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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49533	An account of the English dramatick poets, or, Some observations and remarks on the lives and writings of all those that have publish'd either comedies, tragedies, tragi-comedies, pastorals, masques, interludes, farces or opera's in the English tongue by Gerard Langbaine.; New catalogue of English plays	Langbaine, Gerard, 1656-1692.	1691 (1691)	Wing L373; ESTC R20685	281,582	608

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

he is stiled Servant to Queen Elizabeth Councellor to King James and Friend to Sr. Philip Sidney Dying Anno 16 without Issue and unmarried Those who would read his Character more at large may have recourse to that excellent Author above-mentioned Henry BURKHEAD This Author liv'd in the Reign of K. Charles the Martyr being a Merchant in Bristol He writ a Play in the year 1645. called Cola's Furie or Lirenda's Misery a Tragedy dedicated to the Right Honourable Edward Somerset Lord Herbert The Subject of this Play is the Irish Rebellion which broke out the twenty-third day of October 1641. 'T is couch'd under feign'd Names as Osirus for the late Duke of Ormond Berosus for Sr. John Borlace c. the other Characters are easily discovered by reading Sr. John Temple's History of the Irish Rebellion printed Lond. 1646. and Sr. John Borlace his History on the same Subject Folio Lond. 16 This Play was never acted but introduc'd into the world by two Recommendatory Copies of Verses written by his Friends both which may seem to the Reader to be too partial in their Judgments as may be judg'd by the following Lines which are part of a Copy writ by Mr. Paul Aylward What tho' of Terence Seneca we hear And other modern Scenicks in our Sphere You I prefer Johnson for all his Wit Could never paint out Times as you have hit The Manners of our Age The Fame declines Of ne're enough prais'd Shakespear if thy lines Come to be publisht Beaum Fletcher's skill Submits to yours and your more learned Quill Henry BURNEL Esq This Gentleman liv'd in Ireland in the Reign of King Charles the First He writ a Play called Landgartha a Tragi-Comedy presented in the New Theatre in Dublin with good applause being an ancient Story printed in quarto Dublin 1641. and dedicated To all Fair indifferent Fair Virtuous that are not Fair and magnanimous Ladies This Play is usher'd into the world with Four Copies of Verses three Latine and one English but being guilty of the same partiality with the former I shall omit to insert any The Play it self was first acted on St. Patrick's-day 1639. with allowance of the Master of the Revels The Author it seems miscarried in a former Play and therefore in imitation of Ben Johnson whom he stiles The Best of English Poets he has introduc'd his Play by a Prologue spoken by an Amazon with a Battle-Ax in her Hand which succeeded to the Author's satisfaction The Plot is founded on the Conquest of Fro which the Author calls Frollo King of Suevia or Suethland by Regner or as the Author calls him Reyner King of Denmark with the Repudiation of Landgertha Queen to Regner See Krantzius lib. 4. c. 6. Saxo Grammaticus lib. 9. Jo. Magnus lib. 17. c. 4 5. c. C. Lady Elizabeth CAREW A Lady that flourisht in the Reign of Qu Elizabeth of whom I am able to give no other Account than what I collect from the Title-page of a Play call'd Mariam the Fair Queen of Jewry her Tragedy written says the Publisher by that Learned Virtuous and truly Noble Lady Elizabeth Carew and printed in quarto Lond. 1613. The Play is writ in the same measure of Verse with the Tragedies of the Earl of Sterline viz. in Alternate Verse and the Chorus is writ in Settines or a Stanza of Six Lines four interwoven and a Couplet in Base For the Play itself it is very well Pen'd considering those Times and the Lady's Sex I leave it to the Readers to compare it with that modern Tragedy of Herod and Mariamne Her Story is written at large in Josephus his History of the Jews See lib. 14 and 15. Salian Tom. 6. A.M. 4012. c. Torniel Tom. 2. A. M. 4026. Thomas CAREW A Courtier much in Favour with K. Charles the First being One of the Gentlemen of the Privy-Chamber and Sewer in Ordinary He was the Author of a Masque call'd Coelum Britanicum which was performed at White-hall in the Banqueting-house on Shrove-Tuesday Night the Eighteenth of February 1633. by the King's Majesty the Duke of Lenox the Earls of Devonshire Holland Newport c. with several other Lords and Noblemen's Sons He was assisted in the contrivance by Mr. Inigo Jones that Famous Architect and all the Songs were set by Mr. Henry Lawes Gentleman of the King's Chappel and one of the private Musick to King Charles the First It being written by the King 's express Command our Author placed this Distick in the Front when printed Non habet Ingenium Caesar sed jussit habebo Cur me posse negem posse quod ille putat He writ besides several Poems Songs and Sonnets which are received with good Esteem by the Wits of this Age and are printed with the foregoing Masque These Poems have been several times Reprinted the Fourth Edition being printed in octavo Lond. 1670. This Masque is not mentioned by either Mr. Philips or Mr. Winstanley because it was formerly through a mistake ascrib'd to Sr. William Davenant Sr. John Suckling that gay Wit who delighted to Railly the best Poets and spar'd not Ben Johnson himself has thus play'd upon our Author in his Sessions of Poets Tom Carew was next but he had a Fault That would not well stand with a Laureat His Muse was hide-bound the issue of 's brain Was seldome brought forth but with trouble and pain All that were there present did agree That a Laureat Muse should be easy and free Yet sure 't was not that but 't was thought that His Grace Consider'd he was well he had a Cup-bearer's Place But this is not to be taken for the real Judgment of that Excellent Poet and he was too good a Judge of Wit to be ignorant of Mr. Carew's Worth and his Talent in Poetry and had he pleas'd he could have said as much in his Commendation as Sr William D'Avenant in those Stanzas writ to him with part of which we shall conclude Not but thy Verses are as smooth and high As Glory Love and Wine from Wit can raise But now the Devil take such Destiny What should commend them turns to their dispraise Thy Wits chief Virtue is become its Vice For every Beauty thou hast rais'd so high That now course Faces carry such a Price As must undo a Lover that would buy Lodowick CARLELL Esq This Gentleman flourisht in the Reigns of King Charles the First and Second He was an Ancient Courtier being Gentleman of the Bows to King Charles the First Groom of the King and Queen's Privy-chamber and served the Queen-Mother many years His Plays which are Eight in number were well esteem'd of and most of them appeared on the Stage at the Private-house in Black-friars notwithstanding the prohibition of the Stage in those days The Names follow Arviragus and Philicia a Tragi-Comedy in two parts acted at the Private-house in Black Friars by his Majesties Servants and printed in octavo Lond. 1639. This Play was

by Mr. Tate and acted at the Theatre in Dorset-Garden 1685. Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley have committed mistakes in this Author having omitted the Tragedy of Ovid and plac'd two anonymous Plays to him which I dare be confident are none of his viz. Thersites and Tyranical Government All his Poems being collected and publisht together in octavo Lond. 1669 by Mr. Kirkman who knew Plays far better than either of these Authors Having given you this Account of his Plays I am next to speak of his other Poems and Pieces but since the Author has reckon'd them up in Verse in an Epigram directed to his Honoured Friend Major William Warner I shall transcribe his own Lines which may inform the Reader of his Stile as well as his Poems Plays Eclogues Songs a Satyr I have writ A Remedy for those i' th amorous Fit Love Elegies and Funeral Elegies Letters of things of divers Qualities Encomiastick Lines to Works of some A Masque and an Epithalamium Two Books of Epigrams All which I mean Shall in this Volume come upon the Scene Some Divine Poems which when first I came To Cambridge I writ there I need not name Of Dianea neither my Translation Omitted here as of another Fashion For Heavens sake name no more you say I cloy you I do obey you Therefore Friend God b'wy you Edward COOK Esq A Gentleman of whom I can give no other account than that he has publisht a Play call'd Love's Triumph or The Royal Union a Tragedy in Heroick Verse never acted but printed in quarto Lond. 1678. and dedicated to her Highness the Most Illustrious MARY Princess of Orange This Play is founded on Cassandra a fam'd Romance as you will find by reading Part 5th Book 4th to the End John COOK The Author of a Play call'd Green's Tu Quoque a Comedy printed in quarto Lond. I cannot tell the Date or the Place where 't was first acted the Title-page of my Copy being lost tho' I suppose at the Red-Bull by a Passage in the Play but I can inform the Reader that it is commended by Thomas Heywood who purposely writ an Epistle to gratulate as he says the Love and Memory of his Worthy Friend the Author and his intirely beloved Friend the Actor He says further That it past the Test of the Stage with general Applause And I have seen it acted since the King's Return at the Play-house as I think in little Lincolns-Inn-Fields with good success tho' the printed Copy be not divided into Acts. The Plot of Spend-all's gaining the Widow Raysby has a near resemblance with that of Will. Small shanks and Widow Taffety tho' I think the Design is better wrought up in this Play because the Widow by a Counter-plot frees her self from Spend-all and after having made a Tryal of the Sincerity of his Love consents of her own accord to Marry him This Play had its Title given it by the Author in respect of the admirable Comedian Thomas Green who acted the part of Bubble whose universal Repartee to all Complement is Tu Quoque Mr. Heywood gives him this Character That there was not an Actor of his Nature in his Time of better ability in performance of what he undertook more applauded by the Audience of greater Grace at the Court or of more general Love in the City At the Entrance of this Play is a Distick which Mr. Winstanley applies to Mr. Robert Green of whom I shall give an account in his proper place tho' had he put on his Spectacles he would have found it printed thus Upon the Death of Thomas Green How fast bleak Autumn changeth Flora's dye What yesterday was Green now 's sear and dry W. R. John COREY A Gentleman who is pleas'd to stile himself the Author of a Play call'd The Generous Enemies or The Ridiculous Lovers a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties Servants and printed in quarto Lond. 1672. Tho'he has so little share in it that we may justly say of him as Appolodorus the Athenian said of the Books of Chrysippus If a Man should extract the things which he hath borrow'd from others the Paper would be left blank To prove this I am to acquaint the Reader that this Play like a Botcher's Cushion is made out of several Pieces he having stollen from Four Eminent Poets Fletcher and Randolph Th. Corneille and Quinault The chief Design of the Play that of the Generous Enemies is borrow'd from Quinault's La Genereuse Ingratitude as will be evident to those who will compare the Characters of Don Alvarez and Signior Flaminio with those of the French Zegry and Abencerage Semena in Disguise under the Name of Lisander with Zelinda under the Name of Ormin c. For the Ridiculous Lovers 't is chiefly borrow'd from a Comedy of Th. Corneille's call'd D. Bertran de Cigarral which Play is founded on a Spanish Comedy written by D. Francisco de Roxas and stiled Entre bobos anda el juego The Quarrel between Bertran and Robatzy in the fifth Act is stollen verbatim from Love's Pilgrimage Act 2. Sc. 1. and Act 3. Sc. 3. The testy Humour of Bertran to his Servants in the third Act is part of it taken from the Muses Looking-glass Act 2. Sc. 1. Act 3. Sc. 3. and 4. Charles COTTON Esq An Ingenious Gentleman lately as I am inform'd Deceas'd who sometimes dwelt at Beresford in the County of Stafford He was an excellent Lyrick Poet but particularly famous for Burlesque Verse but mention'd here on account of a Translation of his call'd Horace a French Tragedy of Monsieur Corneille printed in quarto Lond. 1671. and dedicated to his Dear Sister Mrs. Stanhope Hutchinson This Play was first finished in 1665. But neither at that time nor of sevaral years after was it intended for the publick view it being writ for the private divertisement of a fair young Lady and ever since it had the honor first to kiss her Hands so intirely hers that the Author did not reserve so much as the Broüillon to himself However she being prevail'd upon tho' with some difficulty to give her consent it was printed in Octo. 1670. I shall not extol or particularise the Excellencies of this Play in the Original 't is sufficient to tell you that the French Author thought it might pass for the best of his Productions if the three last Acts had been equal to the two First and this he says was the general Opinion as you may read in the beginning of his Examen of this Play As to the Performance of this our Countryman notwithstanding his Modesty and Generosity in giving the preference to Madam Phillips her Translation I think it no ways inferior to it at least I dare aver that it far transcends that Version publisht by Sr. William Lower The Plot of this Play as far as it is founded on History may be read in several Authors See Livy lib. 1. Florus lib. 1. c.

Querer por solo querer To love only for Love's sake a Dramatick Romance represented at Aranjuez before the King and Queen of Spain to celebrate the Birth-day of that King Phil. IV. by the Meninas which are a Set of Ladies in the Nature of Ladies of Honour in that Court Children in Years but Higher in Degree being Daughters and Heirs to Grandees in Spain than the Ladies of Honour Attending likewise that Queen This Play was written in Spanish by Don Antonio de Mendoza 1623. and dedicated to the Queen of Spain which was Elizabeth Daughter to Henry the Great of France It was paraphras'd by our Author in English in 1654. during his Confinement to Tankersly Park in Yorkshire by Oliver after the Battle of Worcester in which as I have already observ'd he was taken prisoner serving his Majesty King Charles the Second as Secretary of State At that time he writ on this Dramatick Romance 3 Stanzas both in Latin and English which may give the Reader a Taste of his Vein in both these Languages and therefore may not be improper for me to transcribe or unpleasant to the Reader to perufe I shall give the preference to the Latin Verses Learning and Learned Men being to be preferr'd before Vulgar Readers Ille ego qui dubiis quondam jactatus in Undis Qui dum nunc Aulae nunc mibi Castra Strepunt Leni importunas mulceban Carmine Curas In quo PASTORIS Flamma FIDELIS erat At nunc Castris Aulisque ejectus Undis Nam mihi Naufragium Portus Ira Quies Altius insurgens Regum haud intactus Amores Et Reginarum fervidus Arma Cano Quae vinclis Hymenaee tuis spretisque Coronis Nec juga ferre virûm nec dare Jur a velint Dulce prosellosos audire ex Litore fluctus Eque truci Terram dulce videre Mari. In English thus Time was when I a Pilgrim of the Seas When I midst noise of Camps Courts disease Purloin'd some Hours to charm rude Cares with Verse Which Flame of FAITHFUL SHEPHERD did rehearse But now restrain'd from Sea from Camp from Court And by a Tempest blown into a Port I raise my Thoughts to muse on higher things And Eccho Arms Loves of Queens Kings Which Queens despising Crowns and Hymen's Band Would neither Men Obey nor Men Command Great Pleasure from rough Seas to see the Shore Or from firm Land to hear the Billows rore Tho' this Play was during the Author's Imprisonment translated 't was not printed till long after his Death viz. 4o. Lond. 1671. to which is added Fiestas de Aranjuez Festivals represented at Aranjuez written by the same Author and on the same Occasion and translated by the same Hand The Play it self consists but of three Acts which the Spaniards call Jornadas according to the Spanish Custom their Poets seldom or never exceeding that number As to his other Works he writ several Poems in Latin as a Copy on the Escurial another on the Royal Sovereign and a third on Mr. May's Translation of and Supplement to Lucan He translated other Pieces into that Learned Tongue as two Poems written by Mr. Thomas Carew Several Pieces he translated out of Latin into English as the fourth Book of Virgil's AEneids an Epigram out of Martial Lib. 10. Epig. 47. Two Odes out of Horace relating to the Civil Wars of Rome the First Carm. Lib. 3. Ode 24. The Second Epod. 16. with some Sonnets translated from the Spanish and other Poems writ in his Native Language with several Pieces which you will find bound up with Pastor Fido printed 8o. Lond. 1671. Nor was it out of these Languages only that he translated what pleas'd him but even so uncourted a Language as he terms that of Portugal employ'd his Pen during his Confinement For he translated Luis de Camoens whom the Portugals call their Virgil his Lusiad or Portugal's Historical Poem This Poem was printed fol. Lond. 1665. and dedicated to the Right Honourable William Earl of Strafford Son and Heir to that Glorious Protomartyr of Monarchy the Noble Thomas Earl of Strafford Lord Deputy of Ireland on whose Tryal our Author writ a Copy of Verses printed amongst his Poems p. 302. Besides these Pieces Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley attribute to him the Latin Version of Mr. Edmund Spencer's Shepherds Calendar which I take to be a mistake of Mr. Philips ' whose Errors Mr. Winstanley generally copies not having heard of any other Translation than that done by Mr. Theodore Bathurst sometime Fellow of Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge and printed at the end of Mr. Spencer's Works in fol. Lond. 1679. Henry L d Viscount FAULKLAND This Worthy Person was as I suppose Father of the present Right Honourable Cary Viscount Faulkland A Person Eminent for his Extraordinary Parts and Heroick Spirit He was well known and respected at Court in the Parliament and in Oxfordshire his Country of which he was Lord Lieutenant When he was first elected to serve in Parliament some of the House oppos'd his Admission urging That he had not sow'd his Wild-oats he reply'd If I have not I may sow them in the House where there are Geese enough to pick them up And when Sir J. N. told him That He was a little too wild for so grave a Service he reply'd Alas I am wild and my Father was so before me and I am no Bastard as c. But what need I search for Wit when it may be sufficiently seen in a Play which he writ the occasion of our making mention of him call'd The Marriage Night a Tragedy printed 4 o Lond. 1664. I know not whether this Play ever appear'd on the Stage or no. He was cut off in the prime of his Years as much miss'd when dead as belov'd when living Nathaniel FIELD An Author that liv'd in the Reigns of King James and King Charles the First who was not only a Lover of the Muses but belov'd by them and the Poets his Contemporaries He was adopted by Mr. Chapman for his Son and call'd in by Old Massinger to his Assistance in the Play call'd The Fatal Dowry of which Play more hereafter He writ himself two Plays which will still bear Reading viz. Amends for Ladies with the merry Pranks of Moll Cut-purse or The Humour of Roaring a Comedy full of honest Mirth and Wit Acted at the Black-Friars both by the Prince's Servants and the Lady Elizabeth's and printed 4 o Lond. 1639. The Plot of Subtles tempting the married Wife at her Husbands intreaty seems to be founded on Don Quixote's Novel of the Curious Impertinent and has been the Subject of many Plays as The City Night-cap Amourous Prince of The Curious Husband c. This Play was writ by our Author as Amends to the Fair Sex for a Play which he had writ some Years before and whose very Title semm'd a Satyr on Womankind viz. Woman's Weather-cock a Comedy acted before the King in White-hall and several times privately at the

no disparagement to submit his Writings to his Correction What a great Veneration Ben. had for him is evident by those Verses he writ to him when living Mr. Fletcher's Wit was equal to Mr. Beaumont's Judgment and was so luxuriant that like superfluous Branches it was frequently prun'd by his Judicious Partner These Poets perfectly understood Breeding and therefore successfully copy'd the Conversation of Gentlemen They knew how to describe the Manners of the Age and Fletcher had a peculiar tallent in expressing all his thoughts with Life and Briskness No Man ever understood or drew the Passions more lively than he and his witty Raillery was so drest that it rather pleas'd than disgusted the modest part of his Audience In a word Fletcher's Fancy and Beaumont's Judgment combin'd produc'd such Plays as will remain Monuments of their Wit to all Posterity Nay Mr. Fletcher himself after Mr. Beaumont's Decease compos'd several Dramatick Pieces which were well worthy the Pen of so great a Master Of this the following Lines writ by that Excellent Poet Mr. Carthwright are a proof Tho' when All Fletcher writ and the entire Man was indulg'd unto that sacred fire His thoughts his thoughts dress appear'd both such That 't was his happy fault to do too much Who therefore wisely did submit each Birth To knowing Beaumont e're it did come forth Working again until he said 't was fit And made him the sobriety of his Wit Tho' thus he call'd his Judge into his Fame And for that aid allow'd him half the Name 'T is known that sometimes he did stand alone That both the spunge and pencil were his own That himself judg'd himself could singly do And was at last Beaumont and Fletcher too Else we had lost his Shepherdess a piece Even and smooth sprung from a finer fleece Where Softness reigns where passions passions greet Gentle high as floods of Balsam meet Where drest in white Expressions sit bright Loves Drawn like their fairest Queen by milky Doves A Piece which Johnson in a Rapture bid Come up a glorify'd Work and so it did They who would read more of these admirable Poets worth may peruse at their leisure those excellent Copys of Verses printed with their Works written by the prime Wits of the Age as Waller Denham Sir John Berkenhead Dr. Main c. I am extreamly sorry that I am not able to give any Account of the Affairs of these Great Men Mr. Beaumont's Parentage Birth County Education and Death being wholly unknown to me And as to Mr. Fletcher all I know of him is That he was Son to the Eminent Richard Fletcher created Bishop of Bristol by Queen Elizabeth An. 1559. and by her preferr'd to London 1593. He died in London of the Plague in the First Year of King Charles the Martyr 1625. being Nine and fourty Years of Age and was bury'd in St. Mary Overies Church in Southwarke I beg my Reader 's Leave to insert the Inscription which I find writ under his Picture by that well known Wit Sir John Berkenhead which will give the Reader a fuller Knowledge of his Abilities and Merit than I am able to express Felicis aevi ac Praesulis Natus comes Beaumontio sic quippe Parnassus Biceps FLETCHERVS unam in Pyramida furcas agens Struxit chorum plùs simplicem Vates Duplex Plus Duplicem solus nec ullum transtulit Nec transferrendus Dramatum aeterni sales Anglo Theatro Orbi Sibi superstitites FLETCHERE facies absque vultu pingitur Quantus vel umbram circuit nemo tuam Where or when Mr. Beaumont died I know not but I have met with an Epitaph writ by Dr. Corbet immediately after his Death that well deserves the Reader 's perusal On Mr. Francis Beaumont Then newly dead He that hath such Acuteness and such Wit As would ask Ten good Heads to husband it He that can write so well that no man dare Refuse it for the best let him beware BEAUMONT is dead by whose sole Death appears Wit 's a Disease consumes men in few years There are two and fifty Plays written by these worthy Authors all which are now extant in one Volume printed fol. Lond. 1679. each of which I shall mention Alphabetically Beggers Bush a Comedy This Play I have seen several times acted with applause Bonduca a Tragedy The plot of this Play is borrow'd from Tacitus's Annals Lib. 14. See Milton's History of England Book 2. Ubaldino de Vita delle Donne Illustri del Regno d' Inghelterra Scotia pag. 7 c. Bloody Brother or Rollo Duke of Normandy a Tragedy much in request and notwithstanding Mr. Rymer's Criticisms on it has still the good fortune to Please it being frequently acted by the present Company of Actors at the Queen's Play-House in Dorset-Garden The Design of this Play is History See Herodian lib. 4. Xiphilini Epit. Dion in Vit. Ant. Caracallae Part of the Language is copy'd from Seneca's Thebais Captain a Comedy Chances a Comedy reviv'd by the late Duke of Buckingham and very much improv'd being acted with extraordinary applause at the Theatre in Dorset-Garden and printed with the Alterations Lond. 4 o 1682. This Play is built on a Novel written by the Famous Spaniard Miguel de Cervantes call'd The Lady Cornelia which the Reader may read at large in a Fol. Vol. call'd Six Exemplary Novels Coronation a Tragi-comedy Coxcomb a Comedy which was reviv'd at the Theatre-Royal the Prologue being spoken by Jo. Hains Cupid's Revenge a Tragedy Custome of the Country a Tragi-comedy This is accounted an excellent Play the Plot of Rutilio Duarte and Guyomar is founded on one of Malespini's Novels Deca 6. Nov. 6. Double Marriage a Tragedy which has been reviv'd some years ago as I learn from a new Prologue printed in Covent-Garden Drollexy p. 14. Elder Brother a Comedy which has been acted with good applause Faithful Shepherdess a Pastoral writ by Mr. Fletcher and commended by two Copies written by the Judicious Beaumont and the Learned Johnson which the Reader may read at the end of the Play See the last Edit Fol. p. 233. When this Pastoral was first acted before their Majesties at Sommerset House on Twelfth-Night 1633. instead of a Prologue there was a Song in Dialogue sung between a Priest and a Nymph which was writ by Sir William D'Avenant and an Epilogue was spoken by the Lady Mary Mordant which the Reader may read in Covent-Garden Drollery pag. 86. Fair Maid of the Inn a Tragi-comedy Mariana's disowning Caesario for her Son and the Duke's Injunction to marry him is related by Causin in his Holy Court and is transcrib'd by Wanley in his History of Man Fol. Book 3. Chap. 26. False One a Tragedy This Play is founded on the Adventures of Julius Caesar in AEgypt and his Amours with Cleopatra See Suetonius Plutarch Dion Appian Florus Eutropius Orosius c. Four Plays or Moral Representations in One viz. The Triumph of Honour The Triumph of Love The

