed together in one Volume and the rest in another As to her other Works I shall only mention the Titles and the Dates when printed and I shall begin with the Crown of her Labours The Life of the Duke of Newcastle in English printed Folio Lond. 1667. and in Latin Folio Lond. 1668 Nature's Picture drawn by Fancy's Pencil to the Life printed Fol. Lond. 1656. at the End of it she has writ her own Life Philosophical Fancies printed Fol. Lond. 1653. Philosophical and Physical Opinions Fol. Lond. 1655. Philosophical Letters Fol. Lond. 1664. Two Hundred and Eleven Sociable Letters Fol. Lond. 1664. Orations Fol. 1662. Poems Fol. 1653. Thomas NEWTON An Author that liv'd in the Reign of Queâ—â— Elizabeth and joyn'd with Jasper Heywood and Alexander Nevil above-named and others in the Translation of Seneca's Tragedies Tho' our Author translated but one Play yet he published all the Ten and dedicated them to Sir Thomas Henage Treasurer of her Majesties Chamber The Play which our Author has render'd into English is intituled Thebais a Tragedy This by some is believed not to be Seneca's because in this Tragedy Jocasta appears alive and in Oedipus she is kill'd and it is not likely that he would wâ—ite two Drammas that should so very much differ in the Catastrophe But if it be Seneca's 't is the shortest of his Tragedies and has no Chorus and is said by One to be Perpetuum Canticum nullis diverbiis incorruptum THOMAS OTWAY Thomas NUCE An Author of the same Time and joyn'd in the same Design with the former We are owing to his pains for the Version of One Play of Seneca's called Octavia a Tragedy This is the only Tragedy of the Ancients that I know of that is founded on History so near the time of the Author I shall not pretend to determine whether it was writ by Seneca or no tho' Delrio and others deny it For the History see Suetonius in Vit. Claud. Nero. Tacitus L.12 C. 14 Dion c. O. Thomas OTWAY AN Author who was well known to most Persons of this Age who are famous for Wit and Breeding He was formerly as I have heard bred for some time in Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford From thence he removed to London where he spent some time in Dramatick Poetry and by degrees writ himself into Reputation with the Court His Genius in Comedy lay a little too much to Libertinism but in Tragedy he made it his business for the most part to observe the Decorum of the Stage He was a man of Excellent parts and daily improved in his Writing but yet sometimes fell into plagiary as well as his Contemporaries and made use of Shakespear to the advantage of his Purse at least if not his Reputation He has publisht ten Dramatick Pieces if we may be allow'd to reckon his Farces as Distinct Plays of which we shall give the Reader a particular Account beginning with Alcibiades a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Middlesex This Play is writ in Heroick Verse and was the first Fruits of our Author's Muse He has made Alcibiades a Person of true Honour chusing rather to loose his Life than wrong his Defender King Agis or his betrothed wife Timandra whereas Plutarch gives him a different Character telling us that in the King's Absence he abused his Bed and got his Queen Timaea with Child and that Timandra was not his Wife but his Mistress and Justin sayes That he was informed of the design of the Lacedmoonian Princes against his Life by the Queen of King Agis with whom he had committed Adultery Atheist or the Second part of The Souldiers Fortune a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1684. and dedicated to the Lord Elande Eldest Son to the Marquess of Hallifax The Plot between Beaugard and Portia is founded on Scarron's Novel of The Invisible Mistress Cheats of Scapin a Farce acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1677. 'T is printed with Titus and Berenice and dedicated to the Right Honourable John Earl of Rochester This Play is translated from a French Comedy of Molliere though 't is not printed amongst his Plays of the Amsterdam Edition in 5 Tomes which I have by me yet that it is his I collect from M. Boileau's Art of Poetry where speaking of Molliere in the third Canto he says thus Estudiez la Cour connoissez la Ville L'une l'autre est toûjours en Modeles fertile C'est par là que Moliere illustrant ses Ecrits Peut-estre de son Art eust remporté le prix Si moins ami du Peuple en ses doctes peintures Il n'eust point fait souvent grimacer ses Figures Quittè pour le Bouffon l'agreable le fin Et sans honte à Terence allié Tabarin Dans ce sac ridicule où Scapin s'enveloppe Je ne reconnois point l' Auteur du Misanthrope But notwithstanding the Farce in this Comedy Molliere has borrow'd the Design from Terence his Phormio as may be visible to those that will compare them Caius Marius his History and Fall a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to the L d Viscount Faulkland A great part of this Play is borrow'd from Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet as the Character of Marius Junior and Lavinia the Nurse and Sulpitius which last is carried on by our Author to the End of the Play though Mr. Dryden says in his Postscript to Granada That Shakespear said himself that he was forc'd to kill Mercurio in the 3d. Act to prevent being kill'd by him For the true History of Marius Senior see Plutarch's Life of C. Marius Lucan's Pharsalia lib. 2. Florus
