conspire a secret flight For Day they say is gone away by Night The Day is past but Landlord where 's your Rent You might ha'seen that Day was almost spent Day sold and did put off what e're he might Tho' it was ne're so Dark Day would be Light Thomas DECKER A Poet that liv'd in the Reign of King James the First and was Contemporary with that admirable Laureat Mr. Benjamin Johnson He was more famous for the contention he had with him for the Bays than for any great Reputation he had gain'd by his own Writings Yet even in that Age he wanted not his Admirers nor his Friends amongst the Poets in which number I reckon the Ingenious Mr. Richard Brome who always stil'd him by the Title of Father He clubb'd with Webster in writing Three Plays and with Rowley and Ford in another and I think I may venture to say that these Plays as far exceed those of his own Brain as a platted Whip-cord exceeds a single Thread in strength Of those which he writ alone I know none of much Esteem except The Untrussing the Humourous Poet and that chiefly on account of the Subject of it which was the Witty Ben Johnson He has had a Hand in Twelve Plays Eight whereof were of his own Writing Of all which I shall give an account in their Alphabetical Order as follows Fortunatus a Comedy of which I can give no other account than that I once barely saw it and is printed in quarto Honest Whore the First Part a Comedy with the Humours of the Patient Man and the longing Wife acted by her Majesties Servants with great applause printed in 4 o Lond. 1635. Honest Whore the Second Part a Comedy with the Humours of the Patient Man the Impatient Wife the Honest Whore perswaded by strong Arguments to turn Curtizan again her brave refuting those Arguments and lastly the Comical passage of an Italian Bridewel where the Scene ends printed in quarto Lond. 1630. This Play I believe was never acted neither is it divided into Acts. The passage between the Patient Man and his Impatient Wife 's going to fight for the Breeches with the happy Event is exprest by Sr. John Harrington in Verse See his Epigrams at the end of Orlando Furioso Book 1. Epigr. 16. If this be not a good Play the Devil is in it a Comedy acted with great applause by the Queen's Majesties Servants at the Red Bull printed Lond. 16 and dedicated to his loving and loved Friends and Fellows the Queens Majesties Servants by which he means the Actors The beginning of his Play seems to be writ in imitation of Matchiavel's Novel of Belphegor where Pluto summons the Devils to Councel Match me in London a Tragi-Comedy often presented first at the Bull in St. John's Street and lately at the Private-house in Drury-lane call'd the Phoenix printed in quarto Lond. 1631. and dedicated to the Noble Lover and deservedly Beloved of the Muses Lodowick Carlel Esquire Some account this a tolerable old Play Northward-Ho a Comedy sundry times acted by the Children of Pauls printed in quarto Lond. 1607. This Play was writ by our Author and John Webster The Plot of Greenshield and Featherstone's pretending to Mayberry that they had both lain with his Wife and how they came to the knowledge of each other by her Ring Act 1. Sc. 1. is founded on a Novel which is in the Ducento Novelle del Signior Celio Malespini Par. 1. Nov. 2. Satyromastix or The Untrussing the Humourous Poet a Comical Satyr presented publickly by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlain's Servants and privately by the Children of Pauls printed in quarto Lond. 1602. and dedicated to the World This Play was writ on the occasion of Ben Johnson 's Poetaster where under the Title of Chrispinus Ben lash'd our Author which he endeavour'd to retaliate by Untrussing Ben under the Title of Horace Junior This Play is far inferior to that of Mr. Johnson as indeed his abilities in Poetry were no ways comparable to his but this may be said in our Author's behalf that 't was not only lawful but excusable for him to defend himself pray therefore hear part of his Defense in his own language and then censure as you please Horace says he trail'd his Poetasters to the Bar the Poetasters Untruss'd Horace how worthily either or how wrongfully World leave it to the Jury Horace questionless made himself believe that his Burgonian-wit might desperately challenge all Comers and that none durst take up the Foyles against him It s likely if he had not so believ'd he had not been so deceiv'd for he was answer'd at his own Weapon And if before Apollo himself who is Coronator Poetarum an Inquisition should be taken touching this lamentable merry murdering of Innocent Poetry all Mount Hellicon to Bun-hill would find it on the Poetasters side se defendando Westward-Ho a Comedy divers times acted by the Children of Pauls and printed in quarto Lond. 1607. This was writ by our Author and Mr. Webster Whore of Babylon an History acted by the Prince's Servants and printed in quarto Lond. 1607. The design of this Play is under feign'd Names to set forth the admirable Virtues of Queen Elizabeth and the Dangers which she escap'd by the happy discovery of those Designs against her Sacred Person by the Jesuites and other Biggoted Papists The Queen is shadow'd under the Title of Titania Rome under that of Babylon Campian the Jesuite is represented by the Name of Campeius Dr. Parry by Parridel c. Wyat's History a Play said to be writ by Him and Webster and printed in quarto Tho' I never saw this Play yet I suppose the subject of it is Sr. Thomas Wyat of Kent who made an Insurrection in the First year of Queen Mary to prevent her Match with Philip of Spain but as this is only conjecture I must rest in suspence till I can see the Play Besides these Plays he joyn'd with Rowley and Ford in a Play call'd The Witch of Edmonton of which you will find an account in William Rowley There are Four other Plays ascrib'd to our Author in which he is said by Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley to be an Associate with John Webster viz. Noble Stranger New Trick to Cheat the Devil Weakest goes to the Wall Woman will have her Will. In all which they are mistaken for the first was written by Lewis Sharp and the other by anonymous Authors Sir John DENHAM Knight of the BATH A Poet of the first Form whose Virtue and Memory will ever be as dear to all Lovers of Poetry as his Person was to Majesty it self I mean King Charles the First and Second He was the only Son of Sir John Denham of little Horesly in Essex but Born at Dublin in Ireland His Father being at the time of his Nativity a Judge of that Kingdome and Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer But before the Foggy Air of that
Masque or Masque of Heroes presented as an Entertainment for many worthy Ladies by Gentlemen of the same Ancient and Noble House printed 4o. Lond. 1640. This Play was writ twenty Years before it was printed and yet so well esteem'd by Mrs. Behn that she has taken part of it into the City Heiress Mayor of Quinborough a Comedy often acted with much applause by his Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1661. In this Play are several Dumb Shews explained by Rainulph Monk of Chester and the Author has chiefly followed his Polychronicon See besides Stow Speed Du Chesne c. in the Reign of Vortiger Michaelinass-Term a Comedy printed in quarto but where or when I know not thro' the imperfection of my Copy More Dissemblers besides Women a Comedy printed 8o. Lond. 1657. No Wit no Help like a Woman's a Comedy printed 8o. Lond. 1657. Phoenix a Tragi-comedy sundry times acted by the Children of Paul's and presented before his Majesty printed 4o. Lond. 1607. Roaring Girl a Comedy which I never saw Spanish Gypsie a Tragi-comedy acted with great applause at the Private-House in Drury-Lane and Salisbury-Court written by our Author and Mr. Rowley printed 4o. Lond. 1661. The Story of Roderigo and Clara has a near resemblance with if it be not borrow'd from a Spanish Novel writ by Mignel de Cervantes call'd The Force of Blood Trick to catch the Old One a Comedy often in Action both at Paul's the Black-fryars and before their Majesties printed 4o. Lond. 1616. This is an Excellent Old Play Triumphs of Love and Antiquity an Honourable Solemnity performed thro' the City at the Confirmation and Establishment of the Right Honourable Sir William Cockaine Kt. in the Office of His Majesties Lieutenant the Lord Mayor of the Famous City of London Taking beginning in the Morning at his Lordship's Going and perfecting it self after his Return from Receiving the Oath of Mayoralty at Westminster on the Morrow after Simon and Jude's Day Octob. 29 1619. printed 4o. Lond. and dedicated to the Honour of him to whom the Noble Fraternity of Skinners his Worthy Brothers have dedicated their Loves in Costly Triumphs The Right Honourable Sir William Cockaine Knight Lord Mayor of this Renowned City and Lord General of his Military Forces This Piece consists only of Speeches addrest to his Lordship at his Cavalcade thro' the City and I think no ways deserv'd either the Title of a Masque under which Species it has been hitherto rank'd nor so pompous a Title as the Author has prefix'd Women beware Women a Tragedy printed 8o. Lond. 1657. This Play with two others viz. More Dissemblers besides Women and No Wit like a Woman's are all in one Volume The Foundation of this Play is borrow'd from a Romance called Hyppolito and Isabella octavo This Drama if we give Credit to Mr. Richards a Poet of that Age was acted with extraordinary applause as he says in his Verses on that Play I that have see it can say having just cause Ne're Tragedy came off with more Applause World lost at Tennis a Masque divers times presented to the Contentment of many Noble and Worthy Spectators by the Princes Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1620. and dedicated to the truly Noble Charles Lord Howard Baron of Effingham and to his Virtuous and Worthy the Right Honourable Mary Lady Effingham Eldest Daughter of the truly Generous and Judicious Sir W. Cockain Knight Ld. Mayor of the City of London and Lord General of the Military Forces Your Five Gallants a Comedy often in Action at the Black-fryars and imprinted at London 4o. This Play has no Date and I believe was One of the first that our Author publishd John MILTON An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the Martyr Had his Principles been as good as his Parts he had been an Excellent Person but his demerits towards his Sovereign has very much sullied his Reputation He has writ several Pieces both in Verse and Prose and amongst others two Dramas of which we shall first give an Account viz. Samson Agonistes a Dramatick Poem printed 8o. Lond. 1680. Our Author has endeavour'd to imitate the Tragedy of the Ancient Greek Poets 't is writ in Blank Verse of ten Syllables which the Author prefers to Rime His Reasons are too long to be transcribed but those who have the Curiosity may read them at the Entrance of his Paradice lost The Chorus is introduced after the Greek Manner and says my Author The Measure of its Verses is of all sorts called by the Greeks Monostrophic or rather Apolelymenon without regard had to Strophe Antistrophe or Epod which were a kind of Stanza's fram'd only for the Musick than used with the Chorus that sung not essential to the Poem and therefore not material or being divided into Stanza's or Pauses they may be called Allaeostropha Division into Act and Scene referring chiefly to the Stage to which this Work never was intended is here omitted In this the Author seems to follow Sophocles whose Plays are not divided into Acts. I take this to be an Excellent Piece and as an Argument of its Excellency I have before taken Notice that Mr. Dryden has transferred several Thoughts to his Aurengzebe The Foundation of the History is in Holy Writ See Judges Ch. 13 c. Josephus Antiq. l. 5. Torniel Salian c. Masque presented at Ludlow Castle 1634. on Michaelmass Night before the Right Honourable John Earl of Bridgwater Viscount Brackley Ld. President of Wales and One of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council printed 4o. Lond. 1637. and dedicated by Mr. Henry Laws the Publisher to the Right Honourable John Lord Viscount Brackley Son and Heir Apparent to the Earl of Bridgwater c. The Publisher acquaints his Patron that Altho not openly acknowledged by the Author yet it is a Legitimate Off-spring so lovely and so much desired that the often copying of it hath tir'd his Pen to give his several Friends Satisfaction and brought him to a Necessity of producing it to the publick view The principal Persons of this Masque were the Lord Brackley Mr. Thomas Egerton the Lady Alice Egerton Our Author 's other Pieces in Verse are his Paradice lost an Heroick Poem in twelve Books I know not when it was first printed but there came out not long since a very fair Edition in Fol. with Sculptures printed Lond. 1689. His Paradice regain'd a Poem in four Books is fitted likewise to be bound with it He publisht some other Poems in Latin and English printed 8o. Lond. 1645. Nor was he less Famous for History than Poetry witness his History of Brittain from the first Traditional Beginning of the Norman Conquest printed 4o. Lond. 1670. He writ several other Pieces as a Latin Piece called Pro populo Anglicano Defensio contra Salmasium 120. Lond. 1652. The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce in two Books printed 4o. Lond. 1644 this being answered by an Anonymous Writer was reply'd to by our Author in a Book which