Edmonton of which see an Account in Rowly and with Decker in The Sun's Darling but writ likewise himself seven Plays most of which were acted at the Phoenix and the Black-Friars and may be known by an Anagram instead of his Name generally printed in the Title-page viz. FIDE HONOR He was more addicted to Tragedy than Comedy which occasion'd an Old Poet to write thus of him Deep in a Dump John Ford was alone got With folded Arms and melancholy Hat I shall give an Account of his Plays Alphabetically and place The Sun's Darling in its order because the greatest part of it was writ by our Author Broken Heart a Tragedy acted by the Kings Majesties Servants at the private House in Black-Fryars printed 4 o Lond. 1633. and dedicated to the most Worthy Deserver of the Noblest Titles in Honour William Lord Craven Baron of Hamstead Marshal The Speakers Names are fitted to their Qualities and most of them are deriv'd from Greek Etimologies Fancies Chast and Noble a Tragi-comedy presented by the Queen Majesties Servants at the Phoenix in Drury Lane printed 4 o Lond. 1638. and dedicated to the Right Noble Lord the Lord Randell Macdonell Earl of Antrim in the Kingdom of Ireland This Play is usher'd into the World by a Copy of Verses written by Mr. Edward Greenfield Ladies Tryal a Tragi-comedy acted by both their Majesties Servants at the private House in Drury Lane printed 4 o Lond. 1639. and dedicated to his Deservingly Honoured John Wyrley Esq and to the Virtuous and Right worthy Gentlewoman Mrs. Mary Wyrley his Wife Lovers Melancholy a Tragi-comedy acted at the private House in the Black-Fryars and publickly at the Globe by the Kings Majesties Servants printed 4 o Lond. 1629. and dedicated to his most worthily Respected Friends Nathaniel Finch John Ford Esquires Mr. Henry Blunt Mr. Robert Ellice and all the rest of the Noble Society of Grays-Inn This Play is commended by four of the Author's Friends one of which who stiles himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writ the following Tetrastick 'T is not the Language nor the fore-plac'd Rimes Of Friends that shall commend to after-times The Lovers Malancholy It s own Worth Without a borrow'd Praise shall set it forth The Author has Embellisht this Play with several Fancies from other Writers which he has appositely brought in as the Story of the Contention between the Musician and the Nightingale describ'd in Strada's Academical Prolusions Lib. 2. Prol. 6 which begins Jam Sol è medio pronus defluxerat Orbe c. A Definition and Description of Melancholy copied from the Ingenious Mr. Rob. Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy c. Love's Sacrifice a Tragedy receiv'd generally well acted by the Queens Majesties Servants at the Phoenix in Drury Lane printed 4 o Lond. 1633. and dedicated to his truest Friend his worthiest Kinsman John Ford of Gray's Inn Esquire There is a Copy of Verses printed before this Play written by that Dramatick Writer Mr. James Shirley Perkin Warbeck a Chronicle History and a Strange Truth acted sometimes by the Queens Majesties Servants in Drury Lane printed 4 o Lond. 1634. and dedicated to the Rightly Honourable William Cavendish Earl of Newcastle This Play as several of the former is attended with Verses written by Four of the Author's Friends one of which is his Kinsman above-mentioned The Plot is founded on Truth and may be read in most of the Chronicles that have writ of the Reign of King Henry the VII See Caxton Polidore Virgil Hollingshead Speed Stow Salmonet Du Chesne Martyn Baker Gaynsford's History of Perkin Warbeck c. Sun's Darling a Moral Mask often presented by their Majesties Servants at the Cock-pit in Drury Lane with great applause printed 4 o Lond. 1657. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Thomas Wriathesley Earl of Southampton This Play was written as I have said by our Author and Decker but not publisht till after their Decease A Copy of Verses written by Mr. John Tateham is the Introduction to the Masque at the Entry whereof the Reader will find an Explanation of the Design alluding to the Four Seasons of the Year 'T is pity she 's a whore a Tragedy printed 4 o I can give no further Account of the Title-page or Dedication mine being lost All that I can say is that it equalls any of our Author's Plays and were to be commended did not the Author paint the incestuous Love between Giovanni and his Sister Annabella in too beautiful Colours Mr. Winstanly says that this Author was very beneficial to the Red-Bull and Fortune Play-Houses as may appear by the Plays which he wrote tho' the Reader may see by the fore-going Account that he takes his Information upon trust or else the Plays he has seen are of different Editions from those I have by me but I rather believe the former since I have found him subject to several Mistakes of this Nature Thomas FORD An Author who liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First who publisht a Dramatick Poem call'd Love's Labyrinth or The Royal Shepherdess a Tragi-comedy printed 8 o Lond. 1660. This Play is commended by two Copies of Verses but whether ever it appear'd on any Stage I cannot determine only this I know that part of this Play is stollen from Gomersal's Tragedy of Sforza Duke of Millain Mr. Philips thro' mistake ascribes this Play to the above-mention'd Mr. John Ford. This Author has writ several other Pieces Virtus Rediviva a Panegyrick on King Charles the Martyr A Theatre of Wits being a Collection of Apothegms Fenestra in Pectore or a Century of Familiar Letters Fragmenta Poetica or Poetical Diversions A Panegyrick on the Return of King Charles the Second All these Pieces with the fore-going Play are printed together in 8 o Lond. 1661. John FOUNTAIN A Gentleman who flourish'd in Devonshire at the time of his Majesty King Charles the Second his Return and was the Author of a single Play nam'd Reward of Virtue a Comedy printed in 4o. Lond. 1661. This Play was not design'd for the Stage by the Author but about eight Years after the first printing Mr. Fountain being dead it was reviv'd with Alterations by Mr. Shadwell and acted with good Applause under the Title of The Royal Shepherdess Abraham FRAUNCE An Ancient Writer who liv'd in the time of Queen Elizabeth and was the Author of a Book called The Countess of Pembroke's Ivy Church which Title in former Catalogues was set down as the Name of a Play in 2 Parts tho' in reality there is but one Dramatick Piece call'd Amintas's Pastoral being the first part of the Book printed 4 o Lond. 1591. and dedicated to the Right Excellent and most Honourable Lady the Lady Mary Countess of Pembroke This Play is writ in English Hexameters and is a Translation from Tasso's Aminta which was done into Latin by one Mr. Watson before this Version was undertaken by our Author He owns that he has somewhat alter'd Sigr. Tasso's Italian

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

him the Reputation of a Sharp Wit In an Old Copy of Verses I find His Character thus drawn And surely Nash tho' be a Proser were A Branch of Laurel yet deserves to bear Sharply Satyrick was he and that way He went since that his being to this day Few have attempted and I surely think Those Words shall hardly be set down by Ink Shall scorch and blast so as his could when he Would inflict Vengeance As to his Plays he has publisht only two that I have heard of viz. Dido Queen of Carthage in which he joyn'd with Marloe and Summer's last Will and Testament a Comedy I could never procure a Sight of either of these but as to that Play call'd See me and see me not ascribed to him by Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley I have it by me and have plac'd it to the right Author Mr. Dawbridgecourt Belchier see page 24. He writ several other Pieces some Satyrical as Pierce Penniless his Supplication to the Devil Have with ye to Safron-Walden Four Letters Confuted A Poem called The White-Herring and the Red and another Piece in Prose which I take to be the same Thomas Nash called A Fourfold Way to a Happy Life in a Dialogue between a Countryman Citizen Divine and Lawyer printed 4o. Lond. 1633. Alexander NEVILE An Author in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth that early addicted himself to Poetry and was one of those that the Eminent Jasper Heywood made choice of to joyn with him and others in the Translation of Seneca Our Author undertook the Task and at sixteen Years of Age he translated Oedipus a Tragedy which he Englished in the Year 1560. and was printed with the rest 4o. Lond. 1581. and more immediately dedicated by the Author To the Right Honourable Mr. Dr. Wotton One of the Queens Majesties Privy Council Many were the Authors of Antiquity that writ on this Subject tho' but two Plays writ by Sophocles viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have descended to our Times from the which Seneca is said to have borrow'd part of this Play Our Translator acknowledges in his Epistle to his Patron and God-Father That he has not been precise in following the Author word for word but sometimes by Addition sometimes by Substraction to use the aptest Phrases in giving the Sense that he could invent There are other Pieces which I suppose were writ by our Author published in Latin as Oratio in Obitium Sydnaei printed 4o. Lond. 1587. De Furoribus Norfolciensium Ketto Duce printed 4o. 1575. Norvicus ibid. all which being printed about the time that he lived make me imagine them to be his Robert NEVILE An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and in his younger Years was educated in the University of Cambridge where he became a fellow of King's Colledge I know nothing that he has publisht but a single Play call'd Poor Scholar a Comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1662. This Play was as I suppose writ some Years before it being printed for Mr. Kirkman I know not whether ever it was acted but I may presume to say 't is no contemptible Play for Plot and Language It is commended for an excellent one by three Copies of Verses prefix'd to it writ by his Friends One of which says thus in its praise Bees from a bruised Ox says Maro breed But thou drawest Honey from a tatter'd weed Seeing thy Wit 's so pure thy Phrase so clean Thy Sense so weighty that each Line 's a Scene We 'll change the Song and cry as truly too Whither may not This thy Poor Scholar go This fault the Best-nos'd Criticks only smell That thy Poor Scholar is attir'd too well Ben's Auditors were once in such a mood That he was forc'd to swear his Play was good Thy Play than his doth far more currant go For without Swearing we 'll believe thine so William Duke of NEWCASTLE I am now arriv'd at a Nobleman whose Heroick Actions are too Copious and Illustrious for me to attempt the Description of and are a fitter Subject for the Pen of a Modern Plutarch if any such were to be found than for mine I shall leave therefore the Character of this Valiant Heroe Careful Tutor Wise Statesman Exact Courtier and Loyal Subject to be describ'd by some Illustrious Historian or else refer my Reader to his Life already writ in Latin and English by the Hand of his Incomparable Dutchess who during his Life-time describ'd all his Glorious Actions in a Stile so Noble and Masculine that she seems to have even antedated his Apotheosis But tho' I dare not pretend to describe his Heroick Atchievements or view him in the Field as a General yet I shall presume to look upon him in his Retirements and consider him as a Poet and an Author it being my immediate Province To speak first of his Acquaintance with the Muses and his affable Deportment to all their Votaries No Person since the Time of Augustus better understood Dramatick Poetry nor more generously encourag'd Poets so that we may truly call him our English Mecaenas He had a more particular kindness for that Great Matter of Dramatick Poesy the Excellent Johnson and 't was from him that he attain'd to a perfect Knowledge of what was to be accounted True Humour in Comedy How well he has copy'd his Master I leave to the Criticks but I am sure our late as well as our present Laureat have powerful Reasons to defend his Memory He has writ four Comedies which have always been acted with applause viz. Country Captain a Comedy lately presented by his Majesties Servants at the Black-fryars 8o. In 's Grave van Hag. Ant. 1649. I believe this Play was writ during his Exile Humorous Lovers a Comedy acted by his Royal Highness's Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1677. This Play equals most Comedies of this Age. Triumphant Widow or The Medley of Humours a Comedy acted by his Royal Highness's Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1677. This was thought so excellent a Play by our present Laureat that he has transcrib'd a great part of it in his Bury-Fair Variety a Comedy presented by his Majesties Servants at the Black-fryars printed 8o. Lond. 1649. This Play and Country Captain are always bound together the Duke's Name is not prefix'd to them but I am confident they are his from several Testimonies since Mr. Alexander Brome writ a Copy in praise of this Play directed to his Grace and printed before the Comedy call'd Covent Garden weeded and Mr. Leigh in a Copy directed to Mr. Mosely the publisher of Mr. Carthwright's Works in reckoning what Poetical Treatises he has presented the Publick with names these two Plays in the following Couplet Then fam'd Newcastle's choice Variety With his Brave Captain held up Poetry We have many other Pieces writ by this Ingenious Nobleman scattered up and down in the Poems of his Dutchess all which seem to confirm the Character given by Mr. Shadwell That he was

and when the Enthusiastick Fit was past he has acknowledged him in his Dramatick Essay Equal at least if not Superiour to Mr. Johnson in Poesie I shall not here repeat what has been before urged in his behalf in that Common Defence of the Poets of that Time against Mr. Dryden's Account of Ben. Johnson but shall take the Liberty to speak my Opinion as my predecessors have done of his Works which is this That I esteem his Plays beyond any that have ever been published in our Language and tho' I extreamly admire Johnson and Fletcher yet I must still aver that when in competition with Shakespear I must apply to them what Justus Lipsius writ in his Letter to Andraeas Schottus concerning Terence and Plautus when compar'd Terentium amo admiror sed Plautum magis He has writ about Forty six Plays all which except three are bound in one Volume in Fol. printed Lond. 1685. The whole Book is dedicated to the Earls of Pembroke and Montgomery being usher'd into the World with several Copies of Verses but none more valued than those Lines made by Ben Johnson which being too long to be here transcribed I shall leave them to be perus'd by the Reader with his Works of which I shall give some Account as follows All 's well that ends well a Comedy This Play is founded on a Novel written by Jean Boccacio see his Nov. Day the 3. Nov. the 9. concerning Juliet of Narbona and Bertrand Count of Rossilion Anthony and Cleopatra a Tragedy The Ground of this Play is founded on History see Plutarch's Life of Anthony Appian Dion Cassius Diodorus Florus c. As you like it a Comedy Comedy of Errors This Play is founded on Plautus his Maenechmi and if it be not a just Translation 't is at least a Paraphrase and I think far beyond the Translation call'd Menechmus which was printed 4o. Lond. 1595. Coriolanus a Tragedy This is founded on History see Livy Dionysius Hallicarnassaeus Plutarch's Life of Coriolanus c. Part of this Play appear'd upon the Stage seven Years since under the Title of Ingratitude of a Common-Wealth Cromwell Thomas Ld. the History of his Life and Death This Play is likewise founded on History See Fox's Martyrology Fuller's Church History Stow Speed Hollingshead Herbert Baker Dr. Burnet c. The Story of Cromwell and Mr. Frescobald the Merchant is related in Dr. Hakewell's Apology and Wanley's History of Man Book 3. Ch. 20 Cymbeline his Tragedy This Play tho' the Title bear the Name of a King of Brute's Linage yet I think ows little to the Chronicles of those Times as far as I can collect from Graston Stow Milton c. But the Subject is rather built upon a Novel in Boccace viz. Day 2. Nov. 9. This Play was reviv'd by Durfey about seven Years since under the Title of The Injured Princess or The Fatal Wager Henry the Fourth the First part with the Life of Henry Percy sirnamed Hot-spur This Play is built upon our English History see the four former Years of his Reign in Harding Buchanan Caxton Walsingham Fabian Polydore Virgil Hall Grafton Hollingshead Heyward Trussel Martin Stow Speed Baker c. As to the Comical part 't is certainly our Author 's own Invention and the Character of Sir John Falstaff is owned by Mr. Dryden to be the best of Comical Characters and the Author himself had so good an Opinion of it that he continued it in no less than four Plays This part used to be play'd by Mr. Lacy and never fail'd of universal applause Henry the Fourth the Second part containing his Death and the Coronation of King Henry the Fifth For the Historical part consult the fore-mentioned Authors The Epilogue to this Play is writ in Prose and shews that 't was writ in the Time of Q. Elizabeth Henry the Fifth his Life This Play is likewise writ and founded on History with a Mixture of Comedy The Play is continued from the beginning of his Reign to his Marriage with Katherine of France For Historians see as before Harding Caxton Walsingham c. This Play was writ during the time that Essex was General in Ireland as you may see in the beginning of the first Act where our Poet by a pretty Turn compliments Essex and seems to foretell Victory to Her Majesties Forces against the Rebels Henry the Sixth the First part Henry the Sixth the Second part with the Death of the Good Duke Humphrey Henry the Sixth the Third part with the Death of the Duke of York These three Plays contain the whole length of this Kings Reign viz. Thirty eight Years six Weeks and four Days Altho' this be contrary to the strict Rules of Dramatick Poetry yet it must be own'd even by Mr. Dryden himself That this Picture in Miniature has many Features which excell even several of his more exact Strokes of Symmetry and Proportion For the Story consult the Writers of those Times viz. Caxton Fabian Pol. Virgil. Hall Hollingshead Grafton Stow Speed c. Henry the Eighth the Famous History of his Life This Play frequently appears on the present Stage the part of Henry being extreamly well acted by Mr. Betterton This Play is founded on History likewise Hollingsh Hall Grafton Stow Speed Herbert Martin Baker c. Hamlet Prince of Denmark his Tragedy I know not whether this Story be true or false but I cannot find in the List given by Dr. Heylin such a King of Denmark as Claudius All that I can inform the Reader is the Names of those Authors that have written of the Affairs of Denmark and Norway and must leave it to their further search such are Saxo-Grammaticus Idacius Crantzius Pontanus c. This Play was not many Years ago printed in quarto all being mark'd according to the Custom of the Stage which was cut out in the Action John King of England his Life and Death For the Plot see Matth. Paris R. Higden Walsingham Westminster Fabian Pol. Virgil Hollingshead Grafton Stow Speed c. Julius Caesar his Tragedy This Play is founded on History see Livy Plutarch Suetonius c. This Play was reviv'd at the Theatre-Royal about fifteen Years ago and printed 4o. Lond. 1684. There is an Excellent Prologue to it printed in Covent Garden Drollery p. 9. Lear King of England his Tragedy This Play is founded on History see such Authors as have written concerning Brutes History as Leland Glocester Huntingdon Monmouth c. But the Subject of this Story may be read succinctly in Milton's History of England 4o. Book 1. p. 17. c. This Play about eight Years since was reviv'd with Alterations by Mr. Tate Locrine Eldest Son to King Brutus his Tragedy This Tragedy contains his Reign with the loss of Estrildis and Sabra which according to Isaacson's Chronology was twenty Years For the Authors consult those aforemention'd particularly Milton Book 1. p. 14. Supplement to Theatre of Gods Judgments Ch. 6 Ubaldino Le vite delle Donne Illustri p.

