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.
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
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
The Mother in Fashion acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1684. and dedicated to the Right Honourable James Earl of Ossory the present Duke of Ormond This has somewhat of the Story of The Curious Impertinent in Don Quixot Loyal Brother or The Persian Prince a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1682. and dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Richmond The Play is founded on a Novel called Tachmas Prince of Persia octavo Thomas STANLEY Esq A Gentleman who flourish'd in the Reign of King Charles the First at Camberloe-Green in Hertfordshire One who is sufficiently known to all Learned Men not only for his Skill in Languages as appears by his several Versions but by his Great Learning Exquisite Fancy and Admirable Judgment For the One to wit his Fancy he is here mention'd in Quality of a Poet and the rather because we owe to him the Version of an Excellent Piece of Antiquity which he calls Clouds a Comedy which he translated from Aristophanes his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Play as AElian observes in his Various History was writ at the Instigation of Anytas purposely to abuse Socrates and is subjoyn'd by our Author to the Life of that Excellent Philosopher not as a Comical Divertisement for the Reader who can expect little in that Kind from a Subject so ancient and particular but as a Necessary Supplement to the Life of Socrates This Play is printed with Mr. Stanley's History of Philosophy printed Fol. Lond. 1687. Second Edit a Work which will always be valued by all Learned Men In which the Reader will find also translated a Dramma of Ausonins inscribed Ludus Septem Sapientum His Translation of AEschylus his Tragedies into Latin with his Excellent Comment printed Fol. Lond. 1664. deserves the highest Commendation and for his Poems in English not only those which are properly his own sufficiently shew his Genius for Poetry But even his various Translations from the Greek of Anacreon Moschus from the Latin of Ausonius Catullus Bion Secundus Barclaius to which I may add Picus Mirandula his Discourse of Platonick Love from the Spanish of Lope de Vega Gongora and Montalvan the Italian of Guarini Marino Tasso Petrarch Cassone Preti Boscan c. the French of St. Amant Tristan Ronsard Theophile and De Voiture shew how much he was vers'd in those Languages His Poems receiv'd several Editions that which I take to be the best was printed 8o. Lond. 1651. Besides these Poems he has in print two little Romances or Novels translated from the Spanish of Don Juan Perez de Montalvan call'd Aurora Ismenia and The Prince which with the Poem of Oronta translated from the Italian of Signor Girolamo Preti are printed octavo Lond. 1655. Sir Robert STAPLETON A Gentleman who I presume is still living He was well known at Court by the Honourable Station he was in being One of the Gentlemen-Ushers of his Majesty King Charles the Second's most Honourable Privy-Chamber But his Writings have made him not only Known but Admired throughout all England and whilst Musaeus and Juvenal are in Esteem with the Learned Sir Robert's Fame will still survive the Translation of those two Famous Authors having plac'd his Name in the Temple of Immortality As to Musaeus he had so great a Value for him that after he had translated him he built the Story into a Dramatick Poem call'd Hero and Leander their Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1669. and dedicated to the Dutchess of Monmouth Whether this Play were ever acted or no I know not or where tho' the Prologue and Epilogue seem to imply that it had appeared on the Stage Slighted Maid a Comedy written likewise by our Author and acted with great Applause at the Theatre in Little Lincolns-Inn Fields by his Highness the Duke of York's Servants printed 8o. Lond. 1663. and dedicated to the late Duke of Monmouth The Epitaph made by Decio upon Iberio and Pyramena is borrowde from Arria and Petus see Martial Epigr. L. 1. Ep. L. 4. Stapleton's Juvenal the best Edition with Cuts is printed Fol. Lond. 1663. and his Musaeus or Hero and Leander in Verse is printed 8o. Lond. 1647. to which is added Leander's Letter to Hero and her Answer translated from Ovid's Epistles Besides these he Englished Strada de Bello Belgich printed Lond. 1650. Of these Pieces Jo. Leigh Esq in his Verses on Carthwright says thus Brave Stapleton translates Old Wit and New Musaeus Juvenal and Strada too I know nothing else that our Author has extant but a Translation from the French of Mr. De Marmet L d of Valcroisant call'd Entertainments of the Course or Academical Conversations printed 8o. Lond. 1658. and Mr. De Bergerac's History of the World in the Moon in twelves Lond. John STEPHENS An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King James the First who has published a Play called Cynthia's Revenge a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1613. This is One of the longest Plays that I ever read and withall the most tedious The Author seems to have a great Value for Lucan for he not only makes King Menander repeat part in the Original but in the Fourth Act he makes him speak a Speech containing the beginning of the First Book of Lucan to the 24 th Verse but how far short he falls of Mr. May I leave to the Readers Judgment In the Fifth Act the Poet introduces an Interlude of the Contention of Ajax and Ulysses for the Armour of Achilles which I take to be but Indifferent He has writ besides a Piece called Satyrical Essays in octavo Lond. 1615. This Play was in former Catalogues ascrib'd to John Swallow but I believe this to be the Genuine Author William STRODE A Gentleman that flourish'd in the Reign of King Charles the Martyr of a Good Family in Devonshire being Countryman and Collegiate with the Witty Dr. Main He was enter'd in Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford at Nineteen Years of Age and soon after was elected Student He took his several Degrees and was chosen for his Excellent Parts Oratour of the University Tho' he was in Orders he was sent for by the Dean and Chapter to write a Play for the Diversion and Entertainment of their Majesties which was call'd Floating Island a Tragi-comedy acted before his Majesty at Oxf. Aug. 1639. by the Students of Christ-Church The Airs and Songs were set by Mr. Henry Laws Servant to his Majesty in publick and private Musick This Play was not printed till Eleven Years after the Author's Death and above Eighteen Years after 't was acted being printed Lond. 1655. and dedicated even in Manuscript and in the Author's Life-time to his most Honoured Patron Sir John Helle by a Copy of Verses This Play was too full of Morality to please the Court tho' at the same time 't was commended by the King as was apparent by his bestowing a Cannon's Dignity upon him not long after at which time he took the Degree of Doctor
Suffolk and the tragical End of the proud Cardinal of Winchester with the notable Rebellion of Jack Cade and the Duke of York's first Claim to the Crown printed 4o. Lond. 1600. This Play is only the Second part of Shakespear's Henry the Sixth with little or no Variation Counterfeits a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1679. This Comedy is ascribed by some to Leanard but I believe it too good to be his Writing 't is founded on a translated Spanish Novel call'd The Trapanner trapann'd octavo Lond. 1655. and I presume the Author may have seen a French Comedy writ by Tho. Corneille on the same Subject call'd D. Caesar D'Avalos Counterfeit Bridegroom or The Defeated Widow a Comedy acted at His Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1677. This Play is only an Old Play of Middleton's call'd No Wit like a Woman's printed octavo Cromwell's Conspiracy a Tragi-comedy which I never saw Cruel Debtor a Play only nam'd by Mr. Kirkman Cupid's Whirligig a Comedy sundry times acted by the Children of his Majesty's Revels printed 4o. Lond. 1616. and dedicated by the Publisher to Mr. Robert Hayman This Play is part founded on Boccace as for Instance the Conveyance of the Captain and Exhibition out of the Lady's Chamber is founded on the Sixth Novel of the Seventh Day and is the Ground-work of many other Plays Cyrus King of Persia a Tragedy mention'd by Kirkman which I never saw D. Damon and Pythias a History of which I can give no Account Debauchee or The Credulous Cuckold a Comedy acted at his Highness the Duke of York's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1677. This Play is by some ascrib'd to Mrs. Behn but is indeed only a Play of Brome's reviv'd call'd A mad Couple well matcht Destruction of Jerusalem a Play which I never saw but in the Catalogue printed with the Old Law 't is ascrib'd to one Thomas Legge Dick Scorner a Play mention'd in Mr. Kirkman's Catalogue but which I never saw nor do I know what species of Dramatick Poetry it is Divine Masque printed in quarto Lond. The Title-page of mine is lost but 't is dedicated to General Monk by One Anthony Sadler who I take to be the Author E. Edward the Third his Reign a History sundry times play'd about the City of London printed 4o. Lond. 1599. The Plot is founded on English Chronicles See Walsingham M. Westminster Fabian Froissart Pol. Virgil Hollingshead Stow Speed c. See besides AEschasius Major and a Novel call'd The Countess of Salisbury octavo translated from the French Elvira or The worst not always true a Comedy written by a Person of Quality suppos'd to be the Lord Digby and printed 4o. Lond. 1667. Empress of Morocco a Farce acted by His Majesty's Servants said to be writ by Thomas Duffet and printed 4o. Lond. 1674. English Princess or The Death of Richard the Third a Tragedy in Heroick Verse ascribed to Mr. John Carel and printed 4o. Lond. 1673. For the Plot see Fabian Pol. Virgil Hollingshead Grafton Stow Speed Baker c. English-men for Money or A Woman will have her Will a pleasant Comedy divers times acted with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 1626. Enough 's as good as a Feast a Comedy which I never saw but mentioned by Mr. Kirkman Every Woamn in her Humour a Comedy printed quarto Lond. 1609. F. Factious Citizen or The Melancholy Visioner a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed quarto Lond. 1685. Fair Em the Miller's Daughter of Manchester with the Love of William the Conqueror a pleasant Comedy sundry times publickly acted in the Honourable City of London by the Right Honourable the Lord Strange his Servants printed quarto Lond. 1631. Fair Maid of Bristow a Comedy play'd at Hampton before the King and Queen's most Excellent Majesties printed quarto Lond. 1605. in a Black Letter False Favourite disgrac'd and the Reward of Loyalty a Tragi-comedy never acted printed octavo Lond. 1657. This Play is ascribed to George Gerbier D'Ouvilly Fatal Jealousie a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and ascribed by some to Mr. Pane printed quarto Lond. 1673. Part of the Plot is in Johannes Gigas's Postills See besides Theatre of God's Judgments 2 d part p. 55. Unfortunate Lovers Nov. 1. Feigned Astrologer a Comedy translated from the French of Monsieur Corneille and printed 4o. Lond. 1668. The Plot of this Play which is borrow'd from Calderon's El Astrologo fingido is made use of in the Story of the French Marquess in the Illustrious Bassa when he play'd the part of the Feigned Astrologer Fidele and Fortunatus I know not what sort of Play it is whether Comedy or Tragedy having never seen it but in Old Catalogues 't is ascribed to Thomas Barker Flora's Vagaries a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by His Majesty's Servants ascribed to Mr. Rhodes and printed quarto Lond. 1670. This Plot of Orante's making use of the Fryar to carry on her Intrigue with Ludovico is founded on Boccace Day 3. Nov. 3. Free-Will a Tragedy which I know not where or when printed the Title-page of Mine being lost 'T was written Originally in Italian by F. N. B. which I take to be Franciscus Niger Bassentinus and was translated into English by H. C. that is Henry Cheek 'T is printed in an Old English Character Fulgius and Lucrelle a Piece of which I can give no Account having never seen it G. Ghost or The Woman wears the Breeches a Comedy writ in the Year 1640. and printed quarto Lond. 1650. H. Hell's Higher Court of Justice or The Tryal of the Three Politick Ghosts viz. Oliver Cromwell King of Sweden and Cardinal Mazarine printed quarto Lond. 1661. Histriomastix or The Player whipt printed quarto Lond. 1610. This Play was writ in the time of Queen Elizabeth tho' not printed till afterwards as appears by the last Speech spoken by Peace to Astraea under which Name the Queen is shadowed Henry the Fifth his Victories containing the Honourable Battle of Agin-court a History acted by the Kings Majesties Servants printed quarto Lond. 1617. For the Plot see the English Chronicles as Hollingshead Stow Speed c. Hector or The False Challenge a Comedy written in the Year 1655. and printed quarto Lond. 1656. I know not the Author of this Play but I think it may vye with many Comedies writ since the Restauration of the Stage Hyppolitus a Tragedy which as I have been told is printed in octavo and translated from Seneca by Edmund Prestwith For the Plot see the Poets as Ovid's Epistle of Phaedra to Hyppolitus his Metamorphosis Lib. 6. Virgil. AEn Lib. 7. c. Hoffman his Tragedy or A Revenge for a Father acted divers times with great applause at the Phoenix in Drury-lane and printed 4o. Lond. 1631. This Play was adopted by One Hugh Perry and by him sent to the Press and dedicated to his Honoured Friend Mr. Richard Kilvert How a Man may chuse a Good Wife from a Bad a pleasant
