Page:The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets.djvu/29

Rh she excell'd not only all that went before her of her own Sex, but great part of her Contemporary Poets of the other: She had a great Facility in Writing, and much of Nature in all she writ, was employ'd by Charles II. in the Discovery of the Dutch Intreagues, in the Dutch War; Liv'd belov'd, and Dy'd lamented by all that knew her, and lyes Buried in the Cloysters of Westminster Abbey, under a great Marble Stone, on which is inserted these two Verses:

Here lies a Proof that Wit can never be, Defence enough against Mortalitie.

Her Plays, Seventeen in Number, are as follow in their Alphabetical Order;

Abdelazer, or the Moor's Revenge, T. 4to. Compare this Play with one of Christopher Marlo's, call'd Lust's Dominion, 8vo. and you will find it almost the same.

Amorous Prince, or Curious Husband, T.C. 4to. Part of it taken from the Story of the Curious Impertinent in Don Quixot, Part 4. Ch. 6, 7, 8.

City Heiress, or Sir Timothy Treat-All, C. 4to. Part of it from a Play of Middleton's, call'd, A mad World, my Masters, 4to. and part from another of Massengers, call'd, the Guardian, 8vo.

Dutch Lover, C. 4to. Plot from Don Fenise, 8vo. See the Stories of Eusheme, Theodore, Don Jame, and Frederic in that Romance.

Emperor of the Moon, F. 4to. Taken from Harlequin, Empereur dans le Monde de la lune.

Forced Marriage, or The Jealous Bridegroom, T.C. 4to. The first Play she Writ.

False Count, or a New way to play an Old Game, C. 4to. Isabella's being deceiv'd by the Chimney Sweeper, taken from Molieres des precieuses Ridicules.

Feign'd Courtezans, or a Nights Intreague, C. 4to. This Play was well accepted, and accounted one of the best she writ.

Lucky Chance, or the Alderman's Bargain, C. 4to. Gayman's enjoying Lady Fulbank, and taking her for the Devil, taken from Mr. Alexander Kickshaw, and Lady Aritina, in the Lady of Pleasure, written by Shirley; 4to.

Rover, or The Banish'd Cavaliers, two Parts, C. 4to. Taken from Tho. Killegrew's Don Thomaso, or The Wanderer, fol.

Round Heads, or The good Old Cause, C. 4to. A Play of John Tateham's, call'd, The Rump, altered, 4to.

Sir Patient Fancy, C. 4to. Part of this Play taken from Richard Broom's Damoyselle, 8vo. and Le Malade Imaginaire. Town