Fourteen Plays in print which we shall give an Account of in the Order we have begun viz. Alphabetically tho' by this means his last Play comes first upon our Stage viz. Amorous Bigotte with the Second Part of Tegue O Divelly a Comedy acted by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1690. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Shrewsbury Bury Fair a Comedy acted by his present Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1689. and dedicated to the Rt. Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex the present Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Houshold How difficult it is for Poets to find a continual Supply of new Humour this Poet has sufficiently shew'd in his Prologue and therefore he ought to be excus'd if Old Wit and Sir Humphry Noddy have some resemblance with Justice spoil Wit and Sr. John Noddy in the Triumphant Widow Skilfull Poets resemble excellent Cooks whose Art enables them to dress one Dish of Meat several ways and by the Assistance of proper Sawces to give each a different Relish and yet all grateful to the Palate Thus the Character of La Roche tho' first drawn by Molliere in Les ' Precieuses ridicules and afterwards copy'd by Sir W. D' Avenant Mr. Betterton and Mrs. Behn yet in this Play has a more taking Air than in any other Play and there is something in his Jargon more diverting than in the Original it self Epsom Wells a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1676. and dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle This is so diverting and withal so true a Comedy that even Forreigners who are not generally the kindest to the Wit of our Nation have extreamly commended it and it is no small credit to our Author that the Sieur De Saint Euvremont speaking of our English Comedies in his Essays has ranked this Play with Ben Johnson's Bartholmew Fair as two of our most diverting Comedies 'T is true that some endeavoured to fix a Calumny upon our Author alledging that this Play was not in Ingenious but this Stain was quickly wip'd off by the Plea he makes for himself in the Prologue spoken to the King and Queen at Whitehall where he says If this for him had been by others done After this Honour sure they 'd claim their own Humorists a Comedy acted by his Royal Highnesses Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1671. and dedicated to the most Illustrious Margaret Dutchess of Newcastle The Design of this Play was To reprehend some of the Vices and Follies of the Age which is certainly the most proper and most useful way of writing Comedy But notwithstanding the Author 's good Design it met with implacable Enemies who resolv'd to damn it right or wrong and the Author was forc'd to mutilate his Play by expunging the chief Design to prevent giving Offence These and other Disadvantages the particulars of which you may read in the Preface the Poet met with and yet I think a Candid Judge would let it pass without much Censure and pardon the faults of the Play for that Reparation that is made for it in the Preface Lancashire Witches and Teague O Divelly the Irish Priest a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1682. This Play was written in the Times of Whig and Tory therefore was opposed by Papists and their Adherents for the sake of their Dear-Joy Teague O Divelly but nevertheless there appeared so numerous a party in the Play 's Defence that the Play lived in spight of all their Malice However I wish our Author for his own sake had left out the Character of Smirk notwithstanding and the Defence he makes for it in the Preface and his Protestation of having a true value for the Church of England for 't is evident that her Sons the Clergy are abused in that Character particularly in the first Scene of the second Act and therefore Mr. Shadwell must allow me a little to distrust his sincerity when he makes such large Professions of Respect to Gowns-men to whom I believe his Obligations are greater than Kindness otherwise he would not have suffer'd such reflections to have passed his Pen as are to be met with in his Squire of Alsatia and the Epilogue to the Amorous Bigotte c. If Mr. Shadwell would therefore take a Friend's Counsel I would advise him to treat serious things with due Respect and not to make the Pulpit truckle to the Stage or Preface a Play with a a Treatise of Religion every Man has his Province and I think the Stating of Passive Obedience and Non-Resistance is none of Mr. Shadwell's He may remember that Mr. Dryden never miscarried more than when he inter-meddled with Church Matters and that all the Art and Beauty of his Absalom and Achitophel will hardly make Amends for the Spots and Blemishes that are to be found in his Hind and Panther But to return to our Subject Mr. Heywood and Mr. Brome have writ a Play on the same Story with our Author but how much this exceeds it will be evident to unbyassed Judges As to the Magick in the Play our Author has given a very good Account in his Notes from the Writings of Delrio Bodinus Wierus c. and I know nothing that we have in this Nature in Dramatick Poetry except Ben. Johnson's Masque of Queens which is likewise explained by Annotations Libertine a Tragedy acted by his Royal Highnesses Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1676. and dedicated to William Duke of Newcastle This Play if not regular is at least diverting which according to the Opinion of some of our First-Rate Poets is the End of Poetry The Play is built upon a Subject which has been handled by Spanish Italian and French Authors there being four Plays extant says my Author on this Story I have never seen but one viz. Molliere's L'Athée Foundroyé which it appear'd our Author has read There is a Character in Sir Aston Cockain's Ovid I mean that of Captain Hannibal whose Catastrophe is like that of Don John which as I have said may possibly be borrowed from Il Atheisto fulminato Miser a Comedy acted by his Majesties Servants at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1672. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles L d Buckhurst the present Earl of Dorset This Play the Author confesses is founded on Molliere's L'Avare which by the way is it self founded on Plautus his Autularia 'T was the last Play that was acted at the King's House before the fatal Fire there Whoever will peruse this Play will find more than half writ by our Author and the French part much improved Psyche a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the late James Duke of Monmouth This was the first Play that our Author writ in Rhime and on that Account he found most of the Crambo-Poets up in Arms against it who look'd upon our Author as an Incroacher on their Territories and Were as he says very much offended with him
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
know of that are publisht under our Authors name except a Play which I have already mention'd viz. Eastward-Hoe a Comedy play'd in the Black Friars by the Children of her Majesties Revels made by George Chapman Ben Johnson and John Marston printed in quarto Lond. 1605. This Play was writ shortly after Decker's Westward Hoe as you may see by the Prologue which is writ in Blank Verse The Play it self hath lately appear'd on the present Stage being reviv'd by Mr. Tate under the Title of Cuckold's Haven Mr. Phillips I know not why has omitted half this Authors Plays as you may see in his Account of the Modern Poets p. 53. Having given an Account of his Plays I am now to speak of his other Works which were not in those days accounted less eminent particularly his Version of all Homer's Works viz. His Illiads Odysses and what he calls The Crown of all his Works his Batracomyomachia or The Battle of Frogs and Mice together with his Hymns and Epigrams If it be urg'd by some that he has been since out-done by Mr. Ogleby in the Two former it is chiefly to be ascrib'd to the ill choice of his measure of Verse and the obsolete Expressions in use in his time and besides Translation was then as I may say in its Infancy However I think Mr. Ogleby himself has since been as far exceeded by the exact and curious Pen of Mr. Hobbs and for for his Minor Poems they have never been attempted by any other Pen that I know of To these I must add his Translation of Hesiod his finishing Musaeus his Erotopaenion or The Loves of Hero and Leander a Piece begun by Christopher Marloe his Andromeda liberata with a Vindication of the same all which speak his Industry at least if not his Ingenuity and how slight an Opinion soever this Age may entertain of his Translations I find them highly extoll'd in an Old Copy call'd a Censure of the Poets which having spoke of the Eminent Dramatick Poets as Shakesprear Johnson Daniel c. it adds of Translators as follows placing our Author in the first Rank Others again there lived in my days That have of us deserved no less Praise For their Translations than the daintiest Wit That on Parnassus thinks he high doth sit And for a Claim may 'mongst the Muses call As the most curious Maker of them all First reverend Chapman who hath brought to us Musaeus Homer and Hesiodus Out of the Greek and by his skill hath rear'd Them to that height and to our tongue indear'd That were those Poets at this day alive To see their Books that with us thus survive They'd think having neglected them so long They had been written in the English Tongue Sir Aston COKAIN A Gentleman that in the Reign of K. Charles the Second liv'd at Ashbourn a Market-town An Darby-shire situate between the River Dove and Compton He was of an Ancient Family as Mr. Cambden observes in the Entrance of his Description of Darby-shire Nay further Mr. John Cokain of Rushton our Authors Kinsman and Cousin-German to the Lord Obrian Cokain Viscount Cullen in Ireland had an Ancient Evidence to prove that Sr. Cokain their Predecessor was anciently allyed to King William the Conqueror and in those days lived at Hemmingham-Castle in Essex But whether our Author fetcht his Pedigree from so Ancient a Stock or no certain it is that he was well descended and had a Liberal Education bestowed on him being in his youth bred in Trinity College in Cambridge and when he was about Four and Twenty years of Age he was sent to make a Journey through France and Italy which he compleated in a Twelve-months space An. 1632. an Account of which he has writ to his Son He was very much addicted to Books and the study of Poetry spending most of his time in the Muses company Amongst his other Poetical Productions he has written Three Plays and a Masque which are in print of which take the following Account Masque presented at Bretbie in Darby-shire on Twelfth-Night 1639. This Entertainment has hitherto been omitted in all former Catalogues as I suppose through an Over-sight it being but short and printed in the body of the Author's Poems amongst others of a different Nature It was presented as I find upon perusal of it before the Right Honourable Phillip the first Earl of Chesterfield and his Countess Two of their Sons acting in it The diversion terminated in a Ball. Obstinate Lady a Comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1658. This Play with other Poems were left in the Custody of a Friend at the Author's Removal from London who dying they were disperst into several Hands One Mr. William Godbid a Bookseller as I suppose got this Play into his Hands and tho' he found it imperfect the last Leaf being wanting wherein were the Authors Conclusion and Epilogue he procured some of his Acquaintance to supply that defect and so printed it And tho' this Comedy were very much of it writ in Number as the Author calls it he put it forth as if the most part of it were Prose In this Edition you have that defect much amended and the Authors own Conclusion and Epilogue added Sr. Aston's Obstinate Lady seems to be Cousin-German to Massinger's Very Woman as they that will compare Don John Antonio and Almira with Carionil and Lucora in this Play may easily perceive Ovid's Tragedy printed in octavo Lond. 1669. This Play was printed since the rest of his Works tho 't is frequently bound with them I know not why the Author gave this Play the Title of Ovid's Tragedy except that he lays the Scene in Tomos and brings him to fall down dead with grief at the News he received from Rome in sight of the Audience otherwise he has not much business on the Stage and the Play ought rather to have taken the Name from Bassanes Jealousy and the dismal effects thereof the murther of his new Bride Clorina and his Friend Pyrontus But this is an Error which Beaumont and Fletcher have heretofore committed as Mr. Rimer has observ'd in the King and no King and therefore the more excusable in our Author The passage of Captain Hannibal's inviting the dead Carcass of Helvidius to Supper is possibly borrow'd from the Italian Play called Il Atheisto Fulminato to which Language our Author was no Stranger and on which Foundation the Catastrophe of the Libertine is built Trapolin creduto Principe or Trapolin suppos'd a Prince an Italian Tragi-comedy printed in octavo Lond. 1658. The Design of this Play the Author borrow'd from One which he saw or rather heard twice Acted in Venice during his abode in that City since he built this on that Foundation So that as he pleads in his Proloque it is no Translation This Play was reviv'd on our Stage since the King's Return and a new Prologue writ by Duffet printed in his Poems pag. 82. and has since that been alter'd
