A N. ACCOUNT OF THE English Dramatick POETS. OR, Some OBSERVATIONS And REMARKS On the Lives and Writings, of all thofe that have Publish'd either Comedies, Tragedies, Tragi-Comedies,Paftorals, Mafques, Interludes, Farces, or Opera's in the ENGLISH TONGUE. By GERARD LANGBAINE. OXFORD, Printed by L.L. for GEORGE WEST, and HENRY CLEMENTS. An. Dom. 1691. JAMES, EARL of ABINGTON, Baron NORREYS, of RICOTT: Their MAJESTIES Ld Lieutenant of OXFORDSHIRE. MY LORD, I Should not have prefum'd to have prefix'd fo Great a Name to a mean a Work, had I not been fufficiently affur'd that Candour and Goodnefs, are not the leaft of those Excellent Qualities, which have acquir'd You the Love and Efteem of all that have the Honour to know You. 'Tis this Confideration, joyn'd with the Experience of Your Lordship's former Favours,which rais'd me to the Confidence of expreffing my Obliga tions to Tour Honour, by dedica ting not fo much the following Sheets, as My Self, the Compiler of them, to Your Lordship's Service. But I am afraid both the Piece and its Author, are fo inconfiderable in themselves,and fo unworthy of Your Lordship's Eye & Regard; that my Offering will Jeem to moft Men, to have more of Prefumption than Gratitude in it. And truly MY LORD, I am So fenfible of the Objection, That tho I would willingly Shroud my Self under Your Lordship's Patronage, yet I dare not in the leaft implore it for the Effay it felf; which hath fo many faults, that fome may be apt to cenfure the whole Undertaking as an unpardonable One: and I am unwilling that Your Lordship's Name fhoud be used, in the defence of a Trifle, which it might have been perhaps more for the Author's Credit to have conceal d than publifh'd. And now having faid thus much in Excufe of my felf, I must confeß I was never under a greater Temptation, to fay fomething, according to the Modern Custome of Dedications,in Praise of Tour LP; but that I fear I should need another kind of Apology, bould I attempt to give a Character of Tour Perfonal Worth and Excellency, or enlarge upon thofe Eminent Services,with which You have oblig'd both Your Prince and Country, in the most hazardousTryals of Your Loyalty Affection to each,when either the Rights of the Crown,or the Liberties of the People call'd for Your Affiftance: Your Lordship being ftill one of the Firft,that was content to have these Your Obliga |