Page:The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets.djvu/102

82 HIS Gentleman was born in Oxonshire, sometime Fellow of Magdalen-College; which, with his Religion, he quitted, till in King James's Time he was again re-placed in the same College, with the other Popish Fellows; who were all soon after displaced, by an Apprehension of the Revolution. He has one Play in Print, called,

The Roman Empress, a Tragedy, 4to. 1671. Acted at the Theatre Royal, by his Majesty's Servants, and dedicated to Sir Charles Sidley. For the Plot, consult Zosomi Histor. Mr. Langbain supposes this to be the Story of Constantine, and his Wife and Son, Crispus and Faustina. The Author has imitated Oedipus and Hippolitus.

Person of eminent Wit in K. Charles the First's Time, he writ a Play at Seventeen Years of Age, call'd first,

The Conspiracy, a Tragedy, 4to. 1638. Afterwards alter'd, under the Name of Pallantus and Eudora, a Tragedy, Fol. 1653. This Play was first Acted at the Black Fryars, with Applause, and the first Impression Printed without the Author's Consent, whilst beyond Sea, which occasion'd afterwards a new Impression with a new Title. At the first Acting of the aforegoing Play, it met with some few Cavillers against some part thereof; but that was soon over, when ''Ben. Johnson, and the Lord Viscount Falkland'' gave it another Encomium. Gentleman of a good Family, and a celebrated Wit in the Reigns of the Two K. Charles's; he was Page of Honour to the First, and Groom of the Bed-Chamber to the Second: during the King's Exile, he saw France, Italy, and Spain; was resident at Venice,