at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1679. This Comedy is very much beholding to Romances for several Incidents as the Character of Squire Old-sap and Pimpo's tying him to a Tree Act 1. is borrow'd from the begining of the Romance call'd the Comical History of Francion Trick-love's cheating Old-sap with the Bell and Pimpo's standing in Henry's place Act 4. Sc. 3. is borrow'd from Boccace's Novels Day 7. Nov. 8. The same is related in Les Contes de M. de la Fontaine in the Story intituled La Gageure des trois Commeres Tom. 1. pag. 47. Trick-love's contrivance with Welford to have Old-sap beaten in her Habit Act 4. Sc. the last is borrow'd from Boccace Day 7. Nov. 7. tho' the same is an incident in other Plays as in Fletcher's Women Pleas'd London Cuckolds c. There are other passages borrow'd likewise which I purposely omit to repeat Sir Barnaby Whig or No Wit like a Womans a Comedy acted by their Majesties Servants at the Theatre-Royal printed in quarto Lond. 1681. and dedicated to the Right Honourable George Earl of Berkley This Play is founded on a Novel of Monsieur S. Bremond call'd The Double Cuckold and the part of the Humor of Captain Porpuss is borrow'd from a Play called The Fine Companion Trick for Trick or The Debauch'd Hypocrite a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1678. This Play is only Fletcher's Monsieur Thomas reviv'd tho' scarce at all acknowledg'd by our Author Virtuous Wife or Good luck at last a Comedy acted at the Dukes Theatre by His Royal Highness his Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1680. This Comedy is one of the most entertaining of his tho' there are many little hints borrow'd from other Comedies as particularly the Fawn and the Humor of Beaufort is copy'd from Palamede in Marriage A-la-mode Besides these Plays he has written several Songs which if I mistake not were collected into one entire Vol. and printed 8o. Lond. 1682. But I wou'd not have him ascribe all his Songs any more than his Plays to his own Genius or Imagination since he is equally beholding for some of them to other Mens pains Witness the above-mention'd Song in the Royalist And didst thou not promise me when thou ligst by me c. He has writ besides other pieces as Butler's Ghost printed 8o. Lond. 1682. Poems 8o. Lond. 1690. Collin's Walk 8o. Lond. 1690. c. E. Edward ECCLESTON A Gentleman now living the Author of an Opera of the same Nature with Mr. Dryden's State of Innocence but being publisht after it it serv'd rather as a Foil to the excellent piece than any ways rival'd its Reputation This piece first bore the Title of Noahs Flood or The Destruction of the World an Opera printed 4o. Lond. 1679. and dedicated to her Grace the Dutchess of Monmouth This Play not going off a new Title and Cuts were affix'd to it in Hillary-Term 1684. it then going under the Title of The Cataclism or General Deluge of the World Whether Mr. Holford was more successful than Mr. Took in putting off the remainder of the Impression or whether the various Sculptures took more with the Ladies of the Pal-mall than the Sence did with those who frequent Paul's Church-Yard I am not able to determine but I doubt the Bookseller still wants Customers since I again find it in the last Term Catalogue under the Title of The Deluge or The Destruction of the World The Title shews the Foundation of it to be Scripture Sir George ETHERIDGE A Gentleman sufficiently eminent in the Town for his Wit and Parts and One whose tallent in sound Sence and the Knowledge of true Wit and Humour are sufficiently conspicuous and therefore I presume I may with justice and without envy apply Horace's Character of Fundanus to this admirable Author Argutâ meretrice potes Davoque Chremeta Eludente senem comis garrire libellos Unus vivorum Fundani This Ingenious Author has oblig'd the World by publishing three Comedies viz. Comical Revenge or Love in a Tub a Comedy acted at his Royal-Highness the Duke of York's Theatre in Lincolns-Inn-fields printed quarto Lond. 1669. and dedicated to the Honourable Charles Lord Buckhurst This Comedy tho' of a mixt nature part of it being serious and writ in Heroick Verse yet has succeeded admirably on the Stage it having always been acted with general approbation Man of Mode or Sir Fopling Flutter a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1676. and dedicated to her Royal Highness the Dutchess This Play is written with great Art and Judgment and is acknowledg'd by all to be as true Comedy and the Characters as well drawn to the Life as any Play that has been Acted since the Restauration of the English Stage Only I must observe that the Song in the last Act written by C.S. is translated from part of an Elegy written in French by Madame la Comtesse de la Suze in Le Recüeil des Pieces Gallantes tom 1. p. 42. She wou'd if she cou'd a Comedy Acted at his Highness the Duke of York's Theatre and printed quarto Lond. 1671. This Comedy is likewise accounted one of the first Rank by several who are known to be good Judges of Dramatick Poesy Nay our present Laureat says 'T is the best Comedy written since the Restauration of the Stage I heartily wish for the publick satisfaction that this great Master would oblidge the World with more of his Performances which would put a stop to the crude and indigested Plays which for want of better cumber the Stage F. Sir Francis FANE Junior Knight of the Bath A Gentleman now living at Fulbeck in Lincoln-shire and Granson as I suppose to the Right Honourable the Earl of Westmorland This Noble Person 's Wit and Parts are above my Capacity to describe and therefore I must refer my Reader to his Works which will afford him better satisfaction He has obliged the World with two Plays which are equall'd by very few of our modern Poets and has shew'd that he can command his Genius being able to write Comedy or Tragedy as he pleases Love in the dark or The Man of business a Comedy acted at the Theatre Royal by his Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Right Honourable John Earl of Rochester The Plot of Count Sforza and Parthelia Daughter to the Doge of Venice is founded on a novel of Scarron's call'd the Invisible Mistress Bellinganna Cornanto's Wife sending Scrutinio to Trivultio to check him for making Love to her is founded on a Novel in Boccace Day 3. Nov. 3. Hircanio's Wife catching him with Bellinganna is built on the Story of Socrates and his Wife Mirto in the Loves of Great Men p. 59 Trivultio's seeming to beat Bellinganna is grounded on a Story in Boccace See Day 7. Nov. 7. Sacrifice a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1686. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles
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
in quarto 1606. The Plot of Dulcimel her cozening the Duke by a pretended Discovery of Tiberio's Love to her is borrow'd from Boccace's Novels Day 3. Nov. 3. This Novel is made use of as an Incident in several other Plays as Flora's Vagaries Souldiers Fortune and Nymphadoro's Humour of Loving the whole Sex Act. 3. Sc. 1. is copy'd from Ovid's Amor. Lib. 2. Eleg. 4. What you will a Comedy printed 8o. Lond. 1633. Francisco's zanying the Person and Humour of Albano is an incident in several Plays as Mr. Cowley's Guardian Albumazer c. tho' I presume the Design was first copy'd from Plautus his Amphitruo This I take to be one of our Authors best Plays Wonder of Women or Sophonisba her Tragedy sundry times acted at the Black-fryars and printed in 8o. Lond. 1633. This Play is founded on History see Livy Dec. 3. Lib. 10. Corn. Nepos in Vit. Annibal Polibius Appian Orosius The English Reader may read this Story lively describ'd by the Judicious Sir W. Rawleigh in his History of the World Book the 5. Mr. Phillips and Mr. Winstanley have created him the Author of a Play call'd The Faithful Shepherd which I am confident is none of his and have ommitted his Satyrs which render'd him more eminent than his Dramatick Poetry The Title is The Scourge of Villany in three Books of Satyrs printed in 8o. Lond. 1598. Mr. Fitz-Geoffry above-mention'd in the Account of Daniel and Johnson writ in their Commendation the following Hexastick Ad Johannem Marstonem Gloria Marstoni Satyrarum proxima primae Primaque fas primas si numerare duas Sin primam duplicare nefas tua gloria saltem Marstoni primae proxima semper eris Nec te paeniteat stationis Jane secundus Cū duo sint tantùm est neuter at ambo pares John MASON I can give the Reader no Account of this Author further than he was a Master of Arts in the time of King James the First about the middle of whose Reign he publisht a Play stil'd Muleasses the Turk a Worthy Tragedy divers times acted by the Children of his Majesties Revels printed 4o. Lond. 1610. Whether this Play deserv'd the Title of Worthy I shall not determine but that the Author had a good Opinion of it seems apparent from his Lemma in the Title-page borrow'd from Horace Sume superbiam quaesitam meritis Philip MASSINGER PHILIP MASSINGER Our Author has publisht Fourteen Plays of his own Writing besides those in which he join'd with other Poets We shall begin with a Play call'd Bashful Lover a Tragi-comedy often acted at the private House in Black-friars by His Majesties Servants with great Applause printed 8o. 1655. Bondman an ancient Story often acted with good allowance at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane by the most Excellent Princess the Lady Elizabeth her Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1638. and dedicated to the Right Honourable and his Singular good Lord Philip Earl of Montgomery The Plot of the Slaves being seduc'd to Rebellion by Pisander and reduc'd by Timoleon and their flight at the sight of the Whips is borrow'd from the Story of the Scythian Slaves Rebellion against their Master See Justin L.1 C. 5 City Madam a Comedy acted at the private House in Black-friars with great Applause printed 4o. Lond. 1659. for Andrew Pennycuicke One of the Actors and dedicated by him to the truly Noble and Virtuous Lady Anne Countess of Oxford This is an Excellent old Play Duke of Millain a Tragedy printed in 4o. tho when or where acted I know not my Copy being imperfect As to the Plot I suppose Sforza's giving orders to his Favourite Francisco to murther his beloved Wife the Dutchess Marcelia was borrow'd from the History of Herod who on the like occasion left orders with his Uncle Joseph to put his beloved Mariamne to Death as the Reader may see in Josephus Lib. 15. Cap. 4. Emperor of the East a Tragi-comedy divers times acted at the Black-friars and Globe Play-houses by the King's Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1632. and dedicated to the Right Honourable and his very good Lord John Lord Mohune Baron of Oke-hampton This Play is commended by three Copies of Verses One of which was writ by Sir Aston Cockain For the Play 't is founded on the History of Theodosius the Younger See Socrates L. 7. Theodoret L.5 Nicephorus L. 14. Baronius Godeau c. Fatal Dowry a Tragedy often acted at the private House in Black-friars by His Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1632. This Play was writ by our Author and Mr. Nathaniel Field of whom I have already spoken The behaviour of Charalois in voluntarily choosing imprisonment to ransom his Fathers Corps that it might receive Funeral Rights is copied from the Athenian Cymon that admirable Example of Piety so much celebrated by Valerius Maximus Lib. 5. C. 4 Ex. 9 Plutarch and Cornelius Nepos notwithstanding make it a forc'd Action and not voluntary Guardian a Comical History often acted at the private House in Black-fryars by his late Majesties Servants with great Applause printed 8o. Lond. 1655. Severino's cutting off Calipso's Nose in the dark taking her for his Wife Jolantre is borrow'd from the Cimerian Matron a Romance 8o. the like Story is related in Boccace Day 8. Nov. 7. Great Duke of Florence a Comical History often presented with good allowance by her Majesties Servants at the Phoenix in Drury-lane printed 4o. Lond. 1636. and dedicated to the truly Honoured and his noble Favourer Sir Robert Wiseman of Thorrel's Hall in Essex This Play is commended by two Copies of Verses One of which was writ by Mr. John Ford of whom we have already spoken p. 219. The false Character given the Duke of the Beauty of Lidia by Sanasarro resembles the Story of King Edgar and Duke Ethelwolph in his Account of the Perfections of Alphreda As the Reader may find the Story related in our English Chronicles that have writ the Reign of Edgar as Speed Stow Baker c. Maid of Honour a Tragi-comedy often presented with good allowance at the Phoenix in Drury-lane by the Queen's Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1632. and dedicated to his most Honoured Friends Sir Francis Foliambe and Sir Thomas Bland A Copy of Verses is prefixt to the Play writ by Sir Aston Cokain New way to pay Old Debts a Comedy often acted at the Phoenix in Drury-lane by the Queens Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1633. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Carnarvan This Play is deservedly commended by the Pens of Sir Henry Moody and Sir Thomas Jay above-mention'd Old Law or A new Way to please you an excellent Comedy acted before the King and Queen at Salisbury-house and at several other places with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 1656. In this Play our Author was assisted by Mr. Middleton and Mr. Rowley At the End of it is printed a Catalogue of Plays which tho' stil'd perfect in the Title-page is far from it for besides abundance of
