Captain William BEDLOE.

A Perfon fo remarkable in this Nation not many years fince, on the Account of the Popish Plot; that few are ignorant of his part of the difcovery. I fhall not pretend here, to give you an account of his Life, but refer you to that which was written by an Unknown Hand, intituled, The Life and Death of Captain Willi am Bedloe, printed in octavo, Lond: 1681.

The Reason why we mention him in our Catalogue is, on account of a Play writ by him, called, The Excommunicated Prince: or, The falle Relicka Tragedy Acted by his Ho linefs's Servants: being The Popish Plot, in a Play, printed in folio, Lond. 1679. Dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Buckingham. I muft confefs, I was very defirous to read this Piece for the fake of the Title-page, and came to it with great expectations; but found them altogether frustrated, and only a Story which I had formerly read in Dr. Heylin's Geography, described in it. But afterwards when his Life came out, I was fatisfied with the Account the Publisher gave of it: which for the Readers Information, and the Juftification of the Deceafed, I fhall quote word for word.

(4)In the next place, I defire leave to "fpeak fomething of his Dramatick Poem, call'd The Excommunicated Prince, or, The Falfe Relick. As to the worth of the Play, I down 'my felf fo unskilful in Poetry, that will not rafhly pretend to give my opinion of it, (d) See his Life, pag. 150.

But

But that which I know, let me affert in its vindication, viz. That it was both began and finifht in the fpace of two Months, which every one must needs acknowledge was but h very fhort time, confidering the great buff nefs that then more earnestly imploy'd his thoughts, which muft neceffarily be a weighty clog to the ableft Mufe. Whereas fome of the chiefelt Poets of this Age have thought it no difparagement to confefs, that a correct Play to be perfected, will require at least twelve Months time! And I remember in fome Prologue, I think in that to the Virtuofo, "I have read this Diftick to the fame purpofe. **A Play, like Ground, must a Year Fallow lye, Ere it can ripen to good Comedy **This confider'd, and it being the fir Ellay he ever fmith'd of this Nature) what few mittakes are found in his Play, may be 4eafily excus'd. But befides its real faults, the errors of the Prefs, and what it fuffers theo' the prejudice and hialled of the Author's Adverfaries, I do not at all wonders if even The molt impartial Render too, hoüllöök feverely on it, fecing he is promis and the Title page what he can never find in the Book. It would farn čozen him to believe that he mall meet with the Popish Rod reprefented in that Play, though have heard Mr. Bealae often lay he never intended any Tithing The Hiftory he defigned, may as an inform'd, 'AuthenStick Authors; but in Helm's Geography Premember I met with my felft So may any that

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be read in f

that will perufe his Hiftory of Georgia. Mr. Bedloe well knew it was against his Interest fo for to ridicule the Plot, as to compofe a Play of it; and he had more judgment in Poetry, than to imagine that fuch a new thing would pleafe in Tragedy. And least any one thould fufpect that his defign did in the lealt incline that way, he writ an Epiftle to caffure his Reader of the contrary. Which the Stationer, (fuppofing under that pretence the Play would vend much better) thought it his intereft to ftifle, and added these words to the Title page (Being the Popish Plot in a Play) without the Author's confent or cknowledge.

Mrs. Aftræa BEHN.

A Perfon lately deceased, but whofe Memory will be long fresh amongst the Lovers of Dra matick Poetry, as having been fufficiently Eminent not only for her Theatrical Perfor mances, but feveral other Pieces both in Verfe and Profe; which gain'd her an Efteem among the Wits,almoft equal to that of the incomparable Orinda,Madam Katharine Phillips (of whom we shall fpeak hereafter). Her Plays are Sixteen in number, having therein exceeded any of the Poets of this Age, Sr. William Davenant, and Mr. Dryden, excepted. Moft of her Comedies have had the good fortune to please and tho' it must be confeft that he has borrow'd very much not only from her own Country Men, but likewife from the French Poets: A yet it may be faid in her behalf, that she has often

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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 neceflitated to write for Bread, as fhe has pubLifht to the world. () 'Tis alfo to her Commendation, that whatever the borrows fhe improves for the better: a Plea which our late Laureat has not been afham'd to make ufe of. (*) If to this, her Sex may plead in her behalf, I doubt not but he will be allowed equal with feveral of our Poets her Contemporaries. I fhall 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 Highnefs the Dukes Theatre, printed in quarto, Lond. 1671. This Play is originally an old Play of Marloes, call'd Lufts Dominion, or The Lafcivious Queen, a Tragedy written above Forty years ago, tho' printed in octavo, Lond. 1661. She has much improvid it throughout..

Amorous Prince, or The Curious Husband, a. Comedy Asted at his Royal Highness the Duke of York's Theatre, printed in quarto, Lond. 167. 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 Curiaus: Impertinent See Part 4. Ch. 6, 7, 8. The City Night Cap is founded on the fanie Story, the Mrs. Behn has much out-done that

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(c) Pref, to Sir Patient Fancy. (f) Pref, co Mock Aftrologer.

Play

Play, and improv'd the Novel it self. City-Heirels, or St. Timothy Treat-All, a Comedy Acted at his Royal Highnefs 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 moft of the Characters are borrow'd; as thofe of Sir Timothy Treat-all and his Nephew, from Sir Bounteous Progrefs, and Folly-wit, in Middleton's Mad World my Mafters: and thofe of Sir Anthony Merrywell, and his Nephew S. Charles, from Durazzo and Caldoro, in Maffenger's Guar dian. Part of the Language in each Play is likewife tranfcrib'd. As for the Plot of Sir Timothy's endeavouring to fupplant his Nephew of his Miftrifs, 'tis the fame Defign 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. 16-3 The Plot of this Play is founded on a Spanish Romance, written by the ingenious Don Francifco de las Coveras ftiled Don Fenife, fee the Stories of Eufemie, and Theodore, Don Jame, and Frederick.

Emperor of the Moon, à Farce, Acted by Their Majefty's Servants, at the Queen's Theatre, printed in quarto, Lond. 168. and Dedicated to the Lord Marquefs of Worcester. This Farce was originally Italian, and Acted in France Eighty odd times without intermiflion, under the Title of Harlequin l'EmB 2

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