acted and printed 4o. Lond. 1632. That passage of the Widows finding her Wedding-Ring which she dropp'd in crossing the Thames in the Belly of a Fish which her Maid bought accidentally in the Market is founded either upon the Story of Polycrates of Samos as the Author may read at large in Herodotus Lib. 3. sive Thalia or upon the like Story related of one Anderson of Newcastle by Doctor Fuller in his Worthies of England I know of nothing else written by our Author neither can I tell the time of his Death and therefore I must leave it to Persons of better Information to acquaint the World with more particulars of his Life whilst I hasten to an Account of his Names sake Samuel ROWLEY Whether this Author was related to as well as Contemporary with the former I know not only this I know that he writ himself a Servant to the Prince of Wales He is the Author of two Historical Plays of which we are to give an Account in their Alphabetical Order viz. Noble Spanish Souldier or A Contract broken justly revenged a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1634. This is a Posthumous Piece and if we believe the Printer's Preface has received applause in Action Where it was acted I know not nor the Foundation of the Story it not being mentioned what King of Spain it was that committed that act of Perjury with Onaelia When you see me you know me or The Famous Chronical History of Henry the Eighth with the Birth and Virtuous Life of Edward Prince of Wales being play'd by the High and Mighty Prince of Wale's Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1632. For the Plot see the L d Herbert's Life of Hen. the VIII and other Writers of his Life as Polydore Virgil Hollingshead Hall Grafton Stow Speed Martin Baker c. Joseph RUTTER An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First He belong'd to the Earl of Dorset's Family and attended on his Son the Father of the present Earl At the Command of the Right Honourable Edward Earl of Dorset and Lord Chamberlain to the Queen he undertook the Translation of the Cid out of French and Mr. Kirkman ascribes another Play to him besides of both which I shall speak in their Order Cid a Tragi-comedy acted before their Majesties at Court and on the Cock-pit Stage in Drury-Lane by the Servants to both their Majesties and printed 8o. Lond. 1637. This first Part is dedicated to Edward Earl of Dorset aforesaid part of it being translated by the young Lord his Son on whom our Author attended Cid Part the second printed 4o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Lady Theophila Cook This Part was undertaken by our Author at his Majesties Command who was pleas'd to think it worth the translating and commanded it to be put into our Author's Hands Both these Plays are usually bound together in actavo As to these Plays in the Original they are much commended tho' I never saw but the first Part in French I shall not here transcribe the Author 's own Sentiments of it but leave it to those who understand the French to peruse the Examen of the Second Part it being too long for this place But what M. Boileau says of it in his 9 th Satyr may be sufficient to shew the Sentiments of the publick in its Favour His Words are these En vain contre le Cid un Ministre se ligue Tout Paris pour Climene a les yeux de Rodrigue L' Academie en Corps a beau le censurer Le Public revolté s'obstine à l'admirer To speak of the Translation in general I think if the Time be considered when it was undertaken it may pass muster with candid Readers The Author having at least so far improv'd it as to bring several things in Action which in the Original are delivered in Narration an Excellency commended by Horace in those Lines so well known to all Scholars Aut agitur res in Scenis aut Acta refertur Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem Quam quae sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus quae Ipse sibi tradit spectator It is true our Author has altered in the Original some places but not many Two Scenes he has left out as being Soliloquies and things little pertinent to the Business and give me leave to observe by the by That the French are much addicted to bring in these Monologues in their serious Plays Some things likewise our Author has added but scarce discernable and where M. Corneille would give