7. London Prodigal a Comedy This is One of the Seven Plays which are added to this Volume which tho' printed all of them in 4o. were never in Folio till 1685. Two of these viz. Cromwell and Locrine we have already handled the Remaining four viz. Old-castle Pericles Puritan Widow and Yorkshire Tragedy shall be treated in their order Loves Labour lost a Comedy the Story of which I can give no Account of Measure for Measure a Comedy founded on a Novel in Cynthio Giraldi viz. Deca Ottava Novella 51 The like Story is in Goulart's Histoires Admirables de nôtre temps Tome 1. page 216. and in Lipsii Monita L.2 C. 9 p. 125. This Play as I have observed was made use of with the Comedy Much ado about nothing by Sir William D' Avenant in his Law against Lovers Merchant of Venice a Tragi-comedy Merry Wives of Windsor a Comedy which Mr. Dryden allows to be exactly form'd and it was regular before any of Ben. Johnson's This is not wholly without the Assistance of Novels witness Mrs. Ford's conveying out Sir John Falstaff in the Basket of Foul Clothes and his declaring all the Intrigue to her Husband under the Name of Mr. Broom which Story is related in the first Novel of The Fortunate Deceived and Unfortunate Lovers which Book tho' written since Shakespear's Time I am able to prove several of those Novels are translated out of Cynthio Giraldi others from Mallespini and I believe the whole to be a Collection from old Novelists Mackbeth a Tragedy which was reviv'd by the Dukes Company and re-printed with Alterations and New Songs 4o. Lond. 1674. The Play is founded on the History of Scotland The Reader may consult these Writers for the Story viz. Hector Boetius Buchanan Du chesne Hollingshead c. The same Story is succinctly related in Verse in Heywood's Hierarchy of Angels B. 1. p. 508. and in Prose in Heylin's Cosmography Book 1. in the Hist of Brittain where he may read the Story at large At the Acting of this Tragedy on the Stage I saw a real one acted in the Pit I mean the Death of Mr. Scroop who received his death's wound from the late Sir Thomas Armstrong and died presently after he was remov'd to a House opposite to the Theatre in Dorset-Garden Midsummer Nights Dream a Comedy The Comical part of this Play is printed separately in 4o. and used to be acted at Bartholomew Fair and other Markets in the Country by Strolers under the Title of Bottom the Weaver Much ado about nothing a Comedy I have already spoke of Sir William D' Avenant's making use of this Comedy All that I have to remark is That the contrivance of Borachio in behalf of John the Bastard to make Claudio jealous of Hero by the Assistance of her Waiting-Woman Margaret is borrowed from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso see Book the fifth in the Story of Lurcanio and Geneuza the like Story is in Spencer's Fairy Queen Book 2. Canto 4. Oldcastle the good Lord Cobham his History The Protagonist in this Play is Sir John Oldcastle who was executed in the Reign of King Henry the Fifth See his Life at large in Fox his Martyrology Dr. Fuller and other Writers of Church History as well as Chronologers Othello the Moor of Venice his Tragedy This is reckoned an Admirable Tragedy and was reprinted 4o. Lond. 1680. and is still an Entertainment at the Theatre-Royal Our Author borrowed the Story from Cynthio's Novels Dec. 3. Nov. 7. The truth is Salustio Picolomini in his Letter to the Author extreamly applauds these Novels as being most of them fit Subjects for Tragedy as you may see by the following Lines Gli Heccatomithi vostri Signor Cynthio mi sono maravigliosa mente piaciuti Et fra le altre cose io ci ho veduti i più belli argomente di Tragedie che si possano imaginare quanto a i nodi quanto alle solutioni tanto felicemente ho viste legate le difficulta che pure ano impossibili ad essere slegate Mr. Dryden says That most of Shakespear's Plots he means the Story of them are to be found in this Author I must confess that having with great difficulty obtained the Book from London I have found but two of those mentioned by him tho' I have read the Book carefully over Pericles Prince of Tyre with the true-Relation of the whole History Adventures and Fortunes of the said Prince This Play was publish'd in the Author's Life-time under the Title of The much Admired Play of Pericles by which you may guess the value the Auditors and Spectators of that Age had for it I know not whence our Author fetch'd his Story not meeting in History with any such Prince of Tyre nor remembring any of that Name except the Famous Athenian whose Life is celebrated by Plutarch Puritan or The Widow of Wattling-street a Comedy sufficiently diverting Richard the Second his Life and Death a Tragedy which is extreamly commended even by Mr. Dryden in his Grounds of Criticisme in Tragedy printed before Troilus and Cressida and Mr. Tate who altered this Play in 1681. says That there are some Master-touches in this Play that will vye with the best Roman Poets For the Plot consult the Chronicles of Harding Caxton Walsingham Fabian Pol. Virgil Grafton Hollingshead Stow Speed c. Richard the Third his Tragedy with the landing of the Earl of Richmond and the Battle of Bosworth Field This Play is also founded on History See Fabian Caxton Pol. Virgil Hollingshead Grafton Trussel stow Speed Baker c. Romeo and Juliet a Tragedy This Play is accounted amongst the best of our Author's Works Mr. Dryden says That he has read the Story of it in the Novels of Cynthio which as yet I cannot find but set it down in my former Catalogue relying upon his Knowledge But I have since read it in French translated by M. Pierre Boisteau whose Sir-name was Launay who says it was writ by Bandello but not having as yet met with Bandello in the Original I must acquiesce in his Word The French Reader may peruse it in the first Tome of Les Histoires Tragicques extraictes des oeuvres Italiennes de Bandello imprimé 8o. à Turin 157c Taming of the Shrew a very diverting Comedy The Story of the Tinker is related by Pontus Heuteras Rerum Burdicarum lib. 4. and by Goulart in his Hist. Admirables Tom. 1. p. 360 Tempest a Comedy How much this Play is now in Esteem tho' the Foundation were Shakespear's all People know How it took at the Black-fryars let Mr. Dryden's Preface speak For his Opinion of Caliban the Monster 's Character let his Preface to Troilus and Cressida explain No Man except Shakespear ever drew so many Charactars or generally distinguish'd them better from one another except only Johnson I will instance but in one to shew the copiousness of his Invention t is that of Caliban or the Monster in the Tempest He seems here to
ever finish'd of this Nature what few mistakes are found in his Play may be easily excus'd But besides its real faults the errors of the Press and what it suffers thro' the prejudice and malice of the Author's Adversaries I do not at all wonder if even the most impartial Reader too should look severely on it seeing he is promis'd in the Title-page what he can never find in the Book It would fain cozen him to believe that he shall meet with the Popish Plot represented in that Play though I have heard Mr. Bedloe often say he never intended any such thing The History he designed may as I am inform'd be read in several Authentick Authors but in Heylin's Geography I remember I met with it my self So may any that will peruse his History of Georgia Mr. Bedloe well knew it was against his Interest so for to ridicule the Plot as to compose a Play of it and he had more judgment in Poetry than to imagine that such a new thing would please in Tragedy And least any one should suspect that his design did in the least incline that way he writ an Epistle to assure his Reader of the contrary Which the Stationer supposing under that pretence the Play would vend much better thought it his interest to stifle and added these words to the Title-page Being the Popish Plot in a Play without the Author's consent or knowledge Mrs. Astraea BEHN A Person lately deceased but whose Memory will be long fresh amongst the Lovers of Dramatick Poetry as having been sufficiently Eminent not only for her Theatrical Performances but several other Pieces both in Verse and Prose which gain'd her an Esteem among the Wits almost equal to that of the incomparable Orinda Madam Katharine Phillips of whom we shall speak hereafter Her Plays are Sixteen in number having therein exceeded any of the Poets of this Age Sr. William Davenant and Mr. Dryden excepted Most of her Comedies have had the good fortune to please and tho' it must be confest that she has borrow'd very much not only from her own Country Men but likewise from the French Poets yet it may be said in her behalf that she has often been forc'd to it through haft and has borrow'd from others Stores rather of Choice than for want of a fond of Wit of her own it having been formerly her unhappiness to be necessitated to write for Bread as she has publisht to the world 'T is also to her Commendation that whatever she borrows she improves for the better a Plea which our late Laureat has not been asham'd to make use of If to this her Sex may plead in her behalf I doubt not but she will be allowed equal with several of our Poets her Contemporaries I shall now give an Account of her Plays in an Alphabetical Order as follows viz. Abdelazer or The Moor's Revenge a Tragedy Acted at his Royal Highness the Dukes Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1671. This Play is originally an old Play of Marloes call'd Lusts Dominion or The Lascivious Queen a Tragedy written above Forty years ago tho' printed in octavo Lond. 1661. She has much improv'd it throughout Amorous Prince or The Curious Husband a Comedy Acted at his Royal Highness the Duke of York's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1671. The Plot of Antonio the curious Husband 's trying his Wives Chastity by his Friend Alberto's means is founded on a Novel in the Romance of Don Quixot call'd The Curious Impertinent See Part 4. Ch. 6 7 8. The City Night-Cap is founded on the same Story tho' Mrs. Behn has much out-done that Play and improv'd the Novel itself City-Heiress or Sr. Timothy Treat-all a Comedy Acted at his Royal Highness his Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1682. and Dedicated to the Right Honourable henry Earl of Arundel and Lord Mowbray This Play had the luck to be well receiv'd in the Town yet I cannot but take notice that most of the Characters are borrow'd as those of Sir Timothy Treat-all and his Nephew from Sir Bounteous Progress and Folly-wit in Middleton's Mad World my Masters and those of Sir Anthony Merrywell and his Nephew Sr. Charles from Durazzo and Caldoro in Massenger's Guardian Part of the Language in each Play is likewise transcrib'd As for the Plot of Sir Timothy's endeavouring to supplant his Nephew of his Mistress 't is the same Design with other Plays as Ram-Alley and Trick to Catch the Old One. Dutch Lover a Comedy Acted at the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1673. The Plot of this Play is founded on a Spanish Romance written by the ingenious Don Francisco de las Coveras stiled Don Fenise see the Stories of Eufemie and Theodore Don Jame and Frederick Emperor of the Moon a Farce Acted by Their Majesty's Servants at the Queen's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1687. and Dedicated to the Lord Marquess of Worcester This Farce was originally Italian and Acted in France Eighty odd times without intermission under the Title of Harlequin l' Empereur dans le Monde de la Lune but much alter'd and adapted to our English Theatre Forc'd Marriage or The Jealous Bridegroom a Tragi-Comedy Acted at his Highness the Duke of York's Theatre and printed in quarto Lond. 1671. This if I mistake not was the first Play that our Authress brought on the Stage False Count or A New Way to play an Old Game a Comedy Acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed in quarto Lond. 1682. The Hint of Isabella being deceiv'd by Guillaume the Chimney-sweeper is borrow'd from Molliere's Les Precieuses Ridicules Feign'd Courtezmis or a Nights Intrigue a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1679. and Dedicated to Mrs. Ellen Guin This Comedy I take to be One of the best she has written Luckey Chance or an Alderman's Bargain a Comedy acted by Their Majesties Servants printed 4 o Lond. 1687. and Dedicated to the R t Honble Laurence L d Hyde E. of Rochester Tho' some Criticks decry'd this Play yet whoever will consult the Author's Preface will find the Objections fully answer'd however I must observe that the Incident of Gayman's enjoying the Lady Fulbanck and taking her for the Devil is copied from Mr. Alexander Kickshaw and the Lady Aretina in the Lady of Pleasure Rover or The Banisht Cavaleers in two parts both of them Comedies Acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed in quarto Lond. 1677 and 1681. the Second Part being Dedicated to his Royal Highness the Duke These are the only Comedies for the Theft of which I condemn this ingenious Authoress they being so excellent in their Original that 't is pity they should have been alter'd and notwithstanding her Apology in the Postscript to the first part I cannot acquit her of prevarication since Angelica is not the only stol'n Object as she calls it she having borrow'd largely throughout The truth is the better to disguise her Theft she has as the ingenious Scarron
