Penniless, or Supplication to the Devil, he had fome reflections on the parentage of Dr. Harvey, his father being arope-maker of Saffron-Walden. This produced contefts between the Doctor and him, so that it became a paper war. Amongst other books which Mr. Nash wrote against him, was one entitled, Have with ye, to Saffron Walden; and another called, Four letters confuted. He wrote likewife a poem, called, The White Herring and the Red. He has published two plays, Dido Queen of Carthage, in which he joined with Marloe: and Summers laft Will and Teftament, a Comedy. Langbaine fays, he could never procure a fight of either of these, but as to the play called, See me, and See me not, afcribed to him by Winstanley, he fays, it is written by one Drawbridgecourt Belchier, Efq; Thomas Nath had the reputation of a fharp fatirift, which talent he exerted with a great deal of acrimony againft the Covenanters and Puritans of his time : He likewife wrote a piece called, The Fourfold way to Happiness, in a dialogue between a countryman, citizen, divine, and lawyer, printed in 4to. London, 1633 1. In an old poem called the return to Parnaffus; or a fcourge for Simony, Nafh's character is fummed up in four lines. which Mrs. Cooper think: is impartially done. Let all his faults fleep in his mournful cheft, From his PIERS PENNILESS. Why is't damnation to defpair and die, Ah! Ah! worthlefs wit to train me to this woe! Forgive me God, altho' I curfe my birth,: And I am quite undone, thro' promise breach Without redrefs, complains my careless verse, England adieu! the foil that brought me forth! A JOHN FORD, Gentleman of the Middle-Temple, who wrote in the reign of Charles I. He was a well-wifher to the mufes, and a friend and acquaintance of most of the poets of his time, He was not only a partner with Rowley and Decker in the Witch of Edmonton, and with Decker in the Sun's Darling; but wrote likewife himself seven plays, most of which were acted at the Phænix in the Black-Fryars, and may be known by an Anagram inftead of his name, generally printed in the title-page, viz. FİDE HONO R. His genius was more turned for tragedy than comedy, which occafioned an old poet to write thus of him: Deep in a dump, John Ford was alone got, Thefe particulars I find in Mr. Langbaine, who gives the following account of his plays; 1. Broken Heart, a Tragedy, acted by the King's Servants at the private House in Black-Fryars, printed in 4to. London 1633, and dedicated to Lord Craven, Baron of Hamftead-Marthal: The Speaker's Names are fitted to their Qualities, and moft of them are derived from Greek Etymologies. 2. Pancies Chafte and Noble, a Tragi-Comedy, acted by the Queen's Servants, at the Phoenix in Drury Lane, printed 4to. London 1638, and dedicated to Lord Randel Macdonell, Earl of Antrim, in the Kingdom of Ireland. 3. Ladies Tryal, a Tragi-Comedy, acted by both their Majesties Servants, at the Private Houfe in Drury-Lane, printed-4to. London, 1639. 4. Lover's Melancholy, a Tragi-Comedy, acted at a Private Houfe in Black-Fryars, and publickly at the Globe by the King's Servants, printed 4to. London 1629, and dedicated to the Society of Gray'sInn. This Play is commended by four of the author's Friends, one of whom writes the following Tetraflich: 'Tis not the language, nor the fore placed rhimes Of friends, that shall commend to after times -The lover's melancholy: It's own worth Without a borrowed praise Thall fet it forth. The The author, fays Langbaine, has imbellifhed this Play with feveral Fancies from other Writers, which he has appofitely brought in, as the Story of the Contention between the Mufician and the Nightingale, defcribed in Strada's academical Prolufions, Lib. ii. Prol. 6.. 5. Love's Sacrifice, a Tragedy, received generally well, acted by the Queen's Servants, at the Phonix in Drury-Lane; printed 4to. Lond. 1663. There is a copy of verfes prefixed to this Play, written by James Shirley, Efq; a dramatic writer. 6. Perkin Warbeck, a Chronicle History, and ftrange Truth, afted by the Queen's Servants in Drury-Lane, printed 4to. 1634, and dedicated to William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle. This Play, as feveral of the former, is attended with Verfes written by four of the Author's friends. The Plot is founded on Truth, and may be read in all the Chronicles of Henry VII. 7. Sun's Darling, a Moral Mask, often prefented by their Majefties Servants at the Cock-pit in Drury Lane, with great Applaufe, printed in 4to. London 1657, dedicated to the Right Hon. Thomas Wriothefley, Earl of Southampton. This Play was wrote by our author and John Decker, but not published till after their deceafe. A Copy of Verfes written by Mr. John Tateham is the Introduction to the Mask, at the Entry whereof the Reader will find an Explanation of the Defign alluding to the Four Seafons of the Year. 8. 'Tis Pity fhe's a Whore, a Tragedy, printed in 4to. Mr. Langbaine fays, that this equals if not exceeds any of our author's performances, and were to be commended did not he paint the inceftuous love between Giovanni, and his Sifter Annabella, in too beautiful colours. I have not been able to ascertain the year in which this author died; but imagine from circumftances, that it must have been fome, time before the Restoration, tion and before the Year 1657, for the Sun's Darling, written between him and Decker was published in 1657, which Mr. Langbaine fays, was after their Deceafe. L THOMAS MIDDLETON IVED in the reign of King Charles I. he was cotemporary with Johnfon, Fletcher, Maflin. ger and Rowley, in whofe friendship he is faid to have shared, and though he fell much fhort of the two former, yet being joined with them in writing plays, he arrived at fome reputation. He joined with Fletcher and Johnfon in a play called The Widow, and the highest honour that is known of this poet, is, his being admitted to make a triumvirate with two fuch great men : he joined with Maflinger and Rowley in writing the Old Law; he was likewife affifted by Rowley in writing three plays. We have not been able to find any particulars of this man's life, further than his friendship and connection already mentioned, owing to his obfcurity, as he was never confidered as a genius, concerning which the world thought themselves interested to preferve any particulars. His dramatic works are, 1. The Five Gallants, acted at the Black Fryars. 2. Blur, Mr. Conftable, or the Spaniard's Night Walk, a Comedy, acted by the Children of St. Paul's School, 1602. Langbaine's Lives of the Poets, p. 370. 3. The |