Poet and I must do Mr. Shirley this Justice to say in his behalf That whatever he borrowes from Novels Loses nothing in his Hands any more than in in Mr. Dryden tho' our modest Author would never have said so much were he living Gentleman of Venice a Tragi-comedy presented at the Private-house in Salisbury Court by Her Majesty's Servants and printed quarto Lond. 1655. This Play is dedicated to the Honourable Sir Thomas Nightinghale Baronet and the Intrigue between Florelli Cornari and Claudiana is borrowed as I suppose from a Novel out of Gayton's Festivous Notes on Don Quixote see Book 4. Chap. 6 7 8. Grateful Servant a Comedy presented with good Applause in the Private house in Drury-lane by Her Majesty's Servants This Play is dedicated to the Right Honourable Francis Earl of Rutland and printed 4o. Lond. Lodowik's Contrivance to have Piero tempt his Wife Artella that he might be Divorc'd is the same with Contarini's Humour and Contrivance Giotto in the Humorous Courtier Hide Park a Comedy presented by Her Majesty's Servants at the Private-house in Drury-lane and printed 4o. Lond. 1637. This Play is dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Earl of Holland This was the first Earl of that Name created in 23. Jac. Apr. 3. and was Beheaded with Duke Hamilton and the Lord Capel March the ninth dying a Martyr to retrive his former forfeited Loyalty to his Prince To this Earl I presume Hide Park once might belong since the Title was occasion'd by his Command to the Author Humorous Courtier a Comedy presented with good Applause at the Private-house in Drury-lane and printed 4o. Lond. 1640. Lady of Pleasure a Comedy acted by Her Majesty's Servants at the Private-house in Drury-lane and printed 4o. Lond. 1637. This Play is dedicated to the Right Honourable Richard Lord Lovelace of Hurley The Plot of Alex. Kickshaw his Enjoying of Aretina and thinking her the Devil resembles Lodowick in Grateful Servant Love Tricks or The School of Compliments acted by His Royal Highness the Duke of York's Servants at the Theatre in Little Lincolns-Inn Fields and printed 4o. Lond. 1667. Love's Cruelty a Tragedy presented by Her Majesty's Servants at the Private-house in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to Cornet George Porter and Mr. Charles Porter The Concealment of Hyppolito and Chariana's Adultery from her Servant by her Husband Bellamente's Contrivance is borrow'd from Queen Margaret's Novels Day 4. Nov. 6. The like Story is related in Cynthio's Heccatomithi Dec. terza Novella sesta Maid's Revenge a Tragedy acted with good Applause at the Private-house in Drury-lane by Her Majesty's Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1639. and dedicated to Henry Osborn Esquire The Play is founded on a History in Mr. Reynolds his God's Revenge against Murther see Book 2. Hist. 7. Opportunity a Comedy presented by her Majesty's Servants at the Private-house in Drury-lane printed Lond. and dedicated to Captain Richard Owen The Resemblance of Aurelio to Borgia is founded on the same with Measure for measure and other English Plays all which as I have observ'd took their Original from Plautus Politician a Tragedy presented at Salisbury Court by Her Majesty's Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1655. This Play is dedicated to Walter Moyle Esquire A Story resembling this I have read in the first Book of the Countess of Montgomery's Urania concerning the King of Romania the Prince Antissius and his Mother-in-Law Royal Master a Tragi-comedy acted in the New Theatre in Dublin and before the Right Honourable the Lord Deputy of Ireland in the Castle and printed 4o. Lond. 1638. This Play is dedicated to the Right Honourable George Earl of Kildare and is accompanied with Ten Copies of Verses in its Commendation Traytor a Tragedy acted by Her Majesty's Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1635. and dedicated to the Right Honourable William Earl of Newcastle afterwards Marquess and Duke This Play is recommended by a Copy of Verses writ by Mr. William Atkins a Gentleman of the Worthy Society of Grays-Inn Triumph of Peace a Masque presented by the Four Honourable Houses or Inns of Court before the King and Queen's Majesties in the Banquetting-house at Whitehal Feb. the third 1633. The Scene and Ornament was the Contrivance of Mr. Inigo Jones the Musick was Composed by Mr. William Laws and Mr. Simon Ives The Masque is dedicated to the Four Equal Honourable Societies of the Inns of Court Mr. Shirley being at that time of Grays-Inn The Masquers went in a Solemn Cavalcade from Ely House to Whitehall and the Author himself says That this Masque for the Variety of the Shews and the Richness of the Habits was the most Magnificent that hath been brought to Court in his Time 'T is printed 4o. Lond. 1633. I have a little Piece by me call'd The Inns of Court Anagrammatist or The Masquers masqued in Anagrammes written by Mr. Francis Lenton One of Her Majesty's Poets and printed 4o. Lond. 1634. This Piece not only names the Masquers and of what House they were but commends each in an Epigram Saint Patrick for Ireland the First part printed 4o. Lond. 1640. Tho' our Title-page calls it the First part I know not whether there was ever a Second part printed tho' the Prologue seems to promise one in the following Lines Saint Patrick whose large Story cannot be bound in the limits of One Play if Ye First welcome this you 'l grace our Poets Art And give him courage for a Second Part. For the Story see Bede's Life of St. Patrick Sigebert Baronius Balaeus Seven Champions of Christendom His Life in English in Twelves Lond. 16 Wedding a Tragi-comedy acted by Her Majesty's Servants at the Phoenix in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1690. and dedicated to William Gowre Esquire This is an Excellent Comedy considering the Time in which 't was writ Witty Fair One a Comedy presented at the Private-house in Drury-lane and printed 4o. Lond. 1633. This Play is dedicated to Sir Edmund Bushel Young Admiral a Tragi-comedy presented by Her Majesty's Servants at the Private-house in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1637. and dedicated to the Right Honourable George Lord Barkley of Barkley-Castle These are all the Plays that our Author has in print in Quarto we are now to give an Account of Nine Dramatick pieces printed in Octavo We shall begin with Six Plays which are printed together viz. Brothers a Comedy acted at the Private-house in Black-fryars printed 8o. Lond. 1652. and dedicated to his Noble Friend Thomas Stanley Esq Cardinal a Tragedy acted at the Private-house in Black-fryars printed 8o. Lond. 1652. and dedicated to his Friend G. B. Esq Court Secret a Tragi-comedy prepared for the Scene at Black-fryars but not acted till after it appeared in print it being printed 8o. Lond. 1653. and dedicated to William Earl of Strafford Son and Heir to that Great Soul of Honour Thomas Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and the Proto-martyr for Religion and Loyalty in the Year 1641. Doubtful Heir a Tragi-comedy acted at the Private-house in

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

Edition given the Reader a large Account of the Title-page of each Play which I have seen as the Double Titles the Place where acted the Date when printed and the Person to whom Dedicated with other Observations which might obiter occur or relate more immediately to each Play Thirdly As to those Plays founded on History instead of One or Two as formerly I have cited most of the Historians that have treated on that Subject that the Reader might compare the Play with the Original Story I have not mention'd so many Authors out of hopes of being counted Industrious or to beget an Opinion in the World of my Reading Tho' as an Ingenious Author observes This Humor possesseth many Men that brag of many Books Coming under their Discovery as if not only with the Mice they had crept through the Crannies of all Libraries but also with the Mothes had got betwixt the Leaves of all Treatises therein I am so far from affecting Title-Learning in which every Bookseller would perhaps excel me that I am willing to acknowledge to the Reader that I am owing to the Compendious Collections of Historians and Chronologers for their Directions to find any Story or Action in the Original Author and therefore shall account it no lessening to my Reputation to be trac'd in Calvisius Spondanus Lloyd Moreri and the like Fourthly As to the Drammas which are founded on Romances or Forreign Plays I have much enlarg'd my Remarks having employ'd a great part if not too much of my Time in reading Plays and Novels in several Languages by which means I have discovered many more Thefts than those in the former Catalogue and have for the Readers Ease as well as my own Vindication cited the particulars of each Plagiary to obviate an Objection of a certain Poet who professes he has not stollen half of what I then accused him of What Reception this Piece may find in the World I am not very sollicitous nor greatly concern'd since as the Judicious Sr. Robert Howard has observ'd Things of this Nature tho' never so Excellent or never to Mean have seldome prov'd the Foundation of Men's New-built Fortunes or the Ruine of their Old I am so far from valuing my self upon this Performance that if there be any thing in it worth Commendation the Poets are at liberty to father it upon whom they please or claim it as their own without my taking any offence at it And if I can but be so happy as to obtain a Pardon from the more solid part of Mankind for having mis-spent my Time in these Lighter Studies I promise for the future to imploy my self on Subjects of more Weight and Importance GER LANGBAINE The AUTHORS Names A. WIlliam Alexander E. of Sterline 1 Robert Armin. 6 B. Abraham Baily 6 John Banckroft 6 John Banks 7 Barnaby Barnes 9 Robert Baron 10 Lodowick Barrey 14 Francis Beaumont 14 Capt. Will. Bedloe 15 Mrs. Astraea Behn 17 Dabridgec Belchier 24 Richard Bernard 24 R. Boyle E. Orrery 27 Mrs. Fran. Boothby 26 Samuel Brandon 30 Anthony Brewer 30 Alexander Brome 31 Richard Brome 33 Fulk Lord Brook 38 Henry Burkhead 41 Henry Burnel 42 C. Lady Eliz. Carew 43 Thomas Carew 43 Lodowick Carlell 45 James Carlisle 49 Richard Carpenter 50 Will. Carthwright 51 Rob. Chamberlain 56 Will. Chamberlain 56 George Chapman 57 Sir Aston Cockain 67 Edward Cook 71 John Cook 72 John Corey 73 Charles Cotton 74 Abraham Cowley 77 Robert Cox 89 John Crown 90 D. John Dancer 97 Samuel Daniel 100 Dr. Ch. Davenant 116 Sr. Will. Davenant 106 Robert Davenport 116 Robert Dabourn 117 John Day 118 Thomas Decker 121 Sr. John Denham 125 John Dover 129 John Dryden 130 Thomas Duffet 177 Thomas Durfey 179 E. Edw. Eccleston 185 Sr. Gec Etheridge 186 F. Sr. Fr. Fane Jun. 188 Sr. Rich. Fanshaw 190 L. Visc. Falkland 197 Nathaniel Field 198 Richard Fleknoe 199 John Fletcher 203 John Ford. 219 Thomas Ford. 222 John Fountain 223 Abraham Fraunce 223 Sr. Ralph Freeman 226 Ulpian Fulwel 227 G. George Gascoigne 228 Henry Glapthorn 231 Thomas Goff 233 Robert Gomersal 237 Franc. Goldsmith 238 Alex. Green 241 Robert Green 241 H. Will. Habington 243 Peter Haustead 244 Richard Head 246 Will. Hemmings 247 Jasper Heywood 248 John Heywood 253 Thomas Heywood 256 Barten Hollyday 270 Charles Hool 272 Edw. Howard 274 James Howard 275 Sr. Rob. Howard 276 James Howel 277 I. Thomas Jevorn 280 Thomas Ingeland 280 Benjamin Johnson 280 Thomas Jordan 306 William Joyner 308 K. Henry Killegrew 309 Thomas Killegrew 311 Sr. Will. Killegrew 314 Thomas Kirke 315 Ralph Knevet 316 Thomas Kyd. 316 L. John Lacy. 317 John Leanard 319 Nathaniel Lee. 320 John Lilly 327 Thomas Lodge 330 Sr. William Lower 332 Thomas Lupon 334. M. Lewis Machin 334 John Maidwell 335 Dr. Jasper Main 336 Cosino Manuch 338 Gervase Markham 340 Christoph. Marloe 342 Shakerley Marmion 345 John Marston 347 John Mason 352 Phil. Massinger 352 Thomas May. 360 Robert Mead. 365 Matth. Medhourn 366 Thomas Meriton 367 Tho. Middleton 370 John Milton 375 Walt. Mountague 377 Will. Mountfort 378 N. Thomas Nabbes 379 Thomas Nash. 382 Alex. Nevile Ib. Robert Nevile 384 Duke of Newcastle 385 Dutch Newcastle 390 Thomas Newton 394 Thomas Nuce 395 O. Thomas Otway 395 P. John Palsgrave 400 George Peel 401 Lady Pembroke 402 Mrs. Kath. Philips 403 Sam. Pordage 406 Henry Porter Ib. Thomas Porter 407 George Powel Ib. Thomas Preston 408 Edm. Prestwith 409 Q. Francis Quarles 409 R. Thomas Randolph 411 Edw. Ravenscroft 417 Thomas Rawlins 424 Edward Revet 425 Nath. Richards 426 William Rider 427 William Rowley 428 Samuel Rowley 430 Joseph Rutter Ib. Thomas Rymer 433 S. Tho. St. Serf 434 William Sampson 435 George Sandys 436 Charles Saunders 438 Elkanah Settle 439 Tho. Shadwell 442 Will. Shakespear 453 Lewis Sharpe 469 Edw. Sharpham 470 S. Shepheard 471 Ed. Sherbourn 472 Tho. Shipman 473 Hen. Shirley Ibid. James Shirley 474 Sir Charles Sidley 485 John Smith 488 Will. Smith Ibid. Tho. Southern 489 Tho. Stanley Ibid. Sir Rob. Stapleton 491 John Stephens 492 Will. Strode Ibid. John Studley 494 Sir John Suckling 496 Gilbert Swinhoe 499 T. Nathaniel Tate 500 John Tateham 502 Robert Taylour 503 Tho. Thomson Ibid. Nich. Trott 504 Rich. Tuke Ibid. Coll. S. Tuke 505 Cyril Turneur Ibid. John Tutchin 506 W. Lewis Wager 506 Edm. Waller 507 Geo. Wapul 508 Will. Wayer 508 R. Weaver 508 John Webster 508 John Watson 510 Whitaker 511 Dr. Rob. Wild. Ib. Leon. Willan Ib. George Wilkins 512 Rob. Wilmot Ibid. John Wilson Ibid. Rob. Wright 514 Will. Wytcherley Ib. Y. Rob. Yarrington 516 The Names of the Authors in the APPENDIX Joseph Harris Tho. Sackvile and Tho. Norton Mr. Wilson AN ACCOUNT OF THE Dramatick Poets A. William ALEXANDER Earl of Sterline OUR Alphabet begins with this worthy Nobleman who was a Scot by Birth and liv'd in the Time of King James the First of England and the Sixth of Scotland All that I am able

That he was One who in his time contributed much towards the English Stage by his Dramatick Writings especially in that noted One of his call'd Lingua for neither was that Play writ by him nor Love's Loadstone Landagartha or Love's Dominion as he and Mr. Phillips affirm Landagartha being writ by Henry Burnel Esq and Love's Dominion by Flecknoe But I shall proceed to give an Account of those Plays which are ascrib'd to him by Mr. Kirkman who was better vers'd in Writings of this Nature Country Girl a Comedy often acted with much applause and printed in quarto Lond. 1647. This Play has been reviv'd on the Stage under the Title of Country Innocence or The Chamber-maid turn'd Quaker Love-sick King an English Tragical History with the Life and Death of Cartesmunda the fair Nun of Winchester printed in quarto Lond. 1655. This Play was likewise reviv'd by the Actors of the King's House in the Year 168c and acted by the Name of the Perjur'd Nun. The Historical part of the Plot is founded on the Invasion of the Danes in the Reign of K. Ethelred and Alfred which the Author calls Etheldred and Alured See the Writers of English Affairs as Polydore Vergil Mathaeus Westmonasteriens Gul. Malmsburiensis Ingulsus Ranulphus Higden Du Chesne Speed c. Alexander BROME This Author flourisht in the Reign of King Charles the Martyr and was an Attorney in the Lord Mayor's Court. He was Eminent in the worst of Times for Law and Loyalty and yet more for Poetry Though his Genius led him rather to Lyrick than Dramatick Poetry yet we have One Play of his extant viz. Cunning Lovers a Comedy acted with great applause by Their Majesties Servants at the private House in Drury-lane printed in quatro Lond. 1654. Part of the Plot is borrow'd as the Duke of Mantua's shutting up his Daughter in the Tower and his being deceiv'd by her and Prince Prospero is taken from a Story in the Old Book of the Seven Wise Masters but which the Reader may find better related in the Fortunate Deceiv'd and Unfortunate Lovers in the Fifth Novel of the Deceiv'd Lovers Although our Author has himself made but one Attempt in this Kind yet we are indebted to him for two Volumes of Mr. Richard Brome's Plays in octavo especially One of them since 't was by his Care that after the Author's Death they were preserv'd and publisht On which account One T. S. amongst other Commendations given our Author in Verse says thus Nor can I tell to whom we are more bound Or to Brome's Wit or You that have it found Our Poet is chiefly famous for his Odes and Dithyrambs which he compos'd during the late Troubles together with his Epistles and Epigrams translated from several Authors all which were printed together at the King 's Return in octavo and Second Edition Lond. 1664. Nor was he less eminent for his Version of Horace which tho' not wholly his own yet having supplied his Verse from the Stores of Sr. Richard Fanshaw Dr. Holliday Sr. Tho. Hawkins the Ingenious Mr. Cowley the Admirable Ben Johnson from which great Master he borrow'd the Version of the last Epistle De Arte Poetica to crown the rest tho'it is since left out for a new Translation done by S. P. Esq which I take to be Samuel Pordage he has gain'd to himself a Reputation which will not speedily decay tho' the late Version of Mr. Creech seems somewhat to obscure it Lustre I cannot but inform the Reader that he had once an Intention to translate Lucretius as I learn from an Epigram writ by Sr. Aston Cockain but this great Work notwithstanding what he design'd and Mr. Evelyn perform'd was reserv'd for the management of a nobler Pen that of the much Admired Mr. Creech Richard BROME This Author liv'd in the Reign of K. Charles the First and tho'of mean Extraction being Servant to the fam'd Ben Johnson Writ himself into much credit His Subject for the most part was Comedy according to the usual Motto out of Martial which he placed before most of his Plays Hic totus volo rideat Libellus As to his worth in Comick Writing it is not only asserted by the Testimony of several Poets of that Age in their commendatory Verses before many of his Plays as Shirley Decker Ford Chamberlain Sr. Aston Cockain Alexander Brome and others but even Ben Johnson himself who was not over-lavish of of Praise bestowed the following Copy on his Northern Lass which will weigh against all the Calumnies of his Enemies To my Faithful Servant and by his continu'd Virtue my Loving Friend the Author of this Work Mr. Richard Brome I had you for a Servant once Dick Brome And you perform'd a Servants faithful parts Now you are got into a nearer Room Of Fellowship professing my old Arts. And you do do them well with good Applause Which you have justly gain'd from the Stage By observation of those Comick Laws Which I your Master first did teach the Age. You learnt it well and for it serv'd your time A Prentice-ship which few do now a days Now each Court Hobbihorse will wince in Rime Both learned and unlearned all write Plays It was not so of Old Men took up Trades That knew the Crafts they had bin bred in right An honest Bilboe-Smith would make good Blades And the Physitian teach men spue and sh The Cobler kept him to his Aul but now He 'll be a Poet scarce can guide a Plow Tho' the later part of this Copy be an imitation of the following Lines of Horace yet I doubt not but the Reader will pardon Ben for his ingenious Application Horatii Epistolarum Lib. 2 Epist. 1. Navem agere ignarus navis timet abrotonum aegro Non audet nisi qui didicit dare Quod Medicorū est Promittunt Medici tractant fabilia fabri Scribimus indocti doctique Poemata passim In imitation of his Master Mr. Johnson he studied Men and Humor more than Books and his Genius affecting Comedy his Province was more observation than Study His Plots were his own and he forg'd all his various Characters from the Mint of his own Experience and Judgment 'T is not therefore to be expected that I should be able to trace him who was so excellent an Imitator of his Master that he might truly pass for an Original so that all that I can inform my Reader of his Plays is that he has Fifteen in print most of which were acted with good Applause and that several of them have been thought worthy to be revived by the Players to their own Profit and the Author's Honor in this Critical Age. Nor are several of his other Plays less worthy of Commendation of which Alphabetically Antipodes a Comedy acted in the year 1638. by the Queen's Majesties Servants at Salisbury Court in Fleetstreet printed in quarto 1640. and dedicated to the Right Honourable William Earl of Hertford City Wit or The Woman wears the Breeches

in the year 1615. Mr. Wood. says that he was the Son of William Carthwrigth and Born at Northway near Tewskbury in Gloucester-shire in Sept. 1611. and Christned the 26 th day of the same Month. That his Father had dissipated a fair Inheritance he knew not how and as his last Refuge turn'd Inn-keeper at Cirencester This Account contradicts the Publisher of his Poems who says that he Died at Thirty But however uncertain the place and time of his Birth be certain it is that he was bred a King's-Scholar under the Reverend and Learned Dr. Oldbaston and in the year 1631 was chose Student of Christ-Church College in Oxford and plac'd under the care of Mr. Terrent He took his several Degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts and afterwards was chosen by the House as Proctor and admitted as Junior to Mr. Wake of Magdalen College by the University the Twelfth of April 1643. and the same year viz. on the 29 th of November he Died of a Malignant Feaver which then raign'd and was that year Fatal to others of his Contemporaries as Mr. Masters of New-College Mr. Diggs of All-Souls and others both Men of the Gown and Sword He was Buried the first of December in the South-Isle being lamented not only by all good and learned Men but even by Majesty it self the King and Queen having anxiously enquir'd after him all the time of his Sickness and shewed themselves much afflicted at his Death On the Ninth of December Mr. Maplet of the same House was chose to supply his Place the remaining part of the year He was extreamly remarkable both for his outward and inward Endowments his Body being as handsome as his Soul He was an expert Linguist understanding not only Greek and Latine but French and Italian as perfectly as his Mother-tongue He was an excellent Orator and yet an admirable Poet a Quality which Cicero with all his pains could not attain to Nor was Aristotle less known to him than Cicero and Virgil and those who heard his Metaphysical Lectures gave him the Preference to all his Predecessors the present Bishop of Lincoln excepted His Sermons were as much admired as his other Composures and One fitly applied to our Author that Saying of Aristotle concerning AEschron the Poet that He could not tell what AEschron could not do In a word he was of so sweet a disposition and so replete with all Virtues that he was beloved by all Learned Men that knew him and admired by all Strangers and to close all with the Character the Reverend and Pious Dr. Fell sometime Bishop of Oxford gave of him Carthwright was the utmost Man could come to To speak of his Poetry there needs no other Character of it in general then that the ablest Judge of Poetry at that time I mean Ben Johnson said with some Passion My Son Carthwright writes all like a Man He writ Four Plays besides other Poems all which were printed together in octavo Lond. 1651. accompanied with above Fifty Copies of Verses writ by the most eminent Wits of the University every One being desirous to appear in the Number of his Friends and to give a publick Testimony to the world of the Value they had for his Memory Ordinary a Comedy I know not where this Play was acted but I remember part of the second Scene of the first Act between the Widow Pot-luck Slicer and Hear-say is transcrib'd by the Composer of Wits Interpreter in his Love-Dialogues under the Title of the Old Widow pag. 81. Lady Errant a Tragi-Comedy of which I can give no Account where acted only that it is esteem'd by some a good Comedy Royal Slave a Tragi-Comedy presented to the King and Queen by the Students of Christ Church in Oxford Aug. 30. 1636. Presented since to both Their Majesties at Hampton-Court by the King's Servants This Play gave such Content to Their Majesties and the whole Court as well for the stately Scenes the Richness of the Persian Habits the excellency of the Songs which were set by that admirable Composer Mr. Henry Lawes Servant to his Majesty King Charles the First in his publick and private Musick as for the noble Stile of the Play it self and the ready Address and graceful Carriage of the Actors amongst which Dr. Busby the famous Master of Westminster School approv'd himself a second Roscius that they unanimously acknowledged that it did exceed all things of that Nature which they had ever seen The Queen in particular so much admired it that in November following she sent for the Habits and Scenes to Hampton-Court she being desirous to see her own Servants represent the same Play whose profession it was that she might the better judge of the several Performances and to whom the Preference was due The Sentence was universally given by all the Spectators in favour of the Gown tho' nothing was wanting on Mr. Carthwright's side to inform the Players as well as the Scholars in what belong'd to the Action and Delivery of each Part. Siege or Love's Convert a Tragi-Comedy where acted I know not but 't is dedicated by the Author to King Charles the First by an Epistle in Verse The Story of Misander and Leucatia is founded on that of Pausanias and Cleonice in Plutarch's Life of Cymon The Injunction which the Rich Widow Pyle laid upon her Lovers is borrow'd from Boccace's Novels Day 9th Nov. 1. Amongst his Poems there are several concerning the Dramatick Poets and their Writings which must not be forgot as those two Copies which he writ on Mr. Thomas Killegrew's Plays The Prisoner and Claracilla Two Copies on Fletcher and One in Memory of Ben Johnson which are so Excellent that the Publisher of Mr. Carthwright's Poems speaks as in a Rapture in the Preface viz. What had Ben said had he read his own Eternity in that lasting Elegy given him by our Author Besides these Poems our Author has extant other Pieces on different Subjects as a Sermon printed Lond. 1652. and a Book which I never saw but is mentioned by Mr. Wood under this Title Dies in Mense Novembri maxime notabiles Coronam nempe familiam regiam spectantes Lond. 1671. 'T is not possible for me in this place to enumerate all the Praises given him by the Learned of those Times in which he liv'd only give me leave to insert part of one Copy by which the Reader may judge of the Rest. The Lines were writ by John Leigh Esq to the Stationer Mr. Mosely on his printing Mr. Carthwright's Poems After he has nam'd all the admirable Poems set forth by the aforesaid Bookseller with the just Commendation of each Author he says thus of Mr. Carthwright But after all thou bring'st up in the Rear One that fills every Eye and every Ear Carthwright rare Carthwr t to whom all must bow That was best Preacher and best Poet too Whose Learned Fancy never was at rest But always labouring yet labour'd least His Wit 's Immortal