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
and shall Honor haue While there 's or Slavish Lord or Royal Slave Robert CHAMBERLAIN A Gentleman that flourisht in the Reign of King Charles the First the Author of a Play called The Swaggering Damsel a Comedy printed in quarto Lond. 1640. I know not whether this Play was ever acted but 't is usher'd into the world by Three Copies of Verses one of which was writ by Mr. Rawlins in requital of a Copy writ by our Author in praise of his Tragedy called The Rebellion A Complement which has in this Age been practiced by Mr. Dryden to Mr. Lee's Rival Queens in Return of that past by him on Mr. Dryden's State of Innocence Mr. Phillips and Winstanley have ascrib'd to our Author a Play call'd Sicellides which they stile a Pastoral tho'it is distinguish'd by the Anonymous Author by the Title of a Piscatory the Dramatis Personae being most of them Fishermen William CHAMBERLAIN A Dorset-shire Gentleman who in the Reign of King Charles the First liv'd at Shaftsbury a Market-town of sufficient Note for giving the Title to the famous Lord Cooper first Earl of Shaftsbury He writ a Play called Love's Victory a Tragi-Comedy printed in quarto Lond. 1658. and dedicated to the Right Worshipful Sr. William Portman He writ this Play during the late Troubles and design'd to have it acted but the Powers then in being having suppressed the Stage he contented himself with Printing it tho' it has since appeared at least a great part of it upon the Stage in 1678. under the Title of Wits led by the Nose or A Poet's Revenge This Author writ besides an Heroick Poem called Pharonnida in Five Books printed in octavo Lond. 1659. and dedicated likewise to Sr. William Portman This Poem tho' it hath nothing extraordinary to recommend it yet appear'd abroad in Prose 1683. under the Title of a Novel called Eromena or The Noble Stranger George CHAPMAN A Gentleman of no mean Repute for his Poetical Writings and Versions amongst the Wits of the Age wherein he liv'd to wit in the later part of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and that of King James I can give him no greater Commendation than that he was so intimate with the famous Jhonson as to engage in a Triumvirate with Him and Marston in a Play called Eastward-Hoe a Favour which the haughty Ben could seldome be perswaded to I might add to this that he was so much valued in his time by the Gentlemen of the Middle-Temple and Lincoln's-Inn that when those two Honourable Societies agreed to Present Their Majesties with a Masque at Whitehall on the joyful Occasion of the Marriage between the Princess Elizabeth only Daughter to King James the First and Frederick the Fifth of that Name Count Palatine of the Rhine and afterwards King of Bohemia they chose Mr. Chapman for their Poet to suit Language to the Occasion and Mr. Inigo Jones for their Ingineer to order the Machines and Decoration of the Scenes He has writ many Dramatick Pieces to the number of Eighteen besides several other Poems and Translations of all which his Tragedy of Bussy d' Amboise has the Preference I know not how Mr. Dryden came to be so possest with Indignation against this Play as to resolve to burn One annually to the Memory of Ben Johnson but I know very well that there are some who allow it a just Commendation and others that since have taken the liberty to promise a solemn annual Sacrifice of The Hind and Panther to the Memory of Mr. Quarles and John Bunyan so that should this last Humour continue The Hind and Panther would grow as scarce as this Old Tragedy is at present But I leave this Digression to give the Reader an Account of his Plays in order All Fools a Comedy presented at the Black-friars and afterwards before his Majesty King James the First in the Begining of his Reign and printed in quarto Lond. 1605. This was in those days accounted an Excellent Comedy and will still bear Reading it seems to be built in part upon the same Fabrick with Terence's Heautontimorumenos as those who will compare the Characters of the two Fathers Gostanzo and Mar. Antonio with Chremes and Menedemus and their Sons Valerio Fortunio and Rynaldo with Clinia Antipho and Syrus may easily perceive The Prologue and Epilogue writ in Blank Verse shew that in those days Persons of Quality and those that thought themselves Judges of Wit instead of sitting in Boxes as now in use sat on the Stage what influence those Sparks had on the meaner Auditors may be seen by the following Lines Great are the Gifts given to united Heads To Gifts Attire to fair Attire the Stage Helps much for if our other Audience see You on the Stage depart before we end Our Wits go with you all and we are Fools c Alphonsus Emperor of Germany a Tragedy very often acted with great Applause at the Private-house in Black-friars by the Servants to King Charles the First printed in quarto Lond. 1654. This Play tho' it bear the Name of Alphonsus was writ as I suppose in Honor of the English Nation in the Person of Richard Earl of Cornwal Son to King John and Brother to King Henry the Third He was chosen King of the Romans in 1257. and Crown'd at Aix the Seventeenth day of May being Ascension day About this time Alphonsus the Tenth King of Castile the subject of this Tragedy was chosen by other Electors Tho'this King was accounted by some a Pious Prince yet our Author represents his as a Bloody Tyrant and contrary to other Historians brings him to an unfortunate End he supposing him to be kill'd by Alexander Son to Lorenzo de Cipres his Secretary in revenge of his Father who was poyson'd by him and to compleat his Revenge he makes him first deny his Saviour in hopes of Life and then stabs him glorying that he had at once destroyed both Body and Soul This Passage is related in several Authors as Bolton's Four last Things Reynolds of the Passions Clark's Examples Wanley's History of Man For the true Story consult Mariana de Reb. Hisp. Lib. 13 C. 10 c. Loüis de Mayerne Turquet Hist. Generale d' Espagne Lib. 12 Bzovius An. 1257 c. Blind Beggar of Alexandria a Comedy most pleasantly discoursing his variable Humours in disguised shapes full of Conceit and Pleasure sundry times publickly Acted in London by the Right Honourable the Earl of Notingham Lord High Admiral his Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1598. This Play is neither divided into Acts nor Scenes Bussy d' Amboise a Tragedy often presented at Pauls in the Reign of King James the First and since the Restauration of King Charles the Second acted at the Theatre-Royal with good Applause For the Plot see Thuanus Jean De Serres and Mezeray in the Reign of King Henry the Third of France The Intrigue between Bussy and Tamyra is related by Rosset in his Histoires
and was printed as I believe in quarto Temple of Love presented by the Queens Majesty Wife to King Charles the First and her Ladies at Whitehall viz. The Lady Marquess Hamilton the Lady Mary Herbert Countess of Oxford Berkshire Carnarvan c. The Lords and others that represented the noble Persian Youths were The Duke of Lenox the Earls of Newport Desmond c. This Masque says the Author for the newness of the Invention variety of Scenes Apparitions and richness of Habits was generally approv'd to be one of the most Magnificent that hath been done in England Triumphs of the Prince d'Amour a Masque presented by his Highness at his Pallace in the Middle-Temple This Masque at the Request of that Honourable Society was devis'd and written by our Author in Three days and was presented by the Members thereof as an Entertainment to the Prince Elector A Lift of the Masquers Names as they were rank'd by their Antiquity in that noble Society is to be found at the end of the Masque to which I refer the curious Reader The Musick of the Songs and Symphonies were excellently compos'd by Mr. Henry and Mr. William Lawes his Majesties Servants Wits a Comedy heretofore acted at the Black-friars and since at the Duke's Theatre printed both in octavo and quarto before this New Edition and dedicated to the chiefly belov'd of all that Ingenious and Noble Endimion Porter of his Majesties Bed-Chamber This Play is commended by a Copy fo Verses written by Mr. Thomas Carew and has often appear'd on the Stage with Applause Having done with his Plays I am now to speak of his other Works which consist of Poems of several sorts and on several Occasions amongst which Gondibert an Epick Poem has made the greatest noise This Poem was design'd by the Author to be an Imitation of an English Dramma it being to be divided into Five Books as the other is into Five Acts The Canto's to be the Parallel of the Scenes with this difference that this is deliver'd Narratively the other Dialogue-wise The Reader may find a long account of the Author's design and his Reasons in the Preface which is directed to his Friend the so well known Mr. Hobbs who not only approves his Design but in the Close of his Letter fixes an extraordinary Complement upon him viz. The Virtues you distribute in your Poem amongst so many Noble Persons represent in the Reading the image but of One Man's Virtue to my fancy which is your own Nor was Mr. Hobbs the only Person that commended this Poem for the first and second Books were usher'd into the world by the Pens of two of our best Poets viz. Mr. Waller and Mr. Cowley which One would have thought might have prov'd a sufficient Defence and Protection against the snarling Criticks Notwithstanding which Four Eminent Wits of that Age two of which were Sr. John Denham and Mr. Donne publisht several Copies of Verses to Sr. William's discredit under this Title Certain Verses written by several of the Authors Friends to be reprinted with the second Edition of Gondibert in octavo Lond. 1653. These Verses were answer'd as Mr. Wood says by the Author himself with as much or rather more Wit and little or no concern for their Raillery rather seeming to sport at and pity their want of Sence The Title of his Answer is The Incomparable Poem Gondibert vindicated from the Wit-Combats of Four Esquires Clinias Dametas Sancho and Jack Pudding printed in octavo Lond. 1655. The Books being scarce I shall for the Readers diversion chuse one out of each of these as a Sample of the rest and amongst the former I shall pitch upon that Copy which reflects on the Commendations given by those great Men above-mention'd The Author upon Himself I am Old Davenant with my Fustian Quill Tho' skill I have not I must be writing still On Gondibert That is not worth a Fart Waller Cowley 't is true have prais'd my Book But how untruly All they that read may look Nor can Old Hobbs Defend me from dry Bobbs Then no more I 'll dabble nor pump Fancy dry To compose a Fable Shall make Will. Crofts to cry O gentle Knight Thou writ'st to them that shite Sr. William's Answer The Author upon Himself False as Foolish What turn felo de me Davenant kill Davenant No the whole World does see My Gondibert To be a piece of Art Waller and Cowley true have prais'd my Book And deservedly Nay I did for it look He both us robbs That blames for this Old Hobbs Write on jeer'd Will and write in Pantofle That 's over Pump-ho And for Will Crofts his baffle Thou may'st long write That writ'st to them that shite Many other Railleries were broacht against him by his Enemies as those Lines in Sr. John Sucklin's Session of the Poets the Ballad entitled How Daphne pays his Debts and others which I might insert but I think 't is time to leave these trifles and acquaint my Readers who are delighted with Criticismes that they may find more serious Animad versions on this Poem in the English Preface written by that admirable Critick Mr. Rymer to his Translation of Monsieur Rapin's Reflections on Aristotle's Treatise of Poesy printed 8 o Lond. 1674. This great Man Died on the Seventh day of April 1668. Aged 63 and was Buried amongst the Poets in Westminster-Abby near to his old Antagonist and Rival for the Bays Mr. Thomas May. 'T was observ'd that at his Funeral his Coffin wanted the Ornament of his Laureats Crown which by the Law of Heraldry justly appertain'd to him but this omission is sufficiently recompenc'd by an Eternal Fame which will always accompany his Memory he having been the first Introducer of all that is splendid in our English Opera's and 't is by his means and industry that our Stage at present rivals the Italian Theatre I shall conclude his Character with that Account which Mr. Dryden has formerly given of him which is the more valuable because the commendation of his Predecessors is seldome the Subject of his Pen. In the time says he that I writ with Sr. William Davenant I had the opportunity to observe somewhat more nearly of him than I had formerly done when I had only a bare acquaintance with him I found him then of so quick a Fancy that nothing was propos'd to him on which he could not suddenly produce a Thought extreamly pleasant and surprising and those first Thoughts of his contrary to the old Latine Proverb Were not always the least happy And as his Fancy was quick so likewise were the Products of it remote and new He borrow'd not of any other and his Imaginations were such as could not enter into any other Man His Corrections were sober and judicious and he corrected his own Writings much more severely than those of another Man bestowing twice the labour and time in Polishing which he us'd in Invention Si sic omnia
