་

against Women, spoken by Poltrot A& 5. Sc. 1. is printed in feveral Books of Poetry, and may be read in a Romance call'd The French Rogue, 80. ch. 21. p. 132. The Author tells his Patron, (e) That the Duke of Guife 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 Majefties 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 Mafter-piece by Mr.Dryden himself, in that Copy of Verfes prefix'd to it, which are a fufficient Teftimony of its worth. The Prologue was written by Sir Car Scroop. For the Plot, as far as the Author has follow'd Hiftory, confult Arrian; 2. Curtius; Plutarch's Life of Alexander; Juftin lib. 11, 12. Diodorus Siculus, lib. 17. & 18. Jofephus lib. 11. cap. 8.

Sophonisba, or Hannibals Overthrow, a Tragedy, acted at the Theatre-Royal, by their Majefties Servants; printed 40. Lond. 1676. and dedicated to her Grace the Dutchefs of Portf mouth. This Play is writ in Heroick Verfe, and hath always appear'd on the Stage with applaufe; efpecially from the Female Sex: and Envy it felf muft acknowledge, That the Paffion between Mafaniffa, and Sophonisba, is well exprefs't; tho' Hannibal and Scipio's Parts fall fomewhat short of the Characters given them by Hiftorians; as the Ingenious and Sharp Lord (g) Epift. Dea.

X 3

Ro

Rochefter has obferv'd, in his Allufion to Horace's Tenth Satyr of the First Book;

When Lee makes temperate Scipio, fret and

rave;

And Hannibal, a whining Amorous Slave,
I laugh,and wifh the Hot-brain'd Fuftian-Fool,
In Busby's Hands to be well lafht at School.

As our Author has taken the Liberty in feveral Plays to follow Romances, fo poffibly he purpofely err'd with the late Earl of Orrery, who in his first Part of Partheniffa, has reprefented the Warlike Hannibal as much in Love with Izadora, as Mr. Lee has describ'd him paffionate of Rofalinda's Charms. Many Hiftorians have writ the Actions of thefe Great Men: fee Cornelius Nepos his Life of Hannibal; Plutarch's Life of Scipio; and that of Hannibal, father'd on him, tho' fuppos'd to be writ by Donatus Acciajolus: Livy Dec.3. Lib.1.c. Florus Lib. 2. C. 6. Juftin. Orofius, Diodorus, Polybius, Appian, &c. Those who understand Italian, may read the Story of Maffaniffa, and Sophonisba, very neatly defcrib'd by the Excellent Pen of Petrarch, in his Il Trionfo d'Amore,C.2.

Theodofius, or The Force of Love, a Tragedy acted by their Royal-Highness's Servants,at the Duke's Theatre; printed 40. Lond. 1680. and dedicated to her Grace, the Dutchefs of Richmond. The Paffions are extreamly well drawn in this Play, and it met with its deferv'd Applaufe: and our Author has faid with as much Truth as Modesty ("), That fuch Characters (h) Epift. D.d.cat.

Every Dawber cannot draw. This Play is founded on a Romance call'd Pharamond, tranflated from the French of Mr. Calpranede. See the Hiftory of Varannes, Part 3. Book 3. p. 282. Of Martian. Part 7. Book 1. p. 207. Of Theodofius Part 7. Book 3. p. 256.

I know nothing else that our Author has in Print; and therefore I fhall conclude with that just Commendation given him and Mr. Otway, by Mr. Evelyn, in his Imitation of Ovid's Elegy ad Invidos (1).

When the afpiring Grecian (*) in the Eaft, And haughty Philip () is forgot in the Weft, Then Lee and Otway's Works fhall be fuppreft.

John LILLY.

An Ancient Writer, living in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth: he was a Kentish Man, and in his younger Years brought up in St. Mary Magdalen Colledge in Oxon. where in the Year 1575. he took his Mafter of Arts Degree. He was a very clofe Student, and much addicted to Poetry; a Proof of which he has given the World in Nine Plays, he has bequeath'd to Pofterity, and which in that Age, were well esteem'd both by the Court and the Univerfity. He was One of the first Writers, that in those Days attempted to reform our Language, and purge it from obfolete Expreffions. Mr. Blount, Gentleman, who has made himself known to the

,a

(i) Tate's Collection of Poems, 8°. p.90. (k) He alludes to The Rival Queens. (1) To Don Carlos. X 4

World,

World, by the feveral Pieces of his own Writing, (as Hora Subfeciva, his Microcosmography,

c.) and who publifht fix of these Plays; in his Title-page ftiles him, The only Rare Poet of that Time, The Witty, Comical, FacetiouflyQuick, and Unparalell'd John Lilly.

"Tis not to be expected that I should any where trace this Author, if the Character Mr. Blount gives of him in his Epiftle Dedicatory, be true; That he fat at Apollo's Table; that Apollo gave him a Wreath of his own Bayes, without Snatching; and that the Lyre he 'play'd on, had no borrow'd Strings. The Reader therefore is only to expect a fhort Account of his Titles Alphabetically.

Alexander and Campafpe, a Tragical-Comedy play'd before the Queens Majefty, on Twelfthday at Night, by her Majefties Children, and the Children of Paul's, and afterwards at the Black-fryars; printed 120. Lond. 1632. The Story of Alexander's beftowing Campaspe on the Enamour'd Apelles, is related by Pliny in his his Natural Hiftory, Lib. 35. L.Io.

Endymion, a Comedy prefented before Queen Elizabeth, by the Children of her Majefties Chappel, and the Children of Paul's; printed 120. Lond. 1632. For the Story of Endimion's being belov'd by the Moon, with Comments upon it, may be met with in most of the Mythologifts: See Lucian's Dialogues between Ve nus and the Moon; Natalis Comes, Lib. 4. C.8. Hygini Poeticon Aftronomicon; Fulgentii Mythologia; Galtruchius's Hiftory of the Heathen Gods, Lib. 1. C. 9. M. Gombauld has writ a Romance,

mance, call'd Endymion, tranflated in English, printed octavo 1639.

Galathea, a Comedy play'd before the Queens Majefty at Greenwich, on New-Years Day at Night, by the Children of Paul's; printed 120. Lond. 1632. In the Characters of Galathea and Phillidia, the Poet has copy'd the Story of Iphis and Jant which the Reader may find at large in Ovid's Metamorphofis, Lib.9.Cap. 12.

Love's Metamorphofis, a Witty and Courtly Paftoral, first play'd by the Children of Paul's, and now by the Children of the Chappel; printed 4°. Lond. 1601.

Maid's Metamorphofis, a Comedy, fundry times acted by the Children of Paul's; printed 40. Lond. 1600. The firft Act is wholly writ in Verfe, and fo is the greatest part of the Play.

Mother Bombie, a Pleafant Conceited Comedy, fundry times play'd by the Children of Paul's; printed 12° Lond. 1632.

Mydas, a Comedy, play'd before the Queens Majesty upon Twelfth-day at Night; printed 120. Lond. 1632. For the Story, fee Ovid's Metamorphofis, Lib. 11. Fab.4. Natalis Comes, Lib. 9. Cap.15. Galtruchius, Book 2. Ch.5. Apuleius has writ the Story at large in his Aureus Afi nus, &c.

Sapho and Phao, a Comedy, play'd before the Queens Majefty on Shrove-Tuesday, by her Majefties Children,and the Children of Paul's, and afterwards at the Black-fryars; printed 120. Lond. 1632. This Story the Reader may learn from Ovid's Epistle of Sapho, to Phaon, Ep.21.

Wo