permitted to speak my Sentiments of the Play it self I believe the Author has stollen neither his Characters nor Language from any other and I presume those that have read the Character of My Lord Occus in particular Winifred and the rest in general will be of my opinion John BANCROFT A Gentleman who is the Author of a Tragedy called Sertorius acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1679. 'T is dedicated to Captain Richard Savage and the Epilogue was writ by Mr. Ravenscroft The Elder Corneille has writ a Play on the same subject which I have read but shall leave it to the decision of better judgments to determine which is best Those who would read the foundation of this Play may consult Plutarch's Life of Sertorius Velleius Paterculus lib. 2. Florus lib. 2. c. 22. c. John BANKS A Person now living and if I mistake not a Member of the Honourable Society of New-Inn One whose Genius to Poetry led him to make several Attempts on the Stage with different success but of whom I may say with justice that if he be not accounted a Poet of the first form yet he bears up with his Contemporaries of the second His Genius lays wholly to Tragedy and he has had the Fortune to please the fair Sex in the Earl of Essex and Anna Bullen He has five Plays in print of which in their Alphabetical Order Destruction of Troy a Tragedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1679. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Katherine Roos If this Play fall short of Shakspear's Troilus and Cressida at least it surpasses Heywood's Iron Age and how unkind soever the Criticks were to it I believe they have seen worse Tragedies on the Stage Various are the Authors that have toucht on this subject as Homer Virgil Ovid c. but none more fully than Dares Phrygius and Dictis Cretensis though Learned Men suppose those pieces we have under their Names to be spurious yet Natalis Comes has turned Daxes into Latin Verse and our Countryman Lydgate into old English Meetre Island Queens or The Death of Mary Queen of Scotland a Tragedy published only in defence of the Author and the Play against some mistaken Censures occasioned by its being prohibited the Stage printed in Quarto Lond. 1684. and dedicated to the Illustrious Princess Mary Dutchess of Norfolk Most Historians of those Times have written her Story as well Forreigners as our own See Buchanan Speed in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth Camden Du chesne Brantome's Memoirs Causin's Holy Court Nay even Writers of Romances have thought her Story an ornament to their Work witness the Princess Cloria where part 2. her Story is succinctly related and she pourtrayed under the title of Minerva Queen of Mysta Rival Kings or The Loves of Oroondates and Statira a Tragedy in Heroick Verse acted at the Theatre-Royal printed in quarto 1677. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Katherine Herbert The Play is founded chiefly on Cassandra a famed Romance in Fol. As to what concerns Alexander I refer you to Curtius and Justin. Vertue betrayed or Anna Bullen a Tragedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1682. and dedicated to the Illustrious Princess Elizabeth Dutchess of Somerset The Author has followed a little Novel translated from the French and called The Novels of Elizabeth Queen of England containing the History of Queen Ann Bullen For the Story most of our Chronicles relate it See Speed's Chron. in the Reign of Hen. VIII Ld. Herbert Duchesne Dr. Burnet's Hist. Reform Book the 2. c. Unhappy Favourite or The Earl of Essex a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed in quarto London 1682. and dedicated to the most High and most Illustrious Princess the Lady Ann Daughter to his Royal-Highness the present Princess of Denmark This Play was acted with good success The Prologue and Epilogne were written by Mr. Dryden and the play it self founded on a Novel called The Secret History of the most Renowned Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex printed in 120. Lond. 1680. For the true Story see Cambden's Elizabeth Speed Duchesne Stow Baker c. in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth There have been two French Plays one by Monsieur Calpranede the other by the Younger Corneille which I have read and am of opinion that the English play is not short of the French notwithstanding the high commendations given it by the Mercury Gallant January 1687. Barnaby BARNES This Person lived in the Reign of K. James the First and writ a Play called The Devil's Charter a Tragedy containing the Life and Death of Pope Alexander the VI. play'd before the King's Majesty upon Candlemas Night by his Majesty's Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1607. and dedicated to the Honourable and his very dear Friends Sir W. Herbert and Sir W. Pope Knights Associates in the Noble Order of the Bath This Tragedy seems to be written in imitation of Shakspear's old Play of Pericles Prince of Tyre for as Shakspear raises Gower an old English Bard for his Interlocutor or Introductor in that Play so this Author revives Guicciardine for the same design This was the common practice of the Poets of the last Age as Shakspear Heywood c. at which time they frequently introduced dumb Shews which took much with the Spectators of those times 'T is evident the Author followed Guicciardine who has largly treated to this Pope in his History of the Wars of Italy see the first six Books Other Authors have likewise treated of him as Du Preau Hist. de l'Estat succes de l'Eglise tom 2 p. 293 seq Vollateranus tit 22. sub fine Massonius de Gestis Pontificum Romanorum c. This Author has extant besides four Books of Offices about Princes how they ought to be administred printed fol. Lond. 1606. Robert BARON Esq This Author was a young Gentleman bred first at Cambridge and afterwards brought up in the worthy Society of Grays-Inn During his abode there he writ a Romance called The Cyprian Academy printed octavo Lond. 1647. He dedicated it to the famous Traveller Mr. James Howel in particular and to the Ladies and Gentlewomen of England in general In his Romance are included two Dramaticks which Mr. Kirkman has inserted in his Catalogue tho' they are not entire Tracts of themselves nor of any signal Eminence but since they have been mention'd in former Catalogues I shall not omit them Deorum Dona a Masque presented before Flaminius and Clorinda King and Queen of Cyprus at their Regal Palace in Nicosia Part of this piece is borrow'd from Mr. Waller's Poem to the King on his Navy Gripus and Hegio or The Passionate Lovers a Pastoral acted by the Lady Julio's Servants for the Entertainment of Flaminius This Play consists but of three Acts and is borrow'd very much from Waller's Poems and Webster's
a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1653. Covent-Garden weeded or The Middlesex Justice of Peace printed in octavo Lond. 1658. Court Beggar a Comedy acted at the Cock-pit by His Majesties Servants Anno 1632. and printed in octavo Lond. 1653. Damoiselle or The New Ordinary a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1653. English Moor or The Mock Marriage a Comedy often acted with general applause by her Majesties Servants printed in octavo Lon. 1659. Jovial Crew or The Merry Beggars a Comedy presented at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane in the year 1641 printed in quarto Lond. 1652. and dedicated to the Right Noble Ingenious and Judicious Gentleman Thomas Stanley Esq This Play was reviv'd by the Actors at the Duke's Theatre and reprinted 1686. Love-sick Court or The Ambitious Politick a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1658. What Opinion the Author himself had of this Comedy may be gathered by the following Distick prefixt in his Title-page Nil mea ceu mos est comendes carmina curo Se nisi comendent carmina dispereant Mad Couple well Matcht a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1653. This Play was reviv'd on the Stage by the Duke's Actors under the Title of The Debaunchee or The Credulous Cuckold and reprinted in quarto Lond. 1677. New Academy or The New Exchange a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1658. Northern Lass a Comedy acted with great Applause at the Theatre Royal by His Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1663. and dedicated to the Right Worthy and no less Judicious than Ingenious Gentleman Rich. Holford Esquire This Play is commended not only by the above-mentioned Ben Johnson but by Five other Copies of Verses printed before the Play This Play was reviv'd by the Players since the Union of the Two Houses and reprinted in quarto Lond. 1684. with a new Prologue and Epilogue the former written by Jo. Haynes the Comedian Novella a Comedy acted at the Black-friars by His Majesties Servants Anno 1632. and printed in octavo Lond. 1653. This I take to exceed many of our modern Comedies Queen and Concubine a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1659. Queen's Exchange a Comedy acted with general applause at the Black-fryars by His Majesties Servants and printed in quarto 1657. Sparagus Garden a Comedy acted in the year 1635. by the then Company of Revels at Salisbury-Court printed in quarto Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Right Honourable William Earl of Newcastle c. Governor to the Prince his Highness This Comedy is applauded by Two Copies of Verses writ by two of the Author's Friends He joyn'd with Thomas Heywood in a Play called The late Lancashire Witches an Account of which see in that Author Ten of these Plays are printed in two Volumes in octavo each under the Title of Five New Plays by Richard Brome Mr. Phillips I know not for what Reason has omitted several of our Authors Plays viz. Damoyselle New Academy Queen and Concubine Queen's Exchange and Lancashire Witches Fulk Grevile Lord BROOK This Honourable Person was Son to Sr. Fulk Grevile the Elder of Beauchamp-Court in Warwick-shire and after having been Educated some time at Cambridge he removed to Court in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and in the Seventeenth year of King James the First he was made a Baron He was eminently Famous for Learning and Courage He was bred up with the Fam'd Sr. Philip Sidney and in his youth writ several Poems of different Kinds amongst which are two Dramatick Pieces viz. Alaham a Tragedy printed in Folio 1633. This Play seems an Imitation of the Ancients The Prologue is spoken by a Ghost one of the Old Kings of Ormus an Island Scituate at the Entrance of the Persian Gulf where the Scene of the Dramma lies This Spectre gives an Account of each Character which is possibly done in Imitation of Euripides who usually introduced one of the chief Actors as the Prologue whose business was to explain all those Circumstances which preceded the opening of the Stage The Author has been so careful in observing the Rules of Aristotle and Horace that whereas Horace says nec quarta loqui persona laboret He has in no Scene throughout introduc'd above two Speakers except in the Chorus between each Act and even there he observes all the Rules laid down by that great Master in the Art of Poetry part of whose Directions to the Chorus are as follows Ille dapes laudet mensae brevis ille salubrem Justitiam legesque apertis otia Portis For the Plot of this Tragedy I know not whence it is taken neither can I find the Name of any such King as Alaham amongst those Princes that Reigned there which are enumerated by Mr. Herbert in his Account of Ormus Mustapha a Tragedy printed in Folio 1633. What I have spoken of the former may be applied