by the Rest of the Audience Henry the Sixth the Second Part or the Misery of Civil-War a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1681. Part of this Play likewise is borrow'd from Shakespear For the Plot read the Chronicles of those Times writ by Graston Hollingshead Trussel Martin Stow Speed Biondi Du Chesne c. Juliana or The Princess of Poland a Tragi-Comedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke of York's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1671. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Roger Earl of Orrery This was the first Play this Author writ which if it be not so well penn'd as several of his later Productions it does but verify his own Observation That there are few Authors but have had those slips from their Prune which their riper Thoughts either were or at least had reason to be asham'd of Sr. Courtly Nice or It cannot be a Comedy acted by his Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1685. and dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Ormond This Play was written at the Command of his late Majesty K. Charles the Second who gave Mr. Crown a Spanish Play No pued eser or It cannot be out of which he took part of the Name and Design of this This Comedy or at least the Plot as far as relates to the Spanish Plot has formerly appear'd on the Stage under the Title of Tarugo's Wiles Sr. Courtly's Song of Stop Thief is a Paraphrase of Mascarille's Au Voleur in Mollier's Les precieuses Ridicules This Play is accounted an excellent Comedy and has been frequently acted with good Applause Thyestes a Tragedy acted at the Theatre Royal by their Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1681. The Plot of this Play is founded on Seneca's Thyestes and seems to be an Imitation of that Play I know not whether our Author ever saw the Italian Play on this Subject written by Ludovicus Dulcis which is commended by Delrio or the French Tragedies of Roland Brisset and Benoist Bauduyn but I doubt not but this Play may vie with either of them at least the French Plays which in the Opinion of some are very mean I know nothing else of our Authors writing except that Romance above-mention'd which I never saw D. John DANCER alias DAUNCY AN Author of whose place of Nativity or other passages of Life I am able to give no Account All I know of him is that he liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the Second and that his Translations shew him well vers'd in the French and Italian Tongue He has oblig'd us with Three Dramatick Plays translated from the Originals of three Eminent Poets viz. Tasso Corneille and Quinault Agrippa King of Alba or The False Tiberinus a Tragi-Comedy in Heroick Verse several times acted with great Applause before his Grace the Duke of Ormond then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at the Theatre Royal in Dublin printed in quarto Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Mary Cavendish Daughter to the Duke of Ormond This Play is traslated from the French of Monsieur Quinault an Author well known amongst those that are conversant in French Poetry several of whose Pieces have appear'd on the English Stage as La Genereuse Ingratitude L'Amant Indiscret Le Fantosme amoureux c. I know not whether this Translation be equal to the Original having never seen the later neither can I give any account of the Plot which I take to be fictitious Aminta a Pastoral printed in octavo Lond. 1660. and dedicated to his much Honoured and truly Noble Friend Mr. R. B. Who is meant by those Letters I will not be so bold as to conjecture because our Author has conceal'd his Patrons Name in obedience to his Commands This Play is a Translation of that famous Piece writ by that celebrated Wit Signior Torquato Tasso born at Sorrento bred up at Padua and the Favourite of Charles IX of France He was as I may say the Father of Pastorals being the first that transferr'd them from the Eclogue to Dramatick Poetry and his Aminta is esteem'd by Forreigners a Master-piece of Pastoral Comedy and has been translated into the French Spanish English German and Dutch Tongues This was the Pattern which the admired Guarini propos'd for his Imitation when he writ Il Pastor fido and our Author has since endeavour'd to imitate his excellent Translator the Lord Embassador Fanshaw If it be objected by some that this Translation of Tasso is far short of that of Guarini we may however with justice affirm that at least this Translation exceeds that printed in 1628 if we allow some consideration for his being clog'd with Rhime which forces him more upon Paraphrase and withal that it was his first attempt to Poetry With this Play are printed several Poems of different Subjects amongst which are Love Verses which seem as is they were writ in imitation of Mr. Cowley's Mistriss Nicomede a Tragi-Comedy acted at the Théatre Royal in Dublin printed in quarto Lond. 1671. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Thomas Earl of Ossory This Play is translated from the French Original of Monsieur Th. Corneille and is One of those Pieces which he himself most valu'd There are a great many Beauties in it which he enumerates in the Examen He says the Story is taken from the Fourth Book of Justin tho' I suppose this is an Errata of the Press the Story being in the last Chapter of the Thirty-fourth Book He writ besides there several other Pieces as a Romance call'd the English Lovers printed in octavo Lond. which however commended by Mr. Winstanley the Contrivance is due to Heywood's Play call'd The Fair Maid of the West in Two Parts from whence our Author borrow'd the Story Two other Pieces are mention'd by Mr. Winstanley viz. A Compleat History of the late Times and a Chronicle of the Kingdome of Portugal neither of which I have ever seen Samuel DANIEL Esq A Gentleman living in the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James the First and One whose Memory will ever be fresh in the minds of those who favour History or Poetry He was born near Taunton in Somerset-shire and at Nineteen years of Age in the year 1581. he was enter'd Commoner of St. Mary Magdalen Hall in Oxford and after having three years exercised himself in History and Poetry he left the University His own Merit added to the Recommendation of his Brother in Law the Resolute John Florio so well known for his Italian Dictionary prefer'd him to the Knowledge of Queen Ann who was pleased to confer on him the Honour of being One of the Grooms of her most Honourable Privy-Chamber which enabled him to rent a Garden-house near London where in private he compos'd most of his Dramatick Pieces At last being weary of the world he retir'd into Wiltshire where he rented a Farm near the Devises according to Dr. Fuller tho' Mr. Wood says that his retreat was to

Earl of Dorset and Middlesex There are two Copies of Verses that I have seen writ in Commendation of this Play one writ by Mr. Tate to the Author and printed with the Play the other writ by the late Mrs. A. Behn see the Miscellany Poems printed with Lycidas or the Lover in Fashion 8o. p. 102. The Plot of this admirable Tragedy is founded on the Story of Tamerlane and Bajazet Many are the Historians that have given an Account of the Affairs of these Great Men. Read Chalcocondylas lib. 3 Leunclavius lib. 6 The Life of Tamerlane by Mr. D'Assigny the same by P. Perondini Knolls his Turkish History in the Life of Bajazet the First This Play the Author wanting patience to attend the leisure of the Stage published without Action How much all Lovers of Poetry are indebted to him for it I must leave to those that are Poets to describe I that am none am glad to set my hand to an Address drawn up by Mr. Tate in the following Lines Accept our Thanks tho' you decline the Stage That yet you condescend the Press t' engage For while we thus possess the precious store Our Benefits the same your Glory more Thus for a Theatre the World you find And your Applauding Audience All Mankind 'T is not in Dramatick Poetry alone that our Author is a Master but his Talent is equal also in Lyricks Witness three Copies of Verses printed in Mr. Tate's Collection of Poems 8o. One to the Earl of Rochester upon the Report of his Sickness in Town in allusion to an Ode in Horace A second to a great Lord inviting him to Court or else to write a History in the Country being a Paraphrase upon Horace Lib. 2. Ode 12. A third to a perjur'd Mistress in imitation of another Ode of Horace Lib. 1. Ode 8. The Honble Sir Richard FANSHAW This Excellent Man was Brother to the Right Honourable Thomas Lord Fanshaw of Ware-Park in Hertfordshire He had his Breeding in his younger Years in Cambridge and was so good a Proficient in Latin French Italian Spanish and Portugese that he understood them as well as his Mother-tongue He removed from Cambridge to Court where he serv'd his Majesty with all imaginable Fidelity and Dutiful Affection He was his Secretary in Holland France and Scotland and at Worcester Fight was wounded and taken prisoner in Defence of the Royal Cause His Loyalty and Abilities were so conspicuous to His Majesty King Charles the II. that at His happy Restauration He preferr'd him to be one of the Masters of the Requests and afterwards sent him into Portugal with the worthy Title of Lord Embassador of Honour to court the present Queen Dowager for this Master where he remain'd three Years and discharg'd his Employment with Honour In the Year 1644. he was sent Embassador into Spain to compleat a Treaty of Commerce and to strengthen the League between the two Crowns which Affair he managed with great Prudence and Integrity He died at Madrid in July 1666. leaving behind him the Character of an able Statesman a great Scholar and a sincere sweet natur'd and pious Gentleman At present we are only to consider his Scholarship which will sufficiently appear by the several Translations which he has publisht particularly those which are Dramatick the first of which in Order and the most Eminent is stil'd Il Pastor Fido The Faithful Shepherd a Pastoral printed 4o. Lond. 1646. and dedicated to the Hope and Lustre of three Kingdoms Charles Prince of Wales This Piece is translated from the Italian of the Famous Guarini of whose Life by way of Digression give me leave to speak succinctly He was a Native of Ferrara and Secretary to Alphonsus the II. Duke of that Principality who sent him into Germany Poland and Rome in the time of Pope Gregory the XIII After the death of Alphonsus he was Secretary to Vincent de Gonzaga Duke of Mantua to Ferdinand de Medicis Great Duke of Tuscany who created him Knight of the Order of Saint Stephen and to Francis Maria de la Rovera Duke of Urbin in all these Stations he was as much admir'd for his Politicks as Poetry How much he was esteem'd for this last the several Academies of Italy are a sufficient proof most of which elected him a Member into their several Societies as Gli Humoristi of Rome De la Crusca of Florence Gli Olympici of Vicenza and Gli Innominati of Parma and Gli Elevati of Ferrara He withdrew from pulick Affairs towards the latter end of his Life and dwelt privately at Padua afterwards at Venice where being about seventy five Years of Age he died in the Year 1613. Having given you this Abridgment of Guarini's Life I shall return to our English Author's Translation Tho' in his Epistle to the Prince He speaks modestly of his Performance as if this Dramatick Poem had lost much of the Life and Quickness by being poured out of one Vessel that is one Language into another besides the unsteadiness of the Hand that pours it and that a Translation at the best is but a Mock-Rainbow in the Clouds faintly imitating the true one into which Apollo himself had a full and immediate Influence I say notwithstanding this modest Apology yet Sir John Denham in his Verses on this Translation infinitely commends it and tho' he seems to assent to our Author's Notions touching Translations in general yet he shews that Sir Richard has admirably succeeded in this particular Attempt as the Reader may see by the following Lines where after having blam'd servile Translators he goes on thus A new and nobler Way thou dost pursue To make Translations and Translators too They but preserve the Ashes thou the Flame True to his Sense but truer to his Fame Foording his Current where thou find'st it low Let'st in thine own to make it rise and flow Wisely restoring whatsoever grace Is lost by change of Times or Tongues or Place Nor fetter'd to his Numbers and his Times Betray'st his Musick to unhappy Rimes Nor are the Nerves of his compacted strength Stretch'd and dissolv'd into unsinew'd length Yet after all lest we should think it thine Thy Spirit to his Circle dost confine I have already said that Guarini imitated Tasso's Aminta in this Pastoral and I may add that by the unquestionable Verdict of all Italy he outstript him which rais'd Tasso's Anger so high that he cry'd out in a great Passion Se non havuto visto il mio Aminta c. If he had not seen my Aminta he had not excell'd it Give me leave to enlarge further that this Pastoral was writ on the occasion of Charles Emmanuel the Young Duke of Savoy's Marriage with the Infanta of Spain The Author's Design is Allegorical and Instructive under the Name of Carino he personates himself and his chief End was to instill into his Princely Pupil under the disguise of a Dramatick Diversion the Principles of Divine Moral and Political Virtues

Worthy Ancients which by any of my Country-men are Naturaliz'd I shall give some Account of them and their Writings as opportunity shall offer it self and therefore I crave leave to lay hold of this to speak a word or Two of Euripides This Poet was stil'd the Tragick Philosopher and was born at Phyla a Town in Attica in the 75 Olympiade and in the 274 Year after the Building of Rome Prodius taught him Rhetorick after which he made a Voyage to AEgypt with Plato to visit the Learned Men there and to improve himself by their Conversation He was also a Friend of Socrates and some have believed that this Philosopher assisted him in the Composition of his Tragedies He went from Athens dissatisfied with the People for preferring the Comick Writers before him and retir'd to the Court of Archelaus King of Macedonia about the year of Rome 338. This Prince confer'd many Favours on him and had a great value for him It happen'd at that time that a certain person nam'd Decamnion having raillied him about his Breath which was not over agreeable Archelaus sent him to Euripides to be punisht at his pleasure This so exasperated Decamnion both against the King and the Poet that for the sake of Revenge he join'd with other Conspirators in the Assassination of the Former and set Dogs upon the later which soon devour'd the Object of his Hatred Some say that this Misfortune proceeded from the Brutality of those irrational Creatures by accident and not design Others again relate that he receiv'd his Death from some inhumane Women against whom he had somewhat too bitterly inveigh'd I remember a pleasant Story in Ford's Apothegms that Sophocles being once ask'd the Reason why in his Tragedies he always represented Women Good and Euripides Wicked answer'd That Euripides describ'd them as they were he as they ought to be But Digression apart the time of his Death no more than the manner of it is agreed upon Some say he Dy'd about the 65 year of his Age in the 93 Olympiade and in the Year of Rome 348. being 406 years before the Incarnation of our Saviour Others say that he Dy'd not till the Year of Rome 351. The Ancients mention Ninety odd Tragedies writ by him of which at present we enjoy but Nineteen Supposes a Comedy Englisht from the Italian of Ariosto a famous Poet a Ferarese and Favuorite of Alphonsus the First Duke of Ferrara and of the Cardinal Hippolito d' Este his Brother He Dy'd the 13 of July in the Year 1533. I purposely decline to give a larger Account of his Life because it would swell my Book too much and the English Reader may satisfy his Curiosity by perusing his Life at the End of Sr. John Harrington's Translation of Orlando Furioso Those Vers'd in Italian may read his Life writ by Gierolamo Poro of Padoua Gierolamo Guarafola of Ferrara Simon Fornari of Rheggio c. This Play was presented at Gray's Inn and printed in quarto Lond. 1566. The Prologue as well as the Play is writ in prose This Prologue I suppose gave the Grounds for that writ by Mr. Duffet to the Play call'd Trappolin suppos'd a Prince as that did to the Epilogue of The Duke and No Duke Pleasure at Kenelworth Castle a Masque as Mr. Kirkman informs us in his Catalogue which I never saw Our Author has written several Poems of a Different Species which he calls Herbs and which with his Plays make a considerable Vollume and are printed together in quarto Lond. 1587. Henry GLAPTHORN An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First who publisht several Plays which I presume in those days past with good Approbation at the Globe and Cock-pit Play-houses tho' I cannot agree with Mr. Winstanley That he was One of the chiefest Dramatick Poets of this Age. He writ Five Plays viz. Albertus Wallenstein Duke of Fridland and General to the Emperor Ferdinand the Second his Tragedy acted with good Allowance at the Globe on the Bank-side by His Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Great Example of Virtue and true Mecaenas's of Liberal Arts Mr. William Murrey of His Majesties Bed-chamber For the Plot see the Historians who have writ on the last German Wars in the Reign of Ferdinand the Second See besides M. Sarasins Walstein's Conspiracy translated into English 8 o Lond. 1678. Spondanus's Continuation of Baronius Fierzen L'Hist de Liege c. Argalus and Parthenia a Tragi-comedy acted at the Court before their Majesties and at the Private-house in Drury-lane by their Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1639. The Plot of this Play is founded on Sr. Philip Sidney's Arcadia a Romance in the Story of Argalus and Parthenia see pag. 16. c. Mr. Quarles has writ a pretty Poem on the same Foundation Hollander a Comedy written in the Year 1635. and then acted at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane by their Majesties Servants with good Allowance and at the Court before Both their Majesties printed in quarto Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the great Hope of growing Nobleness his Honourable Friend Sir Thomas Fisher. Lady's Priviledge a Comedy acted with good Allowance at the Cock-pit in Drury Lane and before Their Majesties at White-hall twice printed 4o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the true Example of Heroick Virtue and Favourer of Arts Sir Frederick Cornwallis Wit in a Constable a Comedy writ in the Year 1639. and then acted at the Cock-pit in Drury Lane by Their Majesties Servants with good Allowance printed 4o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Right Honourable his singular good Lord Thomas Lord Wentworth Besides these Plays he has a Book of Poems extant in which are several Copies directed to his Mistress under the Name of Lucinda printed 4 o Lond. 1639. Thomas GOFF. A Gentleman that flourisht in the Reign of King James the First He was born in Essex towards the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's Reign about the Year 1592. In his Youth he was sent to Westminster-School and at the Age of Eighteen he was brought in Student of Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford Being an Industrious Scholar he arrived to be a good Poet a skilful Oratour and an Excellent Preacher In the Year 1623. he proceeded Batchelour of Divinity and was preferr'd to a Living in Surrey call'd East-Clandon there he got him a Wife which prov'd as great a plague to him as a Shrew could be and became a true Xantippe to our Ecclesiastical Socrates insomuch that she gave him daily opportunities of exercising his Patience and t is believ'd by some that this Domestick-scourge shortned his days He was buried at his own Parish-Church at Clandon the 27. of July 1627. He writ several Pieces on several Subjects amongst which are reckon'd five Plays viz. Careless Shepherdess a Tragi-comedy acted before the King and Queen at Salisbury-Court with great applause printed 4 o Lond. 1656. with an Alphabetical Catalogue of all such Plays that ever were