some for an Admirable Poet but it is by those who are not acquainted much with Authors and therefore are deceiv'd by Appearances taking that for his own Wit which he only borrows from Others for Mr. Durfey like the Cuckow makes it his business to suck other Birds Eggs. In my Opinion he is a much better Ballad-maker than Play-wright and those Comedies of his which are not borrow'd are more ally'd to Farce than the true Comedy of the Ancients The Plays to which he lays claim are Thirteen in Number viz. Banditti or A Ladies Distress a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed in quarto Lond. 1686. This Play was affronted in the Acting by some who thought themselves Criticks and others with Cat-calls endeavour'd at once to stisle the Author's Profit and Fame which was the occasion that through Revenge he dedicated it to a certain Knight under this Ironical Title To the extream Witty and Judicious Gentleman Sir Critick-Cat-call The chief Plot of this Play is founded on a Romance written by Don Francisco de las Coveras call'd Don Fenise translated into English in 8o. See the History of Don Antonio Book 4. p. 250. The design of Don Diego's turning Banditti and joining with them to rob his supposed Father resembles that of Pipperollo in Shirley's Play call'd The Sisters Common-wealth of Women a Tragi-Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by Their Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1686. and dedicated to the truly Noble and illustrious Prince Christopher Duke of Albermarle This Play is Fletcher's Sea-Voyage reviv'd with the Alteration of some few Scenes tho' what is either alter'd or added may be as easily descern'd from the Original as Patches on a Coat from the main Piece Fond Husband or The Plotting Sisters a Comedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1678. and dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Ormond This is One of his best Comedies and has been frequently acted with good Applause tho' methinks the business of Sneak Cordelia and Sir Roger Petulant end but abruptly Fool turn'd Critick a Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by His Majesties Servants and printed in quarto Lond. 1678. The Prologue to this Play is the same with that of Mr. Anthony and was I suppose borrow'd from thence The Characters of Old Wine-love Tim and Small-wit resemble those of Simo Asotus and Balio in the Jealous Lovers Fools Preferment or The Three Dukes of Dunstable a Comedy acted at the Queens Theatre in Dorset-Garden by their Majesties Servants with the Songs and Notes to them Composed by Mr. Henry Purcel printed in quarto Lond. 1688. and dedicated to the Honourable Charles Lord Morpeth with this familiar Title My Dear Lord and subscrib'd like a Person of Quality only with his Sir-name D'Urfey Nor is his Epistle less presumptuous where he arrogates to himself a Play which was writ by another and owns only a hint from an old Comedy of Fletcher's when the whole Play is in a manner trascrib'd from the Noble Gentleman abating the Scene that relates to Basset which is borrow'd from a late traslated Novel call'd The Humours of Basset As to part of the first Paragraph of his Dedication 't is borrow'd from the translation of Horace's Tenth Satyr by the Earl of Rochester and any Man that understands French and should read a Place he there quotes out of Montaigne would be so far from taking him to be as he stiles himself Nephew to the famous D'Urffee the Author of the Excellent Astraea that they would rather think he understood not the Language or was extreamly negligent in suffering such Errata to go uncorrected For my part I should rather take him to be lineally descended from the Roman Celsus whom Horace makes mention of in his Epistle to his Friend Julius Florus at least I am sure the Character will fit our Author Quid mihi Celsus agit monitus multumque monendus Privatas ut quaerat opes tangere vitet Scripta Palatinus quaecunque recepit Apollo Ne si fortè suas repetitum venerit olim Grex avium plumas moveat cornicula risum Furtivis nudata coloribus Injur'd Princess or The fatal Wager a Tragi-Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by His Majesties Servants printed in quarto Lond. 1682. The Design and the Language of this Play is borrow'd from a Play call'd the Tragedy of Cymbeline In this Play he is not content with robbing Shakespear but tops upon the Audience an old Epilogue to the Fool turn'd Critick for a new Prologue to this Play So that what Mr. Clifford said of Mr. Dryden is more justly applicable to our Author That he is a strange unconscionable Thief that is not content to steal from others but robbs his poor wretched Self too Madam Fickle or The Witty false One a Comedy acted at his Royal Highness the Duke's Theatre printed in quarto Lond. 1677. and dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Ormond This Play is patch up from several other Comedies as the Character of Sir Arthur Old Love is borrow'd from Veterano in the Antiquary Zechiel's creeping into the Tavern Bush and Tilbury Drunk in the Street under it with a Torch Act 5. Sc. 2. is borrow'd from Sir Reverence Lamard and Pimp-well in the Walks of Islington and Hogsden There are other Hints likewise borrow'd from the Fawn so that the Author did well to prefix that Verse of Horace before his Play Non cuivis Homini contingit adire Corinthum plainly implying that he could not write a Play without stealing Royalist a Comedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed in quarto Lond. 1682. This Comedy was well receiv'd on the Stage but patcht up from Novels as the former from Plays Witness the Tryals which Camilla put upon her Husband Sir Oliver Old-cut for the Love of Sir Charles King-love which the Author borrow'd from Boccace Day 7. Nov. 9 Les Contes de M. de la Fontaine pag. 47. and other Hints Nay our Author who sets up himself for Madrigals has stoln the Song of Hey Boys up go We c. in the fourth Act from The Shepherds Oracle an Eclogue printed in quarto Lond. 1644. Siege of Memphis or The Ambitious Queen a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal printed in quarto Lond. 1676. This Play is writ in Heroick Verse and dedicated to the Truly Generous Henry Chivers Esq who shew'd himself truly such in defending a Play so full of Bombast and Fustian There goes more to the making of a Poet than capping Verses or taging Rimes 't is not enough concludere versum as Horace calls it but a Poet must be such a One Ingenium cui sit cui mens divinior atque os Magna sonaturum des nominis hujus honorem I would therefore advise all these Poetasters in the words of a Modern Prologue Rimesters get Wit e're ye pretend to shew it Nor think a game at Crambo makes a Poet. Squire Old-sap or The Night Adventurers a Comedy acted
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
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
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
And in great Choller offer'd to go out But Those that were there thought it not fit To discontent so ancient a Wit And therefore Apollo call'd him back agen And made him mine Host of his own New-Inn I know nothing else published by our Author only I have read a Letter from Mr. James Howell to Dr. Duppa then Bishop of Chichester and Tutor to King Charles the Second when Prince of Wales that he was publishing a Piece call'd Johnsonus Verbius to which Mr. Howell contributed a Decastick I know not what Reception Mr. Howell's Verses met with in the World but I am confident he had willingly allowed Mr. Oldham's Ode had he then liv'd a place in the first Rank of Poets The Title sufficiently explains the Design and the Reader may find it commended by an Ingenious Copy of Verses addrest to the Bishop by Sir W. D'Avenant See his Poems Fol. Edit p. 253. He died An. D. 1637. being aged 63. and was buried in St. Peter's Church in Westminster on the West-side near the Belfry having only a plain Stone over his Grave with this Inscription O RARE BEN. JOHNSON 'T is manifest that a better Monument was design'd him by some Friends but the Civil Wars breaking out hindred their good Intentions tho' it shall not prevent me from transcribing an Elegy written by a Studious Friend and Admirer of Ben. Johnson which I wish were set upon his Grave Hic Johnsonus noster Lyricorum Dramaticorumque Coryphaeus qui Pallade auspice laurum à Graecia ipsaque Roma rapuit fausto Omine in Brittaniam transtulit nostram nunc invidia major fato nec tamen aemulis cessit An Dom. 1637. Id. Nov. Thomas JORDAN An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First who could both write and act Plays as appears from three Drammas he has publisht and from a Tragedy call'd Messalina in which he acted the part of Lepida Mother to that shameless Empress His Plays are two Comedies and a Masque viz. Fancies Festivals a Masque printed 4o. Lond. 16 This I have not at present but have formerly read it with satisfaction and still retain the following Lines spoken by a Souldier God and the Souldier Men alike adore Just at the brink of danger and no more The danger past both are alike requited God is forgotten and the Souldier slighted Money is an Ass a Comedy acted with good applause printed 4o. Lond. 1668. I suppose by the Stile this was writ and possibly publish'd some Years before it being a common thing with Mr. Kirkman to publish old Plays as Any thing for a Quiet Life Cure for a Cuckold Gammer Gurton's Needle and many others Walks of Islington and Hogsdon with the Humors of Woodstreet-Compter a Comedy publickly acted Nineteen Days together with extraordinary applause printed 4o. Lond. 1657. and dedicated to the true Lover of Ingenuity the much Honour'd Richard Cheyny of Hackney Esq This Play in those days was commended by a Copy of Verses written by R. C. Master of Arts part of which are thus These Walks 'twixt Islington Hogsdon will Like those 'twixt Tempe and Parnassus Hill Show how the Muses in their sportfull Rage Set all the Town a walking to your Stage With so much Wit and Art and Judgment laid That Nineteen dayes together they were play'd Now by the bounty of the Press we be Possess'd of that which we before did see Not pleasing only Nineteen times read o're But Nineteen Ages or till Times no more William JOYNER A Gentleman born in Oxfordshire and Educated in Magdalen Colledge where he was sometime Fellow but upon the Change of his Religion or in order to it he voluntarily quitted his Place in the beginning of the Wars After he left the Colledge he betook himself to a retir'd Life never intermedling with the Controversies of Religion or the Affairs of State which prudent Demeanor joyned with the Sweetness of his Disposition continued him in the Favour and Good-will of the Society till the New-modelling of the Colledge under the Ecclesiastical Commissioners by whom he was re-placed in his former Station but did not long enjoy it the Colledge being shortly after again restored to its former Settlement That he did not wholly bid Adieu to the Muses when he first withdrew from the University may appear by a Dramma that he publish'd under the Name of The Roman Empress a Tragedy acted at the Royal Theatre by his Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1671. and dedicated to the Honourable Sir Charles Sidley This Play in spight of a dead Vacation and some other Impediments found the applause and approbation of the Theatre as oft as it appear'd The Author has propos'd the Oedipus and Hippolitus for his pattern and I think it may justly deserve to be observ'd That his Tragedy is writ in a more Masculine and lofty Stile than most Plays of this Age and Terror and Compassion being the chief hinges on which he design'd his Tragedy should turn he has judiciously rejected what he calls the Gingling Antitheses of Love and Honour By the Advice of Friends he tells us that he hath disguis'd the Names yet that this Emperour was One of the Greatest that ever Rome boasted I am apt to believe that under the Character of Valentius the Author means Constantine the Great and that Crispus and his Mother-in-law Faustina are shadow'd under the Characters of Florus and Fulvia but this being only Conjecture I must leave it to the Criticks Decision Our Author has nothing else in print that I know of except a little Book entituled Some Observations on the Life of Cardinal Reginal dus Polus where he disguises his Name under these two Letters G. L. which I take to be Guilielmus Lyde the Ancient Name of that Family 'T is printed 8o. Lond. 1686. In this Book the Reader is made acquainted not only with the Authors Reading Stile and Judgment but his skill in the French and Italian Languages K. Henry KILLEGREW AN Author who liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and writ a Play call'd Conspiracy a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1638. This Play was design'd for an Entertainment of the King and Queen at York-House at the Nuptials of the Lady Mary Villiers and the Lord Charles Herbert 'T was afterwards acted on the Black-fryars Stage and found the approbation of the most Excellent Persons of this kind of Writing which were in that time if there were ever better in any time Ben Johnson being then alive who gave a Testimony of this Perce even to be envy'd Some Cavillers at its first Representation at Blackfryars exclaim'd against the Indecorum that appear'd in the part of Cleander who being represented as a Person of seventeen years old is made to speak words that would better sute with the Age of Thirty saying It was monstrous and impossible but the Author was sufficiently vindicated by the Lord Viscount Faulkland who made the following Repartee to One of these Hypercriticks