to this Play likewise as to the Rules of the Ancients since both seem to be built on their Model All I have to say further is that an imperfect Copy of this Play appeared in print in quarto Lond. 1609. tho' I suppose without his Lordship's Knowledge since it may rather be stiled a Fragment than a Tragedy But those Imperfections are amended in the Folio Edition As to the Foundation of the Play 't is the same with that of my Lord Orrery's Tragedy therefore I refer you to the same Authors viz. Paulus Jovius Thuanus c. Both these Plays are printed together in Folio Lond. 1633. with several other Poems as A Treatise of Humane Learning An Inquisition upon Fame and Honour A Treatise of Wars All these are written in a Stanza of Six Lines four interwoven and a Couplet in Base which the Italians call Sestine Caelica containing One Hundred and Nine Sonnets of different Measures on different Subjects There are in this Volume two Letters the One to an Honourable Lady the Subject of which is how to behave her self in a Married State The other written to his Cosen Grevil Varney then in France containing Directions for Travel His Lordship has other Pieces ascribed to him besides these publisht under his Name as the Life of his Friend and Companion Sir Philip Sidney printed at the beginning of the Arcadia under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Remains or Poems of Monarchy and Religion printed in octavo Lond. 1670. and other Pieces which because of their uncertainty I omit Only I cannot pass by a Mistake committed by Mr. Phillips and Mr. Winstanley who ascribe another Play to him called Marcus Tullius Cicero's Tragedy This Play was not written at least not printed as I suppose till long after his Lordships Death who was unhappily kill'd by an ungrateful Servant who afterwards to avoid the Sentence of the Law made his own Hand the Executioner of Justice making Death his Choice which should have been his Punishment This Worthy Nobleman lies Buried as Dr. Fuller says in Warwick Church under a Monument of black and white Marble whereon
the worst of Times but afterwards I suppose the Authors Preface to which I refer the Reader dispell'd all those Clouds rais'd by the Faction and I have seen it acted with universal Applause and I believe generally speaking all unbyass'd Judges that have read or seen it acted will give it the Approbation of an excellent Comedy and for those who are unsatisfied concerning his Fidelity to his King I must refer them to that admirable Defence writ by the Reverend Bishop of Rochester in behalf of this excellent Man it being too copious to be inserted here Love's Riddle a Pastoral Comedy written at his time of being King's Scholar in Westminster School printed first with his Poetical Blossoms in quarto Lond. 1633. but since printed in the Second Volume of his Works in Fol. Lond. 1681. and dedicated by a Copy of Verses to the truly Worthy and Noble Sr. Kenelm Digby If this Play be consider'd according to the Authors years at that time 't will certainly be allow'd standard or at least needs no other Apology then what the Author makes for it in his Dedication to his Patron Take it as early Fruits which rare appear Though not half ripe but worst of all the year And if it please your Taste my Muse will say The Birch which crown'd her then it s grown a Bay It might be expected that I should give some Account either of the Plots of these Plays or whence he has borrow'd but let those that think so be satisfied from the Famous Denham's Character That he is noâ— an Author of that Stamp I hope it will not be thought Foreign to my purpose to transcribe part of that Copy which he writ on this Admirable Poets Death and Burial amongst the Ancient Poets The whole Copy deserves to be engraved in Brass but I shall here transcribe only what is to our purpose Old Mother Wit and Nature gave Shakespear and Fletcher all they have In Spencer and in Johnson Art Of slower Nature got the start But both in him so equal are None knows which bears the happy'st share To him no Author was unknown Yet what he wrote was all his own He melted not the ancient Gold Nor with Ben Johnson did make bold To plunder all the Roman Stores Of Poets and of Orators Horace his Wit and Virgil's State He did not steal but emulate And when he would like them appear Their Garb but not their Cloaths did weas As to his other Works in English they consist both of Verse and Prose amongst which are his Love Verses call'd The Mistress which were first printed in octavo Lond. 1647. from a Correct Copy written by the Author himself and since they are printed in Folio with several of his other Pieces These Poems are highly applauded by the generality of judicious Men and notwithstanding the nice scruples of some it is an undeniable Truth which the knowing Writer of his Life lays down That never yet so much was written on a Subject so Delicate that can less offend the severest rules of Morality I dare not persume to give a particular Character of his Works therefore I shall refer them to the large Account of his Life written by the exact and ingenious Author above-mentioned or to the Readers own judgment They consist of Miscellanies Anacreontiques and Pindariques or some Copies of Verses translated Paraphrastically out of Anacreon and Pindar on the later he has writ Notes as replete with Learning as his Odes with Wit and Fancy and which most admirably explain the most difficult and abstruse Passages Besides these he has publisht an Epique Poem call'd Davideis a Sacred Poem of the Troubles of David in Four Books tho' design'd by the Author to be continu'd and extended to Twelve not for the Tribes sake but in imitation of Virgil. As it is a great grief to the Lovers of Poetry that he liv'd not to finish the Work so 't is the Opinion of an eminent Critick That as it may be lamented that he carried not on the Work so far as he design'd so it might he wisht that he had liv'd to Revise what he did leave us I think the Troubles of David is neither Title nor Matter proper for an Heroick Poem seeing it is rather the Actions than his Sufferings that make an Heroe nor can it be defended by Homer's Odysseis since Ulysses's Sufferings conclude with one great and perfect Action Yet notwithstanding this judicious Author allows That in the Davideis Fragment and imperfect as it is there shines something of a more fine more free more new and more noble air than appears in the Hierusalem of Tasso which for all his care is scarce perfectly purg'd from Pedantry And after all says That in the Lyrick way however Cowley far exceeds him and all the rest of the Italians Tho' Jacobus Philippus Tomasinus Laur. Crasso and other great Men give Tasso an extraordinary Character But to return to our Author whatever faults Mr. Cowley may have committed in the Oeconomy of his Poem as Mr. Rymer reckons up others if it be consider'd That he writ the greatest part of it as the Author of his Life observes whilst he was a young Student in Trinity College in Cambridge and withal reflect on the vastness of the Argument and his manner of Handling it he may seem like one of the Miracles he there adorns like a Boy attempting Goliah The rest of his Verses are written on several Occasions and for what remains unspoken of in his Second Volume they are Verses which he made when he was a King's Scholar and to which he gave the Title of Sylva As to his Pieces in English Prose they are Discourses by way of Essays upon grave and serious Subjects where he gives the truest and best Character of himself and his thoughts during his Retirement These with several others which he design'd to add he intended had not Death prevented him to have dedicated to his old Patron the Earl of St. Albans As a Testimony of his entire Respects to him and a kind of Apology for having left humane Affairs in the strength of his Age while he might still have been serviceable to his Country But not withstanding his Death his intentions are made good by his worthy Friend the careful Overseer to his Writings who has paid in this Legacy according to the will and intention of the deceased Testator His Latine Works contain the two former Books of his Davideis a Latine Comedy call'd Naufragium Joculare which was acted before the University of Cambridge by the Members of Trinity Colledge the second day of February 1638. and his Poemata Latina printed in octavo 1668. consisting of Six Books of Plants and One of Miscellanies of whose several Character you will find an account in his Life where you may likewise find a description of his Temper Conversation c. which would swell this Volume beyond its design'd Bulk to relate All that I shall acquaint you
dixisset Dr. Charles DAVENANT This Gentleman as I suppose is now living being Son of the above-mention'd Sr. William Davenant and Dr. of Laws He has as I have been inform'd a share in the present Theatre in right of his Father and is jointly impower'd with the Master of the Revels to inspect the Plays design'd for the Stage that no Immoralities may be presented This Gentleman has writ a Play call'd Circe a Tragedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke of York's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1677. The Prologue was writ by Mr. Dryden and the Epilogue by the late Earl of Rochester This Play I have seen acted with good applause The Plot is founded on Poetical History See Ovid's Metamorph. lib. 14. See besides Boccace Phil Bergomensis Nat. Comes c. The Scenes and Machines may give it a Title to that Species of Dramatick Poetry call'd an Opera Robert DAVENPORT The Author of Two Plays in the Reign of King Charles the Martyr tho' not publisht till the Reign of King Charles the Second viz. City Night-Cap or Crede quod habes habes a Tragi-Comedy acted with great applause by her Majesties Servants at the Phoenix in Drury Lane printed in quarto Lond. 1661. The Plot of Lorenzo Philippo and Abstemia is borrow'd from the Novel of the Curious Impertinent in the Romance of Don Quixot Part 4. Ch. 6 7 8. and that of Lodovico Francisco and Dorothea from Boccace's Novels Day 7. Novel 7. on which likewise part of Mr. Ravenscroft's London Cuckolds is built King John and Matilda a Tragedy acted with great applause by her Majesties Servants at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane printed in quarto Lond. 1655. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Mountague Bertie Earl of Lindsey by the Publisher Andrew Pennycuicke who acted the part of Matilda Women in those times not having appear'd on the Stage For the Plot read the English Chronicles that have given an account of the Reign of King John as Mathew Paris Polydore Vergil Hollingshead Grafton Danyel Martin Stow Speed Baker Churchil c. Robert DABORN alias DAUBORNE This Gentleman liv'd in the Reign of King James the First and was a Master of Arts tho' of which University I am uncertain He writ Two Plays viz. Christian turn'd Turk or The Tragical Lives and Deaths of the two Famous Pirates Ward and Dansiker a Tragedy printed in quarto Lond. 1612. For the Story I refer you to a Piece call'd Barker's Overthrow of Captain Ward and Dansiker two Pirates printed in quarto Lond. 1609. from which Narrative I suppose our Author borrow'd the Story Poor Man's Comfort a Tragi-Comedy divers times acted at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane with great applause and printed in 4 o Lond. 1665. Tho' this Author in his Epistle to his Christian turn'd Turk speaks of his former Labours It has not been my fortune to have seen any of them There is a Sermon written by One Robert Daborn on Zach. 11. 