till that time published This Catalogue is very full of Errors throughout Couragious Turk or Amurath the First a Tragedy acted by the Students of Christ-Church in Oxford printed 8 o Lond. 1656. and dedicated to the No less Honoured than Deserving Sir Walter Tichborn by Mr. Rich. Meighen who publish'd it after the Authors Decease There is a Copy of Verses prefix'd to the Play writ I suppose by the same Person and directed to the Author In that Transcribing his Book without his Knowledge he was bound by promise to stand to his pleasure to keep it or burn it For the Plot consult the Writers of the Turkish History in the Reign of Amurath as Leunclacius Chalcocondylas Knolles c. Orestes his Tragedy acted by the Students of Christs Church in Oxford printed 8 o Lond. 1656. How far our Author has follow'd Sophocles in his Electra or Euripides in Orestes I shall leave to the search of the Learned Reader only I cannot but observe that when I first read it I thought by the length it might vye with that Epick Poem of Orestes which Juvenal complains of as being Summi plenâjam margine libri Scriptus in tergo nec dum finitus Orestes Raging Turk or Bajazet the Second a Tragedy acted by the Students of Christ-Church in Oxford printed 8 o Lond. 1656. This Play was writ with the two foregoing Tragedies when the Author was Master of Arts and Student of Christ-Church but not printed till after his decease and then dedicated by Mr. Richard Meighen the Publisher To the No less Ingenious than Zealous Favourer of Ingenuity Sir Richard Tichborn Brother to the above-nam'd Sir Walter For the Plot consult Chalcocondylas Artus Knolles c. These three last Plays are all printed together in 8 o Lond. 1656. Selimus Emperour of the Turks his Tragedy printed 4 o Lond. 1638. I question whether ever this Play were acted because it is not divided into Acts. The Author calls this the First Part and in his Conclusion as he stiles it or Epilogue he promises a Second Part saying If this First Part Gentles do like you well The Second Part shall greater Murthers tell But whether it was ever publisht I am ignorant tho' I am apt to believe not since 't is not mention'd in any Catalogue The Plot is founded on the Turkish History see the Writers of the Reign of Selimus the First as Paulus Jovius Mezeray Knolles c. Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley have father'd a Comedy on this Author call'd Cupids Whirligig tho' Democritus and Heraclius were not more different in their Temper than his Genius was opposite to Comedy Besides the true Father was one Mr. E.S. who as he says being long Pregnant with Desire to bring forth something and being afterwards brought a Bed had chose his Friend Mr. Robert Hayman to be God-father not doubting but his Child would be well maintain'd seeing he could not live above an hour with him and therefore he entreated him when he was dead that he might be buried deep enough in his good Opinion and that he might deserve this Epitaph Here lyes the Child that was born in Mirth Against the strict Rules of Child-birth And to be quit I gave him to my Friend Who laught him to death and that was his End Yours while he is his own I hope the Reader will forgive me this Digression which I was forc'd to in Vindication of my Author who was so far from this Ridiculous Stile and affected Mirth that nothing but Manly and Serious escap'd his Pen and in his latter Time he forsook the Stage for the Pulpit and instead of Plays employ'd himself in writing Sermons some of which have appear'd in Print in the Year 1627. To these I may add his Latin Funeral Oration in the Divinity-School at the Obsequies of Sr. Henry Savil printed 4 o Oxon. 1622. Another in Christ-Church Cathedral at the Funeral of Dr. Goodwin Cannon of that Church printed Lond. 1627. Robert GOMERSAL A Gentleman that lived in the Reign of King Charles the First and was the Eldest Son of an Esquire He was born at London and was sent by his Father to the University of Oxon. 1616. being then 14 Years of Age. He was enter'd at Christ-Church and in a little time was chose Student of that Royal-Foundation Here he took his Batchelors and Masters Degrees and in the Year 1627. he went out Batchelor of Divinity I know not what Preferment he got tho' I believe he was Minister of a place call'd Flower in Northamptonshire but this is only Conjecture from some of his Poems dated from thence However I am assur'd he died in the Year 1646. He is accounted by some no mean Preacher or Poet but this I leave to the Judgment of those who will peruse the Works which he has publisht and tho' Divinity ought to claim the preference yet Poetry being my immediate Subject I crave the Readers pardon that I give Account of his Poetry in the first place and begin with his Play call'd Lodovick Sforza Duke of Millain his Tragedy printed 8 o Lond. 1632. and dedicated to his most Worthy Friend Mr. Francis Hide Student of Christ-Church and Junior Proctor of the University in the Year 1627. I cannot satisfy the Readers whether ever this Play appear'd on any Stage but I can inform him that the Foundation of it may be read in Guicciardine lib. 1 2 c. Philip de Commines Mezeray in the Reign of Charles the VIII of France Besides this Play he has writ several other Poems which are printed with it as particularly The Levites Revenge containing Poetical Meditations upon the 19 and 20. Chapters of Judges and is dedicated to his Worthily Respected Friend Barten Holiday Arch-Deacon of Oxford This Poem is highly Commended by a Copy of Verses written by a Gentleman of the Middle-Temple but I shall leave this and his other Poems to the Readers perusal and Judgment He has several Sermons in print on the I. Pet. Chap. 2. Verse 13 14 15 16. printed 4o. Lond. 1663. Francis GOULDSMITH Esq I am able to recover no other Memoires of this Gentleman than that he liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the Martyr and oblig'd the World with the Translation of a Play out of Latin call'd Sophompaneas or The History of Joseph with Annotations a Tragedy printed 4 o Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Lord Marquess of Dochester This Dramma was writ by the Admirable Hugo Grotius publisht by him at Amsterdam 1635. and dedicated to Gerardus Vossius Professor of History and Civil Arts in the most flourishing City of Amsterdam He stiles it a Tragedy notwithstanding it ends successfully and quotes for his Authority AEschylus's Danaides Euripides his Alcestes Jon Helena Iphigenia among the Tauri and even Vossius his own Art of Poetry whether this Opinion be to be controverted or no I leave to the Criticks Some people make it a Question whether it be lawful to make a

Dramatick Poem of a Sacred Argument and I have heard some People of tender Consciences speak against this Play and Christ's Passion writ by the same Author But I think the following Opinion of the Great Vossius printed before this Play may satisfy them in this point I am of Opinion says he 't is better to chuse another Argument than Sacred For it agrees not with the Majesty of Sacred things to be made a Play and a Fable It is also a Work of very dangerous Consequence to mingle Humane Inventions with things sacred because the Poet adds uncertainties of his own sometimes falsities which is not only to play with holy things but also to ingraft in Mens Minds uncertain Opinions and now and then false These things have place especially when we bring in God or Christ speaking or treating of the Mysteries of Religion I will allow more where the History is taken out of the Sacred Scriptures but yet in the Nature of the Argument is Civil As if the Action be of David flying from his Son Absalon or of Joseph sold by his Brethren advanced by Pharoah to the Government of Egypt and in that Dignity adored by and made known unto his Brethren Of which Argument is Sophompaneas made by the most Illustrious and Incomparable Man Hugo Grotius Embassador when he liv'd of the most Gracious Queen and Kingdom of Sweden to the most Christian King of France Which Tragedy I suppose may be set for a Pattern to him that would handle an Argument from the Holy Scriptures I shall say nothing of the Life of Hugo Grotius only that he was an Honour to Delph where he was born in the Year 1583. and will be famous to Posterity in regard of those many Excellent Pieces that he has published In some of his Writings he had defended Arminianism for which he suffer'd Imprisonment in the Castle of Louverstein in the Year 1618. at which time his Associate Barnevelt lost his Head on the same Account afterwards he escaped out of Prison by means of Maria Reigersberg his Wife and fled into Flanders and thence into France where he was kindly receiv'd by Lewis the XIII He died at Rostoch in Meclebourg Sept. the first 1645. His Life is writ at large by Melchior Adamus in Latin and in English by C. B. and printed 8 o Lond. 1652. ●●● to our Author and his Translation which is in Heroick Verse I find it extreamly commended by the Verses of four of his Friends and I doubt not but the candid Reader will assent to their Judgments For the Plot the Author has acquainted the Reader before the Play That the History is recorded by Moses in Genesis 44 and 45 Chapters with the Contexts there adjoyning Psal. 105. Acts 7. By Philo in the Life of Josephus By Josephus in the 2d. Book of the Jewish Antiquities and partly by Justin out of Trogus Pompeius the 36. Book It is extant also in Astapanus out of Alexander Polyhistor and in Demetrius the places you may see in Eusebius his Preparation to the Gospel Alexander GREEN A Gentleman that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the Second who presently after the Restauration published a Play call'd The Politician cheated a Comedy printed 4 o Lond. 1663. I know not whether ever this Play appear'd on the Stage or no nor can I recover any thing else of this Author 's Writing Robert GREEN This Author lived in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and was a Master of Arts of Cambridge As to any further Account of him I I can meet with none except what I am forc'd to borrow from Mr. Winstanley But the truth is I dare not trust too much to him knowing how subject he is to take things upon Re●●●●● as I find particularly in the Innumeration he makes of this Author's Plays However for once I will venture to transcribe the following passage upon his Authority who tells us That the Person we here treat of was married to a Deserving Gentlewoman whom he ungratefully forsook living above himself and therefore was forc'd to make his Pen a slave to his Purse to supply his Extravagancies notwithstanding which he was reduc'd to extreme poverty towards the latter end of his Life which through God's Mercy led him to a sight of his former Follies and to a Repentance of his evil Course of Life especially his Unkindness and Disloyalty to his Virtuous Partner which occasion'd a Letter published by Mr. Winstanley which was directed to her by our Penitent and found after his Death which Epistle in my Opinion very much resembles the Stile of Dr. Reynolds in his God's Revenge against Murther As to that Distich said by Mr. Winstanley to be writ on our Author I have shew'd his mistake in the Account This Author has writ several Pieces but especially one Play the occasion of his mention in this place whose Title is The Honourable History of Fryar Bacon and Fryar Bungy play'd by the Prince Palatine's Servants and printed Lond. I know not whence the Author borrow'd his Plot but this Famous Fryar Minor liv'd in the Reign of King Henry the Third and died in the Reign of Edward the First in the Year 1284. Con●●●●● Bale Script Illustr Majoris Britannae Ca●●●● Pitseus Relationes Historicae Wood. Antiq. Oxon. Dr. ●lot Hist. Oxford c. Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley say That he was an Associate with Dr. Lodge in writing several Comedies namely The Laws of Nature Lady Alimony Liberality and Prodigality and a Masque called Lumenalia Besides which he wrote alone the Comedies of Fryar Bacon and Fair Emme But in this Assertion they are extreamly out for he joyn'd with Dr. Lodge but in one Play call'd A Looking-glass for London of which hereafter and as to the others most of which I have by me they are all Anonymous Plays As to his other Pieces I have never seen but two viz. Quip for an Upstart Courtier and Dorastus and Fawnia tho' Mr. Winstanley reckons up several others as Euphues his Censure to Philautus Tullies Love Philomela The Lady Fitzwaters Nightingale Green's never too late first and second part Green's Arcadia Green's Farewell to Folly Green's Groats-worth of Wit c. H. William HABINGTON Esq A Gentleman that liv'd in the Time of the late Civil Wars and slighting Bellona gave himself up entirely to the Muses He was equally famous for History and Poetry of which his Edward the Fourth and Castara are sufficient Testimonies Mr. Kirkman who was very knowing in Plays has ascribed a Dramatick Piece to him which gives us occasion to speak of him 't is call'd Queen of Arragon a Tragi-comedy acted at Court and the Black-Fryars and printed fol. Lond. 1640. Tho' the Author's Name be not prefix'd to the Title-page yet I have that confidence in Mr. Kirkman's Judgment as to believe this Play to be writ by him His other Poems are all printed together 8o. and go under the Title of Castara they are divided into three

parts under a different Title suitable to their Subject The first which was writ when he was a Suitor to his Wife is usher'd in by a Character writ in Prose of a Mistress The second being Copies writ to her after Marriage by a Character of a Wife After which is a Character of a Friend before several Funeral Elegies The third part consists of Divine Poems some of which are Paraphrases on several Texts out of Job and the Book of Psalms before which is the Portraict of a Holy Man I know not when those Poems were first printed but the last Edition which I have by me augmented and corrected was printed 8o. Lond. 1640. and his Poetry is commended by his Friend and Kinsman Mr. John Talbot I know nothing that he has writ in Prose except his Chronicle of K. Edward the Fourth printed fol. Lond. 1640. Of what esteem it is in the World is well known to Historians Peter HAUSTEAD A Gentleman that was born at Oundle a Market Town in Northamptonshire and flourisht in the Reign of King Charles the First of Blessed Memory He was after some Years sent to the University of Cambridge where in Queens Colledge he took the Degree of Master of Arts. He challenges a Place in our Catalogue on Account of his Play call'd Rival Friends a Comedy acted before the King and Queens Majesties when out of their Princely Favour they were pleas'd to visit the University of Cambridge upon the nineteenth day of March 1631. Cry'd down by Boys Faction Envy and confident Ignorance approv'd by the Judicious and Expos'd to the publick Censure by the Author printed 4 o Lond. 1632. and dedicated by a Copy of Verses to the Right Honble Right Reverend Right Worshipful or whatsoever he be shall be or whom he hereafter may call Patron The Play is commended by a Copy of Latin Verses and Two writ in English The Prologue is a Dialogue betwixt Venus Thetis and Phoebus sung by two Trebles and a Base Venus being Phosphorus as well as Vesper appearing at a window above as risen calling to Sol who lay in Thetis Lap at the East-side of the Stage canopy'd with an Azure Curtain Our Author seems to me to be much of the Humor of Ben Johnson whose greatest weakness was that he could not bear Censure and has so great a Value for Ben's Writings that his Scene betwen Love-all Mungrel Hammershin Act 3. Sc. 7. is copy'd from that in Johnson's Play called The Silent Woman between True-wit Daw and La-fool Act. 4. Sc. 5. I know not whether our Author were in Orders when he writ this Play but I know there are Eleven Sermons in print under his Name published 4 o Lond. 1646. Richard HEAD This Author liv'd in the Reigns of King Charles the First and Second He was born in Ireland of English Parents being the Son of a Clergy-man who was murther'd in the deplorable Massacre of Ireland in the beginning of the Rebellion which broke out there on the 2 d day of October 1641. He was educated for some small time in the University of Oxford and afterwards exchang'd his Study for a Booksellers Shop I remember him a Bookseller and Partner with Kirkman if I mistake not in the Alley that fronts the North-gate of Pauls call'd Cannon-Alley He was a Man extreamly given to pleasure and yet of excellent Natural Parts had they been improv'd by Virtue or fix'd by Solidity He writ a Play call'd Hic ubique or The Humour 's of Dublin a Comedy acted privately with good Applause printed in quarto Lond. 1663. and dedicated to the Illustrious Charles Duke of Monmouth and Orkney He has writ several other Pieces of different Subjects tho' all of them trivial and which betray'd his Conversation as The first part of the English Rogue Venus Cabinet unlock'd The Art of Wheedling The Floating Island or A Voyage from Lambethania to Ram-allia A Discovery of O Brasil Jackson's Recantation The Red-sea and some Pieces against Dr. Wild all which I have borrow'd from Mr. Winstanley and shall be ready to return him Interest for it in the Next Edition of his Book if he pleases to command me Our Author according to Mr. Winstanley was cast away at Sea in his passage to the Isle of Wight William HEMMINGS A Gentleman that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and was Master of Arts of the University of Oxford tho' I cannot inform my self of what Colledge He writ two Tragedies which in his time were in some esteem and one of them has appear'd on the Stage since the Restitution of his late Majesty and the Muses with Approbation It is call'd Fatal Contract a Tragedy acted with good Applause by Her Majesties Servants and printed quarto Lond. 1653. This Play was published after the Author's Death having pass'd thro' many Hands as a Curiosity of Wit and Language and was dedicated to the Right Honourable James Compton Earl of Northampton and to Isabella his Virtuous Countess It was reviv'd not many Years since under the Title of Love and Revenge with some Alterations the Old Play being out of print it was about three Years ago reprinted as a New Play under the Title of The Eunuch For the Plot 't is founded on the French Chronicle in the Reigns of Chilperic the First and Clotaire the Second Consult Gregoire de Tours Lib. 4 5. c. Aimoin Fredegaire Sigebert Fortunat Valois De Serres Mezeray c. Jews Tragedy or their fatal and final Overthrow by Vespasian and Titus his Son agreeable to the Authentick and Famous History of Josephus printed 4 o Lond. 1662. This Play was not published till some Years after the Author's Death For the History consult Josephus Lib. 6 7. Jasper HEYWOOD This Author was Son to John Heywood the Famous Epigramatist of which by and by and was bred in his younger Years at Merton Colledge and afterwards was a Member of All-Souls Colledge in Oxford In some few Years he changed the University for S. Omers where he became a fierce Bigotted Jesuite and was the first Jesuite that set foot in England Dr. Fuller says He was executed in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth but Sir Richard Baker tells us That he was one of the Chief of those seventy Priests that were taken in the Year 1585. and when some of them were condemn'd and the rest in danger of the Law that Gracious Queen caus'd them all to be Ship'd away and sent out of England During his Residence in the University he imploy'd part of his time in translating three of Seneca's Tragedies of which we shall give an Account But first with the Readers permission since an hansome Opportunity offers it self we will present you with an Abridgment of the Life of this our Poetical-Stoick Lucius Annaeus Seneca was born at Cordoüa in Spain a little before the Death of Augustus Caesar. He bore his Father's Name which Conformity has mis-led some Authors causing them to ascribe to the Son

Account of the Plays our Author has written but crave his leave to begin first with those which are usually stiled The Ages because they are generally sold together and depend upon each other and on another score they deserve the Preference as being accounted by most the Flower of all his Plays I shall rank them in the same manner as Ovid has describ'd them in his Divine Work the Metamorphosis Golden Age or The Lives of Jupiter and Saturn with the Deifying of the Heathen Gods a History sundry times acted at the Red-Bull by the Queens Majesties Servants and printed 4 o Lond. 1611. This Play the Author stiles The Eldest Brother of three Ages that have adventur'd the Stage but the only yet that hath been judg'd to the Press The Author in this Play and the Two following introduces Homer as the Expositor of each Dumb shew in imitation as I suppose of Shakespear's practice in Pericles Prince of Tyre where Gower is suppos'd to do the same piece of Service to the Audience I shall leave it to the Learned Readers Judgment how far our Poet has follow'd the Writers of Poetical History whilst I refer my English Readers to Ross's Mistagogus Poeticus and to Galtruchius's Poetical History for satisfaction or if they please to the Historical Dictionaries of Gouldman Littleton c. Silver Age a History including the Love of Jupiter to Alcmena the Birth of Hercules and the Rape of Proserpine concluding with the Arraignment of the Moon printed 4 o Lond. 1613. The Author in this Epistles acquaints the Reader That tho' He began with Gold follow with Silver proceed with Brass and purpose by God's Grace to end with Iron He hopes the declining Titles shall no whit blemish the Reputation of the Works but he rather trusts that as those Mettals decrease in value so è contrario their Books shall increase in substance weight and estimation Our Author in this Play has borrow'd several Passages from the Ancients as the Intrigue of Jupiter and Alcmena is translated from the Amphitruo of Plautus The Rape of Proserpine is borrow'd from Ovid's Metamorphosis lib. 3 with other places too many to repeat Brazen Age a History the First Act containing the Death of the Centaure Nessus the Second the Tragedy of Meleager the Third the Tragedy of Jason and Medea the Fourth Vulcan's Net the Fifth the Labours and Death of Hercules printed 4 o Lond. 1613. All these Stories are to be found in Ovid's Metamorphosis For the Story of Nessus see Lib. 9 Fab. 2 Of Meleager Lib. 8 Fab. 4 Of Jason Lib. 7 Fab. 1 Of Vulcan's Net Lib. 4 Fab. 5 Of Hercules Lib. 9 Fab. 3 Iron Age the first part an History containing the Rape of Hellen the Siege of Troy the Combat between Hector and Ajax Hector and Troilus slain by Achilles Achilles slain by Paris Ajax and Ulysses contend for the Armour of Achilles the Death of Ajax c. printed 4 o Lond. 1632. and dedicated to his Worthy and Much Respected Friend Mr. Thomas Hammond of Gray's Inn Esquire The Author in his Epistle acquaints the Reader That this Iron Age beginneth where the other left holding on in a plain and direct course from the second Rape of Hellen not only to the utter ruine and devastation of Troy but it with the second part stretcheth to the Deaths of Hellen and all those Kings of Greece who were the undertakers of that Ten years bloody and fatal Siege Lastly he desires the Reader to take notice That these were the Plays often and not with the least applause publickly acted by two Companies upon One Stage at once and have at sundry times thronged three several Theatres with numerous and mighty Auditories The Author has borrow'd in many places of this Play as the Reader may see by comparing the Contention between Ajax and Ulysses with Ovid's Metamorphosis Lib. 13 and other the like too numerous to particularise For the main Plot consult Homer Vigil Dares Phrigius c. for the Episodes Ovid's Epistles Metamorphosis Lucian's Dialogues c. Iron Age the second part a History containing the Death of Penthesilea Paris Priam and Hecuba The burning of Troy The Deaths of Agamemnon Menelaus Clitemnestra Hellena Orestes Egistus Pylades King Diomed Pyrbus Cethus Synon Thersites printed 4 o Lond. 1632. and dedicated to his Worthy and much Respected Friend Mr. Thomas Manwaring Esquire For the Plot consult the foremention'd Authors Mr. Heywood design'd a new Edition of all these Ages together And to illustrate as he says the whole Work with an Explanation of the difficulties and an Historical Comment upon every hard Name which might appear obscure and intricate to such as were not frequent in Poetry but design of his I know not for what reason was laid aside Having given the Reader a full if not too tedious Account of these Plays I hasten to speak of the rest in our accustom'd order as follows Challenge for Beauty a Tragi-comedy sundry times acted by the Kings Majesties Servants at the Black fryars and at the Globe on the Bank-side printed 4 o Lond. 1636. Dutchess of Suffolk her Life a History divers and sundry times acted with good Applause printed 4 o Lond. 1631. The PLot is built on History see the Story at large in Fox's Martyrology in the Reign of Queen Mary An. Dom. 1558. in the Story of Lady Katherine Dutchess of Suffolk See besides Clark's Martyrology Chap. 11. pag. 521. Edward the Fourth a History in Two Parts printed 4 o Lond. 16 The Foundation of this Play is built upon Chronicle See the Story of this King writ by Polydore Virgil Du Chesue Speed c. English Traveller a Tragi-comedy publickly acted at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane by her Majesties Servants prited 4 o Lond. 1633. and dedicated to the Right Worshipful Sir Henry Appleton Knight Baronet The Plot and Language of young Lyonel and Reginald is stoln from Plautus's Mostellaria The Story of old Wincote and his Wife Geraldine and Dalavil the Author affirms to be true in his History of Women where 't is related at large lib. 4. pag. 269. 8 o Edition Fair Maid of the Exchange a Comedy together with the merry Humours and pleasant Passages of the Cripple of Fanchurch furnisht with variety of delectable Mirth printed 4o. Lond. 1637. The Parts are so cast by the Author that tho' there are Twenty Actors Eleven may easily act this Comedy tho' in my opinion it is not worth reviving Nay further I question notwithstanding Mr. Kirkman has ascrib'd it to our Author whether it be his since his Name is not prefixt neither does the Stile or Oeconomy resemble the rest of his Labours Fair Maid of the West or A Girlworth Gold a Tragi-comedy the First Part lately acted before the King and Queen with approved liking by the Queens Majesties Comedians printed 4 o Lond. 1631. and dedicated to his much Worthy and his most Respected John Othow Esquire Counsellor at Law in the Noble Society of