him leave he says he has follow'd close both his Sense and Words tho' as he has observed many things are received Wit in one Tongue which are not in another As to the Play 't is founded on true History and the Author has follow'd Roderic de Tolede and Mariana The Reader may consult other Historians that have writ of the Affairs of Don Fernando the First King of Castille Shepherds Holyday a Pastoral Tragi-comedy acted before their Majesties at Whitehall by the Queen's Servants and printed 8o. Lond. 1635. This Play is ascrib'd by Mr. Kirkman to our Author tho' only J.R. is affix'd to the Title-page This Play is of the Nobler sort of Pastorals and is writ in Blank Verse At the End is a Pastoral Elegy on the Death of the Lady Venetia Digby in the Person of Sir Kenelm Digby her Husband and a Latin Epigram on her Tomb. I know nothing else of our Authors Writing Thomas RYMER Esq This Gentleman is now living and was once if he be not at present a Member of the Honourable Society of Grays-Inn He has excellent Talent towards Criticism as appears by his Preface to the Translation of Rapin's Reflections on Aristotle's Treatise of Poetry 8o. and his Tragedies of the last Age consider'd but I think for Dramatick Poetry there are other Poets now alive that at least equal that Tragedy which he has publisht viz. Edgar or The English Monarch an Heroick Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1678. This Tragedy is dedicated to King Charles the Second and written in Heroick Verse If it be compared with Mr. Ravenscroft's King Edgar and Alfreda it far exceeds it For the Plot see the Historians before mentioned viz. Malmesbury Huntingdon Hoveden Ingulfus Higden c. Grafton Stow c. S. Thomas St. SERF A Gentleman who in the Reign of King Charles the Second writ a Play call'd Tarugo's Wiles or The Coffee-house a Comedy acted at his Highnesses the Duke of York's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1668. and dedicated to the Right Honourable George Marquess of Huntley This Comedy if not equal with those of the first Rank yet exceeds several which pretend to the second especially the third Act which discovers the several Humours of a Coffee-house As to the other part of the Play 't is founded as I suppose on the Spanish Play No puedeser or It cannot be but not having the Original I cannot be positive but this I know That the Lord
King of Persia a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. 3 d Edit Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Illustrious Princess Anne Dutchess of Monmouth This Tragedy is written in Heroick Verse and founded on History For the Plot see Justin Herodotus Ammianus Marcellinus c. Conquest of China by the Tartars a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1676. and dedicated to the Lord Castle-Rizing This is also writ in Heroick Verse and founded on History See Signior Palafax his History of China translated in octavo John Gonzales de Mendoza Lewis de Guzman c. Empress of Morocco a Tragedy in Heroick Verse acted at the Duke's Theatre printed with Sculptures 4o. Lond. 1673. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Earl of Norwich and Earl-Marshal of England This Play Mr. Dryden writ particularly against in a Pamphlet called Notes and Observations on the Empress of Morocco or some few Erratas to be printed instead of the Sculptures with the second Edition of that Play printed 4o. Lond. 1674. This as I have already observ'd was answered by another Pamphlet which shewed Mr. Dryden was not Infallible but that notwithstanding his Bravadoes he himself was as faulty as others and that he had verified the Spanish Proverb No es tan bravo el Leon come le pintan The Lyon is not so fierce as they paint him Fatal Love or The forc'd Inconstancy a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to Sir Robert Owen This Play is founded on Achilles Tatius his Romance called Clitiphon and Leucippe see Book the fifth The English Reader may peruse it translated in octavo printed Oxon. 1638. Female Prelate being the History of the Life and Death of Pope Joan a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the late Earl of Shaftsbury This Play being founded on History see Marianus Scotus Sigibert Sabellicus and for the English he may read Platina translated in Fol. by Sir Paul Ricault and the Life and Death of Pope Joan written heretofore in a Dialogue by Mr. Alexander Cooke a Gentleman formerly a Fellow of University Colledge in Oxford a Piece so much cry'd up and admir'd in those Times that it was translated into French by J. De la Montaigne 'T is now published in a set Discourse 8o. Lond. 1675. The Reader will find there a List of those Authors who affirm and those who deny the truth of this Story Heir of Morocco with the Death of Gayland acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1682. and dedicated to the Lady Henrietta Wentworth Baroness of Nettlested Ibraim the Illustrious Bassa a Tragedy in Heroick Verse acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1677. and dedicated to the Dutchess of Albermarle The Play is founded on M. Scudery's Romance so called Love and Revenge a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Late Duke of Newcastle 'T is a great part borrowed from a Play called The Fatal Contract and is founded on the French Chronicles see Mezeray De Serres c. 