7. printed in octavo Lond. 1618. whether this were the same with our Author I know not but 't is probable it might be and that he was a Divine by this Distick which I find in an old Copy on the Time Poets Dawbourn I had forgot and let it be He dy'd Amphibion by the Ministry John DAY This Author liv'd in the Reign of King James the First and was sometime Student of Cains-Colleage in Cambridge He has written Six Plays if his Parliament of Bees may pass under that Species as the Authors of all former Catalogues have plac'd it Blind Beggar of Bednal-Green with the merry Humour of Tom Stroud the Norfolk Yeoman divers times publickly acted by the Princes Servants printed in quarto London 1659. For the Plot as far as it concerns History consult the Writers on the Reign of King Henry the Sixth as Fabian Caxton Du Chesne Pol. Vergil Grafton Stow Speed c. Humour out of Breath a Comedy said to be writ by our Author but which I never saw and therefore can say nothing of it Isle of Gulls a Comedy often acted in the Black Fryars by the Children of the Revels printed in 4 o Lond. 1633. This is a good Play and is founded on the incomparable Sr. Philip Sidney's Arcadia A Romance of that esteem that besides the frequent Editions of it in English I have seen it translated for the use of Forreigners both in the French and Dutch Tongues Law Tricks or Who would have thought it a Comedy divers times acted by the Children of the Revels and printed in quarto Lond. 1608. Parliament of Bees with their proper Characters or A Bee-hive furnisht with Twelve Honey-combs as pleasant as profitable being an allegorical description of the Actions of good and bad men in these our days printed in quarto Lond. 1641. and dedicated to the Worthy Gentleman Mr. George Butler Professor of the Arts Liberal and true Patron of neglected Poesy Travels of the Three English Brothers Sr. Thomas Sr. Anthony and Mr. Robert Shirley a History play'd by her Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1607. and dedicated to Honors Favourites and the intire Friends of the Family of the Shirleys In the Composure of this Play our Author was assisted by Mr. William Rowley and Mr. George Wilkins The foundation of it may be read in several English Writers and Chronicles particularly I have seen it in Dr. Fuller's Worthies in his Description of Sussex Where the Author speaking of the subject of this Comedy says thus As to the Performances of these Three Brethren I know the Affidavit of a Poet carries but a small credit in the Court of History and the Comedy made of them is but a Friendly Foe to their Memory as suspected more accommodated to please the present Spectators than to inform Posterity However as the belief of Mitio when an Inventory of his adopted Sons Misdemeanors was brought to him embrac'd a middle and moderate way nec omnia credere nec nihil neither to believe all things nor nothing of what was told him so in the List of their Atchievements we may safely pitch on the same Proportion and when abatement is made for Poetical Embelishments the remainder will speak them worthy in their Generations When our Author Died I know not but I have read an Elegy written on him by his Friend Mr. Tateham which begins thus Don Phoebus now hath lost his Light And left his Rule unto the Night And Cynthia she hath overcome The day and darkned the Sun Whereby we now have lost our hope Of gaining Day in 's Horoscope c. At this jingling rate he runs on the end much after the rate of a Gentleman of Lincolns Inn who writ a more ingenious Poem upon the Transactions between a Landlord and his Tenant Day who privately departed from him by Night printed in a single Sheet Lond. 1684. To shew the Parallel give me leave to transcribe the first six Lines by which the Reader may guess at the Rest. Here Night and Day
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
Alterations and Additions after the manner of an Opera represented at the Queens Theatre and printed 4 o Lond. 1690. For the Plot consult Eusebius Lib 8. Nicephorus Lib. 6. and 7. Vopisc Car. Carin Aur. Victoris Epitome Eutropius L. 9. Baronius An. 204. c. Orosius L. 7. C. 16. Coeffeteau L. 20. c. Queen of Corinth a Tragi-Comedy Rule a Wife and have a Wife a Tragi-Comedy which within these few years has been acted with applause at the Queens Theatre in Dorset-Garden Scornful Lady a Comedy acted with good Applause even in these times at the Theatre in Dorset-Garden Mr. Dryden has condemn'd the Conclusion of this Play in reference to the Conversion of Moor-craft the Usurer but whether this Catastrophe be excusable I must leave to the Criticks Sea Voyage a Comedy lately reviv'd by Mr. Durfey under the Title of The Common-wealth of Women This Play is supposed by Mr. Dryden as I have observ'd to be copied from Shakespears's Tempest The Storm which vanisht on the neighbring shore Was taught by Shakespears Tempest first to roar That Innocence and Beauty which did smile In Fletcher grew on this Enchanted Isle Spanish Curate a Comedy frequently reviv'd with general Applause The Plot of Don Henrique Ascanio Violante and Jacintha is borrow'd from Gerardo's History of Don John pag. 202. and that of Leandro Bartolus Amarantha and Lopez from the Spanish Curate of the same Author pag. 214. c. Thirry and Theodoret a Tragedy This Play is accounted by some an excellent old Play and therefore 't is pitty the Compositor was so careless in this new Edition as to omit a great part of the last Act which contains the King's behaviour during the Operation of the Poison given him by his Mother and which is as moving as any part of the Play This Imperfection may be supply'd from the Copy printed in quarto and I hope the Proprietors of the Copy will take care in the next Impression to do justice to these admirable Authors ` For Beaumont's Works and Fletcher's should come forth ' With all the Right belonging to their Worth The Plot of this Play is founded on History See the French Chronicles in the Reign of Clotaire the Second See Fredegarius Scholasticus Aimoinus Monachus Floriacensis De Serres Mezeray Crispin c. Two Noble Kinsmen a Tragi-Comedy This Play was written by Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Shakespear Valentinian a Tragedy reviv'd not long ago by that Great Wit the Earl of Rochester acted at the Theatre-Royal and printed in quarto 1685. with a Preface concerning the Author and his Writings For the Plot see the Writers of those Times as Cassidori Chron. Amm. Marcell Hist. Evagrius Lib. 2. Procopius c. Wife for a Month a Tragi-Comedy This Play is in my poor Judgment well worth reviving and with the alternation of a judicious Pen would be an excellent Dramma The Character and Story of Alphonso and his Brother Frederick's Carriage to him much resembles the History of Sancho the Eighth King of Leon. I leave the Reader to the perusal of his Story in Mariana and Loüis de Mayerne Turquet Wild-Goose Chase a Comedy valued by the best Judges of Poetry Wit at several Weapons a Comedy which by some is thought very diverting and possibly was the Model on which the Characters of the Elder Pallatine and Sr. Morglay Thwack were built by Sr. William D'Avenant in his Comedy call'd The Wits Wit without Money a Comedy which I have seen acted at the Old House in little Lincolns-Inn-Fields with very great Applause the part of Valentine being play'd by that compleat Actor Major Mohun deceas'd This was the first Play that was acted after the Burning the King's House in Drury-lane a New Prologue being writ for them by Mr. Dryden printed in his Miscellany Poems in octavo p. 285. Woman Hater a Comedy This Play was reviv'd by Sr. William D'Avenant and a new Prologue instead of the old One writ in prose was spoken which the Reader may peruse in Sir William's Works in Fol. p. 249. This Play was one of those writ by Fletcher alone Women pleas'd a Trigo-comedy The Comical parts of this Play throughout between Bartello Lopez Isabella and Claudio are founded on several of Boccace's Novels See Day 7. Nov. 6. and 8. Day 8. Nov. 8. Woman's Prize or the Tamer tam'd a Comedy written on the same foundation with Shakespear's Taming of the Shrew or which we may better call a Second part or counter-part to that admirable Comedy This was writ by Mr. Fletcher's Pen likewise I wish I were able to give the Reader a perfect Account what Plays He writ alone in what Plays he was assisted by the Judicious Beaumont and which were the Plays in which Old Phil. Massinger had a hand but Mr. Charles Cotton being dead I know none but Sir Aston Cockain if he be yet alive that can satisfy the World in this particular all that I can say is that most of these Plays were acted at the Globe and Black-Friars in the Time of those Actors Taylor Lowin Burbage c. This Account I receiv'd from Sir Aston Cockain's Poems who writ an Epistle to his Cosen Charles Cotton concerning these excellent Authors part of which I shall transcribe for the Reader 's better Satisfaction and because his Poems are not very common 'T is true Beaumont and Fletcher both were such Sublime Wits none could them admire too much They were our English Pole-Stars and did bear Between them all the World of Fancy clear But as two Suns when they do shine to us The Air is lighter they prodigious So while they liv'd and writ together we Had Plays exceeded what we hop'd to see But they writ few for youthful Beaumont soon By Death eclipsed was at his high Noon Surviving Fletcher then did Penn alone Equal to both pardon Comparison And suffer'd not the Globe Black-Friar's Stage T' envy the Glories of a former Age. As we in Humane Bodies see that lose An Eye or Limb the Vertue and the Use Retreat into the other Eye or Limb And makes it double So I say of him Fletcher was Beaumont's Heir and did inherit His searching Judgment and unbounded Spirit His Plays were printed therefore as they were Of Beaumont too because his Spirit 's there I know no Poems writ by Mr. Fletcher but Mr. Beaumont has a Poem extant call'd Salmacis Hermaphroditus printed Lond. 4 o 1602. and which was again re-printed with his Elegy of Love Elegies Sonnets and other Poems 8 o Lond. 1653. Our Author joyn'd with the Famous Johnson and Middleton in a Comedy called The Widow Of this Play see more under the Name of Ben. Johnson John FORD A Gentleman of the Middle-Temple who liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First Who was a Well-wisher to the Muses and a Friend and Acquaintance of most of the Poets of his Time He was not only a Partner with Rowly and Decker in the Witch of
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
Typographical Faults there are many other gross Errors several pieces being mention'd under the Title of Plays which are of a different Species for Instance Virgil's Eclogues are inserted under the Name of a Tragedy c. Picture a Tragi-comedy often presented with good allowance at the Globe and Black-Fryars Play-houses by the King's Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1636. and dedicated to his Honour'd and Selected Friends of the Noble Society of the Inner-Temple This Play was acted by those excellent Players of the last Age Lowin Taylor Benfield c. and is commended by his true Friend Sir Thomas Jay The Plot of Sophia's decoying the two debaucht Courtiers Richardo and Ubaldo who attempted her Chastity is related in a Book of Novels in octavo call'd The Fortunate Deceiv'd and Unfortunate Lovers see Nov. 4. of the Deceiv'd Lovers but this Story is I suppose originally Italian this Book being a Collection from Italian Novels Renegado a Tragi-comedy often acted by the Queens Majesties Servants at the private Play-house in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1630. and dedicated to the Right Honourable George Harding Baron of Barkley of Barkley-Castle and Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bath This Play is likewise commended by two Copies of Verses One of which was writ by Mr. James Shirley Roman Actor a Tragedy acted divers times with good allowance at the private House in the Black-fryars by the King's Majesties Servants printed 4o. 1629. and dedicated to his much Honour'd and most True Friends Sir Philip Knivet Sir Thomas Jay and Thomas Bellingham of Newtimber in Sussex Esquire This Play is commended by Six Copies of Verses writ by several Dramatick Poets of that Age as May Goss Ford c. For the Plot read Suetonius in the Life of Domitian Aurelius Victor Eutropius Lib. 7. Tacitus Lib. 13. c. Very Woman or The Prince of Tarent a Tragi-comedy often acted at the private House in the Black-fryars by His late Majesties Servants with great applause printed 8o. Lond. 1655. Our Author owns this Play to be founded on a Subject which long before appear'd on the Stage tho' what Play it was I know not I have already acquainted the Reader with the Resemblance between the Plot of this Tragi-comedy and The Obstinate Lady This Play with The Bashful Lover and The Guardian are printed together Virgin Martyr a Tragedy acted by His Majesties Servants with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 1661. In this Play our Author took in Mr. Thomas Decker for Partner I presume the Story may be met with in the Martyrologies which have treated of the Tenth Persecution in the time of Dioclesian and Maximian See Rossweidus Valesius c. Unnatural Combat a Tragedy presented by the King's Majesties Servants at the Globe printed 4o. Lond. 1639. and dedicated to his much Honour'd Friend Anthony Sentliger of Oukham in Kent Esquire This Old Tragedy as the Author tells his Patron has neither Prologue nor Epilogue it being composed in a time when such By-ornaments were not advanced above the Fabrick of the whole work I know nothing else of our Authors Writings and therefore must hasten to the last Act of his Life his Death which happen'd at London in March 1669. On the Seventeenth of the