by a Copy of Verses printed at the End writ by his Friend Mr. Samuel King Woman kill'd with Kindness a Comedy oftentimes acted by the Queens Majesties Servants and printed quarto Lond. 1617. These are all the Plays that our Author has extant except we will reckon his Dialogues under the Species of Dramatick Poetry such as Jupiter and Io Apollo and Daphne Amphrise or The Forsaken Shepherdess c. all which with several Translations above-mention'd the Reader may peruse in a Book intituled Pleasant Dialogues and Drammas collected out of Lucian Erasmus Textor Ovid c. printed octavo Lond. 1637. There may be another Reason added to those already mention'd why no more of our Author's Plays have been published which he himself gives us in his Epistle to The Rape of Lucrece That he used to sell his Copy to the Players and therefore suppos'd he had no further right to print them without their Consent which is the Reason that so few are in print and that some of these Plays that are so have been copy'd by the Ear and printed uncorrect without his Knowledge As to his other Pieces he has publisht several in Verse and Prose In the former he has written a Poem called The Hierarchy of the Blessed Angels with Notes printed fol. Lond. 1635. In reading over this Book I find our Author informing the World That he intended to commit to the publick View the Lives of the Poets Forreign and Modern from the first before Homer to the Novissimi and last of what Nation or Language soever so far as any History or Chronology would give him warrant But this Work notwithstanding our Author's Intention I presume was never compleated or at least publisht His chief Pieces in Prose are An Apology for Actors printed 4o. Lond. 1612. which was highly commended by several Copies of Verses written in Greek Latin and English This piece was answer'd or rather rail'd against by One J. G. in a Pamphlet call'd A Refutation of the Apology for Actors printed 4o. Lond. 1615. Whether Mr. Prynn's Piece call'd Histriomastix printed 4o. Lond. 1633. were particularly levell'd against this Book I cannot positively determine but I think Sir Richard Baker who answer'd it in a little Piece call'd The Theatre vindicated printed 8o. Lond. has sufficiently made out the Character he gives of it That all his Book is but a Bundle of Scolding Invectives and Railing instead of Reasoning He has writ besides The Life and Troubles of Queen Elizabeth from her Cradle to her Crown printed 8o. Lond. 1631. The Examplary Lives and Acts of Nine Women Worthies three Jews three Gentiles and three Christians printed 4o. 1640. The General History of Women of the most Holy and Profane the most Famous and Infamous in all Ages printed 8o. Lond. 1657. The usual Motto which he prefix'd to most of his Works and which shew'd the chief design of his Writing was this of Horace Aut prodesse solent aut delectare Barten HOLLYDAY A Gentleman that flourisht in the Reigns of King Charles the First and Second He was born about the latter End of Queen Elizabeths Reign in Oxford in the Parish of All-Saints He was enter'd young at Christ-Church in the time of Dr. Ravis his Relation and Patron by whom he was chose Student and having taken his Degrees of Batchelor and Master of Arts he at length became Arch-Deacon of Oxfordshire He died soon after the King's Return at Eifly the Corps of his Arch-Deaconry near Oxford in the Year 1661. and was buried in Christ-Church having left behind him the Character of a general Scholar a good Preacher a skilful Philosopher and an excellent Poet. As a proof of this I must refer my Reader to his Works in general it being my province at present only to enumerate his Writings and make remarks on nothing but what he has publisht in Dramatick Poetry which is a Play call'd TEXNOTAMIA or The Marriages of the Arts a Comedy acted by the Students of Christ-Church in Oxford before the University at Shrove-tide printed 4o. Lond. 1630. The Author has sufficiently shew'd his Learning in the Contexture of this Comedy and has introduc'd several things from the Ancients particularly two Odes from Anacreon viz. Act 2. Sc. 2. Act 3. Sc. the last He has shew'd how well he was able to imitate another Author by this Play as the Reader may see by comparing the Challenge of Logicus to Poeta Act 2. Sc. 2. with that of Dametas to Clinias drawn by the Pen of the Admirable Sir Philip Sidney He has several other Pieces of Poetry which tho' Translations have gain'd him a considerable Reputation as the Translation of the Satyrs of Juvenal and Persius Illustrated with Notes and Sculptures printed Fol. Oxon. 1673. His Version of the Odes of Horace mention'd by Mr. Wood to have been printed Lond. 1652. He has likewise publisht several Sermons as Three Sermons preach'd at Oxford and two Sermons at St. Pauls-Cross printed 1626. A Sermon of the Nature of Faith printed 4o. Lond. 1654. Motives to a godly Life printed 4o. Oxon. 1657. In Latin he has printed two Pieces viz. Philosophiae Politico-barbarae Specimen de Animâ 4o. Oxon. 1635. Orbis terrarum Inspectio lib. 10. Oxon. 1661. Charles HOOL A Gentleman living in the Reigns of King Charles the First and Second and possibly still in Being He was born at Wakefield in Yorkshire and at eighteen Years of Age came up to the University of Oxford and was enter'd of Lincoln Colledge After having taken his Degree of Master of Arts he withdrew into his own Countrey where he took upon him the Profession of a School Master he taught in several places particularly at Rotheram a Market-Town in the West Riding in Yorkshire and afterwards being sent for up to London by several Eminent Citizens he taught School in Red-Cross-street near Alders-gate Parish and afterwards remov'd to Arundel-Buildings not far from the Royal-Exchange At the King's Return he left the City and remov'd into Wales where possibly he still follows that useful Profession He has been very laborious not only in Instructing Youth but also in publishing many Books to their Advancement One of which is the Subject of his being mention'd in our Catalogue viz. Six Comedies of that Excellent Poet Publius Terentius an African of Carthage in English and Latin for the use of Young Scholars that they may the more readily obtain the purity of the Latin Tongue for common Discourse printed 8o. 1676. This Translation was undertaken by our Author at the Request of the Company of Stationers for whom it was printed and was castrated in some places as in particular see Eunuchus Act 3. Sc. 4 5. to spare the Modesty of the Youth under his Tuition Those who would know more of Terence and his Works let them turn back to Richard Bernard The rest of his Works consist chiefly in Translations of Books for the use of young Scholars as Corderius Cato AEsop's Fables Commenii Orbis pictus

parantur Obsonator Coquus convivarum gulae periti sunto De Discubitu non contenditur Ministri à Dapibus oculati muti A poculis auriti celeres sunto Vina puris fontibus ministrantur aut vapulet hospes Moderatis poculis provocare sodales fas esto At sabulis magis quàm vino velitatio fiat Convivae nec muti nec loquaces sunto De seriis aut sacris poti saturine disserunto Fidicen nisi accersitus non venito Admisso risu tripudiis choreis saltibus Omni gratiarum festivitate sacra celebrantur Joci sine felle sunto Insipida Poemata nulla recitantur Versus scribere nullus cogitur Argumentationis totius strepitus abesto Amatoriis querelis ac suspiriis liber angulus esto Lapitharum more scyphis pugnare vitrea collidere Fenestras excutere supellectilem dilacerare ne fas esto Qui foras dicta vel facta eliminet eliminatur Neminem reum pocula jaciunto Focus perennis esto As to his Poetry I dare not pretend to give a Judgment on it it deserving somewhat above what my faint Praise can reach or describe therefore those who would be better satisfy'd must have recourse to his Character drawn by Dr. Fuller and Mr. Anthony Wood in Prose and by Mr. Carthwright and the late Mr. Oldham in Verse to the foregoing I might add Mr. Dryden's Dramatick Essay which had it been writ after his Postscript to Granada might have aton'd for that unbecoming Character and had serv'd for a Palinode but since he has not that I know of thought fit to retract it give me leave to insert an old Copy of Verses which seems to wipe off the Accusations of Mr. Johnson's Enemies Ad Benjaminum Johnsonum In jus te voco Jonsoni venito Adsum qui plagii malae rapinae Te ad Phoebi peragam reum tribunal Assidente choro NovemDearum Quaedam Dramata scilicet diserta Nuper quae Elysii roseti in umbrâ Faestivissimus omnium Poeta Plautus composuit Diisque tandem Stellato exhibuit poli in Theatro Movendo superis leves cachinnos Et risos tetrico Jovi ciendo Axe plausibus intonante utroque Haec tu Dramata scilicet diserta Clepsisti superis negotiosis Quae tu nunc tua venuitare pergis In jus te voco Jonsoni venito En pro te Pater ipse Rexque Phoebus Assurgit modò Jonsoni palamque Testatur tua serio fuisse Illa Dramata teque condidisse Sese non modò conscio at juvante Unde ergò sibi Plautus illa tandem Nactus exhibuit Jovi Deisque Maiae Filius Nepos Atlantis Pennatus celeres Pedes at ungues Viscatus volucer puer vaferque Furto condere quidlibet jocoso Ut quondam facibus suis Amorem Per ludos videavit Pharetrâ Sic nuper siquidem solet frequenter Tecum ludere plaudere jocari Neglectas tibi ilepsit has papyrus Secumque ad Superos abire jussit Jam victus taceo pudore vincis Phoebo Judice Jonsoni Patrono I might here appositely enough bring in a pleasant Story or two of Ben. Jonson's as Instances of his Debonaire Humor and Readiness at Repartee did I not fear to be condemn'd by Mr. Dryden and reckon'd by him and his Admirers in the number of those grave Gentlemen whose Memory he says is the only Plea for their being Wits for this reason I shall forbear and hasten to give an Account of his Works He has writ above fifty several Pieces which we may rank under the Species of Dramatick Poetry of which we shall give an Account in Order beginning with one of his best Comedies viz. Alchymist a Comedy acted in the Year 1610. by the Kings Majesties Servants with the Allowance of the Master of the Revels printed fol. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Lady most deserving her Name and Blood the Lady Mary Wroth the Author of the Urania Mr. Dryden supposes this Play was copy'd from the Comedy of Albumazer as far as concerns the Alchymist's Character as the Reader may observe from the following Lines being part of his Prologue to Albumazer reviv'd Subtle was got by our Albumazer That Alchymist by this Astrologer Here he was fashion'd and we may suppose He lik'd the Fashion well who wore the Cloaths Whether this Accusation be true I pretend not to determine but sure I am that this last Couplet is borrow'd from Mr. Dryden's Dramatick Essay where he says of Mr. Johnson thus You will pardon me therefore if I presume he lov'd the Fashion when he wore their Cloaths Bartholomew Fair a Comedy acted at the Hope on the Bank-side Oct. 31. in the Year 1614. by the Lady Elizabeth's Servants and then dedicated to King James the First and printed fol. Lond. 1640. This Play has frequently appear'd on the Stage since the Restauration with great applause Cataline his Conspiracy a Tragedy first acted in the Year 1611. by the Kings Majesties Servants with Allowance from the Master of the Revels printed fol. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the great Example of Honour and Virtue the most Noble William Earl of Pembroke This Play is still in Vogue on the Stage and always presented with success It was so well approv'd of by the Judicious Beaumont that he writ a Copy of Verses in praise of it which the Reader may find before our Authors Works Nevertheless I must take notice that Mr. Johnson has borrow'd very much from the Ancients in this Tragedy as for Instance part of Sylla's Ghost in the very Entrance of the Play is copy'd from the Ghost of Tantalus in the beginning of Seneca's Thyestes Thus our Author has translated a great part of Salust's History tho' with great Judgment and Elegance and inserted it into his Play For the Plot see Salust Plutarch in the Life of Cicero Florus Lib. 4. C. 1. Challenge at Tilt at a Marriage a Masque printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Christmass his Masque presented at Court 1516. printed Fol Lond. 1640. Cloridia or Rites to Cloris and her Nymphs personated in a Masque at Court by the Queens Majesty and her Ladies at Shrove-tide 1630. printed Fol. Lond. 1640. The Inventors of this Masque were Mr. Johnson and Mr. Inigo Jones Cynthia's Revels or The Fountain of Self-love a Comical Satyr first acted in the Year 1600. by the then Children of Queen Elizabeth's Chappel with the Allowance of the Master of the Revels printed Folio Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Special Fountain of Manners The Court. Devil is an Ass a Comedy acted in the Year 1616. by his Majesties Servants and printed Fol. Lond. 1641. Tho' our Author seldome borrows any part of his Plot yet in this Play if I mistake not Wittipol's giving his Cloak to Fitz-dotterel to court his Wife one quarter of an Hour is founded on a Novel in Boccace Day 3. Nov. 5. Entertainment of King James in passing to his Coronation printed in Fol. Lond. 1640. This Entertainment was mention'd I suppose by

the Compilers of former Catalogues because it consists of Speeches of Gratulation as the Author stiles them which were spoke to his Majesty at Fen-Church Temple-Bar and the Strand and therefore besides the presidents of former Catalogues which might in part justify me I might be blam'd should I omit it The Author has plac'd a Comment throughout to illustrate and authorise his Contrivance Entertainment in private of the King and Queen on May-day in the Morning at Sir William Cornwallis's House at High-gate 1604. printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Entertainment of King James and Queen Anne at Theobalds when the House was deliver'd up with the possession to the Queen by the Earl of Salisbury May 22. 1607. The Prince of Janvile Brother to the Duke of Guise being then present printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Entertainment in particular of the Queen and Prince their Highnesses at Althrope at the Lord Spencer's on Saturday being the Twenty-fifth of June 1603. as they came first into the Kingdome printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Entertainment of the Two Kings of Great Brittain and Denmark at Theobalds July 24 th 1606. printed Fol. Lond. 1640. This Entertainment is very short and consists chiefly of Epigrams Every Man in his Humour a Comedy acted in the Year 1598. by the then Lord Chamberlain's Servants printed Fol. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Most Learned and his Honour'd Friend Mr. Cambden Clarencieux This Play has been reviv'd since the Civil Wars and was receiv'd with general Applause There is a new Epilogue writ for this Play the latter part of which is spoken by Ben Johnson's Ghost The Reader may find it in a Collection of Poems on several Occasions printed 8o. Lond. 1673. See pag. 29. Every Man out of his Humour a Comical Satyr first acted in the Year 1599. by the then Lord Chamberlain's Servants with allowance of the Master of the Revels printed Fol. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Noblest Nurseries of Humanity and Liberty in the Kingdome The Inns of Court This Play was reviv'd at the Theatre-Royal in the Year 1675. at which time a new Prologue and Epilogue were spoken by Jo. Heyns which were writ by Mr. Duffet See his Poems 8o. pag. 72. c. This is accounted an excellent Old Comedy Fortunate Isles and their Union celebrated in a Masque design'd for the Court on the Twelfth-Night 1626. printed Fol. Lond. 1641. Golden Age restor'd in a Masque at Court 1615. by the Lords and Gentlemen the King's Servants and printed Fol. Lond. 1641. Hymenaei or The Solemnities of a Masque and Barriers at a Marriage printed Fol. Lond. 1640. To this Masque are annext by the Author Learned Notes in the Margin for illustration of the Ancient Greek and Roman Customs Irish Masque at Court by Gentlemen the King's Servants printed Fol. Lond. 1640. King's Entertainment at Welbeck in Nottingham-shire a House of the Right Honourable William Earl of Newcastle at his going into Scotland 1633. printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Love free'd from Ignorance and Folly a Masque of her Majesties printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Love Restor'd in a Masque at Court by Gentlemen the King's Servants printed Fol. Lond. 1640. Love's Triumph thro' Callipolis perform'd in a Masque at Court 1630. by his Majesty King Charles the First with the Lords and Gentlemen Assisting the Inventors being Mr. Johnson and Mr. Inigo Jones printed Fol. Lond. 1641. Love's Welcome the King and Queen's Entertainment at Bolsover at the Earl of Newcastle's the 30 th of July 1634. and printed Fol. Lond. 1641. Magnetick Lady or Humours Reconcil'd a Comedy acted at the Black-fryars and printed Fol. Lond. 1640. This Play is generally esteem'd an Excellent Play tho' in those days it found some Enemies amongst which Dr. Gill Master of Pauls School or at least his Son writ a Satyr against it part of which the whole being too long I shall take the pains to transcribe But to advise thee Ben in this strist Age A Brick-kill's better for thee than a Stage Thou better know'st a Groundsil for to lay Then lay the Plot or Ground-work of a Play And better can'st direct to Cap a Chimney Then to converse with Clio or Polyhimny Fall then to work in thy old Age agen Take up thy Trug and Trowel gentle Ben Let Plays alone or if thou needs will write And thrust thy feeble Muse into the light Let Lowen cease and Taylor scorn to touch The loathed Stage for thou hast made it such But to shew how fiercely Ben could repartee on any one that had abus'd him I will present the Reader with his answer Shall the prosperity of a Pardon still Secure thy railing Rhymes infamous Gill At libelling Shall no Star-Chamber Peers Pillory nor Whip nor want of Ears All which thou hast incurr'd deservedly Nor Degradation from the Ministry To be the Denis of thy Father's School Keep in thy bawling Wit thou bawling Fool. Thinking to stir me thou hast lost thy End I 'll laugh at thee poor wretched Tike go send Thy blotant Muse abroad and teach it rather A Tune to drown the Ballads of thy Father For thou hast nought to cure his Fame But Tune and Noise the Eccho of his Shame A Rogue by Statute censur'd to be whipt Cropt branded slit neck-stockt go you are stript Masque at the Lord Viscount Hadington's Marriage at Court on Shrove-Tuesday at Night 1608. and printed fol. Lond. 1640. Masque of Augurs with several Antimasques presented on Twelfth-night 1622. printed fol. Lond. 1640. Masque of Owls at Kenelworth presented by the Ghost of Captain Coxe mounted on his Hobby-horse 1626. printed fol. Lond. 1640. Masque of Queens celebrated from the House of Fame by the Queen of Great Britain with her Ladies at Whitehall Febr. 2. 1609. This Masque is adorned with learned Notes for the Explanation of the Author's Design He was assisted in the Invention and Architecture of the Scenes throughout by Mr. Inigo Jones Masque presented in the House of the Right Honourable the Lord Haye by divers of Noble Quality his Friends for the Entertainment of Monsieur Le Baron de Tour Extraordinary Ambassador for the French King on Saturday the 22. of Febr. 1617. printed fol. Lond. 1617. Metamorphos'd Gypsies a Masque thrice presented to King James first at Burleigh on the Hill next at Belvoyr and lastly at Windsor in August 1621. printed fol. Lond. 1641. Mercury Vindicated from the Alchymists at Court by Gentlemen the King's Servants printed fol. Lond. 1640. Mortimer's Fall a Tragedy or rather a Fragment it being just begun and left imperfect by his Death tho' the Reader may see the Model of each Act by the Argument publisht before it printed fol. Lond. 1640. Neptune's Triumph for the Return of Albion celebrated in a Masque at Court on the Twelfth-Night 1644. printed fol. Lond. 1641. News from the New World discovered in the Moon a Masque presented at Court before King James 1620. and printed fol. Lond. 1641. Oberon the Fairy Prince a Masque of Prince Henries printed fol. Lond. 1640. On

this Play the Author has writ Annotations Pan's Anniversary or The Shepherd's Holy-day a Masque presented at Court before King James 1625. and printed fol. Lond. 1641. In the Decorations our Author was assisted by the above mention'd Mr. Jones Pleasure reconcil'd to Virtue a Masque presented at Court before King James 1619. to which were made some Additions for the Honour of Wales This in former Catalogues was mention'd as a Masque distinct from the other Poetaster or His Arraignment a Comical Satyr first acted in the Year 1601. by the then Children of his Majesties Chappel with the Allowance of the Master of the Revels printed fol. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Vertuous and his Worthy Friend Mr. Richard Martin I have already spoken of this Play in the Account of Decker's Satyromastix and I must further add I heartily wish for our Author's Reputation that he had not been the Agressor in this Quarrel but being altogether ignorant of the Provocations given him I must suspend my Judgment and leave it to better Judges to determine the Controversy Our Author has adorn'd this Play with several Translations from the Ancients as Ovid. Amor. lib. 1. Eleg. 15. Horatii Sat. lib. 1. Sat. 9. lib. 2. Sat. 1. Virgilii AEneid lib. 4. with others Queen's Masques the first of Blackness personated at the Court at Whitehall on the Twelfth-Night 1605. the second of Beauty was presented in the same Court at Whitehall on the Sunday Night after the Twelfth-Night 1608. printed fol. Lond. 1640. Sad Shepherd or A Tale of Robin Hood a Pastoral printed fol. Lond. 1641. This Play is left imperfect there being but two Acts and part of the third finisht Sejanus's Fall a Tragedy first acted in the Year 1603. by the Kings Majesties Servants with the Allowance of the Master of the Revells printed fol. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the No less Noble by Virtue than Blood Esme Lord Aubigny This Play is generally commended by all Lovers of Poetry and usher'd into the World by nine Copys of Verses one of which was writ by Mr. George Chapman 'T is founded on History and the Author in a former Edition published 4o. Lond. 1605. has printed Quotations throughout the Reasons whereof take in his own Words being part of the Preface to that Edition The next is least in some nice Nostrils the Quotations might favour affected I do let you know That I abhor nothing more and have only done it to shew my Integrity in the Story and save my self in those common Torturers that bring all Wit to the Rack whose Noses are ever like Swine spoiling and rooting up the Muses Gardens and their whole Bodies like Moles as blindly working under Earth to cast any the least hills upon Vertue For the Story the Reader may consult Tacitus's Annals lib. 3 4 5. Suetonius in the Life of Tiberius Dion c. Silent Woman a Comedy first acted in the Year 1609. by the Children of her Majesties Revels with the Allowance of the Master of the Revels printed fol. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the truly Noble by all Titles Sir Francis Stuart Part of this Play is borrow'd from the Ancients as Act 1. Sc. 1. part from Ovid de Arte Amandi Act 2 Sc. 2. part from Juvenal Sat. 6. Act 2. Sc. 5. part from Plautus's Aulularia Act 3. Sc. 5. with other passages Notwithstanding which this Play is Accounted by all One of the best Comedies we have extant and those who would know more may be amply satisfied by the perusal of the judicious Examen of this Play made by Mr. Dryden Speeches at Prince Henry's Barriers printed fol. Lond. 1640. These Speeches being printed amongst his other Masques and always reckoned under that Species of Poetry by others in former Catalogues I could not omit their Mention in this place Staple of News a Comedy acted in the Year 1625. by his Majesties Servants and printed fol. Lond. 1631. The Author introduces four Gossips on the Stage who continue during the Action and criticise on the Play This was practised more than once witness Every man out of his Humor and Magnetick Lady and herein he was follow'd by Fletcher as I have already observ'd in His Knight of the Burning-pestle Tale of a Tub a Comedy printed fol. Lond. 1640. Time vindicated to himself and to his Honours a Masque presented at Court on Twelfth-Night 1623. and printed fol. Lond. 1641. Vission of Delight a Masque presented at Court in Christmas 1617. and printed fol. Lond. 1641. Vulpone or The Fox a Comedy first acted in the Year 1605. by the Kings Majesties Servants with the Allowance of the Master of the Revells printed fol. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to both Universities in the following form To the most Noble and most Equal Sisters the two Famous Universities for their Love and Acceptance shewn to his Poem in the Presentation Ben. Johnson the grateful Acknowledger dedicates both it and himself This Play is writ in Imitation of the Comedy of the Ancients and the Argument is form'd into an Acrostick like those of Plautus which are said to be writ by Priscian or some other Eminent Grammarian It is still in vogue at the Theatre in Dorset-Garden and its value is sufficiently manifested by the Verses of Mr. Beaumont and Dr. Donne All these Plays with several other Poems and Translations and an English Grammar are printed together in two Volumes in Folio He has three other Plays which are omitted in these Volumes tho' for what reason I know not two of which are printed in 4o. and the third in 8o. of which we are now to speak Case is alter'd a pleasant Comedy sundry times acted by the Children of the Black-fryars and printed 4o. Lond. 1609. In this Comedy our Author hath very much made use of Plautus as the Learned Reader may observe by comparing His Aulularia and Capteivei with this Comedy Widow a Comedy acted at the Private House in Black-fryars with great applause by his late Majesties Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1652. This Play was writ by Mr. Johnson Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Middleton and first publisht by Mr. Alexander Gough a great lover of Plays who helpt Mr. Mosely the Bookseller to this and several other Dramatick Manuscripts as the Passionate Lovers 2. parts The Queen or The Excellency of her Sex c. It was reviv'd not many Years ago at the King's House with a new Prologue and Epilogue which the Reader may find in London Drollery p. 11 12. New-Inn or The Light Heart a Comedy never acted but most negligently play'd by some the Kings Servants and more squeamishly beheld and censured by others the Kings Subjects 1629. Now at last set at liberty to the Readers his Majesties Servants and Subjects to be judg'd printed 8o. Lond. 1631. The Reader may see by this Title-page that the Play succeeded not answerable to our Author's Expectation and the just Merit as he thought of his Play which may be conjectured from the Ode