'T is pitty our Author was so little considerate to fall upon Mr. Shadwell in his Postscript when he lay so open to an Attaque himself and if our Laureat reply'd too severely upon him in his Preface to the Libertine 't was but se defendendo and he being the Aggressor ought to forgive it Pastor Fido or Faithful Shepherd a Pastoral acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1677. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Elizabeth Delaval The Play was written in Italian by Guarini and afterwards translated by Sir Ric. Fanshaw This Translation our Author has follow'd being a stranger to the Italian tho' possibly it may by ill natur'd Criticks be thought a presumption to attempt to improve either the Original or the Copy Our Author I think has several Copies of Verses in print besides Prose but because some of them will not advance his Reputation and of others I know not exactly which he writ I shall omit further mentioning of them in this place Tho. SHADWELL Esq Poet Laureat to their present Majesties A Gentleman whose Dramatick Works are sufficiently known to the World but especially his Excellent Comedies which in the Judgment of some Persons have very deservedly advanced him to the Honour he now enjoys under the Title of Poet Laureat to their present Majesties An Advancement which he ingeniously consesses is chiefly owing to the Patronage of the Noble Earl of Dorset that Great Judge of Wit and Parts in whose Favour it has been Mr. Shadwell's particular Happiness sor several Years to have had an Eminent Share Mr. Dryden I dare presume little imagined when he writ that Satyr of Mack-Flecknoe that the Subject he there so much exposes and ridicules should have ever lived to have succeeded him in wearing the Bays But I am willing to say the less of Mr. Shadwell because I have publickly profess'd a Friendship for him and tho' it be not of so long date as some former Intimacy with others so neither is it blemished with some unhandsome Dealings I have met with from Persons where I least expected it I shall therefore speak of him with the Impartiality that becomes a Critick and own I like His Comedies better than Mr. Dryden's as having more Variety of Characters and those drawn from the Life I mean Men's Converse and Manners and not from other Mens Ideas copyed out of their publick Writings tho' indeed I cannot wholly acquit our Present Laureat from borrowing his Plagiaries being in some places too bold and open to be disguised of which I shall take Notice as I go along tho' with this Remark That several of them are observed to my Hand and in a great measure excused by himself in the publick Acknowledgment he makes in his several Prefaces to the Persons to whom he was obliged for what he borrowed That Mr. Shadwell has propos'd B. Johnson for his Model I am very certain of and those who will read the Preface to the Humorists may be sufficiently satisfied what a value he has for that Great Man but how far he has succeeded in his Design I shall leave to the Reader 's Examination So far only give me leave to premise in our Laureat's Defence that the Reader is not to measure his Merit by Mr. Dryden's Standard since Socrates never was more persecuted by the Inhumane Aristophanes than Mr. Shadwell by Mr. Dryden's Pen and with the same injustice tho' I think whoever shall peruse the Modest Defence of the former in his Epistle to the tenth Satyr of Juvenal will not only acquit him but love him for his good Humour and gentle Temper to One who endeavour'd to destroy his Reputation so dear to All Men but the very Darling of Poets as Ovid says Quid petitur sacris nisi tantum fama Poetis Hoc votum nostri summa laboris habet Mr. Shadwell has
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.