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
hard Stars tho' possibly Gipsy-like he begs with stoln Children that he may raise the more Compassion Nathaniel LEE An Author whose Plays have made him sufficiently remarkable to those who call themselves The Wits and One whose Muse deserv'd a better Fate than Bedlam How truly he has verified the Saying of the Philosopher Nullum fit Magnum-Ingenium sine mixtur â dementiae even to the Regret and Pity of all that knew him is manifest I heartily wish his Madness had not exceeded that Divine Fury which Ovid mentions and which usually accompanies the best Poet Est Deus in nobis agitante calescimus illo But alas his Condition is far worse as it has been describ'd in a Satyr on the Modern Poets There in a Den remov'd from human Eyes Possest with Muse the Brain-sick-Poet lyes Too miserably wretched to be nam'd For Plays for Heroes and for Passion fam'd Thoughtless he raves his sleepless Hours away In Chains all Nights in darkness all the Day And if he gets some intervals from pain The Fit returns he foams and bites his Chain His Eye-balls rowl and he grows mad again However before this misfortune befel him he writ several Dramatical Pieces which gave him a Title to the First Rank of Poets there being several of his Tragedies as Mithridates Theodosius c. which have forc'd Tears from the fairest Eyes in the World his Muse indeed seem'd destin'd for the Diversion of the Fair Sex so soft and passionately moving are his Scenes of Love written He has publisht Eleven Plays besides those two in which he joyn'd with Mr. Dryden and of which we have already spoken viz. Caesar Borgia Son to Pope Alexander the VI. a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre by their Royal-Highnesses Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery For the Plot see Writers of those times as Guicciardine L. 5 6. Mariana L. 27 28. Sr. Paul Ricaut's Continuation of Platina in the Reign of Pope Alexander the VI. Constantine the Great a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1684. Many are the Authors that have writ the Actions of this Illustrious Emperor as Socrates Sozomen Eusebius Zonaras Eutropius Ruffinus Baronius c. The Story of Crispus and Fausta is particularly related as I think in Ammianus Marcellinus See besides Beard 's Theatre of God's Judgements Ch. 13. p. 225. Gloriana the Court of Augustus Caesar a Tragedy in Heroick Verse acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1676. and dedicated to her Grace the Dutchess of Portsmouth The Plot I take to be rather founded on Romance than History as the Reader will find by comparing the Play with the Romance of Cleopatra in the several Stories of Caesario Marcellus Julia Part 1. Book 3. Part 5. Book 3. Ovid Cypassis and Julia Part 7. Book 3. A Modern Poet in a Satyr writ in Imitation of Sir John Suckling's Session of the Poets writes thus of our Author and this Play Nat Lee stept in next in hopes of a Prize Apollo remember'd he had hit Once in Thrice By the Rubies in 's Face he could not deny But he had as much Wit as Wine could supply Confest that indeed he had a Musical Note But sometimes strain'd so hard that it rattled i' th' Throat Yet own'd he had Sense t' encourage him for 't He made him his Ovid in Augustus's Court. Lucius Junius Brutus Father of his Country a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre by their Royal Highnesses Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1681. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex This Play well deserv'd so great a Patron as his Lordship few Plays that I know being writ with more Manly Spirit Force and Vigour For the Plot our Author has partly follow'd History partly Romance For History consult Floras Lib. 1. Ch. 9 10. Livy Lib. 1. Dionysius Hallicarnassaeus Eutropius Sextus Rufus Orosius c. For Fiction read in the Romance called Clelia The History of Junius Brutus Part 2. Book 1. p. 170. Part 3. Book 1. p. 229. Massacre of Paris a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1690. This Play is founded on that Bloody Massacre which was acted on St. Bartholomew Day in the Year 1572. For the Story consult Thuanus Davila Lib. 5. Pierre Matthieu or as some say Monliard his Continuation of De Serres Mezeray and other Historians in the Reign of Charles the IX Several passages in the Duke of Guise are borrow'd from this Play as the Reader may find by comparing p. 6. of the former with p. 4. of the latter p. 11. with p. 5. p. 13. with p. 5. and 6 c. Mithridates Kings of Pontus a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1678. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex This Play may be reckon'd amongst those of The First-Rank and will always be a Favourite of the Tender-hearted Ladies It is founded on History See Appian de Bell. Mithrid Florus l. 3.c.5 Vell. Paterculus l. 2. Plutarch in the Lives of Scylla Lucullus and Pompey c. Nero Emperor of Rome his Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by his Majesties Servants printed 4o. Lond. 1675. and dedicated to the Right Honble the Earl of Rochester This Play is writ in a mixt Stile part in Prose part in Rime and part in Blank Verse For the Plot consult Suetonius in his Life Aurelius Victor Tacitus Ann. lib. 13 14 c. Sulpicius Severus c. Princess of Cleve a Tragi-comedy acted at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset Garden printed 4o. Lond. 1689. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex Lord Chamberlain of his present Majesty's Houshold and one of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council This Play is founded on a Romance call'd The Princess of Cleves translated from the French The Invective against Women spoken by Poltrot Act 5. Sc. 1. is printed in several Books of Poetry and may be read in a Romance call'd The French Rogue 8o. ch 21. p. 132. The Author tells his Patron That the Duke of Guise has wrested two Scenes from the Original but which they are I have not time to enquire Rival Queens or The Death of Alexander the Great a Tragedy acted at the Theatre-Royal by their Majesties Servants printed Lond. 1677. and dedicated to the Right Honourable John Earl of Mulgrave This Play has always been applauded by the Spectators and is acknowledg'd a Master-piece by Mr. Dryden himself in that Copy of Verses prefix'd to it which are a sufficient Testimony of its worth The Prologue was written by Sir Car Scroop For the Plot as far as the Author has follow'd History consult Arrian Q. Curtius Plutarch's Life of Alexander Justin lib. 11 12. Diodorus Siculus lib. 17. 18. Josephus lib. 11. cap. 8. Sophonisba or Hannibals
jam Trigessimus Scriptu dignissima fecit factu dignissima scripsit Calamo pariter Gladio celebris pacis artium gnarus belli Gilbert SWINHOE Esq A Gentleman who liv'd in the Reigns of King Charles the First and Second a North-country Man by Birth being Born in Northumberland the Author of a Play call'd Unhappy fair Irene her Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1658. This Play is accompany'd with three Copies of Verses in its Commendation tho' I think it scarce deserve them The Play is founded on History see Knolles his Turkish History in the Life of Mahomet the First which Story is the Subject of a Novel in Bandello which is translated into French by Pierre Boisteau see Histoires Tragicques tome premier Nov. 2. The same is translated into English by Wil. Painter in his Palace of Pleasure in quarto Nov. 4o. T. Nathaniel TATE AN Author now living who tho' he be allow'd to be a Man of Wit and Parts yet for Dramatick Poetry he is not above the common Rank What he has extant for the most part is borrow'd at least we may say That generally he follows other Mens Models and builds upon their Foundations for of Eight Plays that are printed under his Name Six of them owe their Original to other Pens as we shall shew in the following Account Brutus of Alba or The enchanted Lovers a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1678. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex This Play is founded on Virgil's AEneids Book the 4 th and was finished under the Names of Dido and AEneas but by the Advice of some Friends was transformed to the Dress it now wears Cuckold's Haven or An Alderman no Conjurer a Farce acted at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset Garden printed 4o. Lond. 1685. and dedicated to Colonel Edmund Ashton This Play is borrow'd from Johnson's Eastward-hoe and Devil is an Ass. Duke and no Duke a Farce acted by their Majesties Servants with the several Songs set to Musick with Thorough-Basses for the Theorbo or Bass-Viol printed 4o. Lond. 1685. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Sir George Hewyt This Play is founded on Sir Aston Cockain's Trappolin suppos'd a Prince Ingratitude of a Common-wealth or The Fall of Caius Martius Coriolanus acted at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1682. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles Lord Herbert Marquess of Worcester This Play is borrowed from Shakespear's Coriolanus Island Princess a Tragi-comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal revived with Alterations printed 4o. Lond. 1687. and dedicated to the Right Honourable Henry Lord Walgrave This Play is Fletcher's Originally Loyal General a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to Edward Taylor Esquire Lear King of England his History acted at the Dukes Theatre revived with Alterations printed 4o. Lond. 1687. and dedicated to Thomas Boteler Esq This Play in the Original was writ by W. Shakespear Richard the Third a History acted at the Theatre-Royal under the Name of The Sicilian Usurper with a Prefatory Epistle in Vindication of the Author occasioned by the Prohibition of this Play on the Stage printed 4o. Lond. 1681. and dedicated to George Raynford Esq This Play owns its Birth likewise to Shakespear Besides these Plays our Author has two Volumes of Poems in print One wholy writ by him call'd Poems writ on several Occasions second Edit enlarg'd printed 8o. Lond. 1684. The other call'd Poems by several Hands and on several Occasions collected by our Author and printed octavo Lond. 1685. John TATEHAM An Author that flourish'd in the Reign of King Charles the First and was says Mr. Winstanley the City Poet. If he was not an Extraordinary Wit at least he was Loyal in the highest Degree as may appear by his Plays and equally hated the Rump and the Scots He has Four Plays in print Three in quarto and One printed with his Poems in octavo Distracted State a Tragedy written in the Year 1641. but not printed till 1651. 4o. and dedicated to John Sidley This Play suited well with the Times and his Hatred to the Scots appears in this Play where he introduces a Scotch Mountebank in the fourth Act to poyson Archias the Elected King at the Instigation of Cleander This I take to be the best of our Author's Writings Rump or The Mirrour of the late Times a Comedy acted many times with great applause at the Private-house in Dorset Court printed the second Edit 4o. Lond. 1661. and dedicated to Walter James of Rambden-House in Smarden in the County of Kent Esq This Play has lately been reviv'd on our Stage under the Name of The Roundheads Scots Figaries or A Knot of Knaves a Comedy printed 4 o Lond. 1652. and dedicated to Robert Dormer Esq Most of this Play is writ in the Scotch Dialect and displays them to the Life Love crowns the End a Tragi-comedy acted by the Scholars of Bingham in the County of Nottingham This Play is not divided into Acts and is much shorter than most usually are being fitted purposely as I suppose for those Youths than acted it 'T is printed with his Poems call'd The Mirrour of Fancies in octavo Lond. 1657. and dedicated to Sir John Winter Secretary of State to his Majesty in his Exile Robert TAYLOUR An Author to whose Person and Writings I am wholy a Stranger only I find in former Catalogues a Comedy ascribed to him call'd Hog-huth lost his Pearl Thomas THOMSON Another Author of the meanest Rank and a great Plagiary if One of the Plays be own'd by him which Mr. Kirkman has ascribed to him viz. English Rogue a Comedy acted before several Persons of Honour with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 1668. and dedicated to Mrs. Alice Barret Mother Shipton her Life acted Nine Days together with great applause printed 4o. Lond. 16 I suppose the Occasion of the Success of this Play was from what he stole for all the Characters except what relate to Shipton are borrow'd as the Characters of Shift-hose Monylack Sir Oliver Whore-hound David c. are stollen verbatim from Massinger's City Madam and Middleton's Chast Maid in Cheapside This Play has not the Author's Name to it but the two first Letters it may be he was asham'd to set his Name to other Mens Labours As to the Story of Shipton I know not how to direct the Reader except to an old Book in quarto call'd The Life and Death of Mother Shipton Nicholas TROTT An Author who writ a Tragedy call'd Arthur which I never saw neither can I give any Account of the Author himself or the time he liv'd in Richard TUKE An Author of whom I can give no further Account than that he writ a Play call'd Divine Comedian or The Right Use of Plays improved in a Sacred Tragi-comedy printed 4o. Lond. 1672. and dedicated to the Right Honourable and no less Virtuous Mary Countess of Warwick This Play was call'd first by the Author The