Sir 't is not altogether so monstrous and impossible for One of Seventeen Years to speak at such a rate when He that made him speak in that manner and writ the whole Play was Himself no Older This Impression was printed without the Authors consent from a false and an imperfect Transcript the Original Copy being with the Author in Italy so that it might rather be call'd the First Design or Foul Draught than a True Copy This occasioned a new Edition and the Publisher impos'd on it a New Title that it might shew as little Affinity as possible to what he calls its Anti-type stiling it Pallantus and Eudora a Tragedy printed fol. Lond. 1653. To this Edition I recommend the Reader remembring that of Martial Multum crede mihi refert à fonte bibatur Quae stuit an pigro quae stupet unda lacu Thomas KILLEGREW A Gentleman well known at Court having been Page of Honour to King Charles the First and Groom of the Bed-chamber to King Charles the Second with whom he endur'd twenty Years Exile During his abode beyond Sea he took a view of France Italy and Spain and was Honoured by his Majesty with the Creditable Employ of Resident at the State of Venice whither he was sent in August 1651. During his Absence from his Country he diverted himself with the Muses writing several Playes of which Sir John Denham in a jocular way takes notice in his Copy of Verses on our Author's Return from his Embassie from Venice I. Our Resident Tom From Venice is come And hath left the Statesman behind him Talks at the same pitch Is as wise is as rich And just where you left him you find him II. But who says he was not A man of much Plot May repent that false Accusation Having plotted and penn'd Six Plays to attend The Farce of his Negotiation Tho' Sir John Denham mentions but six our Author writ nine Plays in his Travells and two at London amongst which his Don Thomaso in two parts and his Parson's Wedding will always be valu'd by the best Judges and Admirers of Dramatick Poetry Of these Eleven Plays I shall speak in their Order Bellamira her Dream or Love of Shadows a Tragi-comedy the first Part printed fol. Lond. 1663. written in Venice and dedicated to the Lady Mary Villiers Dutchess of Richmond and Lenox Bellamira her Dream the second Part a Tragi-comedy written in Venice printed fol. Lond. 1663. and dedicated to the Lady Anne Villiers Countess of Essex Cicilia and Clorinda or Love in Arms a Tragi-comedy the first Part printed fol. Lond. 1663. written in Turin and dedicated to the Lady Anne Villiers Countess of Morton Cicilia and Clorinda the second Part a Tragi-comedy printed fol. Lond. 1663. written in Florence in August 1651. and dedicated to the Lady Dorothy Sidney Countess of Sunderland The first Scene between Amadeo Lucius and Manlius seems copied from the Characters of Aglatidas Artabes and Megabises in the Grand Cyrus see the History of Aglatidas and Amestris Part 1. Book 3. Claracilla a Tragi-comedy printed Folio Lond. 1663. written in Rome and dedicated to his Dear Sister the Lady Shannon On this Play and The Prisoners Mr. Carthwright has writ an ingenious Copy of Verses which the Reader may find amongst his Poems p. 258. Parson's Wedding a Comedy printed Folio Lond. 1663. written at Basil in Switzerland and dedicated to the Lady Ursula Bartu Widow This Play was reviv'd at the Old Theatre in little Lincolns-Inn-fields and acted all by Women a new Prologue and Epilogue being spoken by Mrs. Marshal in Man's Cloaths which the Reader may find printed in Covent-Garden Drollery 8o. pag. 3. c. The Intrigue of Careless and Wild circumventing the Lady Wild and Mrs. Pleasance into Marriage is an Incident in several Plays as Ram-Alley Antiquary c. but in none so well manag'd as in this Play Pilgrim a Tragedy printed Fol. Lond. 1663. written in Paris in the Year 1651. and dedicated to the Countess of Carnarvan Princess or Love at first sight a Tragi-comedy printed Fol. Lond. 1663. written in Naples and dedicated to his Dear Neece the Lady Anne Wentworth Wife to the Lord Lovelace Prisoners a Tragi-comedy printed Fol. Lond. 1663. written in London and dedicated to his Dear Neece the Lady Crompton Thomaso or The Wanderer a Comedy in two Parts printed Fol. Lond. 1663. and dedicated to the Fair and Kind Friends of Prince Palatine Polexander In the first part of this Play the Author has borrow'd several Ornaments as the Song sung by Angelica Act 2. Sc. 3. is taken from Fletcher's Play call'd The Captain Act 4. He has made use of Ben Johnson considerably for not only the Character of Lopus but even the very Words are copied from Johnson's Fox where Vulpone personates Scoto of Mantua as the Reader will see by comparing Act 4. Sc. 2. of this Play with that of the Fox Act 2. Sc. 2. I do not believe that our Author design'd to conceal his Theft since he is so just to acknowledge a Song against Jealousy which he borrow'd and was written by Mr. Thomas Carew Cup-bearer to King Charles the First and sung in a Masque at Whitehall An. 1633. This Chorus says he I presume to make use of here because in the first design 't was writ at my request upon a Dispute held betwixt Mrs. Cicilia Crofts and my self where he was present she being then Maid of Honor this I have set down lest any man should believe me so foolish as to steal such a Poem from so famous an Author or so vain as to pretend to the making of it my self Certainly therefore if he scrupled to rob Mr. Carew he would much more Mr. Johnson whose Fame as much exceeded the others as his Writings and Compositions are better known However it be I am sure he is not the only Poet that has imp'd his Wings with Mr. Johnson's Feathers and if every Poet that borrows knew as well as Mr. Killegrew how to dispose of it 't would certainly be very excusable All these Plays are printed together in One Volume in Folio Lond. 1664. Sir William KILLEGREW A Gentleman who by his Writings and honourable Station in the Court being Vice-Chamberlain to the Queen Dowager is well known He is the Author of Four Plays which have been applauded whether with Justice or no I leave to the Criticks by Men who have themselves been reputed Eminent for Poetry as Mr. Waller Sr. Robert Stapleton Mr. Lodowick Carlell and others I shall therefore only acquaint the Reader with their several Titles and submit them to his further judgment Ormasdes or Love and Friendship a Tragi-Comedy Pandora or The Converts a Comedy Selindra a Tragi-comedy Siege of Urbin a Tragi-comedy All these Plays were printed together in Folio Oxon 1666. There is another Play ascrib'd to our Author call'd The Imperial Tragedy printed Fol. Lond. 1669. the chief part was taken out of a Latine Play and very much alter'd by him for

his own diversion But upon the Importunity of Friends he was prevailed with to have it publisht but without Name because many do censure Plays according to their Opinions of the Author The Plot is founded on the History of Zeno the Twelfth Emperor of Constantinople after Constantine Several Authors have writ his Story as Marcellinus Cassiodorus Cedrenus Evagrius Zonoras Baronius c. John KIRKE A Writer in the Reign of King Charles the First of a Play call'd The Seven Champions of Christendome acted at the Cock-pit and at the Red Bull in St. John's Street with a general liking printed 4o. Lond. 1638. and dedicated to his much respected and worthy Friend Mr. John Waite This Play is written in a mixt stile and founded on that well known Book in prose which bears the same Title See besides Dr. Heylin's History of St. George Ralph KNEVET An Author that liv'd about the same time with the former He writ a Play call'd Rhodon and Iris a Pastoral presented at the Florists Feast in Norwich May the Third 1631. printed 4o. Lond. 1631. and dedicated to the Right Worshipful Mr. Nicholas Bacon of Gillingham Esquire This Pastoral is commended by Four Copies of Verses Thomas KYD. An Ancient Writer or rather Translator in the time of Queen Elizabeth who publisht a Play call'd Pompey the Great his Fair Cornelia's Tragedy effected by her Father and Husband 's Down-cast Death and Fortune printed 4o. Lond. 1595. and dedicated to the Virtuously Noble and rightly Honour'd Lady the Countess of Sussex This Play is translated from the French of Robert Garnier who in the Reigns of Charles the Ninth Henry the Third and Henry the Fourth was accounted an Excellent Poet tho' M. Rapin says His Tragedies with those of Rotrou Serre and others of that time are of a mean Character 'T is evident to any that have read his Tragedies which are Nine in Number that he propos'd Seneca for his Model and he was thought in those days to have happily succeeded in his Design This Translation is writ in blank Verse only here and there at the close of a Paragraph if I may so speak the Reader is presented with a Couplet The Chorus's are writ in several Measures of Verse and are very sententious L. John LACY A Comedian whose Abilities in Action were sufficiently known to all that frequented the King's Theatre where he was for many years an Actor and perform'd all Parts that he undertook to a miracle in so much that I am apt to believe that as this Age never had so the next never will have his Equal at least not his Superiour He was so well approv'd of by King Charles the Second an undeniable Judge in Dramatick Arts that he caus'd his Picture to be drawn in three several Figures in the same Table viz. That of Teague in the Committee Mr. Scruple in The Cheats and M. Galliard in The Variety which piece is still in being in Windsor-Castle Nor did his Talent wholly ly in Acting he knew both how to judge and write Plays and if his Comedies are somewhat allied to French Farce 't is out of choice rather than want of Ability to write true Comedy We have Three Plays extant under his Name viz. Dumb Lady or The Farriar made Physitian a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1672. and dedicated to the High-born and most Hopeful Prince Charles Lord Limrick and Earl of Southampton This Play is founded on a Comedy of Molliere's call'd Le Medecin malgré luy If the Reader will take the pains to compare them together he will easily see that our Author has much improv'd the French Play Old Troop or Monsieur Ragou a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1672. and dedicated to the young Prince George Third Son to the Dutchess of Cleveland I fancy by the stile this Play likewise is founded on some French Original tho' my small Acquaintance with French Poets makes me speak only on Conjecture Both these Plays were acted with universal Applause Sir Hercules Buffoon or The Poetical Squire a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1684. This Play was brought upon the Stage and publisht after the Author's Decease the Prologue was writ by Mr. Durfey the Epilogue by Jo. Heyns the Comedian and both spoken by the later I know not how this Play succeeded on the Theatre but I am confident had the Author been alive to have grac'd it with his Action it could not have fail'd of Applause This Mr. Durfey has observ'd in the beginning of his Prologue Ye Scribling Fops cry mercy if I wrong ye But without doubt there must be some among ye Know that fam'd Lacy Ornament o' th' Stage That Standard of true Comedy in our Age Wrote this New Play And if it takes not all that we can say on 't Is we 've his Fiddle not his Hands to play on 't John LEANARD A confident Plagiary whom I disdain to stile an Author One who tho' he would be esteem'd the Father is at best but the Midwife to the Labour of others I mean those Two Dramatick Pieces which go under his Name I know not how they were receiv'd on the Stage but I am sure the Author deserv'd tho' the Plays might not to be damn'd for his vain-glorious Humour of re-printing another Man's Play under his own Name as he has done Mr. Brewer's Country Girl under the Title of Country Innocence or The Chamber-maid turn'd Quaker a Comedy acted at the Theatre Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1677. and dedicated to his Honour'd Friend Sr. Francis Hinchman Whether his Patrons Instructions rais'd him to that height of presumption as to publish another man's Play as his own I pretend not to judge but I am sure he has sufficiently made appear to the World that he is One of those Authors he speaks of whose Arrogance and Impudence are their chief dependency Had our Author been as well acquainted with Martial as he pretends to be with Homer he would have weigh'd his Opinion before he had made any progression as he calls it in his Thefts Mutare dominum non potest liber notus Aliena quisquis recitat petit famam Non emere Librum sed silentium debet Rambling Justice or The Jealous Husbands with the Humours of Sir John Twiford a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1680. A great part of it is stoln from a Comedy of Middleton's call'd More Dissemblers besides Women As the Scene between Sir Generall Amorous and Bramble Act 2. Sc. 1. is stoln from the Scene between Lactantio and Dondolo Act 3. Sc. 1. Petulant Easy disguis'd like a Gipsy in the same Act is borrow'd from Aurelia's Disguise in Middleton's Play Act 4. Sc. 1. The Scene between Bramble and the Gipsies is stoln from the same Play but since our Author is forc'd to strole like One of that Tribe for a Livelihood with the Issue of other Men's Brains I leave him to his

made him Famous all over England Of these he has writ A Discourse of Horsemanship printed 4o. without Date and dedicated to Prince Henry Eldest Son to King James the First Cure of all Diseases incident to Horses 4o. 1610. English Farriar 4o. 1649. Master-piece 4o. 1662. Faithful Farriar 8o. 1667. Perfect Horseman 120. 1671. For Husbandry he publisht Liebault's Le Maison Rustique or The Country Farm Fol. Lond. 1616. This Treatise which was at first translated by Mr. Richard Surflet a Physitian our Author enlarg'd with several Additions from the French Books of Serres and Vinet the Spanish of Albiterio and the Italian of Grilli and others The Art of Husbandry first translated from the Latine of Conr. Heresbachius by Barnaby Googe he revis'd and augmented 4o. 1631. He writ besides Farewel to Husbandry 4o. 1620. Way to get Wealth wherein is compris'd his Country Contentments printed 4o. 1668. To this I may add Hungers Prevention or his Art of Fowling 8o. His Epitome 120. c. In Military Discipline he has publisht The Souldiers Accidence and Grammar 4o. 1635. Besides these the second part of the First Book of The English Arcadia is said to be writ by him insomuch that he may be accounted if not Unus in Omnibus at least a Benefactor to the Publick by those Works he left behind him which will without doubt eternise his Memory Christopher MARLOE An Author that was Cotemporary with the Incomparable Shakespear and One who trod the Stage with Applause both from Queen Elizabeth and King James Nor was he accounted a less Excellent Poet by the Judicious Johnson and Heywood his Fellow Actor stiles him the Best of Poets In what esteem he was in his time may be gathered from part of a Copy of Verses writ in that Age call'd a Censure of the Poets where he is thus Characteriz'd Next Marlow bathed in the Thespian Springs Had in him those brave Sublunary things That your First-Poets had his Raptures were All Air and Fire which made his Verses clear For that fine Madness still he did retain Which rightly should possess a Poet's Brain His Genius inclin'd him wholly to Tragedy and he has obliged the world with Seven Plays of this kind of his own Composure besides One in which he join'd with Nash call'd Dido Queen of Carthage which I never saw Of the others take the following Account Dr. Faustus his Tragical History printed 4o. Lond. 1661. There is an old Edition which I never saw but this is printed with new Additions of several Scenes The Plot or the Foundation of this Play may be read in several Authors as Camerarei Hor. Subcisiv Cent. 1. Wierus de Praestigiis Daemonum Lib. 2. Cap. 4. Lonicerus c. Edward the Second a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. I know not the Date or the Stage where this Play was acted thro' the defect of my Title-page For the Plot consult the Historians that have writ on those Times as Ranulphus Higden Walsingham Math. Westminster Especially those that have more particularly writ his Life as Thomas de la More Sr. Fr. Hubert c. Jew of Malta a Tragedy play'd before the King and Queen in her Majesties Theatre at Whitehall and by her Majesties Servants at the Cock-pit printed 4o. Lond. 1633. after the Author's Decease and dedicated by Mr. Thomas Heywood the Publisher To his Worthy Friend Mr. Thomas Hammon of Gray's Inn. This Play was in much esteem in those days the Jew's Part being play'd by Mr. Edward Allen that Ornament both to Black-friars Stage and to his Profession to the One on Account of of his excellent Action to the Other of his exemplary Piety in founding Dulwich Hospital in Surrey What Opinion Mr. Heywood had of the Author and Actor may be seen by the beginning of his Prologue spoke at the Cock-pit We know not how our Play may pass this Stage But by the best of Poets in that Age The Malta Jew had being and was made And He then by the best of Actors play'd In Hero and Leander one did gain A lasting Memory in Tamberlain This Jew with others many th' other wan The Attribute of peerless being a Man Whom we may rank with doing no one wrong Proteus for Shapes and Roscius for a Tongue Lust's Dominion or The Lascivious Queen a Tragedy publisht by Mr. Kirkman 8o. Lond. 1661. and dedicated to his worthily honour'd Friend William Carpenter Esquire This Play was alter'd by Mrs. Behn and acted under the Title of Abdelazer or The Moor's Revenge Massacre of Paris with the Death of the Duke of Guise a Tragedy play'd by the Right Honourable the Lord Admiral 's Servants printed octavo Lond. This Play is not divided into Acts it begins with that fatal Marriage between the King of Navarre and Marguerite de Valois Sister to King Charles the Ninth the Occasion of the Massacre and ends with the Death of Henry the Third of France For the Plot see the Writers of those times in the Reigns of these two Kings Ch. IX and Henry III. Thuanus Davila Pierre Matthieu Dupleix Mezeray c. Tamburlain the Great or The Scythian Shepherd a Tragedy in two parts sundry times acted by the Lord Admiral 's Servants printed in an old Black-Letter octavo Lond. 1593. Had I not Mr. Heywood's Word for it In the fore-mention'd Prologue I should not believe this Play to be his it being true what an ingenious Author said That whoever was the Author he might ev'n keep it to himself secure from Plagiary For the Story see those that have writ his Life in particular as Pietro Perondini M. St. Sanctyon Du Bec c. and those that have treated of the Affairs of Turks and Tartars in general in the Reigns of Bajazet and Tamerlane as Laonicus Chalcocondylas Pet. Bizarus Knolles c. He writ besides a Poem call'd Hero and Leander Whose mighty Lines says One Mr. Benjamin Johnson a Man sensible enough of his own Abilities was often heard to say that they were Examples sitler for Admiration than Paralel This Poem being left imperfect by our our Author who according to Mr. Philips In some riotous Fray came to an untimely and violent End it was finished by Mr. Chapman and printed octavo Lond. 1606. Shakerley MARMION A Gentleman born in the Reign of King Charles the First at Ainoe in Sutton Hundred in the County of Northampton about the beginning of January A. D. 1602. He was bred up at Thame-School in Oxfordshire and at fifteen Years of Age was sent to the University of Oxford where he became a Member of Wadham Colledge and in 1624. he took his Master of Arts Degree What further became of him I know not all that I am able to inform the Reader is that he was the Author of three Comedies which have formerly been well approv'd viz. Antiquary a Comedy acted by her Majesties Servants at the Cock-pit and printed quarto Lond. 1641. Aurelio's declaring his Marriage to the Duke and