have created a Person which was not in Nature a boldness which at first sight would appear intolerable For he makes him a species of himself begotten by an Incubus on a Witch but this is not wholly beyond the bounds of Credibility at least the Vulgar I suppose still believe it But this is not the only Character of this Nature that Mr. Shakespear has written for Merlin as he introduces him is cozen-German to Caliban by Birth as those may observe who will read that Play As to the Foundation of this Comedy I am ignorant whether it be the Author 's own Contrivance or a Novel built up into a Play Titus Andronicus his Lamentable Tragedy This Play was first printed 4o. Lond. 1594. and acted by the Earls of Derby Pembroke and Essex their Servants 'T was about the time of the Popish-plot revived and altered by Mr. Ravenscroft In his Preface to the Reader he says That he thinks it a greater theft to rob the Dead of their Praise than the Living of their Money Whether his Practice agree with his Protestation I leave to the Comparison of his Works with those of Molliere and whether Mr. Shadwell's Opinion of Plagiaries reach not Mr. Ravenscroft I leave to the Reader I says he ingeniously freely confess my Theft and am asham'd on 't tho' I have the Example of some that never yet wrote a Play without stealing most of it and like Men that Lye so long till they believe themselves at length by continual Thieving reckon their stollen Goods their own too which is so Ignoble a thing that I cannot but believe that he that makes a common practice of stealing other Men's Wit would if he could with the same Safety steal any thing else Mr. Ravenscroft in the Epistle to Titus says That the Play was not originally Shakespear's but brought by a private Author to be acted and he only gave some Master-touches to one or two of the principal Parts or Characters afterwards he boasts his own pains and says That if the Reader compare the Old Play with his Copy he will find that none in all that Author's Works ever receiv'd greater Alterations or Additions the Language not only refined but many Scenes entirely new Besides most of the principal Characters heightened and the Plot much encreased I shall not engage in this Controversy but leave it to his Rivals in the Wrack of that Great Man Mr. Dryden Shadwell Crown Tate and Durfey But to make Mr. Ravenscroft some Reparation I will here furnish him with part of his Prologue which he has lost and if he desire it send him the whole To day the Poet does not fear your Rage Shakespear by him reviv'd now treads the Stage Under his sacred Lawrels he sits down Safe form the blast of any Criticks Frown Like other Poets he 'll not proudly scorn To own that he but winnow'd Shakespear's Corn So far he was from robbing him of 's Treasure That he did add his own to make full Measure Timon of Athens his Life This Play was thought fit to be presented on the Stage with some Alterations by Mr. Shadwell in the Year 1678. I shall say more of it in the Accounts of his Works The Foundation of the Story may be read in Plutarch's Life of M. Anthony see besides Lucian's Dialogues c. Troilus and Cressida a Tragedy Of this Play I have already given an Account see the Name in the Remarks on Mr. Dryden who altered this Play in the Year 1679. Twelfth-Night or What you will a comedy I know not whence this Play was taken but the Resemblance of Sebastian to his Sister Viola and her change of Habit occasioning so many mistakes was doubtless first borrowed not only by Shakespear but all our succeeding Poets from Plautus who has made use of it in several Plays as Amphitruo Maenechmi c. Two Gentlemen of Verona a Comedy Winter's Tale a Tragi-comedy The Plot of this Play may be read in a little Stitcht-pamphlet which is call'd as I remember The Delectable History of Dorastus and Fawnia printed 4o. Lond. Yorkshire Tragedy not so new as lamentable and true This may rather deserve the Old Title of an Interlude than a Tragedy it being not divided into Acts and being far too short for a Play These are all that are in Folio there rest yet three Plays to be taken notice of which are printed in quarto viz. Birth of Merlin or The Child has lost his Father a Tragi-comedy several times acted with great applause and printed quarto Lond. 1662. This Play was writ by our Author and Mr. W. Rowly of which we have already spoken For the Plot consult the Authors of those times such as Ethelwerd Bede G. Monmouth Fabian Pol. Virgil Stow Speed c. Ubaldino Le Vite delle Donne Illustri p. 18. John King of England his troublesome Reign the First and Second Part with Discovery of King Richard Coeur de lyon's Base Son vulgarly named the Bastard Fawconbridge Also the Death of King John at Swinstead Abbey As they were sundry times acted by the Queens Majesties Players printed quarto Lond. 1611. These Plays are not divided into Acts neither are the same with that in Folio I am apt to conjecture that these were first writ by our Author and afterwards revised and reduced into one Play by him that in the Folio being far the better For the Plot I refer you to the Authors aforementioned in that Play which bears the same Title Besides these Plays I know Mr. Kirkman ascribes another Pastoral to him viz. The Arraignment of Paris but having never seen it I dare not determine whether it belongs to him or no. Certain I am that our Author has writ two small Poems viz. Venus and Adonis printed 8o. Lond. 1602. and The Rape of Lucrece