Lord Charles Herbert. "Twas afterwards acted on the Black-fryars Stage, () and found the approbation of the moft Excellent Perfons of this kind of Writing which were in that time, if there were ever better in any time; Ben John fon, being then alive, who gave a Teftimony of this Peice even to be envy'd. Some Cavillers at its firft Reprefentation at Blackfryars,exclaim'd against the Indecorum that appear'd in the part of Cleander, who being reprefented as a Perfon of feventeen years old, is made to speak words, that would better fute with the Age of Thirty; faying, It was monftrous and impoffible: but the Author was fufficiently vindicated by the Lord Viscount Faulkland, who made the following Repartee, to One of thefe Hypercri ticks; Sir, 'tis not altogether fo monftrous, and impoffible, for One of Seventeen Years to fpeak at fuch a rate; when He that made 'him fpeak in that manner,and writ the whole Play, was Himfelf no Oldér. This Impreffion was printed without the Authors confent,from a falfe and an imperfect Tranfcript, the Original Copy being (with the Author) in Italy; To that it might rather be call'd the Firft Defign, or Foul Draught, than a True Copy. This occafioned a new Edition, and the Publifher impos'd on it a New Title, that it might fhew as little Affinity as poffible, to (what he calls) its Anti-type; ftiling it,

Pallantus and Eudora, a Tragedy, printed fol. Lond. 1653. To this Edition, I recom mend the Reader, remembring that of Martial (ay Preface.

Mul

Multum crede mihi, refert, à fonte bibatur Que fluit, an pigro que ftupet 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 Majefty with the Creditable Employ of Refident at the State of Ve nice, whither he was fent in August 1651. During his Abfence from his Country, he diverted himself with the Mufes, writing fe veral Playes, of which Sir John Denham (in a jocular way) takes notice in his Copy of Verfes on our Author's Return from his Embaffie from Venice (b).

Our Refident Tom,

I.

From Venice is come,

And bath left the Statefman behind him : Talks at the fame pitch,

Is as wife, is as rich,

And juft where you left him you find him.

But who fays he was not

A man of much Plot

May repent that falfe Accufation z
Having plotted and penn'd

Six Plays to attend ́

The Farce of his Negotiation.

(b) Denham's Poems, p. 70.

U 4

Tho'

Tho' Sir John Denham mentions but fix, our Author writ nine Plays in his Travells, and two at London,amongft which his Don Thomafo, in two parts, and his Parfon's Wedding, will always be valu'd by the beft Judges and Admirers of Dramatick Poetry. Of thefe Eleven Plays, I fhall fpeak in their Order.

Bellamira her Dream, or Love of Shadows, a Tragi-comedy, the firft Part, printed fol. Lond. 1663. written in Venice, and dedicated to the Lady Mary Villiers, Dutchefs of Richmond and

Lenox.

4

Bellamira her Dream, the fecond Part, a Tragi-comedy, written in Venice; printed fol Lond. 1663. and dedicated to the Lady Anne Villiers, Countefs, of Effex.

Cicilia and Clorinda, or Love in Arms, a Tragi-comedy, the firft Part,printed fol. Lond. 1663. written in Turin, and dedicated to the Lady Anne Villiers, Countess of Morton.

Cicilia and Clorinda, the fecond Part, a Tragicomedy printed fol. Lond. 1663, written in Florence in August 1651 and dedicated to the Lady Dorothy Sidney, Countess of Sunderland, The firft Scene between Amadeo, Lucius, and Manlius, feems copied from the Characters of Aglatidas, Artabes, and Megabifes, in the Grand Cyrus; fee the Hiftory of Aglatidas and Ameftris, Part 1. Book 3.

Claracilla, a Tragi-comedy, printed Folio Lond. 1663. written in Rome, and dedicated to his Dear Sifter the Lady Shannon. On this Play, and The Prifoners, Mr. Carthwright has writ an ingenious Copy of Verfes, which the 4. 1

Reader

Reader may find amongst his Poems, p. 258. Parfon's Wedding, a Comedy printed Folio Lond. 1663. written at Bafil in Switzerland, and dedicated to the Lady Urfula 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 fpoken by Mrs. Marshal in Man's Cloaths, which the Reader may find printed in Covent Garden Drollery, 80. pag. 3. &c. The Intrigue of Carelefs and Wild circumventing the Lady Wild, and Mrs.Pleafance into Marriage, is an Incident in feveral Plays, as Ram-Alley, Antiquary, &c. but in none fo 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 Countefs of Carnarvan,

Princefs, or Love at firft fight, aTragi-comedy printed Fol. Lond. 1663. written in Naples,and dedicated to his Dear Neece, the Lady Anne Wentworth, Wife to the Lord Lovelace.

Prifoners, a Tragi-comedy printed Fol. Lond. 1663 written in London, and dedicated to his Dear Neece, the Lady Crompton. Cu

1.

Thomafo, 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 firft part of this Play the Author has borrow'd feveral Ornaments, as the Song fung by Angelica Act 2. Sc. 3. is taken from Fletcher's Play call'd The Captain Act4. He has made ufe of Ben Johnson confiderably, for not only the Character of Lopus, but even the very Words are copied from Johnson's Fox,

where

where Vulpone perfonates Scoto of Mantua: as the Reader will fee by comparing A&t 4. Sc. 2. of this Play, with that of the Fox, Act 2. Scr2. I do not believe that our Author defign'd to conceal his Theft, fince he is fo juft to acknowledge a Song againft Jealoufy, which he borrow'd, and was written by Mr. Thomas Carew, Cup-bearer to King Charles the Firft; and fung in a Mafque at Whitehall, An. 1633. This Chorus (fays he) I prefume to make use of here, because in the firft defign, 'twas writ at my requeft, upon a Difpute held betwixt Mrs. Cicilia Crofts and my felf, where he was pre"fent; fhe being then Maid of Honor: this I "have fet down, left any man should believe 'me fo foolish as to fteal fuch a Poem from fo 'famous an Author; or fo vain as to pretend 'to the making of it my felf. Certainly therefore, if he fcrupled to rob Mr. Carew, he would much more Mr. Johnson, whofe Fame as much exceeded the others, as his Writings and Compofitions are better known: However it be, I am fure he is not the only Poet 1 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 difpofe of it, 'twould certainly be very excufable. All thefe Plays are printed together in One Volume in Folio Lond. 1664

Sir William KILLEGREW.

A Gentleman who by his Writings, and ho nourable Station in the Court (being ViceChamberlain to the Queen Dowager,) is well known.