same Month he was Buried in St. Mary Overies Church in Southwark in the same Grave with Mr. Fletcher What Monument or Inscription he has I know not but shall close up our Account of this Ingenious Poet with the following Epitaph writ by Sir Aston Cokain An Epitaph on Mr. John Fletcher and Mr. Philip Massinger who lay both buried in one Grave in St. Mary Overy's Church in Southwark In the same Grave Fletcher was buried here Lies the Stage Poet Philip Massinger Plays they did write together were great Friends And now one Grave includes them in their Ends. So whom on Earth nothing did part beneath Here in then Fame they lie in spight of Death Thomas MAY. This Gentleman was born in Sussex of an ancient but somewhat declining Family in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth He was for some Years bred a Scholar in the University of Cambridge being Fellow-Commoner of Sidney Colledge During his Abode there he was a very close Student and what Stock of Learning he then treasur'd up is apparent from his Works which are in print He remov'd afterwards to London following the Court where he contracted Friendship with several Eminent Courtiers amongst others with the accomplisht Endymion Porter Esq One of the Gentlemen of his Majesties Bedchamber a Gentleman so dear to Sir William D'Avenant that he stiled him Lord of his Muse and Heart Whilst he resided at Court he writ the five Plays which are extant and possibly his other Pieces Dr. Fuller says of him That some Disgust at Court was given to or taken by him as some would have it because his Bays were not guilded richly enough and his Verses rewarded by King Charles according to expectation Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley insinuate That being Candidate with Sir William D'Avenant for the Honourable Title of the Queen's Poet and being frustrate in his Expectations out of meer Spleen as it is thought for his Repulse he vented his Spite in his History of the late Civil Wars of England wherein Mr. Winstanley says he shew'd all the Spleen of a Male-contented Poet making thereby his Friends his Foes and rendring his Name odious to Posterity Whether this Accusation be true or no I know not but I am sure his Enemies must allow him to be a good Poet tho' possibly he fell short of Sir William D'Avenant and tho' I no ways abet his self Opinion yet I learn from Horace that even Ill Poets set a value on their Writings tho' they are despis'd by others Ridentur mala qui componunt Carmina verùm Gaudent Scribentes se venerantur ultrò Si taceas laudant quicquid scripsere beati And therefore I hope the moderate Critick will bear with the Frailty of our Author and I doubt not but if they will read his Works with Candor and especially his Plays they will find he had some Reason for his Opinion of what he writ I shall first give the Reader a succinct Account of his Plays as follows Agrippina Empress of Rome her Tragedy printed 120. Lond. 1639. Our Author has follow'd Xiphilinus Tacitus and Suetonius in the Designing his Tragedy and besides has translated and inserted above 30. Lines from Petronius Arbyters Satyricon being a Translation of those Verses recited by Eumolpus beginning Orbemjam totum victor Romanus habebat c. and concluding with Siculo scarus aequore mersus Ad mensam vivus perducitur Now altho' this is patly enough apply'd by our Author he having introduced Nero at a Banquet commanding Petronius to write a Satyr against those Pleasures he us'd to commend yet methinks Mr. May having such a particular Value for Lucan as to translate his Pharsalia he should not have inserted what was
purposely writ against this particular Work as may be gather'd from the foregoing Speech Ecce Belli Civilis ingens Opus c. but rather have left it to such a Man as Douza who as a French Author has observ'd could no longer endure the Fire and Tempest of Lucan when he read the Taking of Troy or that little Essay of the War of Pharsalia which he declar'd to love much better quam trecenta Cordubensis illius Pharsalicorum versuum Volumiua The first Act of this Play has been ill corrected four pages of it being printed twice over Antigone the Thebane Princess her Tragedy printed 8o. Lond. 1631. and dedicated to the most Worthily Honoured Endymion Porter Esquire Our Author in the Contexture of this Tragedy has made use of the Antigone of Sophocles and the Thebais of Seneca The Reader may see besides Statius's Thebais c. Cleopatra Queen of AEgypt her Tragedy acted 1626. and printed 120. Lond. 1639. and dedicated to the Accomplish'd Sir Kenelme Digby The Author has follow'd the Historians of those times as Appian de Bellis Civilibus lib. 5. Plutarch's Life of M. Anthony Suetonius's Life of Augustus Florus lib. 4. Dion c. He has borrow'd besides several other Embelishments as Calimaccus's Epigram upon Timon the Misanthropist an Account of the Ancient Lybian Psylls so famous for curing the Venemous Bites of Serpents by sucking the wound related by Pliny lib. 7. c. 2. and by Solinus c. Heir a Comedy acted by the Company of Revels 1620. printed 4o. Lond. 1633. This Comedy is extreamly commended by the already mention'd Mr. Thomas Carew in a Copy of Verses affix'd to the Play where amongst other Commendations bestow'd on the Stile and the Natural working up of the Passions he says thus of the Oeconomy of the Play The whole Plot doth alike it self disclose Thro' the Five Acts as doth a Lock that goes With Letters for till every one be known The Lock 's as fast as if you had found none I believe there are few Persons of Judgment that are true lovers of Innocent and inoffensive Comedy but will allow this to be an Excellent Play Old Couple a Comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1651. This Play is not much short of the former and is chiefly design'd an Antidote against Covetousness Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley ascribe two other Plays to our Author viz. The Old Wives Tale and Orlando Furioso the first of these I never saw but for the latter I assure my Reader it was printed long before our Author was born at least before he was able to guide a Pen much less to write a Play it being printed 4o. Lond. 1594. But tho' he has no more Plays he has other pieces extant in print as the Translation of Lucan's Pharsalia 8o. Lond. 1635. which Poem our Author has continued down to the Death of Julius Caesar in VII Books both in Latin and English Verse I have already given you Douza's Character of this Poem to which I might add that of Scaliger Rapin and other Criticks but this being somewhat forreign to my present Subject I shall wave it and content my self with acquainting my Reader That however pompous and splendid the French Version of Brebeuf has appear'd in France our English Translation is little inferiour to it and is extreamly commended by our Famous Johnson in a Copy of Verses prefix'd before the Book well worth the Reader 's perusal He translated besides Virgil's Georgicks printed with Annotations 8o. Lond. 1622. Mr. Philips mentions a History of Henry the Second writ by him in Verse and a History of the late Civil Wars of England in Prose neither of which have I seen and therefore pretend not to determine whether he were a partial Writer or no. Only give me leave to conclude in the Words of Dr. Fuller That if he were a byassed and partial Writer yet that he lyeth buried near a good and true Historian indeed viz. Mr. Cambden in the West-side of the North-Isle of Westminster Abbey dying suddenly in the Night A.D. 1652. in the 55 th Year of his Age. I know not how Mr. Winstanley happened to omit the Transcript of so memorable a passage since he has elsewhere borrow'd so largely from this Worthy Author as well as Mr. Philips without either of them acknowledging the least obligation to him Robert MEAD An Author that liv'd in the Reigns of King James and King Charles the First and was sometime a Member of Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford as I learn from the Title-page of a Play call'd Combat of Love and Friendship a Comedy formerly presented by the Gentlemen of Christ-Church in Oxford and printed 4o. Lond. 1654. This Play was published after the Authors decease at that time when the Muses were banish'd the Theatre I wish I were able to give the Reader a better Account of our Author But being destitute of other Information this Gentleman having wholly escaped the Industry of Mr. Wood I must be beholding for what I have borrow'd to the Stationer's Epistle to the Reader where he tells us That he had been a Person whose Eminent and General Abilities have left him a Character precious and honourable to our Nation and therefore the Reader is not to look upon this Composition but as at a stoop when his youth was willing to descend from his then higher Contemplation He tells us that he could say more in his Honour but that he was so great a lover of Humility in his Life that he was almost afraid being dead he might be displeas'd to hear his own worth remembred Mr. Philips thro' his old Mistake ascribes to him The Costly Whore tho' I am almost confident the Play is not of his Writing and that those that believe it so have taken up their Opinion upon Conjecture Matthew MEDBOURN An Actor belonging to the Duke's Theatre in the Reign of King Charles the Second One whose good parts deserv'd a better fate than to die in Prison as he did in the time of the late Popish-Plot thro' a too forward and indiscreet Zeal for a mistaken Religion Ten Years before the Discovery of that Conspiracy our Author publisht a Play call'd Tartuffe or The French Puritan acted at the Theatre-Royal written in French by Molliere and rendred into English with much Addition and Advantage printed 4o. Lond. 1670. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Lord Howard of Norfolk This Play was recceiv'd with universal Applause on our English Stage if we believe our Author and is accounted by him the Master-piece of Molliere's Productions or rather that of all French Comedy I presume the Translator who was a great Bigot esteem'd this Play the more it being design'd as a Satyr against the French Hugonots tho' at the same time it must be acknowledg'd that the French Author has made an Admirable Defence for the Character of his Protagonist Tartuffe in his Preface to which I refer the Reader who is vers'd in the French Tongue
a Tragi-comedy Natures three Daughters Beauty Love and Wit a Comedy in two parts Presence a Comedy To this are added twenty nine single Scenes which the Dutchess design'd to have inserted into this Play but finding it would too much lengthen it she printed them separately Publick Wooing a Comedy in which the Duke writ several of the Suitors Speeches as that of the Souldier the Countryman the Spokesman for the Bashful Suitor besides two other Scenes and the two Songs at the End of the Comedy Religious a Tragi-comedy Several Wits a Comedy Sociable Companions or The Female Wits a Comedy Unnatural Tragedy The Prologue and Epigue were of the Duke's making Act 2. Sc. 3. the Dutchess inveighs against Mr. Cambden's Brittannia tho' whether with Justice I leave it to the Determination of others Wits Cabal a Comedy in two parts His Grace writ the Epilogue to the first part Youth's Glory and Death's Banquet a Tragedy in two parts Two Scenes with the Speeches at the first part in commendation of Mile Sans pareille were writ by his Grace so were all the Songs and Verses in the second part The Blazing World Bridal Convent of Pleasure Presence and Sociable Companions are printed together in one Volume and the rest in another As to her other Works I shall only mention the Titles and the Dates when printed and I shall begin with the Crown of her Labours The Life of the Duke of Newcastle in English printed Folio Lond. 1667. and in Latin Folio Lond. 1668 Nature's Picture drawn by Fancy's Pencil to the Life printed Fol. Lond. 1656. at the End of it she has writ her own Life Philosophical Fancies printed Fol. Lond. 1653. Philosophical and Physical Opinions Fol. Lond. 1655. Philosophical Letters Fol. Lond. 1664. Two Hundred and Eleven Sociable Letters Fol. Lond. 1664. Orations Fol. 1662. Poems Fol. 1653. Thomas NEWTON An Author that liv'd in the Reign of Queâ—â— Elizabeth and joyn'd with Jasper Heywood and Alexander Nevil above-named and others in the Translation of Seneca's Tragedies Tho' our Author translated but one Play yet he published all the Ten and dedicated them to Sir Thomas Henage Treasurer of her Majesties Chamber The Play which our Author has render'd into English is intituled Thebais a Tragedy This by some is believed not to be Seneca's because in this Tragedy Jocasta appears alive and in Oedipus she is kill'd and it is not likely that he would