printed 8o. Lond. 1655. publish'd by Mr. Quarles with a little Poem annext of his own production which bear the Title of Tarquin banished or The Reward of Lust. Sr. John Sucklin had so great a Value for our Author that as Mr. Dryden observes in his Dramatick Essay he preferred him to Iohnson and what value he had for this small Piece of Lucrece may appear from his Supplement which he writ and which he has publisht in his Poems which because it will give you a taste of both their Muses I shall transcribe I. One of her Hands one of her Cheeks lay under Cozening the Pillow of a lawfull Kiss Which therefore swell'd seem'd to part asunder As angry to be robb'd of such a Bliss The One lookt pale and for Revenge did long Whilst t' other blusht 'cause it had done the wrong II. Out of the Bed the other fair Hand was On a green Sattin Quilt whose perfect white Lookt like a Dazie in a field of Grass And shew'd like unmelt snow unto the sight There lay this pretty perdue safe to keep The rest o' th' Body that lay fast asleep III. Her Eyes and
therefore it was Night close laid Strove to imprison Beauty till the Morn But yet the Doors were of such fine stuff made That it broke through shew'd it self in scorn Throwing a kind of light about the place Which turn'd to smiles still as 't came near her Face I have now no more to do but to close up all with an Account of his Death which was on the 23 d of April Anno Dom. 1616. He lyeth Buried in the Great Church in Strasford upon Avon with his Wife and Daughter Susanna the Wife of Mr. John Hall In the North Wall of the Chancel is a Monument fixed which represents his true Effigies leaning upon a Cushion with the following Inscription Ingenio Pylum genio Socratem arte Maronem Terra tegit Populus moeret Olympus habet Stay Passenger why dost thou go so fast Read if thou canst whom envious Death has plac't Within this Monument Shakespear with whom Quick Nature died whose Name doth deck the Tomb Far more than cost since all that he hath writ Leaves living Art but Page to serve his Wit Obiit An. Dom. 1616. AEt 53. die 23. Apr. Near the Wall where this Monument is Erected lyeth a plain Free-stone underneath which his Body is Buried with this Epitaph Good Friend for Jesus sake forbear To dig the Dust enclosed here Blest be the Man that spares these Stones And curs'd be he that moves my Bones Lewis SHARPE An Author of a Play in the Reign of King Charles the Martyr stiled Noble Stranger acted at the private House in Salisbury Court by her Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to Sir Edmund Williams 'T is commended by a Copy of Verses writ by Rich. Woolfall of which these are part Yet do not fear the danger Of Critick Readers since thy Noble Stranger With pleasing straines has smooth'd rugged Fate Of oft-cramn'd Theaters and prov'd Fortunate Smile at their frowns for I dare boldly say Who ere dislikes it cannot mend thy Play If this Play be look'd upon with mild Eyes it will weigh against some Plays writ in our Time There is somewhat in the Characters of Pupillus and Mercutio which might take in this Age and I believe old Lacy had read this Play before he writ the Character of several Poets of his Poetical Squire Buffon In the fourth Act he has given the Characters of several Poets particularly of Ben. Johnson under the Title of a Confident Poetical Wit as may be guessed from the Epilogue to Cynthia's Revels This from our Author I was bid to say By Jove 't is good and if you 'l lik 't you may But I leave this to the Judgment of the Curious Reader and hasten to the next Poet. Edward SHARPHAM A Gentleman of the Middle-Temple who liv'd in the Reign of King James the First He writ a Play called Fleire a Comedy often paly'd in the Black-fryars by the Children of the Revels and printed 4o. Lond. 1615. I take the Character of Antifront the Duke of Florence to be a pattern taken from Hercules Duke of Ferrara and Marston's Fawne to be the Father of Sharpham's Fleire but this I leave to the Judgment of others to decide they please S. SHEPHEARD One who lived in the time of the late Unhappy Civil Wars and whose Loyalty seems to have been far better than his Poetry He writ in the time of the Prohibition of the Stage two Pamphlets which he stiles Comedies but indeed are no longer than one single Act of a Play that I have seen His Comedies are stiled Committee-man curried a Comedy in two parts represented to the View of all men A piece discovering the Corruption of Committee-men and Excise-men the unjust Sufferings of the Royal-party the devilish Hypocrisy of some Roundheads the Revolt for Gain of some Ministers Not without pleasant Mirth and Variety and printed 4o. Lond. 1647. This Title-page led me to great Expectations but I soon found Horace's Observation true Parturient Montes nascetur ridiculus Mus. The Author indeed has shew'd his Reading if