was (as I fuppofe) the firft Tranflator of Terence's Comedies entire: which tho' not fo well tranflated into English, as into French, by the famous Abbot de Villeloin,Monfieur de Marolles, or by Monfieur de Martignac; yet certainly it is paflable for the time in which he liv'd. Befides the bare Tranflation of the whole Six Comedies, viz. Andrea, Adelphi, &c. he has taken notice in each Scene of the most remarkable forms of Speech, Thefes, and moral Sentences, in imitation poffibly of an old French Tranflation, printed at Paris in octavo, 1574. This Verfionis printed with the Latine, 49. Cambridge 1598. and dedicated to Mr. Chriftopher Wray, Son and Heir to Sr. William Wray, and his Brothers. Having given this short account of the Tranflator and, his Work, give me leave to speak fomewhat of the Author.

Publius Terentius, was a Native of Carthage; but being taken Prifoner, when he was very young he was fent to Rome. He was brought up in Literature, and all good Education, by his Patron Terentius Seneca, and afterwards freed by him, on account of his Wit, and good Meen. He luckily found the best way of writing Comedy, and he left fome Pieces in that kind, that few Perfons have been able to imi tate. He was in great Efteem, not only with the People in general, by reafon of his Dramatick Performances but particularly belov'd and cherish'd by Men of the beft Quality, as Publius Scipio, Lalius, and others. His purity of Stile, was fo.confpicuous, that his Adver faries endeavour'd to perfwade the People,

that

that he was affifted in his Plays by great Men, which he handfomely takes notice of, in his Prologue to the Adelphi

Nam quod illi dicunt malevoli, bomines nobiles Eum adjutare, affiduéque una fcriberes Quod illi maledictum vehemens effe exiftimant, Eam laude hic ducit maxuma; cum illis placet, Qui vobis univerfis, & populo placent ; Quorum operâ in bello, in otio, in negotio, "Suo quifque tempore ufus eft fine fuperbia. The Plots of thefe Comedies: he borrow'd from the Greeks, the Four firft from the Comedies of Menander; and the Two laft from Apollodorus. He was beholding to Menander likewife, for fome other Comedies, which in his Return from Greece, by Sea, were loft with himself in the Year of Rome, 595, and the fe cond year of the 15th Olympiad. Some fay that he Died in Arcadia, but the former Account is confirm'd by Wolcatius, in the followi ing Verfes

Sed ut Afer fex populo edidit Comadias, page Iter bine in Afiam fecit: navim cum femel Confcendit, vifus nunquam eft, fic vita vacat... Confult further Crinitus de Poetis Latinis. Scaliger in Poetic. Lilius Gyraldus Hift. Poet, Voffius de Poetis Latinis, &c.

Mrs. Frances BOOTHBY..

The Authrefs of a Play called Marcelia, or The Treacherous Friend, a Tragi-Comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal, by His Majefties Servants, printed in quarto, Lond. 1670 and dedicated to the Honourable, and moft Accomplisht Lady

Lady Tate, of Harvington in Worcester-fhive: to whom he was rélated..

Roger BOYLE, Earl of Orrery.

An Irish Nobleman, whofe Abilities in Arts and Arms, have render'd him better known to this Nation, than any Character I can give him, fo that I may julbly fay of him with Madam Phillips; Aut

Of him I cannot which is hardest tell, Or not to praise him, or to praise him well. However I mult obferve, that he is not only. a Poet himself, but a Patron of Poets likewife, as Mt. Dryden, and Mr. Crown muft acknowledge fo that methinks his Lordship's Repu tation,joyn'd with the Earl of Rofcomon's,might be fufficient to atrone for their Country's Cha racter in point of Wit. He has publifht Four Plays in Heroick Verfe; wherein not only the true English Courage is delineated to the Life: but likewife the very Infidels and Barbarians, are taught by his Pen, not only Humanity, but the Higheft Morality and Virtue. But his Wit is as far above my Abilities to defcribe, as to imitate; and therefore hall hallen to give an Account of his Plays,

Black Prince a Tragedy,acted at the Theatre Royal, printed at Lond folio, 1672. Tho' this Play in the Title page be call'd a Tragedy, yet it ends fuccefsfully and therefore I prefume was rather tiled to by the Author, from the Quality and Grandeur of the. Perfons in the Dramma, than from any unfortunate Cataftro(i) rocini, prg?' fighting

phe.

phe. For the foundation of this Play, as far as it concerns Hiftory confult Walfinghami Hiftoria Anglia. Florentii Monach. Wigornienfis Chronicon Pol Vergilii Hiftoriæ Anglia. Froiffard Croniques de France, d'Angleterre. Du Chefne, Speed, and other English Hiftorians in the Reign of Edward the Third.

Tryphon, a Tragedy acted by his Royal Highnefs the Duke of York's Servants, and printed in folio, Lond. 1672. Of this Ufurper you have an account in Maccabees lib. 1. See befides 70Syriacis &c. Thefe two Plays are printed together.

Jephus lib. 13. Appian de B See l

Henry the Fifth, a Hiftory, acted at his Highnefs the Duke of Tork's Theatre, printed in. folio, Lond. 1677. For the Plot fee the Chronicles of England in the Reign of that King fuch as Wallingham, Polydore Kergil, HollingBead, Speed, &c. and the French Chronicles in the Reign of King Charles the Sixth, as Les Chroniques d'Enguerrand de Monftrelet Jean Juvenal des Urfins, L'Hiftoire de Charles VI F de Belleforest, L'Hiftoire de neuf Roys Charles de France, Mezeray, &c.

3

40.

Mustapha Son of Solyman the Magnificent, a Tragedy, acted at the Dukes Theatre, printed in folio, Lond. 1677. See Paulus Jovius lib. Thuanus lib, 12. The Artus la Continuation de Hiftoire des Turcs. Knolles's Turkish Hiftory. Befides thefe Plays, there is a Comedy lately publifht, tho wait as I fuppofe fome years ago, under the Title of t

T

Mr. Anthony, a Comedy acted by Their Majefties Servants, and printed in quarto, Lond.

1690. This Play I believe was acted formerly, at the Dukes Theatre in Lincolns-Inn-Fields, because I find Mr. Angel, and Mrs. Long a mongst the Actors Names, who if I mistake not, have been dead fome years. The Prologue to this Play, is the fame with that of The Fool turn'd Critick: but whether it be borrow'd, or genuine, I know not.

Befides thefe Plays our Author has writ a Romance, called Partheniffa; which yields not either in Beauty, Language, or Defign to the Works of the famous Scudery, or Calpranede, however Eminent they may be amongst the French, for Pieces of this Nature: and what Mr. Davis of Kidwelly fays of Scarron's Comical Romance, may with more Juftice be ap plied to our Illuftrious Author, and this Work. (*) 'Tis a thousand pities, That the Author (prevented by death) hath left the Work imperfect; fo that we are, and ever shall be'at a lofs, to know, what period he might bring 'fo many noble Adventures to. He has writ ten a Treatife in Folio, call'd The Art of War. I have been told, it has been commended by many expert Captains, for the best Piece extant in English: but this I must leave to the judgment of others, more experienced in the Art Military.

I know not where,or when,our Noble Author Died: but thofe who would view his Character more at large, nuft read Sr. William Davenant's Poem to his Lordfhip,(') which will make them regret the Lofs of fo great a Man.

(k) Pref. to Scarron's Novels. (1) Davenants Poems P.275. Sam.