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
acted and printed 4o. Lond. 1632. That passage of the Widows finding her Wedding-Ring which she dropp'd in crossing the Thames in the Belly of a Fish which her Maid bought accidentally in the Market is founded either upon the Story of Polycrates of Samos as the Author may read at large in Herodotus Lib. 3. sive Thalia or upon the like Story related of one Anderson of Newcastle by Doctor Fuller in his Worthies of England I know of nothing else written by our Author neither can I tell the time of his Death and therefore I must leave it to Persons of better Information to acquaint the World with more particulars of his Life whilst I hasten to an Account of his Names sake Samuel ROWLEY Whether this Author was related to as well as Contemporary with the former I know not only this I know that he writ himself a Servant to the Prince of Wales He is the Author of two Historical Plays of which we are to give an Account in their Alphabetical Order viz. Noble Spanish Souldier or A Contract broken justly revenged a Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1634. This is a Posthumous Piece and if we believe the Printer's Preface has received applause in Action Where it was acted I know not nor the Foundation of the Story it not being mentioned what King of Spain it was that committed that act of Perjury with Onaelia When you see me you know me or The Famous Chronical History of Henry the Eighth with the Birth and Virtuous Life of Edward Prince of Wales being play'd by the High and Mighty Prince of Wale's Servants and printed 4o. Lond. 1632. For the Plot see the L d Herbert's Life of Hen. the VIII and other Writers of his Life as Polydore Virgil Hollingshead Hall Grafton Stow Speed Martin Baker c. Joseph RUTTER An Author that liv'd in the Reign of King Charles the First He belong'd to the Earl of Dorset's Family and attended on his Son the Father of the present Earl At the Command of the Right Honourable Edward Earl of Dorset and Lord Chamberlain to the Queen he undertook the Translation of the Cid out of French and Mr. Kirkman ascribes another Play to him besides of both which I shall speak in their Order Cid a Tragi-comedy acted before their Majesties at Court and on the Cock-pit Stage in Drury-Lane by the Servants to both their Majesties and printed 8o. Lond. 1637. This first Part is dedicated to Edward Earl of Dorset aforesaid part of it being translated by the young Lord his Son on whom our Author attended Cid Part the second printed 4o. Lond. 1640. and dedicated to the Lady Theophila Cook This Part was undertaken by our Author at his Majesties Command who was pleas'd to think it worth the translating and commanded it to be put into our Author's Hands Both these Plays are usually bound together in actavo As to these Plays in the Original they are much commended tho' I never saw but the first Part in French I shall not here transcribe the Author 's own Sentiments of it but leave it to those who understand the French to peruse the Examen of the Second Part it being too long for this place But what M. Boileau says of it in his 9 th Satyr may be sufficient to shew the Sentiments of the publick in its Favour His Words are these En vain contre le Cid un Ministre se ligue Tout Paris pour Climene a les yeux de Rodrigue L' Academie en Corps a beau le censurer Le Public revolté s'obstine à l'admirer To speak of the Translation in general I think if the Time be considered when it was undertaken it may pass muster with candid Readers The Author having at least so far improv'd it as to bring several things in Action which in the Original are delivered in Narration an Excellency commended by Horace in those Lines so well known to all Scholars Aut agitur res in Scenis aut Acta refertur Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem Quam quae sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus quae Ipse sibi tradit spectator It is true our Author has altered in the Original some places but not many Two Scenes he has left out as being Soliloquies and things little pertinent to the Business and give me leave to observe by the by That the French are much addicted to bring in these Monologues in their serious Plays Some things likewise our Author has added but scarce discernable and where M. Corneille would give him leave he says he has follow'd close both his Sense and Words tho' as he has observed many things are received Wit in one Tongue which are not in another As to the Play 't is founded on true History and the Author has follow'd Roderic de Tolede and Mariana The Reader may consult other Historians that have writ of the Affairs of Don Fernando the First King of Castille Shepherds Holyday a Pastoral Tragi-comedy acted before their Majesties at Whitehall by the Queen's Servants and printed 8o. Lond. 1635. This Play is ascrib'd by Mr. Kirkman to our Author tho' only J.R. is affix'd to the Title-page This Play is of the Nobler sort of Pastorals and is writ in Blank Verse At the End is a Pastoral Elegy on the Death of the Lady Venetia Digby in the Person of Sir Kenelm Digby her Husband and a Latin Epigram on her Tomb. I know nothing else of our Authors Writing Thomas RYMER Esq This Gentleman is now living and was once if he be not at present a Member of the Honourable Society of Grays-Inn He has excellent Talent towards Criticism as appears by his Preface to the Translation of Rapin's Reflections on Aristotle's Treatise of Poetry 8o. and his Tragedies of the last Age consider'd but I think for Dramatick Poetry there are other Poets now alive that at least equal that Tragedy which he has publisht viz. Edgar or The English Monarch an Heroick Tragedy printed 4o. Lond. 1678. This Tragedy is dedicated to King Charles the Second and written in Heroick Verse If it be compared with Mr. Ravenscroft's King Edgar and Alfreda it far exceeds it For the Plot see the Historians before mentioned viz. Malmesbury Huntingdon Hoveden Ingulfus Higden c. Grafton Stow c. S. Thomas St. SERF A Gentleman who in the Reign of King Charles the Second writ a Play call'd Tarugo's Wiles or The Coffee-house a Comedy acted at his Highnesses the Duke of York's Theatre printed 4o. Lond. 1668. and dedicated to the Right Honourable George Marquess of Huntley This Comedy if not equal with those of the first Rank yet exceeds several which pretend to the second especially the third Act which discovers the several Humours of a Coffee-house As to the other part of the Play 't is founded as I suppose on the Spanish Play No puedeser or It cannot be but not having the Original I cannot be positive but this I know That the Lord
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
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
Black-fryars printed 8o. Lond. 1652. and dedicated to the Worthily Honoured Friend Sir Edmund Bowyer The Queen 's Courting Rosania under the Disguise of a Page and the King 's Surprizing them has Resemblance to a Story in the English Adventures 8o. part 3. between King Henry Izabella and Horatio Imposture a Tragi-comedy acted at the Private-house in Black-fryars and printed 8o. Lond. 1652. 'T is dedicated to Sir Robert Bolles Baronet Sisters a Comedy acted at the Private-house in Black-fryars and printed 8o. Lond. 1652. 'T is dedicated to William Paulet Esq Having given an Account of these Six Plays I am now to speak of Two others which are printed together in 8o. Lond. 16 viz. Honoria and Mammon a Comedy which is built upon that Entertainment before mentioned called Contention for Honour and Riches I shall refer my Reader to the Author's Epistle for further Satisfaction of the Reason of his Undertakings Contention of Ajax and Ulysses for the Armour of Achilles This Interlude was nobly represented says the Author by Young Gentlemen of Quality at a private Entertainment of some Persons of Honour The Design is taken from Ovid's Metamorphosis Book the 13. See the beginning There rests only his Poems to be spoken of printed octavo Lond. 1646. to which is added a Masque call'd Triumph of Beauty personated by some Young Gentlemen for whom it was intended at a private Recreation The Subject of this Masque is that known Story of the Judgment of Paris upon the Golden-Ball which you may read in Lucians Dialogues But our Author has imitated Shakespear in the Comical part of his Midsummer Nights Dream and Shirley's Shepheard Bottle is but a Copy of Shakespear's Bottom the Weaver I shall conclude this Account with Four Lines writ in our Author's Commendation by One Mr. Hall who in the Title of his Panegyrick stiles him The Surviving Honour and Ornament of the English Scene and in the End concludes thus Yet this I dare assert when Men have nam'd Johnson the Nations Laureat the fam'd Beaumont and Fletcher he that cannot see Shirley the fourth must forfeit his best Eye Sir Charles SIDLEY A Gentleman whose Name speaks a greater Panegyrick than I am able to express and whose Wit is so well known to this Age that I should but tarnish its Lustre by my Endeavouring to deliver it over to the next His Wit is too Noble a Subject to need any Herald to proclaim its Titles and Pedigree or if it did my Voice and Skill are too weak to sound out his Praises in their due measures I shall therefore only content my self as the Vallys that have no Voice of their own to eccho out his Merits at the Second-hand and give you part of his Character from a Person whose Honour and Pride it is to have a considerable share in his Friendship I mean Mr. Shadwell who in his Epistle Dedicatory to The True Widow says That he has heard him speak more Wit at a Supper than all his Adversaries with their Heads joyn'd together could write in a Year That his Writings are not unequal to any Man 's of this Age not to speak of Abundance of Excellent Copies of Verses That he has in the Mulberry Garden shown the true Wit Humour and Satyr of a Comedy and in Anthony and Cleopatra the true Spirit of a Tragedy But least this might be thought Partiality or Flattery in our Laureat give me leave to transcribe another part of his Character from an Unquestionable Judge of Poetry the great Ornament of the Muses the Lord Rochester in his Imitation of Horace's Tenth Satyr of the First Book Sidley has that prevailing gentle Art That can with a resistless Charm impart The loosest Wishes to the chastest Heart Raise such a Conflict kindle such a Fire Betwixt declineing Virtue and Desire Till the poor vanquisht Maid dissolves away In Dreams all Night in sighs and tears all Day The Plays this Great Wit has oblig'd the World with are but three all which appear to be writ with Design at least they may serve to be Patterns for succeeding Poets Imitation which I shall only mention in their Alphabetical Order viz. Anthony and Cleopatra a Tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre and printed 4o. Lond. 1677. For the History see Plutarch's Life of Anthony Appian Dion Cassius Diodorus Florus c. Bellamira or The Mistress a Comedy acted by their Majesties Servants and printed Lond. 1687. This Play is an Imitation as the Author informs us of Terence's Eunucbus Mulberry Garden a Comedy acted by his Majesty's Servants at the Theatre-Royal printed 4o. Lond. 1668. and dedicated to Her Grace the Dutchess of Richmond and Lenox which Epistle is not the least Ornament to the Play and shews the Neatness of his Stile in Prose I dare not say that the Character of Sir John Everyoung and Sir Samuel Fore-cast are Copies of Sganarelle and Ariste in Molliere's L'Escole des Maris but I may say that there is some Resemblance tho' whoever understands both Languages will readily and with Justice give our English Wit the preference and Sir Charles is not to learn to Copy Nature from the French Give me Leave to conclude with what the Learned Mr. Evelyn has said with no less Truth than Ingenuity in his Imitation of Ovid's Fifteenth Elegy of this Excellent Poet and his Friend Sir George Etheridge While Fathers are severe and Servants cheat Till Bawds and Whores can live without deceit Sidley and easy Etheridge shall be Great John SMITH A Gentleman as I suppose now living at Snenton in Yorkshire the Author of a Comedy call'd Cytherea or The Enamouring Girdle printed 4 o Lond. 1677. This Play was refused to be acted by the Players of the Duke's Theatre as you may see by the Epistle Dedicatory to the Northern Gentry I leave the Play to the Judgment of those that have read it William SMITH An Author that lived in the Reign of King James the First who publish'd a Play call'd Hector of Germany or The Palsgrave Prime Elector an Honourable History publickly acted at the Red-bull and at the Curtain by a Company of Young Men of this City printed 4o. Lond. 1615. and dedicated to the Right Worshipful Sir John Swinnerton Lord Mayor of London in the Year 1611. This Play is not divided into Acts I am not certain where this Story is to be found tho' possibly Albertus Argentinensis or Henry Monk of Rebdorf may make some Mention of this Palatin Our Author writ another Play called The Freeman's Honour to dignify the Worthy Company of Taylors but whether ever it was printed or no I know not This Author joyned with One W. Webbe in writing a Book called The Description of the Counry Palatine of Chester Lond. 1656. Hieronymo is ascribed by Mr. Philips and Winstanley thro' their old Mistake to our Author it being an Anonymous Play Thomas SOUTHERN An Author of whom I can give no further Account than that he has two Plays in print viz. Disappointment or