wâ—ite two Drammas that should so very much differ in the Catastrophe But if it be Seneca's 't is the shortest of his Tragedies and has no Chorus and is said by One to be Perpetuum Canticum nullis diverbiis incorruptum THOMAS OTWAY Thomas NUCE An Author of the same Time and joyn'd in the same Design with the former We are owing to his pains for the Version of One Play of Seneca's called Octavia a Tragedy This is the only Tragedy of the Ancients that I know of that is founded on History so near the time of the Author I shall not pretend to determine whether it was writ by Seneca or no tho' Delrio and others deny it For the History see Suetonius in Vit. Claud. Nero. Tacitus L.12 C. 14 Dion c. O. Thomas OTWAY AN Author who was well known to most Persons of this Age who are famous for Wit and Breeding He was formerly as I have heard bred for some time in Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford From thence he removed to London where he spent some time in Dramatick Poetry and by degrees writ himself into Reputation with the Court His Genius in Comedy lay a little too much to Libertinism but in Tragedy he made it his business for the most part to observe the Decorum of the Stage He was a man of Excellent parts and daily improved in his Writing but yet sometimes fell into plagiary as well as his Contemporaries and made use of Shakespear to the advantage of his Purse at least if not his Reputation He has publisht ten Dramatick Pieces if we may be allow'd to reckon his Farces as Distinct Plays of which we shall give the Reader a particular Account beginning with Alcibiades a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Middlesex This Play is writ in Heroick Verse and was the first Fruits of our Author's Muse He has made Alcibiades a Person of true Honour chusing rather to loose his Life than wrong his Defender King Agis or his betrothed wife Timandra whereas Plutarch gives him a different Character telling us that in the King's Absence he abused his Bed and got his Queen Timaea with Child and that Timandra was not his Wife but his Mistress and Justin sayes That he was informed of the design of the Lacedmoonian Princes against his Life by the Queen of King Agis with whom he had committed Adultery Atheist or the Second part of The Souldiers Fortune a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1684. and dedicated to the Lord Elande Eldest Son to the Marquess of Hallifax The Plot between Beaugard and Portia is founded on Scarron's Novel of The Invisible Mistress Cheats of Scapin a Farce acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1677. 'T is printed with Titus and Berenice and dedicated to the Right Honourable John Earl of Rochester This Play is translated from a French Comedy of Molliere though 't is not printed amongst his Plays of the Amsterdam Edition in 5 Tomes which I have by me yet that it is his I collect from M. Boileau's Art of Poetry where speaking of Molliere in the third Canto he says thus Estudiez la Cour connoissez la Ville L'une l'autre est toûjours en Modeles fertile C'est par là que Moliere illustrant ses Ecrits Peut-estre de son Art eust remporté le prix Si moins ami du Peuple en ses doctes peintures Il n'eust point fait souvent grimacer ses Figures Quittè pour le Bouffon l'agreable le fin Et sans honte à Terence allié Tabarin Dans ce sac ridicule où Scapin s'enveloppe Je ne reconnois point l' Auteur du Misanthrope But notwithstanding the Farce in this Comedy Molliere has borrow'd the Design from Terence his Phormio as may be visible to those that will compare them Caius Marius his History and Fall a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to the L d Viscount Faulkland A great part of this Play is borrow'd from Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet as the Character of Marius Junior and Lavinia the Nurse and Sulpitius which last is carried on by our Author to the End of the Play though Mr. Dryden says in his Postscript to Granada That Shakespear said himself that he was forc'd to kill Mercurio in the 3d. Act to prevent being kill'd by him For the true History of Marius Senior see Plutarch's Life of C. Marius Lucan's Pharsalia lib. 2. Florus
will be so far bold as to assert that the Earls of Orrery and Roscommon the Incomparable Cowley and the Ingenious Flatman with others amongst whom I must not forget my much respected Countryman James Tyrrel Esq would not have employ'd their Pens in praise of the Excellent Orinda had she not justly deserv'd their Elogies and possibly more than those Ladies of Antiquity for as Mr. Cowley observes in his third Stanza on her Death Of Female Poets who had Names of old Nothing is shewn but only told And all we hear of them perhaps may be Male Flattery only and Male Poetry Few Minutes did their Beauties Lightning waste The Thunder of their Voice did longer last But that too soon was past The certain proofs of our Orinda's Wit In her own lasting Characters are writ And they will long my Praise of them survive Tho' long perhaps that too may live The Trade of Glory manag'd by the Pen Tho' great it be and every where is found Does bring in but small profit to us Men 'T is by the numbers of the Sharers drown'd Orinda in the Female Courts of Fame Engrosses all the Goods of a Poetick Name She doth no Partner with her see Does all the buisiness there alone Which we Are forc'd to carry on by a whole Company The Occasion of our mention of this Excellent Person in this place is on the Account of two Dramatick Pieces which she has translated from the French of Monsieur Corneille and that with such exquisite Art and Judgment that the Copies of each seem to transcend the Original Horace a Tragedy which I suppose was left imperfect by the untimely Death of the Authress and the fifth Act was afterwards supply'd by Sir John Denham This Play acted at Court by Persons of Quality the Duke of Monmouth speaking the Prologue Part of which being in Commendation of the Play I shall transcribe This Martial Story which thro' France did come And there was wrought in Great Corneille's Loom Orinda's Matchless Muse to Brittain brought And Forreign Verse our English Accents taught So soft that to our shame we understand They could not fall but from a Lady's Hand Thus while a Woman Horace did translate Horace did rise above a Roman Fate For the Plot of this Play consult Livy's History Lib. 1. Florus Lib. 1. C. 3. Dionysius Hallicarnassaeus c. Pompey a Tragedy which I have seen acted with great applause at the Duke's Theatre and at the End was acted that Farce printed in the fifth Act of The Play-house to be Let. This Play was translated at the Request of the Earl of Orrery and published in Obedience to the Commands of the Right Honourable the Countess of Corse to whom it is dedicated How great an Opinion My L d Orrery had of this Play may appear from the following Verses being part of a Copy addrest to the Authress You English Corneille's Pompey with such Flame That you both raise our wonder and his Fame If he could read it he like us would call The Copy greater than the Original You cannot mend what is already done Unless you 'l finish what you have begun Who your Translation sees cannot but say That 't is Orinda's Work and but his Play The French to learn our Language now will seek To hear their Greatest Wit more nobly speak Rome too would grant were our Tongue to her known Caesar speaks better in 't than in his own And all those Wreaths once circled Pompey's Brow Exalt his Fame less than your Verses now Both these Plays with the rest of her Poems are printed in one Volume in Fol. Lond. 1678. This Lady to the Regret of all the Beau Monde in general died of the Small-pox on the 22d. of June 1664. being but One and Thirty Years of Age having not left any of her Sex her Equal in Poetry Sam. PORDAGE Esq A Gentleman who was lately if he be not so at present a Member of the Worthy Society of Lincolns-Inn He has publisht two Plays in Heroick Verse viz. Herod and Mariamne a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1673. This Play was writ a dozen Years before it was made publick and given to Mr. Settle by a Gentleman to use and form as he pleas'd he preferr'd it to the Stage and dedicated it to the Dutchess of Albermarle For the Plot I think the Author has follow'd Mr. Calpranede's Cleopatra a Romance in the Story of Tyridates but for the true History consult Josephus Philo-Judaeus Eberus Egysippus c. Siege of Babylon a Tragi-comedy acted at the Theatre dedicated to her Royal Highness the Dutchess and printed 4o. Lond. 1678. This Play is founded on the Romance of Cassandra Henry PORTER An Author in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth who writ a pleasant History called The two Angry Women of Abington with the humorous Mirth of Dick Coomes and Nicholas Proverbs two Servingmen play'd by the Right Honourable the Earl of Nottingham L d High Admiral 's Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1599. Thomas PORTER Esq An Author that has writ in our Times two Plays which are receiv'd with Candor by all Judges of Wit viz. Carnival a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1664. Villain a Tragedy which I have seen acted at the Duke's Theatre with great applause the part of Malignii being incomparably play'd by Mr. Sandford What this Author may have writ besides I know not and am sorry I can give no better Account of One whose Writings I love and admire George POWEL A Person now living the Author of a Tragedy call'd The treacherous Brother acted by their Majesties Servants at the Theatre-Royal and printed 4o. Lond. 1690. 'T is dedicated to the Patentees and Sharers of their Majesties Theatre and commended by a Copy of Latin Verses writ by his Fellow-Actor Mr. John Hudgson For the Foundation of the Play I take it to be borrow'd from a Romance in Fol. call'd The Wall Flower and tho' they are not alike in all particulars yet any One that will take the pains to read them both will find the Soporifick Potion given to Istocles and Semanthe to be the same in quantity with that given to Honoria Amarissa and Hortensia in the asoresaid Romance Thomas PRESTON A very ancient Author who writ a Play in old fashion'd Metre which he calls A Lamentable Tragedy mixed full of pleasant Mirth containing the Life of Cambises King of Persia from the beginning of his Kingdom unto his Death his one good deed of Execution after the many wicked Deeds and tyrannous Murders committed by and through him and last of all his odious Death by Gods Justice appointed Done in such order as followeth printed 4o. Lond. by John Allde In stead of naming more than Justin and Herodotus for the true Story I shall set down the beginning of this Play spoke by King Cambises not only to give our Reader a Taste of our Author's Poetry but because I believe it was
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