Leonardo from Lucretia's Lodging where he got in by her Maid's Assistance is an Incident as I have already shew'd in several Plays Fine Companion a Comedy acted before the King and Queen at Whitehall and sundry times with great applause at the Private House in Salisbury-court by the Prince's Servants printed quarto Lond. 1633. and dedicated to the truly Noble and his worthy Kinsman in all respects Sir Ralph Dutton The Reader will find that Captain Porpuss in Sir Barnaby Whig is beholding to Captain Whibble in his Play for some of his Expressions Holland's Leaguer an Excellent Comedy often acted with great Applause by the High and Mighty Prince Charles his Servants at the Private House in Salisbury-court printed quarto Lond. 1632. The Author in this Play has shewed his Reading having borrow'd several things from Juvenal Petronius Arbyter c. Mr. Winstanley has made no mention of our Author and Mr. Philips to prove his Character of him that he is not an Obscure or Uncopious Writer of English Comedy has ascrib'd two Comedies to him which belong to other Men the Fleire being writ by Edward Sharpham and the Fair Maid of the Exchange if we may believe Kirkman's Account by Thomas Heywood John MARSTON An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King James the First who was a Contributor to the Stage in his Time by Eight Plays which were approv'd by the Audience at the Black-fryars and one of them viz. Dutch Curtezan was some few Years since reviv'd with success on the present Stage under the Title of The Revenge or The Match in New-gate The place of our Author's Birth and Family are to me unknown neither can I recover other Information of him than what I learnt from the Testimony of his Bookseller That he was free from all Obscene Speeches which is the chief cause that makes Plays to be so odious unto most Men. That he abhorr'd such Writers and their Works and profest himself an Enemy to all such as stufft their Scenes with Ribaldry and larded their Lines with Scurrilous Taunts and Jests So that whatsoever even in the Spring of his Years he presented upon the private and publick Theatre in his Autumn and Declining Age he needed not to be asham'd of An Excellent Character and fit for the Imitation of our Dramatists most of whom would be thought to have throughly studyed Horace I could wish therefore that they which know him so well would call to Mind and practice his Advice which is thus exprest Silvis deducti caveant me judice Fauni Ne nimiū teneres juvenentur versibus unquam Aut immunda crepent ignominiosaque dicta Offenduntur enim quibus est equus pater res But leaving this I shall give the Reader an Account of his Plays in their Accustom'd Order having first inform'd him that six of our Author's Plays are collected into one Volume being publisht under the Title of The Works of Mr. John Marston printed octavo Lond. 1633. and dedicated to the Right Honourable the Lady Elizabeth Carie Viscountess Faulkland According to the Alphabet I am to begin with viz. Antonio and Melida a History acted by the Children of Paul's printed octavo Lond. 1633. Antonio's Revenge or The Second part of Antonio and Melida frequently acted by the Children of Paul's printed in octavo These two Plays were likewise printed in quarto above 30 Years before this new Edition viz. 1602. Dutch Curtezan a Comedy divers times presented at the Black-fryars by the Children of the Queens Majesties Revels printed in octavo Lond. 1633. This Play was publisht long before in quarto viz. 1605. Cockledemoy's cheating Mrs. Mulligrub the Vintner's Wife of the Goblet and the Salmon is borrow'd from an old French Book called Les Contes du Monde see the same Story in English in a Book of Novels call'd The Palace of Pleasure in the last Novel Insatiate Countess a Tragedy acted at the White-fryars printed quarto Lond. 1603. It being a common custom with our Author to disguise his Story and to personate real Persons under feign'd Characters I am perswaded that in this Play under the Title of Isabella the Insatiable Countess of Suevia he meant Joane the First Queen of Jerusalem Naples and Sicily and I doubt not but the Reader who will compare the Play with the History will assent to my conjecture Many are the Writers that have related her Life as Collenuccio Simmoneta Villani Montius c. but I refer my English Reader to Dr. Fuller's Prophane State Ch. 2. That her Life has been the Subject not only of History but of Poetry and Novels also is manifest from this Play and the Novels of Bandello who has related her Story under the Title of The Inordinate Life of The Countess of Celant This Novel is translated into French by Belleforest Tom. 2. Nov. 20. and possibly our Author might build his Play on this Foundation The like Story is related in God's Revenge against Adultery under the Name of Anne of Werdenberg Dutchess of Ulme See Hist. 5. Male Content a Tragicomedy the first Design being laid by Mr. Webster was corrected and augmented by our Author printed 4o. Lond. 1604. and dedicated in the following Stile to Ben Johnson Benjamini Johnsonio Poetae Elegantissimo Gravissimo Amico suo candido cordato Johannes Marston Musarum Alumnus asperam hanc suam Thaliam D. D. Notwithstanding our Authors profession of Friendship he afterwards could not refrain from reflecting on Mr. Johnson on Account of his Sejanus and Catiline as the Reader will find in the perusal of his Epistle to Sophonisba Know says he that I have not labour'd in this Poem to relate any thing as an Historian but to enlarge every thing as a Poet. To transcribe Authors quote Authorities and translate Latin Prose Orations into English Blank-Verse hath in this Subject been the least aim of my Studies That Mr. Johnson is here meant will I presume be evident to any that are acquainted with his Works and will compare the Orations in Salust with those in Catiline On what provocations our Author thus censured his Friend I know not but this Custom has been practic'd in all Ages the Old Proverb being verify'd in Poets as well as Whores Two of a Trade can never agree 'T is within the Memory of Man that a Play has been dedicated to the late witty Earl of Rochester and an Essay upon Satyr from the same Hand has bespatter'd his Reputation So true it is that some Poets Are still prepar'd to praise or to abhor us Satyr they have and Panegyrick for us But begging pardon for this Digression I return to the Play which I take to be an honest general Satyr and not as some malicious Enemies endeavour'd to perswade the World design'd to strike at any particular Persons Parasitaster or The Fawn a Comedy divers times presented at the Black-fryars by the Children of the Queens Majesties Revels printed 80. Lond. 1633. This Play was formerly printed

prize at least the greatest part Dame Dobson or The Cunning Woman a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1684. This Play is translated from a French Comedy call'd La Devineresse ore Les faux Enchantements Notwithstanding this Play was so followed and applauded in France as the Epistle to the Original informs me yet it was damned in its Action at the Theatre at London I pretend not to give the Reason of it only I have Mr. Dryaen's Testimony That Corneille's Le Menteur since published under the Title of The Mistaken Beauty or The Lyer was notwithstanding Mr. Hart's acting Dorant to Admiration judg'd far Inferiour to many Plays writ by Fletcher and Ben Johnson and I question not but this last will obtain the preference from the other if they are read by unbyass'd Judges English Lawyer a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal and printed 4o. Lond. 1678. This Play was written originally in Latin by Mr. R. Ruggles sometime Master of Arts in Clare Hall in Cambridge and was acted several times with extraordinary applause before King James the First by the Gentlemen of that University There was a Version done by a Master of Arts of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford printed near thirty Years ago tho' translated some Years before and I believe Mr. Ravenscroft made more use of that than the Original at leastwise they who understand not the Latin and yet would see a true Copy this of our Author being drawn in Miniature may read it under the Title of Ignoramus King Edgar and Alphreda a Tragi-comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal and printed 4o. Lond. 1677. This Play I suppose if any to be of the Author 's own Minerva tho' the Story of it be sufficiently Famous not only in Novels both French and Italian but in almost all the Historians of those Times For Novels see the Annals of Love octavo For Historians see W. Malmesbury H. Huntingdon Rog. Hoveden Ingulfus Ranulph Higden M. Westminster Pol. Virgil. Grafton Stow Speed Baker c. Ubaldino Le Vite delle Donne Illustri p. 28. London Cuckolds a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1683 This Play tho' the most diverting of any that he has writ is patcht up from several Novels I may truly aver that Wise-acre and Peggy are borrowed from Scarron's Fruitless Precaution Nov. first at least that part of it where Peggy in Armour watcheth her Husband's Night-cap Tho' possibly these two Characters were drawn from Arnolphe and Agnes in Molliere's L'Escole des Femmes Loveday's Discovering Eugenia's Intrigue and pretending to conjure for a Supper is borrowed from Les Contes d'Ouville part 2. pag. 235. Eugenia's Contrivance to have Jane lye in her place by her Husband whilst she went to Ramble is borrowed possibly from the Mescolanza dolce Cap. 16. at the End of Torriano's Grammar or else from Scarron's Fruitless Precaution where is such a like passage The Contrivance of Eugenia to bring off Ramble and Loveday by obliging the former to draw his Sword and counterfeit a Passion is borrowed from Les Contes d'Ouville 2. part page 257. or from Boccace Day 7. Nov. 6. Doodle's Obliging his Wife Arabella to answer nothing but No in his Absence and the Consequence of that Intrigue with Townly is borrowed from Les Contes d'Ouville 2. part page 121 Eugenia's making a false Confidence to her Husband Dashwell and sending him into the Garden to Loveday in her Habit where he is beaten by him is borrowed from Les Contes d'Ouville 2. part page 250. The same Story is in Baccace Day 7. Nov. 7. and in Les Contes de M. de la Fontaine Nov. 2. p. 21. and is the Subject of several Plays as City Night-cap c. This is sufficient to shew how much our Author borrows in his Plots and that his own Genius is either lazy or very barren of Invention Mamamouchi or The Citizen turn'd Gentleman a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1675. This Play is dedicated to his Highness Prince Rupert Our Author had that good Opinion of Molliere's Monsieur de Pourceaugnac that what he left untoucht in that Play when he writ The Careless Lovers he has taken into this So that his Sir Simon Soft-head is M. de Pourceaugnac in an English Dress and the rest of his Play is stollen from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme a Comedy writ by the same Author So that here is a whole Play borrow'd and yet nothing own'd by the Author a procedure which savours of the highest Ingratitude and which as I have elsewhere observ'd has been long ago thus inveigh'd against by the Excellent Pliny Obnoxii profecto Animi infelicis Ingenii est deprehendi in furto malle quam mutuum reddere cum praesertim sors fiat ex usurâ Scaramouch a Philsopher Harlequin a School-Boy Bravo Merchant and Magician a Comedy after the Italian Manner acted at the Theatre-Royal and printed 4o. Lond. 1677. This Play was fore-stall'd in the Action by the Duke's House they having brought upon the Stage the Cheats of Scapin as the Author complains in the Prologue Our Author would be thought to have taken a great deal of pains in this Play and to have brought a new sort of Comedy on our Stage as he says The Poet does a dang'rous tryal make And all the common ways of Plays forsake Upon the Actors it depends too much And who can hope ever to see two such As the fam'd Harlequin and Scaramouch This he well knew Yet rather chose in New Attempts to fail Than in the Old indifferently prevail But notwithstanding our Author's Boasting he is but a Dwarf drest up in a Giant 's Coat stufft out with Straw for I believe he cannot justly challenge any Part of a Scene as the Genuine Off-spring of his own Brain and may rather be reckon'd the Midwife than the Parent of this Play This Author has followed his old Custom of sweeping clean and leaving nothing behind him for what he left of Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme he has taken into this Play as will appear to them that will compare the first Act with that Dramma Almost all Le Marriage forcé is taken into this Play likewise and for the Cheats of Scapin I suppose our Author has not only seen that Play but borrow'd from thence I have already taken notice that part of it resembles Terence's Phormio Wrangling Lovers or The Invisible Mistress a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1677. This Play is founded upon a Spanish Romance in 8o. translated and called Deceptio visûs or Seeing and Believing are two things Th. Corneille has a Play writ on the same Subject called Les Engagements du Hazard I know nothing else of our Author 's Writing without I should reckon his Alteration of Titus Andronicus of which I shall speak by and by in the Account of Shakespear Thomas RAWLINS A Gentleman that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First who

Bell-guard and Crack in Sir Courtly Nice extreamly resembles Don Patricio and Tarugo in this Play Nay more the Plots of both are alike I leave it to the Decision of Mr. Crown or any other who have seen the Spanish Play In the mean time I desire no Man to rely upon my Judgment but if what I have said cannot save him excuse him upon his own Plea in his own Words If this prevail not he hopes he 's safe from danger For Wit and Malice ought not to reach a Stranger William SAMPSON An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First He was sometimes a Retainer to the Family of Sir Henry Willoughby of Richley in Derbyshire and was the Author of a Play call'd Vow-breaker or The Fair Maid of Clifton in Nottinghamshire divers times acted by several Companies with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 1633. and dedicated to Mrs. Anne Willoughby Daugther to Sir Henry in which Epistle the Author concludes thus Heaven keep you from Fawning Parasites and busie Gossips and send you a Husband and a Good One or else may you never make a Holyday for Hymen As much Happiness as Tongue can speak Pen can write Heart think or Thoughts imagine ever attend on you your Noble Father and all his Noble Family to whom I ever rest as my bounden Duty a Faithful Servant Will. Sampson This Play seems founded upon Truth I have likewise in my younger Years read a Ballad compos'd upon the same Subject Our Author besides this Play joyned with Mr. Markham in Herod and Antipater which I forgot before But as for the Valiant Scot and How to chuse a Good Wife from a Bad they are in my Judgment none of our Author's writing tho' Mr. Philips and his Follower Mr. Winstanley have ascribed them to him George SANDYS Esq A Gentleman who flourish'd in the Reign of King Charles the Martyr if one may so say of a Person who sympathiz'd so deeply with his Prince and Country in their misfortunes He was Son to his Grace Edwin Arch-bish of York and was born in the Year 1577 at Bishops-Thorp in the same County being his Father's youngest Child He was sent to the University that memorable Year 1588. being then eleven Years of Age and was enter'd of St. Mary Hall in Oxford how long he stay'd I know not but in the Year 1610. memorable for the Murder of that Great Hero Henry the Fourth of France by that Villain Ravaillac he began his Travels thro' France Italy Turky AEgypt Palestine c. an Account of which you may read in his Travels printed Fol. Lond. 1658. But 't is not on this Account but his Poetry that he is here mentioned and therefore I shall hasten to speak of his Writings in that kind and first of that excellent Piece of Dramatick Poetry which he has left us and chiefly in this Account challenges a particular place viz. Christ's Passion a Tragedy with Annotations printed 8o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to King Charles the First This Play is translated from the Latin Original writ by Hugo Grotius This Subject was handled before in Greek by that Venerable Person Apollinarius of Laodicea Bishop of Hierapolis and after him by Gregory Nazianzen tho' this of Hugo Grotius in our Author's Opinion transcends all on this Argument As to the Translator I doubt not but he will be allow'd an Excellent Artist by Learned Judges and as he has follow'd Horace's Advice of Avoiding a servile Translation Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus Interpres So he comes so near the Sence of the Author that nothing is lost no Spirits evaporate in the decanting of it into English and if there be any Sediment it is left behind This Book was reprinted with Figures 8o. Lond. 1688. Nor are his other Translations less valu'd especially Ovid's Metamorphosis printed with Cuts Fol. Oxon. 1632. This Translation was so much esteem'd in former times that I find two old Copies of Verses speaking in praise of our Author In the first called A Censure of the Poets are these Lines Then dainty Sands that hath to English done Smooth sliding Ovid and hath made him One With so much sweetness and unusual Grace As tho' the neatness of the English Pace Should tell your setting Latin that it came But slowly after as though stiff or lame The other on the Time Poets sayes thus Sands Metamorphos'd so into another We know not Sands and Ovid from each other To this I may add the Translation of the first Book of Virgil's AEneis by which Specimen we may see how much he has excell'd Mr. Ogilby For his other Divine Pieces as his Paraphrase on the Psalms Job Ecclesiastes Lamentatiöns of Jeremiah c. I have heard them much admired by Devout and Ingenious Persons and I believe very deservingly Having done with his Translations give me leave to conclude with His to another World which happen'd at his Nephew Mr. Wiat's House at Boxley-Abbey in Kent in the Chancel of which Parish-Church he lyes buried tho' without a Monument and therefore I shall follow my Author from whence I collected this Account by transcribing what deserves to be inscrib'd on a Monument viz. Georgius Sandys Poetarum Anglorum sui saecult Princeps sepultus fuit Martii 70 Stilo Anglico A.D. 1643. Charles SAUNDERS A Young Gentleman whose Wit began to bud as early as that of the Incomparable Cowley and was like him a King's Scholar when he writ a Play call'd Tamberlane the Great a Tragedy acted by their Majesties Servants at the Theatre-Royal as likewise at Oxford before his late Majesty King Charles the Second at his meeting the Parliament there 'T was printed in quarto Lond. 1681. and the Design was drawn as the Author owns from the Novel of Tamerlane and Asteria in octavo I have so great a value for this Author's Play that I cannot but wish well to his Muse but being no Poet I must set my Hand to another Man's Wishes I mean Mr. Banks who has writ a Copy of Verses on this Play part of which are as follow Launch out young Merchant new set up of Wit The World 's before thee and thy stock is great Sail by thy Muse but never let her guide Then without danger you may safely glide By happier Studies steer'd and quickly gain The promised Indies of a hopeful Brain Bring home a Man betimes that may create His Country's Glory in the Church or State Elkanah SETTLE An Author now living whose Muse is chiefly addicted to Tragedy and has been tragically dealt withal by a Tyranical Laureat which has somewhat eclips'd the glory he at first appeared in But Time has her vicissitudes and he has lived to see his Enemy humbled if not justly punished for this Reason I shall not afresh animadvert upon his fault but rather bury them in Oblivion and without any Reflections on his Poetry give a succinct Account of those Plays which he has published being Nine in Number viz. Cambyses

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

of Divinity 'T was then that he employ'd his Pen in more Serious Studies and those Three Sermons of his which are extant shew him a Solid Divine as well as an Excellent Oratour He died the Eleventh of March 1644. and was Buried at Christ-Church John STUDLEY An Author that liv'd in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and who contributed with the other Four Translators already mention'd viz. Heywood Nuce Newton and Nevile to perfect the Version of Seneca's Tragedies Our Author had the largest Share in the Work he having rendred Four into English viz. Agamemnon a Tragedy of which says Heinsius Est frugis bonae haec Tragoedia I shall not pretend to determine of the oeconomy of this Tragedy but leave it to the Criticks nor take upon me to discover how much or how little Seneca has borrowed from Ion and AEschylus but refer the Reader to Delrio and others 'T is sufficient for me to observe That the Translator has taken upon him to add a whole Scene at the End of the Fifth Act tho' upon what Reason I know not except it be to give an Account of the Death of Cassandra the Imprisonment of Electra and the Flight of Orestes all which was made known before However for this purpose the Translator makes choice of Euribates who in the beginning of the Third Act brings notice to Clitemnestra of Agamemnon's Return possibly to comply with the Poet who throughout makes no use of a Nuntius in this Play tho' the Death of Agamemnon be to be discovered by a Narration but leaves it to Cassandra and Electra in the Fifth Act. Hippolytus a Tragedy that is extreamly regular in the Three Unities of Place Time and Action and Heinsius that great Critick has not stuck to give it the Title of Divine How near our Translator has approacht the Sense of the Author I shall leave to others Determination Hercules Oetaeus a Tragedy which by some is thought to be an Imitation of Sophocles his TRAXINIAI Medea a Tragedy in which Seneca has imitated Euripides and in the Opinion of some even excelled his Copy This Play is stiled by One Alta Medea Senecae and is likewise regular as indeed are all Seneca's Tragedies except his Thebais Our English Translator I know not for what Reason has alter'd the Chorus of the First Act whether it was that he thought the Description of an Epithalamium which the Corinthian Women sing before the design'd Wedding of Jason and Creusa were too light a Subject for a Tragedy or what other Motive he had to substitute his own Thoughts instead of Seneca's I know not but must leave him and his Works to the Judgment and Censure of the Criticks Sir John SUCKLING A Gentleman whose Admirable Parts made him sufficiently Famous in the Reign of King Charles the First to whom he was Comptroller He was born at Witham in the County of Middlesex in the Year 1631. and which was Extraordinary according to his Mother's Reckoning in the beginning of the Eleventh Month. Nor was his Life less Remarkable than his Birth for he had so pregnant a Genius that he spoke Latin at Five Years Old and writ it at Nine Years of Age. His Skill in Languages and Musick was Remarkable but above all his Poetry took with all the People whose Souls were polished by the Charms of the Muses And tho' War did not so well agree with his Constitution yet in his Travels he made a Campaign under the Famous Gustavus where he was present at three Battles five Sieges and as many Skirmishes and if his Valour was not so Remarkable in the North in the beginning of the Wars yet his Loyalty was conspicuous by his Expence in the Troop of Horse which he rais'd whose Equipage viz. Horses Arms and Clothes were provided all at his own Charge and stood him in 12000 l. But these passages being at present forreign to my Subject I shall return to his Poetry and begin with his Dramatick Pieces which are Four in Number viz. Aglaura presented at the Private-house in Black-fryars This Play was first printed in Fol. upon which an Anonymous Satyrist i. e. Mr. Rich. Brome see at the Entrance of Covent Garden weeded made a Copy of Verses which being too large to be transcrib'd I shall refer my Reader to a Small Book of Poems call'd Musarum Deliciae or The Muses Recreation where he may find them in the 51 st page Only by this we may observe the truth of that saying of Ovid Pascitur in vivis livor post fata quieseit Cum suus ex merito quemque tuetur Honos This Play is much priz'd at this Day and has this Remarkable That the last Act is so altered that 't is at the pleasure of the Actors to make it a Tragedy or Tragi-comedy which was so well approv'd of by that Excellent Poet Sir Robert Howard that he has followed this president in his Vestal Virgin Brenoralt or The Discontented Colonel a Tragedy presented at the Private-house in Blackfryars by His Majesty's Servants Goblings a Tragi-comedy presented at the Private-house in Blackfryars by His Majesty's Servants Sad One a Tragedy This Piece was never finish'd 'T is not to be expected that I should give any Account of the Plots or Thefts in this Author's Works for his Muse was Young and Vigorous enough had she not so soon been cut off by Death to have brought forth many more Children without any Assistance but that of the proper Parent All that I have further to say is That these Plays with the rest of his Works are printed under the Title of Fragmenta Aurea or A Collection of all the Incomparable Pieces written by Sir John Suckling 8o. There are several Editions of his Works and the last as I think was printed 8O Lond. 1676. to which are added several Poems and other Pieces which were by his Sisters Permission allowed to be published I shall not pretend to give a Character of his Works but subscribe to One already printed viz. That his Poems are Clean Sprightly and Natural his Discourses Full and Convincing his Plays well humor'd and Taking his Letters Fragrant and Sparking only his Thoughts were not so loose as his Expression witness his Excellent Discourse to My Lord Dorset about Religion This Ingenious Gentleman died of a Feaver A. D. 164 being about 29. Years of Age What Excellent Advice he left to his Friends about him may be read in Mr. Lloyd's Memoirs nor can I forbear transcribing what that Author writ upon that Subject Ne hae zelantis animae sacriores Scintillulae ipsum unde deciderant spirantes Coelum Author magnus ipsa quam Aliis dedit careret memoria Interesse Posteris putavimus brevem Honoratissimi Viri Johannis Sucklingii vitam Historia esse perennandam Utpote qui Nobilissima Sucklingiorum Familia Oriundus cui tantum reddidit quantum accepit honorem Nat. Cal. Apr. 1613. Withamiae in Agro Middles Renatus ibid. Maii 70. and Denatus 164 haud

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