not his Fancy for there is scrace a piece of Sir John Suckling that he has not plundered His Aglaura Goblins Brenoralt all have pay'd tribute to our Excise-Poet neither his Verses nor Prose have escaped him This with what he has borrow'd from Sir Robert Stapleton's Translation of Juvenal Sat. 1. and 3. make up the greatest part of the two Comedies But however I am so far oblig'd by my Charity and Respect and good Intention of asserting Loyalty to set down his own Apology in the Prologue to the Second part The Author prays you for to think the Store Of Wit is wasted by those went before And that the Fatness of the Soil being spent Men's Brains grown barren you 'd not raise the Rent Edward SHERBURN Esq A Gentleman as I suppose still living and Famous for his Versions particularly of Manilius his Sphere or Five Books of Astronomy in Fol. Lond. 1675. Besides that famous Work he has translated two of Seneca's Tragedies viz. Medea a Tragedy with Annotations Printed octavo Lond. 1648. to which is added Seneca's Answer to Lucilius his Query Why Good Men suffer misfortunes On this Play see Mr. Stanley's Vindication of the Author in his Poems octavo p. 75. Troades or The Royal Captives a Tragedy with Annotations printed 4o. Lond. 1679. These Tragedies I look upon as the best Versions we have extant of any of Seneca's and shew the Translator a Gentleman of Learning and Judgment What he writ besides I know not tho' there was the 16 th Idillium of Theocritus printed in Tate's Miscellanies and ascribed to Sir Edw. Sherburn whether the same Person I know not Thomas SHIPMAN Esq A Gentleman not many Years since deceas'd who as a Friend of his says was a Man every way accomplish'd To the advantage of his Birth his Education had added whatsoever was necessary to fit him for Conversation and render him as he was desirable by the best Wits of the Age. He was the Author of a Play called Henry the Third of France stabb'd by a Fryar with the Fall of the Guises a Tragedy in Heroick Verse acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1678. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Lord Marquess of Dorchester For the Plot see Davila M. Girard D. of Espernon's Life c. Besides this Play he has a Book call'd Carolina or Loyal Poems printed octavo Lond. 1683. which sufficiently evince the Ingenuity and Parts of the Author Henry SHIRLEY A Gentleman who flourisht in the time of King Charles the Martyr of whom I can give no further Account than that he was the Author of One Play call'd Martyred Souldier a Tragedy sundry times acted with great Applause at the private House in Drury-lane and at other publick Theatres by Her Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1638. and dedicated to the Famous Sir Kenelm Digby by the Publisher J. K. who gave it to the Press after the Author's Decease and in his
jam Trigessimus Scriptu dignissima fecit factu dignissima scripsit Calamo pariter Gladio celebris pacis artium gnarus belli Gilbert SWINHOE Esq A Gentleman who liv'd in the Reigns of King Charles the First and Second a North-country Man by Birth being Born in Northumberland the Author of a Play call'd Unhappy fair Irene her Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1658. This Play is accompany'd with three Copies of Verses in its Commendation tho' I think it scarce deserve them The Play is founded on History see Knolles his Turkish History in the Life of Mahomet the First which Story is the Subject of a Novel in Bandello which is translated into French by Pierre Boisteau see Histoires Tragicques tome premier Nov. 2. The same is translated into English by Wil. Painter in his Palace of Pleasure in quarto Nov. 4o. T. Nathaniel TATE AN Author now living who tho' he be allow'd to be a Man of Wit and Parts yet for Dramatick Poetry he is not above the common Rank What he has extant for the most part is borrow'd at least we may say That generally he follows other Mens Models and builds upon their Foundations for of Eight Plays that are printed under his Name Six of them owe their Original to other Pens as we shall shew in the following Account Brutus of Alba or The enchanted Lovers a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1678. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex This Play is founded on Virgil's AEneids Book the 4 th and was finished under the Names of Dido and AEneas but by the Advice of some Friends was transformed to the Dress it now wears Cuckold's Haven or An Alderman no Conjurer a Farce acted at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset Garden printed 4o. Lond. 1685. and dedicated to Colonel Edmund Ashton This Play is borrow'd from Johnson's Eastward-hoe and Devil is an Ass. Duke and no Duke a Farce acted by their Majesties Servants with the several Songs set to Musick with Thorough-Basses for the Theorbo or Bass-Viol printed 4o. Lond. 1685. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Sir George Hewyt This Play is founded on Sir Aston Cockain's Trappolin suppos'd a Prince Ingratitude of a Common-wealth or The Fall of Caius Martius Coriolanus acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1682. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Lord Herbert Marquess of Worcester This Play is borrowed from Shakespear's Coriolanus Island Princess a Tragi-comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal revived with Alterations printed 4o. Lond. 1687. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Lord Walgrave This Play is Fletcher's Originally Loyal General a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to Edward Taylor Esquire Lear King of England his History acted at the Dukes Theatre revived with Alterations printed 4o. Lond. 1687. and dedicated to Thomas Boteler Esq This Play in the Original was writ by W. Shakespear Richard the Third a History acted at the Theatre-Royal under the Name of The Sicilian Usurper with a Prefatory Epistle in Vindication of the Author occasioned by the Prohibition of this Play on the Stage printed 4o. Lond. 1681. and dedicated to George Raynford Esq This Play owns its Birth likewise to Shakespear Besides these Plays our Author has two Volumes of Poems in print One wholy writ by him call'd Poems writ on several Occasions second Edit enlarg'd printed 8o. Lond. 1684. The other call'd Poems by several Hands and on several Occasions collected by our Author and printed octavo Lond. 1685. John TATEHAM An Author that flourish'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and was says Mr. Winstanley the City Poet. If he was not an Extraordinary Wit at least he was Loyal in the highest Degree as may appear by his Plays and equally hated the Rump and the Scots He has Four Plays in print Three in quarto and One printed with his Poems in octavo Distracted State a Tragedy written in the Year 1641. but not printed till 1651. 4o. and dedicated to John Sidley This Play suited well with the Times and his Hatred to the Scots appears in this Play where he introduces a Scotch Mountebank in the fourth Act to poyson Archias the Elected King at the Instigation of Cleander This I take to be the best of our Author's Writings Rump or The Mirrour of the late Times a Comedy acted many times with great applause at the Private-house in Dorset Court printed the second Edit 4o. Lond. 1661. and dedicated to Walter James of Rambden-House in Smarden in the County of Kent Esq This Play has lately been reviv'd on our Stage under the Name of The Roundheads Scots Figaries or A Knot of Knaves a Comedy printed 4 o Lond. 1652. and dedicated to Robert Dormer Esq Most of this Play is writ in the Scotch Dialect and displays them to the Life Love crowns the End a Tragi-comedy acted by the Scholars of Bingham in the County of Nottingham This Play is not divided into Acts and is much shorter than most usually are being fitted purposely as I suppose for those Youths than acted it 'T is printed with his Poems call'd The Mirrour of Fancies in octavo Lond. 1657. and dedicated to Sir John Winter Secretary of State to his Majesty in his Exile Robert TAYLOUR An Author to whose Person and Writings I am wholy a Stranger only I find in former Catalogues a Comedy ascribed to him call'd Hog-huth lost his Pearl Thomas THOMSON Another Author of the meanest Rank and a great Plagiary if One of the Plays be own'd by him which Mr. Kirkman has ascribed to him viz. English Rogue a Comedy acted before several Persons of Honour with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 1668. and dedicated to Mrs. Alice Barret Mother Shipton her Life acted Nine Days together with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 16 I suppose the Occasion of the Success of this Play was from what he stole for all the Characters except what relate to Shipton are borrow'd as the Characters of Shift-hose Monylack Sir Oliver Whore-hound David c. are stollen verbatim from Massinger's City Madam and Middleton's Chast Maid in Cheapside This Play has not the Author's Name to it but the two first Letters it may be he was asham'd to set his Name to other Mens Labours As to the Story of Shipton I know not how to direct the Reader except to an old Book in quarto call'd The Life and Death of Mother Shipton Nicholas TROTT An Author who writ a Tragedy call'd Arthur which I never saw neither can I give any Account of the Author himself or the time he liv'd in Richard TUKE An Author of whom I can give no further Account than that he writ a Play call'd Divine Comedian or The Right Use of Plays improved in a Sacred Tragi-comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1672. and dedicated to the Right Honourable and no less Virtuous Mary Countess of Warwick This Play was call'd first by the Author The