Epistle to the Reader speaks thus of both For the Man his Muse was much courted but no common Mistress and tho' but seldom abroad yet ever much admired at This Work not the meanest of his Labours has much adorned not only One but many Stages with such general Applause as it has drawn even the Rigid Stoicks of the Time who tho' not for pleasure yet for profit have gathered something out of his plentiful Vineyard This Play is founded on History during the time of the Eighth Persecution see Victor Episc. Uticensis de Vandalica Persecutione Isodorus Hispalensis Baronius c. James SHIRLEY A Gentleman of the same Name and Age with the former and was if not Poet Laureat yet Servant to her Majesty One of such Incomparable parts that he was the Chief of the Second-rate Poets and by some has been thought even equal to Fletcher himself He had a great Veneration for his Predecessors as may be seen by his Prologue to the Sisters and particularly for Mr. Johnson whom in an Epistle to the Earl of Rutland he stiles Our acknowledg'd Master the Learned Johnson and in all his Writings shews a Modesty unusual seldom found in our Age and in this I cannot refrain from comparing his Carriage to the Civil and Obliging Gentleman of Rome I mean Ovid who speaking of Virgil in the first of his two Epigrams if at least they are his which Heinsius questions says thus Quantum Virgilius magno concessit Homero Tantum ego Virgilio Naso Poëta meo Nec me praelatum cupio tibi ferre poëtäm Ingenio si te subsequor hoc satis est I need not take pains to shew his Intimacy not only with the Poets of his Time but even the Value and Admiration that Persons of the first Rank had for him since the Verses before several of his Works and his Epistles Dedicatory sufficiently shew it He has writ several Dramatick Pieces to the Number of 37. which are in print besides others which are in Manuscript Of these I have seen four since my Remembrance two of which were acted at the King's House and the other two presented at the Duke's Theatre in Little Lincolns-Inn Fields viz. Court Secret Chances Grateful Servant School of Compliments with what success I leave it to the Players now in being Permit me to bring you the Testimonium of an Old Writer on the Time-Poets in behalf of our Author who delivers this Distich in his praise Shirley the Morning Child the Muses bred And sent him born with Bays upon his Head But I shall cease any further Enlargement on his Commendation and leave you to the perusal of his Works which will shew him in his Native Excellence far better than I am able to describe him or them however take the following Account for want of a better and first of those in Quarto which are Twenty Nine Arcadia a Pastoral acted by Her Majesties Servants at the Phoenix in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1640. This Play is founded on the incomparable Romance written by Sir Philip Sidney and call'd The Arcadia Ball a Comedy presented by Her Majesties Servants in the private House in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1539. In this Play our Author was assisted by Geo. Chapman as likewise another which in its Order I forgot in his Account to take notice of Bird in a Cage a Comedy presented at the Phoenix in Drury-lane and printed 4o. Lond. 16 This Play is an Excellent Old Comedy and is dedicated by an Ironical Epistle to the Famous Mr. William Prinne that Great Antagonist to Plays Amongst other Sentences give me leave to transcribe One which may give the Reader a taste of the whole Proceed Inimitable Mecaenas and having such convenient Leisure and an indefatigable Pegasus I mean your Prose which scorneth the Road of Common Sence and despiseth any Stile in his Way travel still in the pursuit of New Discoveries which you may publish if you please in your next Book of Digressions If you do not happen presently to convert the Organs you may in time confute the Steeple and bring every Parish to one Bell. Changes or Love in a Maze a Comedy presented at the private House in Salisbury Court by the Company of His Majesty's Revels printed 4o. Lond. 1632. This Play is dedicated to the Honourable the Lady Dorothy Shirley by a Copy of Verses The passage in the first Act where Goldsworth examining his Daughters Chrysolina and Aurelia find them both in Love with Gerard is better manag'd in the Maiden-Queen tho' this Play has been received with Success as I said in our Time and as I remember the deceas'd Mr. Lacy acted Jonny Thump Sir Gervase Simple's Man with general Applause Chabot Philip Admiral of France his Tragedy presented by Her Majesties Servants at the private House in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1639. This is the Second Play in which Mr. Chapman joyn'd with our Author For the Plot see the French Chronologers and Historians in the Reign of Francis the First such as Paulus Jovius Arnoldus his Continuation of Paulus AEmilius Mart. Longeus De serres Mezeray c. Constant Maid or Love will find out the way a Comedy acted at the New Play-house called The Nursery in Hatton-Garden printed 4o. Lond. 1667. Hardwell Courting Mrs. Bellamy the Widow by the Advice of his Friend Play-fair is the Subject of several Plays Old and New as I might instance were it material tho' I mention it here because it occasions most of the business in the Play Contention for Honour and Riches printed 4o. Lond. 1633. I know not what to call this whether Interlude or Entertainment but I think I may call it A Useful Moral and which being enlarged under the Title of Honoria and Mammon I shall speak more of anon 'T is dedicated to Edward Golding of Colston in Nottinghamshire Esq Coronation a Comedy which tho' printed in the Folio Edition of Fletcher's Works was writ by Shirley as the Reader may see by the Catalogue of his Six Plays octavo Lond. 1653. Cupid and Death a private Entertainment represented with Scenes and Musick Vocal and Instrumental printed 4o. Lond. 1659. I cannot call to Mind at present whence the Poet took originally his History which is the Changing of Arrows between them which produce dismal Effects but the English Reader may read the same Story in Ogilby's AEsop's Fables Vol. 1. Fab. 39. Dukes Mistress a Tragi-comedy presented by Her Majesty's Servants at the Private-house in Drury-lane and printed 4o. Lond. 1638. Example a Tragi-comedy presented by Her Majesty's Servants at the Private-house in Drury-lane and printed 4o. Lond. 1637. Gamester a Comedy presented by Her Majesty's Servants at the Private-house in Drury-lane and printed 4o. Lond. 1637. The Intrigue between Wilding and his Kinswoman his Wife and Hazard is borrow'd from Ducento Novelle del Signor Celio Malespini secunda parte Nov. 96. The same Story in Q. Margaret's Novels Day first Nov. 8. tho' manag'd to greater Advantage by our
Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1600. For the Historical part see the Chronicles in the Reign of King Henry the Second viz. Pol. Virg. Speed Baker Daniel c. Love in its Extasie or The large Prerogative a kind of Royal-Pastoral written long since by a Gentleman supposed by Mr. Kirkman I know not on what ground to be One Peaps Student at Eaton and printed quarto Lond. 1649. The Author was not seventeen Years of Age when this was writ on which Account I think the Play may pass Muster with others of those Times Lost Lady a Tragi-comedy which I never read or saw but once and which I remember was printed in Folio Love a-la-mode a Comedy acted with great applause at Middlesex House written by a Person of Honour and printed 4o. Lond. 1663. This Play is justified by the Author in his Preface and ushered into the World by three Copies of Verses nor is the Play altogether undeserving Commendation Luminalia or The Festival of Light personated in a Masque at Court by the Queen's Majesty and Her Ladies on Shrove-Tuesday Night 1637. and printed 4o. Lond. 1637. The Famous Mr. Inigo Jones Surveyor of Her Majesty's Works had a Hand in the Contrivance of this Masque by Her Majesty's Command The Invention consisting of Darkness and Light the Night presented the first Antimasque and the Subject of the Main-masque is Light But for the clearer Information of the Reader I refer him to the Masque it self M. Manhood and Wisdom a Play mentioned by other Authors of which I can give no Account never having seen it Marcus Tullius Cicero that Famous Roman Orator his Tragedy printed quarto Lond. 1651. I know not whether even this Play was acted but it seems to me to be written in Imitation of Ben. Johnson's Cataline For the Plot see Plutarch in his Life See likewise his own Works Hist. Ciceroniana Lambin as also Dion Appian c. Marriage of Wit and Science an Interlude which I never saw Masque of Flowers presented by the Gentlemen of Grays-Inn at the Court at Whitehall in the Banquetting-house upon Twelfth-Night 1631. Being the last of the Solemnities and Magnificences which were performed at the Marriage of the Right Honourable the Earl of Sommerset and the Lady Frances Daughter of the Earl of Suffolk Lord Chamberlain printed 4o. Lond. 1614. This Masque is dedicated to Sir Francis Bacon Attorney General to King James the First Massenello but rightly Tomaso Amello di Malfa General of the Neopolitans his Tragedy or The Rebellion of Naples printed in octavo Lond. 1631. This Play was written by a Gentleman who was an Eye-witness where this was really acted upon that Bloody Stage the Streets of Naples An. D. 1647. 'T is dedicated to Iohn Caesar of Hyde-Hall in the County of Hertford Esquire by his Kinsman T. B. the Publisher For the Plot or rather the History read Alexander Giraffi's History of Naples translated by J. Howell See besides Du Verdier Histoire Universelle c. Mercurius Britannicus or The English Intelligencer a Tragi-comedy acted at Paris with great applause printed 1641. The Subject of this Play is about the Business of Ship-money the Judges being arraign'd under feigned Names as for Example Justice Hutton is called Hortensius and Justice Cook Corvus Acilius Prin is also introduced under the Name of Prinner There are but Four Acts and of the Fifth the Epilogue gives the following Account It is determined by the AEdils the Mistress of publick Plays that the next Day by Jove's Permission the Fifth Act shall be acted upon Tyber I should say Tyburne by a New Society of Abalamites Vive le Roy. Merry Devil of Edmonton a Comedy acted sundry times by his Majesty's Servants at the Globe on the Bank-side and printed 4o. Lond. 1655. This Play is said by Kirkman to be writ by Shakespear tho' finding no Name to it I have plac'd it amongst those that are Anonymous This Play is founded on the History of One Peter Fabel of whom see Fuller's Worthies in Middlesex p. 186. See other Chronicles in the Reign of Henry the Sixth Morning Ramble or The Town Humours a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1673. This Play is said to be written by One Mr. Pane and may be accounted a good Comedy Mucedorus the King's Son of Valencia and Amadine the King's Daughter of Arragon with the Merry Conceits of Mouse a Comedy acted by his Highness's Servants at the Globe and before the King's Majesty at Whitehall on Shrove-Tuesday Night printed 4o. 1668. This Play is said by former Catalogues to have been writ by Shakespear and was I presume printed before this Edition It has been frequently the Diversion of Country-people in Christmas Time Muse of New-market containing Three Drolls viz. Merry Milk-maids of Islington or The Rambling Gallants defeated Love lost in the Dark or The Drunken Couple Politick Whore or The Conceited Cuckold acted at New-market and printed quarto Lond. 1681. All these Three Drolls are stollen as I remember from Plays but not having them by me I cannot tell the particulars Mistaken Beauty or The Lyar a Comedy acted by their Majesties Servants at the Theatre-Royal printed quarto Lond. 1685. This Comedy is translated from a Play of P. Corneilles call'd Le Menteur N. Nero's Tragedy printed Lond. in quarto This Play was in former Catalogues call'd Nero newly written because 't was writ after that of Claudius Tiberius Nero which through Kirkman's want of Knowledge in History he call'd Nero's Life and Death which led me into the same Mistake till I came to read both Plays I know not when either of them were printed or when printed the Title-pages of both my Plays being wanting For the History of Domitius Nero consult Suetonius in Vit. Neronis Aurelius Victor Tacitus Sulpitius Severus Augustinus de Civit. Dei Eusebius c. New Custom an Interlude no less witty if we believe the Title-page than pleasant printed in a Black Letter quarto Lond. 1573. This Play is so contriv'd that Four Persons may act it and the Design of it is against Propery and to justify Reformation which then flourished in Queen Elizabeth's Reign This Play consists of 3. Acts but is written in Verse throughout so that had Mr. Dryden ever seen this Play he might better have quoted it than Gondibert which besides being writ seventeen Years before this is not in Rime to prove the Antiquity of Verse New-market Fair a Tragi-comedy in Two parts the First of which I never saw but the Second part I have by me and the Title of it is New-market Fair or Mistress Parliaments New Figaries written by the Man in the Moon and printed at You may go look in quarto 1649. The Design of it is to expose the Rebels then in power Nice Wanton a Comedy which I never saw No Body and Some Body with the true Chronicle History of Elydure who was fortunately three several times crown'd King of England acted by the Queen's Majesties
of what Degree soever For the Plot I can direct you to no other but the Book of the Gentle-Craft in Quarto Siege of Constantinople a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed quarto Lond. 1675. For the Plot see Chalcocondylas Constantinopolis a Mahammada Secund. Expugnata Paulus Jovius Hen. Pantaleon Knolles c. Sir Clyomon Knight of the Goledn-shield Son to the King of Denmark and Clamydes the White Knight Son to the King of Swavia both Valiant Knights their History printed quarto Lond. 1599. This Play is written in Old Fashion'd Verse and is very heavy in Reading Sir Gyles Goose-cappe Knight a Comedy acted with great applause at the Private-house in Salisbury Court printed quarto Lond. 636. and dedicated by the Publisher Hugh Perry to Rich. Young Esq of Wooley-Farm in the County of Berks. Sir Salomon or The Cautious Coxcomb a Comedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke of York's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1671. This Play is Originally French being a Translation from Moliere's L'Ecole des Femmes It was translated as I have heard by John Carell and own'd in the Epilogue as a Translation What we have brought before you was not meant For a New Play but a new Precedent For we with modesty our Theft avow There is some Conscience shewn in stealing too And openly declare that if our Cheere Doth hit your Palates you must thank Molliere This Play was frown'd and pelted at to use the Author 's own Expression by many Persons who thought themselves Criticks but notwithstanding it met with Success in the Action And the Author has sufficiently justified his Play in his La Critique de L'Ecole des Femmes to whom I refer the Reader Solyman and Perseda their Tragedy wherein is laid open Love's Constancy Fortune's Inconstancy and Death's Triumphs printed quarto Lond. 1599. This Play I presume was never acted neither is it divided into Acts. Sophister a Comedy printed 4o. 1638. I know not where this was acted or printed the Title-page of my Play being lost Spanish Bawd represented in Celestina or Calisto and Melibea a Tragi-comedy wherein is contained besides the Pleasantness and Sweetness of the Stile many Philosophical Sentences and profitable Instructions fit for the Younger Sort Shewing the Deceits and Subtilties housed in the Bosom of false Servants and Cunny-catching Bawds printed Fol. Lond. 1631. This Play is originally Spanish and translated into English by a Spaniard One Don Diego Puede-ser and by him dedicated to Sir Thomas Richardson the same Author translated Miguel de Cervantes his Exemplary Novels Fol. Lond. 1664. Step-mother a Tragi-comedy acted with great applause at the Theatre in Little Lincolns-Inn-Fields by his Highness the Duke of York's Servants printed quarto Lond. 1664. Strange Discovery a Tragi-comedy printed in quarto I know not when this Play was acted or where printed mine having not the Title-page but I know very well that both the Plot and the Language is borrowed from Heliodorus his AEthiopick History which I take to be One of the most Ancient if not the first Romances extant Susanna's Tears a Play which I never saw Swetnam the Woman-hater arraign'd by Women a Comedy acted at the Red-Bull by the Queen's Servants and printed quarto Lond. 1620. Tho' this Play seems designed chiefly as a Scourge for Joseph Swetnam's Scandalous Pamphlet against the Female Sex called The Arraignment of lew'd idle froward and unconstant Woman printed quarto Lond. 1617. Yet the Play is founded on Story much elder which I have read in Spanish in Twelves and is Intitled Historia de Aurelia y Isabella Hija del Rey de Escotia donde se disputa quien da mas occasion de peccar el Hombe a la muger o la muger al Homber T. Tempe restored a Masque presented by the Queen and Fourteen Ladies to the King's Majesty at Whitehall on Shrove-Tuesday 1631. and printed quarto Lond. 1631. This Masque is founded on the Story of â—irce see Ovid's Metamorphosis Book 14. The Verses were writ by Mr. Aurelian To â—nsend The Subject and Allegory of the Masque with the Descriptions and Apparatus of the Scenes were invented by Mr. Inigo Jones Surveyor of His Majesties Works Thersites an Interlude which I never saw Tom Essence or The Modish Wife a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 16 This Play is founded on two French Plays viz. Molliere's Sganarelle ou Le Cocu Imaginaire and Tho. Corneille's D. Caesar D'Avalos in the part of Love-all's Intrigue with Luce without the Reader will suppose that he follow'd a Spanish Novel call'd The Trapanner trapann'd and for the Business of Tom Essence and his Wife copyed Sir William D'Avenant's Play-House to be Let Act fifth which is a Translation from the former This Play is said to be writ by One Mr. Rawlins Tiberius Claudius Nero his Tragical Life and Death a Tragedy in quarto This Play used to be placed under the Title of Nero's Life and Death which made People mistake it for the Life of Nero Caesar who was the Sixth Emperour of Rome this being the Third I know not when this Play was printed or where acted mine wanting the Title-page but for the Plot read Suetonius Tacitus Dion Victor Eutropius c. Tom Tyler and his Wife an Excellent Old Play acted about a Hundred and thirty Years ago and printed quarto Lond. 1661. This Play is printed in an Old English Letter and is writ in a kind of Burlesk Verse where the Author affects an odd sort of Chiming in the middle of each Line The Design of the Play is to represent a Shrew and teach the way to humble her The Plot of this Play has some Resemblance with Mr. Poisson's Le Sot vengé Traytor to himself or Man's Heart his greatest Enemy a Moral Interlude in Heroick Verse Representing the Careless Hardned Returning Despairing and Renewed Heart with Intermasques at the Close of each several Act. Acted by the Boys of a Publick School at a Breaking-up and published so as it may be useful on the like Occasion printed Oxon. 1678. I find nothing Remarkable in this Play but that 't is writ without Womens parts which the Author says he never thought fit to put on Boys I remember not any Play but Plautus his Captivei that is thus writ and yet notwithstanding it is generally accounted an Admirable Play True Trojans or Fuimus Troes being a Story of the Britains Valour at the Romans first Invasion publickly presented by the Gentlemen Students of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford and printed quarto Lond. 1633. For the Plot or Story the Author has follow'd Livy lib. 3. Caesar's Commentaries lib. 4. 5 and Galfridus Monumetensis lib. 4. as you may see by the perusal of the Drammatis Personae Tryal of Chivalry a Play of which I can give no Account having never seen it Tryal of Treasure a Play to which I am as much a stranger Tunbridge Wells or A Days Courtship a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed
Ingenious Person lately deceas'd being one of the Squire Bedles in the University of Oxford His Skill in Languages particularly in Latin and Greek is sufficiently known to the Learned World He translated out of Greek the Electra of Sophocles and presented it to Her Highness the Lady Elizabeth printed 120. at the Hague 1649. Several Translations besides he has publish'd as Gratius his Cynegeticon printed 8o. Lond. 1654. and Prioli's Hist. of France some of Tully's Orations and his Latin Dictionary besides other School-Books several of which have been often reprinted and all of them shew his Great Industry and Parts E. W. A Person who was tho' not the Author yet the occasion of the Publication of a Comedy call'd Apollo Shroving compos'd for the Scholars of the Free-School of Hadleigh in Suffolk and acted by them on Shrove-Tuesday Feb. 6. 1626. written by the School-Master of Hadleigh and printed octavo 1627. J. W. The Author of a Play call'd The Valiant Scot which was printed 4o. Lond. 1637. and dedicated to the Right Honourable James Marquess Hamilton by the Publisher or Promoter of the Copy to the Press Mr. William Bowyer L. W. The Author of a Play call'd Orgula or The Fatal Error a Tragedy wherunto is annexed a Preface discovering the true Nature of Poesie with the proper use and Intention of such publick Divertisements printed 4o. Lond. 1658. and dedicated to the most accomplish'd Lady the Lady Frances Wildegoss M. W. Master of Arts. Another Author whose Play is bound in the Ternary of Plays 't is call'd The Marriage Broker or The Pander a Comedy printed 120. 1662. T. W. The third Author concern'd in that Volume having writ a Tragedy call'd Thornby-Abby or The London Maid All these Plays are dedicated to William Austin Esq by R. D. the Publisher W. W. The Translator of a Comedy writ by Plausus call'd Manaechmi printed 4o. Lond. 1515. This Author had translated several others in Manuscript tho' they were never permitted to come abroad in the World Unknown Authors WE are now come to the last Division of Authors I mean those whose Modesty or other Reasons have hinder'd the publication of their Names and as we have Decyphered some Authors in the foregoing Division upon Conjecture so we shall not pretermit to take Notice of such Plays whose Authors we can any ways guess at in this I shall Rank these as I did the former in an Alphabetical Method A. Abdicated Prince or The Adventures of Four Years a Tragi-comedy lately acted at Alba-Regalis by several Persons of Great Quality and printed Lond. 4 o 1690. This Play contains the Transactions of the Court and Nation during the Reign of the late King James under seigned Names there needs no Clavis the Persons being obvious to all Intelligent Persons The time of the Action is from the Coronation of King James to the Landing of his present Majesty Abraham's Sacrifice a Play which I never saw but do believe that it may possibly be a Translation from Theodore Beza Alarum for London or The Siege of Antwerpe with the Venturous Acts and Valiant Deeds of the Lame Souldier play'd by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlain his Servants printed Lond. 1602. Albion an Interlude mention'd by Kirkman which I never saw Albion's Triumph personated in a Masque at Court by the King and Queens Majesties and the Lords the Sunday after Twelfth-Night 1631. printed 4o. Lond. 1631. Mr. Inigo Jones had a Share in the Contrivance of this Masque Albumazar a Comedy presented before the King's Majesty at Cambridge by the Gentlemen of Trinity Colledge printed 4o. Lond. 1634. This was reviv'd at the King's House and a Prologue writ by Mr. Dryden see Miscellan Poems publish'd by him 8o. p. 279. Aminta a Pastoral translated from the Italian of Torquato Tasso to which is added Arriadne's Complaint in Imitation of Anguilara written by our Translator both printed in quarto Lond. 1628. Amorous Gallant or Love in Fashion a Comedy in Heroick Verse as it was acted and printed 4o. Lond. 1675. This Play has appeared abroad under the Title of The Amorous Orontus It is translated from a French Play written by Th. Corneille and call'd L'Amour à la mode It is founded on a Spanish Play writ by Ant. de Solis call'd by the same Name towit El Amor al uso Amorous Old Woman or 'T is well if it take a Comedy acted by their Majesties Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1684. I have been told this Play was writ by Tho. Duffet 't is printed with a New Title-page call'd The Fond Lady Arden of Feversham his True and Lamentable Tragedy who was most wickedly murthered by the means of his disloyal Wife who for the love she bare to one Mosebie hired two desperate Ruffins Black-will and Shak-bag to kill him printed 4o. Lond. 1599. in a Black Letter The Story is to be found in the Reign of Edward the Sixth see Hollingshead Goodwin Hayward Baker Beard 's Theatre of God's Judgment Book 2. Ch. 10. Edit 4. and the second part Chap. 6. added by Dr. Tho. Taylour Arraignment of Paris a Pastoral which I never saw but it is ascribed by Kirkman to Mr. W. Shakespear B. Battle of Aliazar fought in Barbary between Sebastian King of Portugal and Abdelmelech King of Morocco with the Death of Captain Stukeley play'd sundry times by the Lord High Admiral 's Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1594. For the Plot several Authors mention the Story the English Reader may find it in Heylin's Cosmography and Fuller's Worthies Band Ruff and Cuff an Interlude which other Catalogues mention but which I never saw Bastard a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1652. The Plot of this Tragedy and part of the Language concerning Clare Rodriguez Balthazar and Mariana is borrow'd from the Loves of Schiarra and Florelia in the English Lovers and Catilina's Supplying her Mistress Mariana's Room on the Wedding Night is founded on the Story of Roberto and Isdaura in Gerardo the Unfortunate Spaniard p. 87. Bloody Duke or The Adventures for a Crown a Tragi-comedy acted at the Court of Alba Regalis by several Persons of Great Quality by the Author of the Abdicated Prince printed 4 o Lond. 1690. This Play comprises the publick Affairs from the first Discovery of the Popish-plot to the Death of King Charles the Second The Persons are as easily known as in the former C. Caesar's Revenge a Tragedy which I never saw Charles the First King of England his Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1649. and dedicated to King Charles the Second commended by a Copy of Verses Combat of Caps a Masque of which I can give no Account Commons Condition a Comedy which I never saw Constant Nymph or The Rambling Shepheard a Pastoral acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1678. Costly Whore a Comical History acted by the Company of Revels printed 4o. Lond. 1633. Contention between York and Lancaster with the Death of the Good Duke Humphrey and the Banishment and Death of the Duke of